A Tale of Two Cities

Every day at La Force, the guards call out the names of those who will be tried that day. The prisoners say their goodbyes amongst themselves, and those remaining behind return to their daily routines. The “society” of prisoners is now entirely different than the one that first welcomed Darnay, since all of those people died in the September Massacre.

On this particular day, Darnay’s name is read, and he is taken to a courtroom packed with spectators sporting red hats, tricolored cockades, and (in many cases) weapons. He notices Monsieur and Madame Defarge, the latter of whom is knitting and “seem[s] to be waiting for something with a dogged determination” (293).

The prosecutor reads the charges against Darnay, who responds that he isn’t truly an “emigrant,” having “voluntarily relinquished a title that was distasteful to him” (293) long before the Revolution began. He cites Theophile Gabelle and Doctor Manette as witnesses, explaining that he is married to the latter’s daughter, and the crowd—which had previously been calling for Darnay’s head—immediately becomes sympathetic. Gabelle, who was released when Darnay himself was imprisoned, testifies to the truth of Darnay’s story. Finally, Doctor Manette takes the stand and dispels any remaining doubts the crowd has about where Darnay’s sympathies lie.