Madame Defarge, his wife, sat in the shop behind the counter as hecame in. Madame Defarge was a stout woman of about his own age, with awatchful eye that seldom seemed to look at anything, a large handheavily ringed, a steady face, strong features, and great composure ofmanner. There was a character about Madame Defarge, from which onemight have predicated that she did not often make mistakes againstherself in any of the reckonings over which she presided.

MadameDefarge being sensitive to cold, was wrapped in fur, and had aquantity of bright shawl twined about her head, though not to theconcealment of her large ear-rings. Her knitting was before her, butshe had laid it down to pick her teeth with a toothpick. Thus engaged,with her right elbow supported by her left hand, Madame Defarge saidnothing when her lord came in, but coughed just one grain of cough.This, in combination with the lifting of her darkly defined eyebrowsover her toothpick by the breadth of a line, suggested to herhusband that he would do well to look round the shop among thecustomers, for any new customer who had dropped in while he steppedover the way.

The wine-shop keeper accordingly rolled his eyes about, until theyrested upon an elderly gentleman and a young lady, who were seatedin a corner. Other company were there: two playing cards, two playingdominoes, three standing by the counter lengthening out a short supplyof wine. he took notice that theelderly gentleman said in a look to the young lady, "This is our man."

The three customers pulled off their hats to Madame Defarge, withthree flourishes. She acknowledged their homage by bending her head,and giving them a quick look. Then she glanced in a casual mannerround the wine-shop, took up her knitting with great apparent calmnessand repose of spirit, and became absorbed in it.

"Gentlemen," said her husband, who had kept his bright eyeobservantly upon her, "good day. The chamber, furnishedbachelor-fashion, that you wished to see, and were inquiring forwhen I stepped out, is on the fifth floor. The doorway of thestaircase gives on the little courtyard close to the left here,"pointing with his hand, "near to the window of my establishment.But, now that I remember, one of you has already been there, and canshow the way. Gentlemen, adieu!"