English
ThedreadtribunaloffiveJudges,PublicProsecutor,anddeterminedJury,sateveryday.
Theirlistswentfortheveryevening,andwerereadoutbythegaolersofthevariousprisonstotheirprisoners.
Thestandardgaoler-jokewas,“ComeoutandlistentotheEveningPaper,youinsidethere!”
“CharlesEvremonde,calledDarnay!”
SoatlastbegantheEveningPaperatLaForce.
Whenanamewascalled,itsownersteppedapartintoaspotreservedforthosewhowereannouncedasbeingthusfatallyrecorded.
CharlesEvremonde,calledDarnay,hadreasontoknowtheusage;hehadseenhundredspassawayso.
Hisbloatedgaoler,whoworespectaclestoreadwith,glancedoverthemtoassurehimselfthathehadtakenhisplace,andwentthroughthelist,makingasimilarshortpauseateachname.
Thereweretwenty-threenames,butonlytwentywererespondedto;foroneoftheprisonerssosummonedhaddiedingaolandbeenforgotten,andtwohadalreadybeenguillotinedandforgotten.
Thelistwasread,inthevaultedchamberwhereDarnayhadseentheassociatedprisonersonthenightofhisarrival.
Everyoneofthosehadperishedinthemassacre;everyhumancreaturehehadsincecaredforandpartedwith,haddiedonthescaffold.
Therewerehurriedwordsoffarewellandkindness,butthepartingwassoonover.
Itwastheincidentofeveryday,andthesocietyofLaForcewereengagedinthepreparationofsomegamesofforfeitsandalittleconcert,forthatevening.
Theycrowdedtothegratesandshedtearsthere;but,twentyplacesintheprojectedentertainmentshadtoberefilled,andthetimewas,atbest,shorttothelock-uphour,whenthecommonroomsandcorridorswouldbedeliveredovertothegreatdogswhokeptwatchtherethroughthenight.
Theprisonerswerefarfrominsensibleorunfeeling;theirwaysaroseoutoftheconditionofthetime.
Similarly,thoughwithasubtledifference,aspeciesoffervourorintoxication,known,withoutdoubt,tohaveledsomepersonstobravetheguillotineunnecessarily,andtodiebyit,wasnotmereboastfulness,butawildinfectionofthewildlyshakenpublicmind.
Inseasonsofpestilence,someofuswillhaveasecretattractiontothedisease—aterriblepassinginclinationtodieofit.
Andallofushavelikewondershiddeninourbreasts,onlyneedingcircumstancestoevokethem.
ThepassagetotheConciergeriewasshortanddark;thenightinitsvermin-hauntedcellswaslongandcold.
Nextday,fifteenprisonerswereputtothebarbeforeCharlesDarnay’snamewascalled.
Allthefifteenwerecondemned,andthetrialsofthewholeoccupiedanhourandahalf.
“CharlesEvremonde,calledDarnay,”wasatlengtharraigned.
HisjudgessatupontheBenchinfeatheredhats;buttheroughredcapandtricolouredcockadewasthehead-dressotherwiseprevailing.
LookingattheJuryandtheturbulentaudience,hemighthavethoughtthattheusualorderofthingswasreversed,andthatthefelonsweretryingthehonestmen.
Thelowest,cruelest,andworstpopulaceofacity,neverwithoutitsquantityoflow,cruel,andbad,werethedirectingspiritsofthescene:noisilycommenting,applauding,disapproving,anticipating,andprecipitatingtheresult,withoutacheck.
Ofthemen,thegreaterpartwerearmedinvariousways;ofthewomen,someworeknives,somedaggers,someateanddrankastheylookedon,manyknitted.
Amongtheselast,wasone,withasparepieceofknittingunderherarmassheworked.
Shewasinafrontrow,bythesideofamanwhomhehadneverseensincehisarrivalattheBarrier,butwhomhedirectlyrememberedasDefarge.
Henoticedthatsheonceortwicewhisperedinhisear,andthatsheseemedtobehiswife;but,whathemostnoticedinthetwofigureswas,thatalthoughtheywerepostedasclosetohimselfastheycouldbe,theyneverlookedtowardshim.
Theyseemedtobewaitingforsomethingwithadoggeddetermination,andtheylookedattheJury,butatnothingelse.
UnderthePresidentsatDoctorManette,inhisusualquietdress.
Aswellastheprisonercouldsee,heandMr.Lorryweretheonlymenthere,unconnectedwiththeTribunal,whoworetheirusualclothes,andhadnotassumedthecoarsegarboftheCarmagnole.
CharlesEvremonde,calledDarnay,wasaccusedbythepublicprosecutorasanemigrant,whoselifewasforfeittotheRepublic,underthedecreewhichbanishedallemigrantsonpainofDeath.
ItwasnothingthatthedecreeboredatesincehisreturntoFrance.
Therehewas,andtherewasthedecree;hehadbeentakeninFrance,andhisheadwasdemanded.
“Takeoffhishead!”criedtheaudience.“AnenemytotheRepublic!”
ThePresidentranghisbelltosilencethosecries,andaskedtheprisonerwhetheritwasnottruethathehadlivedmanyyearsinEngland?
Undoubtedlyitwas.
Washenotanemigrantthen?Whatdidhecallhimself?
Notanemigrant,hehoped,withinthesenseandspiritofthelaw.
Whynot?thePresidentdesiredtoknow.
Becausehehadvoluntarilyrelinquishedatitlethatwasdistastefultohim,andastationthatwasdistastefultohim,andhadlefthiscountry—hesubmittedbeforethewordemigrantinthepresentacceptationbytheTribunalwasinuse—tolivebyhisownindustryinEngland,ratherthanontheindustryoftheoverladenpeopleofFrance.
Whatproofhadheofthis?
Hehandedinthenamesoftwowitnesses;TheophileGabelle,andAlexandreManette.
ButhehadmarriedinEngland?thePresidentremindedhim.
True,butnotanEnglishwoman.
AcitizenessofFrance?
Yes.Bybirth.
Hernameandfamily?
“LucieManette,onlydaughterofDoctorManette,thegoodphysicianwhositsthere.”
Thisanswerhadahappyeffectupontheaudience.
Criesinexaltationofthewell-knowngoodphysicianrentthehall.
Socapriciouslywerethepeoplemoved,thattearsimmediatelyrolleddownseveralferociouscountenanceswhichhadbeenglaringattheprisoneramomentbefore,asifwithimpatiencetopluckhimoutintothestreetsandkillhim.
Onthesefewstepsofhisdangerousway,CharlesDarnayhadsethisfootaccordingtoDoctorManette’sreiteratedinstructions.
Thesamecautiouscounseldirectedeverystepthatlaybeforehim,andhadpreparedeveryinchofhisroad.
ThePresidentasked,whyhadhereturnedtoFrancewhenhedid,andnotsooner?
Hehadnotreturnedsooner,hereplied,simplybecausehehadnomeansoflivinginFrance,savethosehehadresigned;whereas,inEngland,helivedbygivinginstructionintheFrenchlanguageandliterature.
Hehadreturnedwhenhedid,onthepressingandwrittenentreatyofaFrenchcitizen,whorepresentedthathislifewasendangeredbyhisabsence.
Hehadcomeback,tosaveacitizen’slife,andtobearhistestimony,atwhateverpersonalhazard,tothetruth.
WasthatcriminalintheeyesoftheRepublic?
Thepopulacecriedenthusiastically,“No!”andthePresidentranghisbelltoquietthem.Whichitdidnot,fortheycontinuedtocry“No!”untiltheyleftoff,oftheirownwill.
ThePresidentrequiredthenameofthatcitizen.
Theaccusedexplainedthatthecitizenwashisfirstwitness.
Healsoreferredwithconfidencetothecitizen’sletter,whichhadbeentakenfromhimattheBarrier,butwhichhedidnotdoubtwouldbefoundamongthepapersthenbeforethePresident.
TheDoctorhadtakencarethatitshouldbethere—hadassuredhimthatitwouldbethere—andatthisstageoftheproceedingsitwasproducedandread.
CitizenGabellewascalledtoconfirmit,anddidso.
CitizenGabellehinted,withinfinitedelicacyandpoliteness,thatinthepressureofbusinessimposedontheTribunalbythemultitudeofenemiesoftheRepublicwithwhichithadtodeal,hehadbeenslightlyoverlookedinhisprisonoftheAbbaye—infact,hadratherpassedoutoftheTribunal’spatrioticremembrance—untilthreedaysago;whenhehadbeensummonedbeforeit,andhadbeensetatlibertyontheJury’sdeclaringthemselvessatisfiedthattheaccusationagainsthimwasanswered,astohimself,bythesurrenderofthecitizenEvremonde,calledDarnay.
DoctorManettewasnextquestioned.Hishighpersonalpopularity,andtheclearnessofhisanswers,madeagreatimpression;but,asheproceeded,asheshowedthattheAccusedwashisfirstfriendonhisreleasefromhislongimprisonment;that,theaccusedhadremainedinEngland,alwaysfaithfulanddevotedtohisdaughterandhimselfintheirexile;that,sofarfrombeinginfavourwiththeAristocratgovernmentthere,hehadactuallybeentriedforhislifebyit,asthefoeofEnglandandfriendoftheUnitedStates—ashebroughtthesecircumstancesintoview,withthegreatestdiscretionandwiththestraightforwardforceoftruthandearnestness,theJuryandthepopulacebecameone.
Atlast,whenheappealedbynametoMonsieurLorry,anEnglishgentlemanthenandtherepresent,who,likehimself,hadbeenawitnessonthatEnglishtrialandcouldcorroboratehisaccountofit,theJurydeclaredthattheyhadheardenough,andthattheywerereadywiththeirvotesifthePresidentwerecontenttoreceivethem.
Ateveryvote(theJurymenvotedaloudandindividually),thepopulacesetupashoutofapplause.Allthevoiceswereintheprisoner’sfavour,andthePresidentdeclaredhimfree.
Then,beganoneofthoseextraordinarysceneswithwhichthepopulacesometimesgratifiedtheirfickleness,ortheirbetterimpulsestowardsgenerosityandmercy,orwhichtheyregardedassomeset-offagainsttheirswollenaccountofcruelrage.
Nomancandecidenowtowhichofthesemotivessuchextraordinarysceneswerereferable;itisprobable,toablendingofallthethree,withthesecondpredominating.
Nosoonerwastheacquittalpronounced,thantearswereshedasfreelyasbloodatanothertime,andsuchfraternalembraceswerebestowedupontheprisonerbyasmanyofbothsexesascouldrushathim,thatafterhislongandunwholesomeconfinementhewasindangeroffaintingfromexhaustion;nonethelessbecauseheknewverywell,thattheverysamepeople,carriedbyanothercurrent,wouldhaverushedathimwiththeverysameintensity,torendhimtopiecesandstrewhimoverthestreets.
Hisremoval,tomakewayforotheraccusedpersonswhoweretobetried,rescuedhimfromthesecaressesforthemoment.
Fiveweretobetriedtogether,next,asenemiesoftheRepublic,forasmuchastheyhadnotassisteditbywordordeed.
SoquickwastheTribunaltocompensateitselfandthenationforachancelost,thatthesefivecamedowntohimbeforehelefttheplace,condemnedtodiewithintwenty-fourhours.
Thefirstofthemtoldhimso,withthecustomaryprisonsignofDeath—araisedfinger—andtheyalladdedinwords,“LonglivetheRepublic!”
Thefivehadhad,itistrue,noaudiencetolengthentheirproceedings,forwhenheandDoctorManetteemergedfromthegate,therewasagreatcrowdaboutit,inwhichthereseemedtobeeveryfacehehadseeninCourt—excepttwo,forwhichhelookedinvain.
Onhiscomingout,theconcoursemadeathimanew,weeping,embracing,andshouting,allbyturnsandalltogether,untiltheverytideoftheriveronthebankofwhichthemadscenewasacted,seemedtorunmad,likethepeopleontheshore.
Theyputhimintoagreatchairtheyhadamongthem,andwhichtheyhadtakeneitheroutoftheCourtitself,oroneofitsroomsorpassages.
Overthechairtheyhadthrownaredflag,andtothebackofittheyhadboundapikewitharedcaponitstop.
Inthiscaroftriumph,noteventheDoctor’sentreatiescouldpreventhisbeingcarriedtohishomeonmen’sshoulders,withaconfusedseaofredcapsheavingabouthim,andcastinguptosightfromthestormydeepsuchwrecksoffaces,thathemorethanoncemisdoubtedhismindbeinginconfusion,andthathewasinthetumbrilonhiswaytotheGuillotine.
Inwilddreamlikeprocession,embracingwhomtheymetandpointinghimout,theycarriedhimon.
ReddeningthesnowystreetswiththeprevailingRepublicancolour,inwindingandtrampingthroughthem,astheyhadreddenedthembelowthesnowwithadeeperdye,theycarriedhimthusintothecourtyardofthebuildingwherehelived.
Herfatherhadgoneonbefore,toprepareher,andwhenherhusbandstooduponhisfeet,shedroppedinsensibleinhisarms.
Asheheldhertohisheartandturnedherbeautifulheadbetweenhisfaceandthebrawlingcrowd,sothathistearsandherlipsmightcometogetherunseen,afewofthepeoplefelltodancing.
Instantly,alltherestfelltodancing,andthecourtyardoverflowedwiththeCarmagnole.
Then,theyelevatedintothevacantchairayoungwomanfromthecrowdtobecarriedastheGoddessofLiberty,andthenswellingandoverflowingoutintotheadjacentstreets,andalongtheriver’sbank,andoverthebridge,theCarmagnoleabsorbedthemeveryoneandwhirledthemaway.
AftergraspingtheDoctor’shand,ashestoodvictoriousandproudbeforehim;aftergraspingthehandofMr.Lorry,whocamepantinginbreathlessfromhisstruggleagainstthewaterspoutoftheCarmagnole;afterkissinglittleLucie,whowaslifteduptoclaspherarmsroundhisneck;andafterembracingtheeverzealousandfaithfulProsswholiftedher;hetookhiswifeinhisarms,andcarriedheruptotheirrooms.
“Lucie!Myown!Iamsafe.”
“OdearestCharles,letmethankGodforthisonmykneesasIhaveprayedtoHim.”
Theyallreverentlybowedtheirheadsandhearts.Whenshewasagaininhisarms,hesaidtoher:
“Andnowspeaktoyourfather,dearest.NoothermaninallthisFrancecouldhavedonewhathehasdoneforme.”
Shelaidherheaduponherfather’sbreast,asshehadlaidhispoorheadonherownbreast,long,longago.
Hewashappyinthereturnhehadmadeher,hewasrecompensedforhissuffering,bewasproudofhisstrength.
“Youmustnotbeweak,mydarling,”heremonstrated;“don’ttrembleso.Ihavesavedhim.”
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