A Tale of Two Cities

* * *

The same shadows that are falling on the prison, are falling, in that same hour of the early afternoon, on the Barrier with the crowd about it, when a coach going out of Paris drives up to be examined.

«Who goes here? Whom have we within? Papers!»

The papers are handed out, and read.

«Alexandre Manette. Physician. French. Which is he?»

This is he; this helpless, inarticulately murmuring, wandering old man pointed out.

«Apparently the Citizen-Doctor is not in his right mind? The Revolution-fever will have been too much for him?»

Greatly too much for him.
«Hah! Many suffer with it. Lucie. His daughter. French. Which is she?»
This is she.
«Apparently it must be. Lucie, the wife of Evremonde; is it not?»

It is.

«Hah! Evremonde has an assignation elsewhere. Lucie, her child. English. This is she?»

She and no other.

«Kiss me, child of Evremonde. Now, thou hast kissed a good Republican; something new in thy family; remember it! Sydney Carton. Advocate. English. Which is he?»

He lies here, in this corner of the carriage. He, too, is pointed out.

«Apparently the English advocate is in a swoon?»

It is hoped he will recover in the fresher air. It is represented that he is not in strong health, and has separated sadly from a friend who is under the displeasure of the Republic.

«Is that all? It is not a great deal, that! Many are under the displeasure of the Republic, and must look out at the little window. Jarvis Lorry. Banker. English. Which is he?»

«I am he. Necessarily, being the last.»

It is Jarvis Lorry who has replied to all the previous questions. It is Jarvis Lorry who has alighted and stands with his hand on the coach door, replying to a group of officials. They leisurely walk round the carriage and leisurely mount the box, to look at what little luggage it carries on the roof; the country-people hanging about, press nearer to the coach doors and greedily stare in; a little child, carried by its mother, has its short arm held out for it, that it may touch the wife of an aristocrat who has gone to the Guillotine.