A Tale of Two Cities Page #2

That's what happened to their father.

This boy was set on revenge but

my master's a skilful swordsman

- Doctor!

- Yes. Yes, my poor fellow, I'm a doctor.

Lie quiet, now. Let me see to this.

- My sister?

- I've seen your sister.

She is... at peace now.

My other sister.

All alone.

There's a second sister.

Only fifteen, God help her.

Who told you to bring the doctor here?

Erm, Monseigneur, the

boy is suffering so much,

- I thought perhaps...

- Get out!

Doctor, you were not summoned here to

listen to the babblings of this hind.

You...

You promise?

This boy is dead.

You may forget these serfs.

I wish to impress upon you, Doctor,

that the things you have seen

and heard are not to be spoken of.

You would do well to mark that

Dr Manette had a conscience which

would not allow him to heed that warning

He decided it was his duty to write a

report of these events to the Minister

This action he confided

only to his servant Defarge

I'm telling you this, Defarge, because

I know what influence these nobles have.

Should I be prevented from

keeping my promise to that boy...

- It will be carried out.

- His last concern was for his younger sister.

She is now alone and unprotected.

I promised him I would do my best to save

her from the sport of that gallant gentleman.

- My parents... in our village...

- She would be safe there, I think.

Safe as any child of the people may

expect to be in this France of ours.

Then tomorrow, Defarge,

you will see to it.

I must go to my patient.

He went out of the door.

He never came back.

Murdered?

No, Miss Manette.

That was not his fate.

What, then, was the manner of his death?

Miss Manette, Miss Lucie,

all this time we have had

no word of what befell him

after he passed through that door.

We could only conjecture.

We never dared to hope.

And now, after eighteen

years, he has been found.

He is alive. Greatly changed, no doubt,

but who would not be after all those

years in that vilest of prisons?

The Bastille?

But he is alive, and free.

His old servant is taking

care of him, that same Defarge.

He later married the girl that he had protected,

and they now keep a wine shop in Paris.

It is there we are going tomorrow.

Oh, Mr Darnay!

Madam?

You are not Mr Darnay.

- Mr Carton.

- I'm so sorry.

But at your service, nevertheless.

I do beg your pardon, sir. I was under

the impression that you were someone else.

Would that I were!

Providing always that my awakening

was graced by so charming a lady.

Oh, come away! The man's not yet sober.

TWO such charming ladies.

Ah, you are ready.

- Where is that porter? Porter!

- Coming sir

I've been to the sea. Our

crossing should be tolerable.

At last. And the lady's baggage.

Oh, the good fortune of some gentlemen,

to be bound for France

with a fair lady for escort.

We are travelling to Paris,

sir, on a matter of business.

I see.

Then may I wish you an agreeable voyage?

And you, sir, an

agreeable business trip.

Goodbye, Prossie. Have

a good journey home.

Yes.

Perhaps... perhaps I may offer you

a small consolation, madam, for the

disappointment of being left behind.

Disappointment? If ever it was

intended that I should cross salt water,

do you suppose Providence would

have cast my lot on an island?

What a strange prejudice.

France has so much to commend her.

One cask only.

One only Monsieur Defarge

Even that is more than

they have the money to buy.

Ah, the people will soon

forget the very taste of wine.

Many of them have forgotten it already.

Aye, we taste nothing

but black bread and death.

We'd do well to bolt the door.

Once the tiger's tasted blood...

Tiger? Poor, crazed cattle.

Enough, Gaspard!

Your pardon, Monsieur.

Strangers are rare in this quarter.

I think you're looking for me.

Ernest Defarge.

My name is Mr Lorry.

This is Miss Manette.

Miss Lucie.

My wife.

You'll have forgotten me, I think.

Follow me closely.

I'm afraid of it.

Of "it"? What?

Of him.

Of my father.

Good day.

Still hard at work, I see.

Yes, sir. I'm working.

We have a visitor today

Show Monsieur that

shoe you are working at.

Take it, Monsieur.

Now, tell Monsieur

what kind of shoe it is,

and the maker's name.

It's a lady's shoe.

And the maker's name?

105 North Tower.

Is that all the name you have?

105 North Tower.

Monsieur Manette,

do you remember nothing of me?

Do you remember nothing of this man?

Look at him.

Look at me

Is there nothing rising in your mind?

You recognised him, Monsieur?

Yes. Just for a moment. I thought at first

it was hopeless, but just for a moment...

Back

What is this?

You're the jailer's daughter?

Who are you?

Oh, my dear. Soon you

shall know my name.

All you need to understand now

is that your agony is over.

I have come to take you away.

Away from France

to peace...

.. and rest.

Good gentlemen,

he understands.

Thank God.

Good morning. Is Miss Lucie at home?

No, she's out walking with her father.

- How is Dr Manette?

- Progressing. How else with such a daughter?

- He even talks of starting up in practice again.

- She's very devoted.

Well, you'd better come in.

Miss Pross,

I have come here to ask certain

questions of you, as well as Miss Lucie.

- Of me?

- Do you recall a certain gentleman

who talked with Miss Lucie in the Dover

Mail when you brought her to meet me?

What if I do? He was respectable enough.

Quite. I agree.

He happens to be a client of mine.

- Mr Darnay?

- Charles Darnay.

Now, do you also recall

another passenger in the coach?

Another foreigner?

A man named Barsad?

There was an evil-looking ruffian

who never opened his ugly mouth.

- Seated beside Mr Darnay?

- Yes, he was.

Good. That is the evidence we want.

What's all this about?

I'm afraid, Miss Pross, my client

finds himself in grave trouble.

He appears to be the victim of a pernicious

plot engineered, I am sure, by this man Barsad.

What do you want?

There's a Monsieur

Barsad here to see you.

Ah. Send him in.

- Oh, Father, I hate him.

- I know, child. I know.

But as long as they have these rights,

you know what it means to resist.

If only Monsieur

Charles would come back.

And he's already in prison?

Newgate. Awaiting his trial.

Eating and sleeping with

the scum of the streets.

Excellent. A nobleman

condemned to live with cattle.

My cousin would at last begin to appreciate

the benefits of our own good French system.

Ah, my dear friend.

Miss Lucie.

And Dr Manette.

Mr Lorry, I'm very concerned to hear from

Miss Pross about our friend in the Dover Mail.

Charles Darnay. Yes.

A bad business. He's to appear

at the Old Bailey next week.

What is the charge against him?

He is accused of being in possession

of secret papers on naval matters,

which he is said to have

been taking to France.

A spy?

But I don't believe it!

Nor I. I'm sure those papers were planted

on his person without his knowledge.

I have engaged a very able

counsel for his defence.

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