"Would he," asked Mr. Lorry, "be sensibly relieved if he could prevail upon himself to impart that secret brooding to any one, when it is on him?"
"I think so. But it is, as I have told you, next to impossible. I even believe it-in some cases-to be quite impossible."
"Now," said Mr. Lorry, gently laying his hand on the Doctor's arm again, after a short silence on both sides, "to what would you refer this attack?"
"I believe," returned Doctor Manette, "that there had been a strong and extraordinary revival of the train of thought and remembrance that was the first cause of the malady.
Some intense associations of a most distressing nature were vividly recalled, I think.
It is probable that there had long been a dread lurking in his mind, that those associations would be recalled-say, under certain circumstances-say, on a particular occasion.
He tried to prepare himself in vain; perhaps the effort to prepare himself made him less able to bear it."
"Would he remember what took place in the relapse?" asked Mr. Lorry, with natural hesitation.
The Doctor looked desolately round the room, shook his head, and answered, in a low voice, "Not at all."
"Now, as to the future," hinted Mr. Lorry.