Tale of 2 Cities Top of 207 Chapter 20 It is important to notice how Dickens handles the interaction between Lucie and

Darnay. He does not seem capable of building genuinely romantic scenes. His good characters, by the very fact of being virtuous, act in a stifled manner. As a result, there is a lack of spontaneity between Lucie and Darnay, and the endearments used by the married couple are very conventional. This is a reflection of Victorian decorum that would not permit any demonstration of love beyond the accepted code of behavior. Book 2, Chapter 18 Quotes Nothing would induce him to speak more. He looked up, for an instant at a time, when he was requested to do so; but, no persuasion would extract a word from him. He worked, and worked, and worked, in silence, and words fell on him as they would have fallen on an echoless wall, or on the air. Book 2, Chapter 20 Quotes My husband, it is so. I fear he is not to be reclaimed; there is scarcely a hope that anything in his character or fortunes is reparable now. But, I am sure that he is capable of good things, gentle things, even magnanimous things. Lucie Book 2, Chapter 21 Quotes (281) The sea of black and threatening waters, and of destructive upheaving of wave against wave, whose depths were yet unfathomed and whose forces were yet unknown. The remorseless sea of turbulently swaying shapes, voices of vengeance, and faces hardened in the furnaces of suffering until the touch of pity could make no mark on them. Book 2, Chapter 22 Quotes The raggedest nightcap, awry on the wretchedest head, had this crooked significance in it: "I know how hard it has grown for me, the wearer of this, to support life in myself; but do you know how easy it has grown for me, the wearer of this, to destroy life in you?" Every lean bare arm, that had been without work before, had this work always ready for it now, that it could strike. The fingers of the knitting women were vicious, with the experience that they could tear. The theme of resurrection, of coming back to life, surfaces again. Foulon, like the police spy Roger Cly, had faked death and arranged his own funeral to protect himself from the wrath of the Revolution. The discovery that he is alive incites the patriots to a fury that knows no bounds. Dickens, who normally sympathizes with the plight of the downtrodden, does not side with the rioting mob that inflicts senseless violence. The irony of the Revolution is underlined at the end of the chapter. After the revolutionaries have been on their bloody rampage, they go back home to their same existence. Nothing has really changed, for poverty and hunger are still rampant among the masses. The only change that has really taken place is that one oppressor has been replaced by another. According to Dickens, the belief that a revolution causes a better and more just society remains an illusion. Book 2, Chapter 23 Quotes

With the rising and falling of the blaze, the stone faces showed as if they were in torment. When great masses of stone and timber fell, the face with the two dints in the nose became obscured: anon struggled out of the smoke again, as if it were the face of the cruel Marquis, burning at the stake and contending with the fire. Book 2, Chapter 24 Quotes Like the mariner in the old story, the winds and streams had driven him within the influence of the Loadstone Rock, and it was drawing him to itself, and he must go. Everything that arose before his mind drifted him on, faster and faster, more and more steadily, to the terrible attraction. His latent uneasiness had been that he who could not fail to know that he was better than they, was not there, trying to do something to stay bloodshed, and assert the claims of mercy and humanity. Book 3, Chapter 1 Quotes Not a mean village closed upon him, not a common barrier dropped across the road behind him, but he knew it to be another iron door in the series that was barred between him and England. The universal watchfulness so encompassed him, that if he had been taken in a net, or were being forwarded to his destination in a cage, he could not have felt his freedom more completely gone. Book 3, Chapter 2 Quotes As these ruffians turned and turned, their matted locks now flung forward over their eyes, now flung backward over their necks, some women held wine to their mouths that they might drink; and what with dropping blood, and what with dropping wine, and what with the stream of sparks struck out of the stone, all their wicked atmosphere seemed gore and fire. The eye could not detect one creature in the group free from the smear of blood. Book 3, Chapter 4 Quotes Above all, one hideous figure grew the figure of the sharp female called La Guillotine. It was the popular theme for jests; it was the best cure for headache, it infallibly prevented the hair from turning grey, it imparted a peculiar delicacy to the complexion, it was the National Razor which shaved close: who kissed La Guillotine, looked through the little window and sneezed into the sack. It was the sign of the regeneration of the human race. It superseded the Cross. Models of it were worn on breasts from which the Cross was discarded, and it was bowed down to and believed in where the Cross was denied. Book 3, Chapter 5 Quotes No fight could have been half so terrible as this dance. It was so emphatically a fallen sporta something, once innocent, delivered over to all devilrya healthy pastime changed into a means of angering the blood, bewildering the senses, and steeling the heart. Such grace as was visible in it, made it the uglier, showing how warped and perverted all things good by nature were become. Summary Carton drops in to see the newlyweds as soon as they get back from their honeymoon. His habits, manner, and looks have not changed. He tells Darnay that he wishes they were friends and apologizes for the remarks he had made after the trial when he was drunk. Darnay assures him that he has forgotten all about it, especially since Carton had saved his life. Carton then solicits permission to visit them occasionally. Darnay grants him his request. After Carton leaves, Darnay speaks unkindly of him to the others. Later on,

while they are preparing for bed, Lucie tells Darnay to be more considerate towards Carton. She feels that Carton is a deeper person with a bigger heart than he shows himself to be. Notes There is a significant contrast in the attitude of Darnay and Lucie towards Carton. Lucie recognizes the good in Carton, believing him to be a more complex and generous person than he appears; she pleads with her husband to be more considerate of the man who has earlier saved his life. Although Darnay outwardly acknowledges that Carton has saved his life and permits him to visit them, he is not compassionate and does not understand or like Carton, the man who will sacrifice his own life to save Darnay and insure Lucies happiness. Dickens excels in creating such ironic touches. It is important to notice how Dickens handles the interaction between Lucie and Darnay. He does not seem capable of building genuinely romantic scenes. His good characters, by the very fact of being virtuous, act in a stifled manner. As a result, there is a lack of spontaneity between Lucie and Darnay, and the endearments used by the married couple are very conventional. This is a reflection of Victorian decorum that would not permit any demonstration of love beyond the accepted code of behavior.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: Echoing Footsteps Summary It is now 1789, eight years later. Life is pleasant for the Darnays. Both he and the Doctor are earning good money. Lucie and Darnay have a little girl who is also named Lucie; they also had a son who died young. Lucie often feels as though she will also die soon, but the feeling always passes. Lucie also constantly hears echoes of footsteps that seem to come from afar and indicate trouble. On little Lucie's sixth birthday, these echoes seem to rumble menacingly and suddenly change in sound to that of a great storm in France. Carton comes to visit the Darnays at least six times a year. He continues to work for Mr. Stryver, who is now married to a rich widow with three stupid children. Carton is always sober on his visits. He is also the first stranger that little Lucie reaches out to; during his visit, she grows excessively fond of him. Mr. Lorry comes in one night. He is a bit grumpy since things are very busy at the bank. There is more work because of the unrest in Paris. Mr. Lorry recalls the footsteps that Lucie had heard earlier and confesses that he too can now hear footsteps converging upon them. Both he and Lucie have clear premonitions of the revolution in France having an affect on them. The district of St. Antoine in Paris is a seething mass of raging women and men. Arms and weapons of all kinds are being distributed. Every woman and man seems to be mad with a fierce, implacable passion for revenge; they are ready to sacrifice everything. Finally, under the leadership of Defarge, the mob storms the Bastille and releases all the prisoners. Defarge and Jacques Three then make their way to One Hundred and Five, North Tower, the number of the cell where Dr. Manette was imprisoned. The two men search the cell for something, which Defarge evidently finds and stuffs into his pockets. They then join the mob outside, which is continuing with their bloody rioting. They behead the governor and the prison guards and place their heads on long spikes. Notes The sound of echoing footsteps haunts Lucie through this period of eight years of married life. Sometimes the echoes are happy ones, representing the footsteps of her daughter, husband, father, and other loved ones.

Sometimes, however, the echoes are menacing and seem to warn of trouble to come, a destructive force to unsettle the peaceful life of the Darnays. For the most part Lucies life is pleasant. She continues to be the golden thread who binds everyone together with her pure love and compassion. She is the ideal daughter, wife, and mother, looking after everyone's needs and never seeming harried. Her sorrow at the death of her son is bearable, for as a pious woman, she can accept it as Gods will. Although Lucies character seems too accepting and almost dull by todays standards, she was the Victorian idea of female perfection. Carton continues to be a friend of the family and is the perfect gentleman in their presence. Little Lucie takes an instinctive liking to this seemingly worthless man. Mr. Stryver has changed little in the intervening years. He has married for money and judges people in a materialistic way. He is very rude when he brings his three wild sons to be tutored by Darnay. When Darnay politely refuses to tutor the boys, Stryver is indignant and warns him to "beware the pride of beggars." He even has the nerve to tell his wife that Lucie had tried to trap him into marriage. Dickens clearly depicts Stryver as an incorrigible cad. Mr. Lorry also calls on the Darnays regularly. He explain s that the increased work at Tellsons Bank is due to the uneasiness that grips Paris. He, like Lucie, hears echoing footsteps of a crowd that does not portend good things. At the end of the chapter, Dickens describes in detail some of the bad things happening in Paris. Under the leadership of Defarge, the revolutionaries attack and capture the Bastille, freeing the prisoners held within its cells, many of them patriots. They kill the prison guards and the governor and place their heads on posts for all to see. The Revolution has clearly begun. When the scene shifts from a tranquil, domestic one to the turbulence of Paris, Dickens' style also changes. The rather dull, placid prose of the first half of the chapter is replaced by swift, vigorous descriptions, filled with graphic detail of the revolutionary actions. The angry mob is compared to a violent sea, washing over things with a fury; this image will be sustained through the next two chapters as well. Although preoccupied with the theme of revolution at the end of the chapter, Dickens does not forget the main plot of the novel. Defarge's visit to One Hundred and Five, North Tower, Dr. Manettes old prison cell, is significant, especially in light of the fact that he seems to find something important there. CHAPTER TWENTY: A Plea Summary Carton drops in to see the newlyweds as soon as they get back from their honeymoon. His habits, manner, and looks have not changed. He tells Darnay that he wishes they were friends and apologizes for the remarks he had made after the trial when he was drunk. Darnay assures him that he has forgotten all about it, especially since Carton had saved his life. Carton then solicits permission to visit them occasionally. Darnay grants him his request. After Carton leaves, Darnay speaks unkindly of him to the others. Later on, while they are preparing for bed, Lucie tells Darnay to be more considerate towards Carton. She feels that Carton is a deeper person with a bigger heart than he shows himself to be. Notes There is a significant contrast in the attitude of Darnay and Lucie towards Carton. Lucie recognizes the good in Carton, believing him to be a more complex and generous person than he appears; she pleads with her husband to be more considerate of the man who has earlier saved his life. Although Darnay outwardly acknowledges that Carton has saved his life and permits him to visit them, he is not compassionate and

does not understand or like Carton, the man who will sacrifice his own life to save Darnay and insure Lucies happiness. Dickens excels in creating such ironic touches. It is important to notice how Dickens handles the interaction between Lucie and Darnay. He does not seem capable of building genuinely romantic scenes. His good characters, by the very fact of being virtuous, act in a stifled manner. As a result, there is a lack of spontaneity between Lucie and Darnay, and the endearments used by the married couple are very conventional. This is a reflection of Victorian decorum that would not permit any demonstration of love beyond the accepted code of behavior.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: Echoing Footsteps Summary It is now 1789, eight years later. Life is pleasant for the Darnays. Both he and the Doctor are earning good money. Lucie and Darnay have a little girl who is also named Lucie; they also had a son who died young. Lucie often feels as though she will also die soon, but the feeling always passes. Lucie also constantly hears echoes of footsteps that seem to come from afar and indicate trouble. On little Lucie's sixth birthday, these echoes seem to rumble menacingly and suddenly change in sound to that of a great storm in France. Carton comes to visit the Darnays at least six times a year. He continues to work for Mr. Stryver, who is now married to a rich widow with three stupid children. Carton is always sober on his visits. He is also the first stranger that little Lucie reaches out to; during his visit, she grows excessively fond of him. Mr. Lorry comes in one night. He is a bit grumpy since things are very busy at the bank. There is more work because of the unrest in Paris. Mr. Lorry recalls the footsteps that Lucie had heard earlier and confesses that he too can now hear footsteps converging upon them. Both he and Lucie have clear premonitions of the revolution in France having an affect on them. The district of St. Antoine in Paris is a seething mass of raging women and men. Arms and weapons of all kinds are being distributed. Every woman and man seems to be mad with a fierce, implacable passion for revenge; they are ready to sacrifice everything. Finally, under the leadership of Defarge, the mob storms the Bastille and releases all the prisoners. Defarge and Jacques Three then make their way to One Hundred and Five, North Tower, the number of the cell where Dr. Manette was imprisoned. The two men search the cell for something, which Defarge evidently finds and stuffs into his pockets. They then join the mob outside, which is continuing with their bloody rioting. They behead the governor and the prison guards and place their heads on long spikes. Notes The sound of echoing footsteps haunts Lucie through this period of eight years of married life. Sometimes the echoes are happy ones, representing the footsteps of her daughter, husband, father, and other loved ones. Sometimes, however, the echoes are menacing and seem to warn of trouble to come, a destructive force to unsettle the peaceful life of the Darnays. For the most part Lucies life is pleasant. She continues to be the golden thread who binds everyone together with her pure love and compassion. She is the ideal daughter, wife, and mother, looking after everyone's needs and never seeming harried. Her sorrow at the death of her son is bearable, for as a pious woman, she can accept it as Gods will. Although Lucies character seems too accepting and almost dull by todays standards, she was the Victorian idea of female perfection.

Carton continues to be a friend of the family and is the perfect gentleman in their presence. Little Lucie takes an instinctive liking to this seemingly worthless man. Mr. Stryver has changed little in the intervening years. He has married for money and judges people in a materialistic way. He is very rude when he brings his three wild sons to be tutored by Darnay. When Darnay politely refuses to tutor the boys, Stryver is indignant and warns him to "beware the pride of beggars." He even has the nerve to tell his wife that Lucie had tried to trap him into marriage. Dickens clearly depicts Stryver as an incorrigible cad. Mr. Lorry also calls on the Darnays regularly. He explains t hat the increased work at Tellsons Bank is due to the uneasiness that grips Paris. He, like Lucie, hears echoing footsteps of a crowd that does not portend good things. At the end of the chapter, Dickens describes in detail some of the bad things happening in Paris. Under the leadership of Defarge, the revolutionaries attack and capture the Bastille, freeing the prisoners held within its cells, many of them patriots. They kill the prison guards and the governor and place their heads on posts for all to see. The Revolution has clearly begun. When the scene shifts from a tranquil, domestic one to the turbulence of Paris, Dickens' style also changes. The rather dull, placid prose of the first half of the chapter is replaced by swift, vigorous descriptions, filled with graphic detail of the revolutionary actions. The angry mob is compared to a violent sea, washing over things with a fury; this image will be sustained through the next two chapters as well. Although preoccupied with the theme of revolution at the end of the chapter, Dickens does not forget the main plot of the novel. Defarge's visit to One Hundred and Five, North Tower, Dr. Manettes old prison cell, is significant, especially in light of the fact that he seems to find something important there. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: The Sea Rises Summary A week after the storming of the Bastille, Defarge enters the wine shop. He tells the others that Foulon, an aristocrat who faked his own death to protect himself, is still alive. Some villagers have found him hiding in the country and have brought him in for trial. As the drums start beating in the street, Madame Defarge grabs her knife. Outside, a fierce woman called The Vengeance utters terrific shrieks and flails her arms. She rushes from house to house, arousing all the women and whipping them into a fury for the blood of Foulon. As the crowd rushes to the Hall of Justice, the Defarges, the Vengeance, and Jacques Three are right in front. The mob, unable to wait for the trial to end, rushes in to the building and drags Foulon out. They hang him from a lamppost outside the Hall of Justice and stuff his mouth full of grass, for he had suggested that this was an appropriate food for the peasants. The patriots, as the revolutionaries now call themselves, then decapitate him and display Foulons head for all to see. Notes This chapter describes the savage turn that the Revolution takes. The patriots are in a frenzy for revenge and retribution against the aristocracy, as illustrated by the brutal murder of Foulon. Madame Defarge, as a key symbol of the revolutionaries, has changed from a silent, impassive observer into a diabolic avenger. She is now accompanied by a shrieking woman called The Vengeance. These two women represent the senseless violence caused by a mob; it is not a pretty picture of the Victorian female and a total contrast to the perfectly depicted Lucie. The theme of resurrection, of coming back to life, surfaces again. Foulon, like the police spy Roger Cly, had faked death and arranged his own funeral to protect himself from the wrath of the Revolution. The discovery that he is alive incites the patriots to a fury that knows no bounds. Dickens, who normally

sympathizes with the plight of the downtrodden, does not side with the rioting mob that inflicts senseless violence. The irony of the Revolution is underlined at the end of the chapter. After the revolutionaries have been on their bloody rampage, they go back home to their same existence. Nothing has really changed, for poverty and hunger are still rampant among the masses. The only change that has really taken place is that one oppressor has been replaced by another. According to Dickens, the belief that a revolution causes a better and more just society remains an illusion.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: Fires Rise Summary The road-mender's village sees a great deal of change, with frequent visits from the patriots; but the villagers remain poor and hungry. One night a patriot meets with the road-mender. Later, the two of them, joined by two others, travel out of the village and burn down the Evremonde chateau.

A village mob assembles and watches the burning image in grim satisfaction; the town officials, such as Gabelle the tax collector, stand by helpless against this mob. The assembled villagers imprison Gabelle and threaten his life since he was a faithful friend of the Evremondes. Since daylight approaches fast, the mob disperses, and Gabelles life is spared. Notes In Chapters 21 through 23, Dickens presents a revolutionary mob in a series of uprisings. After the storming of the Bastille, the mood of the patriots for vengeance and retribution increases. Led by bloodthirsty women, like Madame Defarge and The Vengeance, they lose sight of the goals of the revolution and become a band of howling demons. Now that they have power they feel they are unstoppable, but much of their destruction is quite senseless. The burning down of the hated Evremonde chateau only gives a grim satisfaction, for it does not alleviate their plight of poverty and hunger. The historical events related to the Revolution are not allowed to overshadow the continuation of the main plot. The imprisonment of Gabelle will be instrumental in luring Darnay back to France, like a magnet.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: Drawn to the Loadstone Rock Summary For three years, the violent storm continues around the Bastille with the mob growing more unruly. Many of the aristocrats escape from France; those that do not escape are captured and killed by the guillotine. The king has been suspended from his office, and the government is in chaos and paralysis. The only real law is the will of the general public, which is lawless. Many of the expatriate French aristocrats flee to London. They begin to gather at Tellson's Bank in order to transact business and hear the latest news of events in their own country. One day in August of 1792, Darnay is in the bank trying, in vain, to dissuade Mr. Lorry from going over to Paris to safeguard the

banks French interests. While Darnay is in the bank, a letter arrives that is addressed to him by his proper name, Marquis St. Evremonde. Since no one in London outside the immediate family knows of Darnays true identity, inquiries are made as to the whereabouts of this marquis. None of the French noblemen in the bank seem to know who this person is. Darnay volunteers to deliver the letter himself. When Darnay leaves the bank, he opens the letter. It is from Gabelle, the old, faithful servant of the Evremondes. He has been imprisoned and is going to be tried for treason against the people. He begs Darnay to come and save him, since the only crime he committed was to follow Darnay's orders. Darnay is deeply moved by the letter and realizes that he has not done all that he intended about the abandonment of his estate and social rank. He realizes that he should have been present in person and supervised the plans for relieving the tenants of their heavy debts. He had given Gabelle written instructions to spare the people and give them what little there was to give. Darnay himself had neither oppressed nor imprisoned anyone. Darnay decides to go back to Paris to save Gabelle and to try undo some of the wrongs done by his family. He is also stirred by the fact that Mr. Lorry is bravely going to Paris merely to look after the interests of the bank. He has no sense of the danger that Paris poses for him and naively believes that his good intentions will be gratefully acknowledged by the Revolutionists. Darnay leaves for France without informing anyone about his departure, but he immediately sends a letter of explanation to his family. Notes Three years have passed since the outbreak of the revolution. Dickens contrasts the turbulent years in France with the tranquil years in London where little Lucie is growing up peacefully. Dickens then turns his attention to the plot and Darnay's decision to return to France. Destiny is drawing him to the place where there is no hope for him, for his name is knitted into Madame Defarges register. At age thirty-seven, Darnay seems restless. When he hears about Mr. Lorrys trip to Paris, he tries unsuccessfully to dissuade him from going; at the same time, he almost envies Mr. Lorry's youthful attitude. The letter from Gabelle stirs Darnays emotions. The servants pleas make Darnay realize that he has not fulfilled his promise to his mother to make amends for the wrongs perpetrated by his family. He foolishly decides to go to France, and leaves without consulting anyone. As a result of his decision at the end of Book Two, Darnay will throw all the major characters of the novel, including himself, into the middle of the reign of terror. The idyllic, domestic life at Soho, pictured at the beginning of this chapter, is now brutally disturbed. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: The Sea Rises Summary A week after the storming of the Bastille, Defarge enters the wine shop. He tells the others that Foulon, an aristocrat who faked his own death to protect himself, is still alive. Some villagers have found him hiding in the country and have brought him in for trial. As the drums start beating in the street, Madame Defarge grabs her knife. Outside, a fierce woman called The Vengeance utters terrific shrieks and flails her arms. She rushes from house to house, arousing all the women and whipping them into a fury for the blood of Foulon. As the crowd rushes to the Hall of Justice, the Defarges, the Vengeance, and Jacques Three are right in front. The mob, unable to wait for the trial to end, rushes in to the building and drags Foulon out. They hang him from a lamppost outside the Hall of Justice and stuff his mouth full of grass, for he had suggested that this was an appropriate food for the peasants. The patriots, as the revolutionaries now call themselves, then decapitate him and display Foulons head for all to see. Notes

This chapter describes the savage turn that the Revolution takes. The patriots are in a frenzy for revenge and retribution against the aristocracy, as illustrated by the brutal murder of Foulon. Madame Defarge, as a key symbol of the revolutionaries, has changed from a silent, impassive observer into a diabolic avenger. She is now accompanied by a shrieking woman called The Vengeance. These two women represent the senseless violence caused by a mob; it is not a pretty picture of the Victorian female and a total contrast to the perfectly depicted Lucie. The theme of resurrection, of coming back to life, surfaces again. Foulon, like the police spy Roger Cly, had faked death and arranged his own funeral to protect himself from the wrath of the Revolution. The discovery that he is alive incites the patriots to a fury that knows no bounds. Dickens, who normally sympathizes with the plight of the downtrodden, does not side with the rioting mob that inflicts senseless violence. The irony of the Revolution is underlined at the end of the chapter. After the revolutionaries have been on their bloody rampage, they go back home to their same existence. Nothing has really changed, for poverty and hunger are still rampant among the masses. The only change that has really taken place is that one oppressor has been replaced by another. According to Dickens, the belief that a revolution causes a better and more just society remains an illusion.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: Fires Rise Summary The road-mender's village sees a great deal of change, with frequent visits from the patriots; but the villagers remain poor and hungry. One night a patriot meets with the road-mender. Later, the two of them, joined by two others, travel out of the village and burn down the Evremonde chateau. A village mob assembles and watches the burning image in grim satisfaction; the town officials, such as Gabelle the tax collector, stand by helpless against this mob. The assembled villagers imprison Gabelle and threaten his life since he was a faithful friend of the Evremondes. Since daylight approaches fast, the mob disperses, and Gabelles life is spared. Notes In Chapters 21 through 23, Dickens presents a revolutionary mob in a series of uprisings. After the storming of the Bastille, the mood of the patriots for vengeance and retribution increases. Led by bloodthirsty women, like Madame Defarge and The Vengeance, they lose sight of the goals of the revolution and become a band of howling demons. Now that they have power they feel they are unstoppable, but much of their destruction is quite senseless. The burning down of the hated Evremonde chateau only gives a grim satisfaction, for it does not alleviate their plight of poverty and hunger. The historical events related to the Revolution are not allowed to overshadow the continuation of the main plot. The imprisonment of Gabelle will be instrumental in luring Darnay back to France, like a magnet.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: Drawn to the Loadstone Rock Summary For three years, the violent storm continues around the Bastille with the mob growing more unruly. Many of the aristocrats escape from France; those that do not escape are captured and killed by the guillotine. The

king has been suspended from his office, and the government is in chaos and paralysis. The only real law is the will of the general public, which is lawless. Many of the expatriate French aristocrats flee to London. They begin to gather at Tellson's Bank in order to transact business and hear the latest news of events in their own country. One day in August of 1792, Darnay is in the bank trying, in vain, to dissuade Mr. Lorry from going over to Paris to safeguard the banks French interests. While Darnay is in the bank, a letter arrives that is addressed to him by his proper name, Marquis St. Evremonde. Since no one in London outside the immediate family knows of Darnays true identity, inquiries are made as to the whereabouts of this marquis. None of the French noblemen in the bank seem to know who this person is. Darnay volunteers to deliver the letter himself. When Darnay leaves the bank, he opens the letter. It is from Gabelle, the old, faithful servant of the Evremondes. He has been imprisoned and is going to be tried for treason against the people. He begs Darnay to come and save him, since the only crime he committed was to follow Darnay's orders. Darnay is deeply moved by the letter and realizes that he has not done all that he intended about the abandonment of his estate and social rank. He realizes that he should have been present in person and supervised the plans for relieving the tenants of their heavy debts. He had given Gabelle written instructions to spare the people and give them what little there was to give. Darnay himself had neither oppressed nor imprisoned anyone. Darnay decides to go back to Paris to save Gabelle and to try undo some of the wrongs done by his family. He is also stirred by the fact that Mr. Lorry is bravely going to Paris merely to look after the interests of the bank. He has no sense of the danger that Paris poses for him and naively believes that his good intentions will be gratefully acknowledged by the Revolutionists. Darnay leaves for France without informing anyone about his departure, but he immediately sends a letter of explanation to his family. Notes Three years have passed since the outbreak of the revolution. Dickens contrasts the turbulent years in France with the tranquil years in London where little Lucie is growing up peacefully. Dickens then turns his attention to the plot and Darnay's decision to return to France. Destiny is drawing him to the place where there is no hope for him, for his name is knitted into Madame Defarges register. At age thirty-seven, Darnay seems restless. When he hears about Mr. Lorrys trip to Paris, he tries unsuccessfully to dissuade him from going; at the same time, he almost envies Mr. Lorry's youthful attitude. The letter from Gabelle stirs Darnays emotions. The servants pleas make D arnay realize that he has not fulfilled his promise to his mother to make amends for the wrongs perpetrated by his family. He foolishly decides to go to France, and leaves without consulting anyone. As a result of his decision at the end of Book Two, Darnay will throw all the major characters of the novel, including himself, into the middle of the reign of terror. The idyllic, domestic life at Soho, pictured at the beginning of this chapter, is now brutally disturbed. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: The Sea Rises Summary A week after the storming of the Bastille, Defarge enters the wine shop. He tells the others that Foulon, an aristocrat who faked his own death to protect himself, is still alive. Some villagers have found him hiding in the country and have brought him in for trial. As the drums start beating in the street, Madame Defarge grabs her knife. Outside, a fierce woman called The Vengeance utters terrific shrieks and flails her arms. She rushes from house to house, arousing all the women and whipping them into a fury for the blood of Foulon. As the crowd rushes to the Hall of Justice, the Defarges, the Vengeance, and Jacques Three are

right in front. The mob, unable to wait for the trial to end, rushes in to the building and drags Foulon out. They hang him from a lamppost outside the Hall of Justice and stuff his mouth full of grass, for he had suggested that this was an appropriate food for the peasants. The patriots, as the revolutionaries now call themselves, then decapitate him and display Foulons head fo r all to see. Notes This chapter describes the savage turn that the Revolution takes. The patriots are in a frenzy for revenge and retribution against the aristocracy, as illustrated by the brutal murder of Foulon. Madame Defarge, as a key symbol of the revolutionaries, has changed from a silent, impassive observer into a diabolic avenger. She is now accompanied by a shrieking woman called The Vengeance. These two women represent the senseless violence caused by a mob; it is not a pretty picture of the Victorian female and a total contrast to the perfectly depicted Lucie. The theme of resurrection, of coming back to life, surfaces again. Foulon, like the police spy Roger Cly, had faked death and arranged his own funeral to protect himself from the wrath of the Revolution. The discovery that he is alive incites the patriots to a fury that knows no bounds. Dickens, who normally sympathizes with the plight of the downtrodden, does not side with the rioting mob that inflicts senseless violence. The irony of the Revolution is underlined at the end of the chapter. After the revolutionaries have been on their bloody rampage, they go back home to their same existence. Nothing has really changed, for poverty and hunger are still rampant among the masses. The only change that has really taken place is that one oppressor has been replaced by another. According to Dickens, the belief that a revolution causes a better and more just society remains an illusion.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: Fires Rise Summary The road-mender's village sees a great deal of change, with frequent visits from the patriots; but the villagers remain poor and hungry. One night a patriot meets with the road-mender. Later, the two of them, joined by two others, travel out of the village and burn down the Evremonde chateau A village mob assembles and watches the burning image in grim satisfaction; the town officials, such as Gabelle the tax collector, stand by helpless against this mob. The assembled villagers imprison Gabelle and threaten his life since he was a faithful friend of the Evremondes. Since daylight approaches fast, the mob disperses, and Gabelles life is spared. Notes In Chapters 21 through 23, Dickens presents a revolutionary mob in a series of uprisings. After the storming of the Bastille, the mood of the patriots for vengeance and retribution increases. Led by bloodthirsty women, like Madame Defarge and The Vengeance, they lose sight of the goals of the revolution and become a band of howling demons. Now that they have power they feel they are unstoppable, but much of their destruction is quite senseless. The burning down of the hated Evremonde chateau only gives a grim satisfaction, for it does not alleviate their plight of poverty and hunger.

The historical events related to the Revolution are not allowed to overshadow the continuation of the main plot. The imprisonment of Gabelle will be instrumental in luring Darnay back to France, like a magnet.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: Drawn to the Loadstone Rock Summary For three years, the violent storm continues around the Bastille with the mob growing more unruly. Many of the aristocrats escape from France; those that do not escape are captured and killed by the guillotine. The king has been suspended from his office, and the government is in chaos and paralysis. The only real law is the will of the general public, which is lawless. Many of the expatriate French aristocrats flee to London. They begin to gather at Tellson's Bank in order to transact business and hear the latest news of events in their own country. One day in August of 1792, Darnay is in the bank trying, in vain, to dissuade Mr. Lorry from going over to Paris to safeguard the banks French interests. While Darnay is in the bank, a letter arrives that is ad dressed to him by his proper name, Marquis St. Evremonde. Since no one in London outside the immediate family knows of Darnays true identity, inquiries are made as to the whereabouts of this marquis. None of the French noblemen in the bank seem to know who this person is. Darnay volunteers to deliver the letter himself. When Darnay leaves the bank, he opens the letter. It is from Gabelle, the old, faithful servant of the Evremondes. He has been imprisoned and is going to be tried for treason against the people. He begs Darnay to come and save him, since the only crime he committed was to follow Darnay's orders. Darnay is deeply moved by the letter and realizes that he has not done all that he intended about the abandonment of his estate and social rank. He realizes that he should have been present in person and supervised the plans for relieving the tenants of their heavy debts. He had given Gabelle written instructions to spare the people and give them what little there was to give. Darnay himself had neither oppressed nor imprisoned anyone. Darnay decides to go back to Paris to save Gabelle and to try undo some of the wrongs done by his family. He is also stirred by the fact that Mr. Lorry is bravely going to Paris merely to look after the interests of the bank. He has no sense of the danger that Paris poses for him and naively believes that his good intentions will be gratefully acknowledged by the Revolutionists. Darnay leaves for France without informing anyone about his departure, but he immediately sends a letter of explanation to his family. Notes Three years have passed since the outbreak of the revolution. Dickens contrasts the turbulent years in France with the tranquil years in London where little Lucie is growing up peacefully. Dickens then turns his attention to the plot and Darnay's decision to return to France. Destiny is drawing him to the place where there is no hope for him, for his name is knitted into Madame Defarges register. At age thirty-seven, Darnay seems restless. When he hears about Mr. Lorrys trip to Paris, he tries unsuccessfully to dissuade him from going; at the same time, he almost envies Mr. Lorry's youthful attitude. The letter from Gabelle stirs Darnays emotions. The servants pleas make Darnay realize that he has not fulfilled his promise to his mother to make amends for the wrongs perpetrated by his family. He foolishly decides to go to France, and leaves without consulting anyone. As a result of his decision at the end of Book Two, Darnay will throw all the major characters of the novel, including himself, into the middle of the reign of terror. The idyllic, domestic life at Soho, pictured at the beginning of this chapter, is now brutally disturbed.