A Tale of Two Cities

Inside Tellson’s, Jerry receives orders to go to the Old Bailey, seek out Mr. Lorry, and then wait for Lorry to give him a message. Jerry and the clerk discuss the case being tried, and Jerry, learning that the charge is treason, remarks that the punishment (quartering) is “barbarous” (62). The clerk, however, merely replies that “it is the law,” and that Jerry should “speak well” (62) of it.

Jerry walks to the Old Bailey, which is “a vile place, in which most kinds of debauchery and villainy were practised, and where dire diseases were bred, that came into court with the prisoners” (62). The jail also contains a pillory and a whipping-post, along with crowds of people who go there for entertainment.

After relaying his message, Jerry is allowed inside the court, where he chats with a fellow spectator eager to see the defendant sentenced to death. Jerry attracts the attention of Mr. Lorry, who is sitting with the defendant’s lawyers, one of whom is staring absent-mindedly at the ceiling. Both the judge and prisoner then enter; the latter is a handsome and “self-possessed” (65) young man named Charles Darnay, who has pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiring with the French government.

Darnay’s composure slips slightly as he glances towards two spectators—a young woman and her father who are later revealed to be Doctor and Lucie Manette. The crowd, which up until that point had been eager to see Darnay executed, becomes slightly more sympathetic when they see how distressed Lucie is. Meanwhile, Jerry learns from those around him that both she and her father are witnesses for the prosecution. 

The Attorney-General gives an overblown opening statement in which he appeals to the jury’s patriotism. He claims that testimony from both a former friend (John Barsad) and a former servant (Roger Cly) of Darnay will prove that Darnay is a spy, and that he was discovered with incriminating papers in his possession. When Darnay’s lawyer cross-examines these witnesses, however, holes begin to appear in their stories and credibility: Barsad is a gambler who never knew Darnay well, and Cly was once accused of theft.

Next, the Attorney-General questions Mr. Lorry, who can’t say for certain whether Darnay was with him in the mail coach to Dover five years ago but confirms that he was on the boat he took back from France a few days later. The prosecutor then moves on to questioning Lucie Manette, who says Darnay helped her settle her father on board the ship and talked with her about the American Revolution, arguing that the “quarrel […] was a wrong and foolish one on England’s part” (75). Despite this, and despite the fact that she saw two men with papers talking to Darnay shortly before they set sail, Lucie’s obvious distress makes an impression on the courtroom. Finally, the Attorney-General questions Doctor Manette, who doesn’t remember the voyage from Calais but says Darnay visited them once afterwards in London.

Darnay’s lawyer (Stryver) begins to cross-examine a witness who claims to have seen Darnay at a secret rendezvous but is interrupted by the other defense lawyer (Carton) throwing a note at him. Stryver reads this and, asking whether the witness can be certain of Darnay’s identity, instructs Carton to stand up; Carton and Darnay look nearly identical, “allowing for [Carton’s] appearance being careless and slovenly, if not debauched” (77).

This undermines the prosecution’s case, and Stryver gives a lengthy speech arguing that Barsad and Cly were paid to plant papers on Darnay, who had to make frequent trips to France on family business. The defense’s witnesses are then questioned, and the jury begins to debate. While this is happening, Carton’s attention seems to wander away again, but he notices that Lucie is on the verge of fainting; he later inquires after her with Mr. Lorry and then passes word to Darnay that she is doing well. Darnay expects to be condemned, but Carton says he thinks the jury will acquit him. This turns out to be the case, and Lorry sends Jerry away with a message to that effect, though Jerry privately thinks he ought to send the words “recalled to life” again.