A Tale of Two Cities Page #3

Your life is in my hands.

I may lead you to fortune or the grave.

Who knows, and who cares?

I wish you'd stop drinking, or I wouldn't

give much for Mr. Darnay's fortune.

You know, I shouldn't wonder

but that Cruncher...

...Jerry Cruncher,

knows this fellow Barsad.

I think I'll call on Jerry.

I can't have you hobnobbing

with a fellow like him.

Why, he's a grave robber.

Now, a man who employs me

shouldn't be a snob.

But he's a grave robber.

You don't discern the facts.

The very pith and marrow escape you.

Do you know the most interesting

thing to me?

Saving an innocent man

from a horrible death.

No. It's that Cruncher probably knows

the tavern that Barsad drinks at.

That means I can pursue this case

in a congenial atmosphere.

You're in luck, Stryver.

I'll lay you a wager.

I'll drink you a victory.

Oh, dear Lord,

don't let him be a grave robber.

Have mercy on us.

Don't let him be a grave robber.

Oh, dear God...

Bust me if she ain't at it again.

Flopping yourself down

and praying against my prosperity.

Oh, Jerry, how can I keep from praying...

...now that I know

what your real business is?

Listen, Aggerawayter, I won't

have me wittles blessed off

me table by your praying.

A grave robber.

Don't say that word.

I'm a resurrectionist, that's what I am.

Doing a service for the medical profession,

besides making a bit of money for myself.

So that's why your fingers

is always rusty, Father.

Quiet, you.

You're an unnatural wife and

an unnatural mother, praying against me.

I wasn't praying against you,

I was praying for you.

And I tell you I won't be

took the liberty with.

You've got a fine mother, you have...

...praying that the bread and butter

be snatched out of the mouth of her child.

Father, I think she's flopping again.

- What, more flopping?

- No, no, no. I was meditating.

And I won't have you meditating neither.

Prayed against and meditated against

in me own home.

Jerry.

- How are you, Mr. Carton?

- Not rusty, huh?

- Oh, no, sir.

- Good.

- You'll never see them rusty again.

- Jerry, do you know a man called Cly?

Cly? No, I don't believes I do, sir.

Know anybody called Barsad?

Oh, Barsad. I knows him, sir.

- A great fellow for bowling.

- Where do I find him?

You might find him

bowling down at Puffey's.

Good.

But if you're going to meet him...

...you won't be keeping

very good company.

Neither will Mr. Barsad.

- Hey, whose idea was it?

- Mine.

I did all the brainwork.

Oh, I see.

Told them where to hold up the coach...

...and when to shoot the coachman.

And after doing all that for them,

what do you think they did, Barsad?

Run away with the swag?

Oh, oh, Barsad, where did you

learn so much of human nature?

In a really hard school of experience.

I don't believe in nobody,

and I don't trust nobody.

That's right.

Made up my mind, same thing.

Nobody. Never trust nobody.

But them swine,

did you get back at them?

Did I get ba...?

Did I fix something up on them.

- Did you plant something on them?

- Plant...

Oh, you got a brain, Barsad.

- You got a brain.

- What did you plant on them?

If I tell you where I last saw them...

...maybe you'll guess

what I planted on them.

Where did you see them?

Outside Newgate Prison.

Newgate?

With my own eyes.

First hung up and then quartered.

Drawn and quartered?

Like animals, drawn and quartered.

You guessed it, Barsad.

Now... Now, let that brain of yours...

...work out what I planted on them.

Treason. You got them for treason.

You're a great man, Barsad.

You guessed it.

- Treason, eh?

- Now, Barsad, match that if you can!

Right. I will match it.

If you'll take the trouble

to go to the Old Bailey tomorrow...

...you'll have the pleasure

of seeing a Frenchman...

...by the name of Darnay, up for treason.

Put there by no other

than your humble servant.

No. Oh, if that's true,

I take my hat off to you, Barsad.

Then doff it right now.

- Wait till I tell you how I did it.

- No, another drink first.

- There's plenty of time.

- No, no. Now, let me tell you.

Now, Mr. Barsad, will you please

tell us, in your own way...

...just what happened on the boat,

just how your attention was

attracted to the prisoner.

Well, sir, I was strolling about

having a bit of exercise...

...when I passed a cabin door

which happened to be open.

I looked down, and I noticed

some papers on the floor.

I thought they might be valuable.

So, thinks I to myself:

"Here's my opportunity to do

a good turn for some poor chap. "

You know, I... I likes doing

that sort of thing.

Do not delay, my good man.

Just get to the incriminating facts.

Yes, milord.

I picked up the papers, and imagine

my astonishment when I discovered...

...that they were lists

of His Majesty's forces, God bless him.

And what was your motive in turning

these papers over to the police?

- My duty, sir.

- Your duty to your country?

- Yes, sir.

- Your duty as a patriotic Englishman.

Your duty as a shining citizen.

I say, milord,

that were statues decreed in Britain...

...as they were in ancient Greece

and Rome to public benefactors...

...this noble citizen

would most assuredly have one.

Your Honor, I protest.

Must we have a statue or

would you be satisfied with just a bust?

Silence in court.

No levity, gentlemen.

That's all, Mr. Barsad.

Your witness.

"No questions now.

Later on, if you're

not too silly, we'll... "

No questions now. Beg pardon, milord.

Here are the lists,

if you care to examine them.

Have these been

in the prisoner's possession?

- Yes, milord.

- Oh, dear.

Can't be too careful, you know.

Jail fever. Very prevalent.

I now call Miss Lucie Manette.

Miss Manette,

have you seen the prisoner before?

Oh, most unhappily, yes.

Answer the questions put to you.

Make no remark upon them.

Where did you first meet him?

- When the gentleman came onboard, I...

- If you mean the prisoner,

say the prisoner.

The prisoner noticed that my father

was in a very weak state of health.

He was very kind and good to my father.

To us both.

I hope I won't repay him

by doing him harm today.

It's your duty to tell the truth,

the whole truth and nothing but.

The prisoner understands that, or should.

The prisoner was overheard

to make some remark about America.

What was it? Be particular.

He tried to explain to me

the quarrel between England and America...

...and said that it might have been avoided

had England been more understanding.

- Oh, he made treasonable remarks like that?

- There was no harm in the way he said this.

- It was said only to beguile the time.

- We'll leave that for the jury to decide.

That will be all, Miss Manette.

Your witness.

No questions, milord.

With your permission, milord,

I'd like to call the witness, Barsad, again.

Mr. Barsad, did you discuss this case

with Mr. Cly last night?

Last night? Why, sir, I... I haven't seen

Mr. Cly since last Sunday's services.

Services. My guess is

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