Produced by Judith Boss
A TALE OF TWO CITIES
A STORY OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
By Charles Dickens
CONTENTS
Book the First--Recalled to Life
Chapter I The Period Chapter II The Mail Chapter III The Night Shadows Chapter IV The Preparation Chapter V The Wine-shop Chapter VI The Shoemaker
Book the Second--the Golden Thread
Chapter I Five Years Later Chapter II A Sight Chapter III A Disappointment Chapter IV Congratulatory Chapter V The Jackal Chapter VI Hundreds of People Chapter VII Monseigneur in Town Chapter VIII Monseigneur in the Country Chapter IX The Gorgon's Head Chapter X Two Promises Chapter XI A Companion Picture Chapter XII The Fellow of Delicacy Chapter XIII The Fellow of no Delicacy Chapter XIV The Honest Tradesman Chapter XV Knitting Chapter XVI Still Knitting Chapter XVII One Night Chapter XVIII Nine Days Chapter XIX An Opinion Chapter XX A Plea Chapter XXI Echoing Footsteps Chapter XXII The Sea Still Rises Chapter XXIII Fire Rises Chapter XXIV Drawn to the Loadstone Rock
Book the Third--the Track of a Storm
Chapter I In Secret Chapter II The Grindstone Chapter III The Shadow Chapter IV Calm in Storm Chapter V The Wood-sawyer Chapter VI Triumph Chapter VII A Knock at the Door Chapter VIII A Hand at Cards Chapter IX The Game Made Chapter X The Substance of the Shadow Chapter XI Dusk Chapter XII Darkness Chapter XIII Fifty-two Chapter XIV The Knitting Done Chapter XV The Footsteps Die Out For Ever
Book the First--Recalled to Life
I. The Period
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way-- in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
There were a king with a large jaw and a queen with a plain face, on the throne of England; there were a king with a large jaw and a queen with a fair face, on the throne of France. In both countries it was clearer than crystal to the lords of the State preserves of loaves and fishes, that things in general were settled for ever.
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
- 2: But that Woodman and that Farmer
- 3: The Mail It was the Dover road that lay
- 4: And from the guard to the coachman
- 5: Gentleman of the name of Lorry answer straight
- 6: ' That's a Blazing strange message
- 7: He moved this muffler with his left hand
- 8: The passenger in his fancy would dig
- 9: Pull off gentleman's boots in Concord
- 10: In Tellson and Company's House
- 11: Miss Manette had taken some refreshment on the road
- 12: A hospital procession of negro cupids
- 13: Trustee of one kind or other for scores of our customers
- 14: If Monsieur Manette had not died
- 15: Lorry quietly chafed the hands that held his arm
- 16: Jarvis Lorry withdrew to consider it
- 17: And now that the cloud settled on Saint Antoine
- 18: All peopled by rags and nightcaps
- 19: Madame Defarge being sensitive to cold
- 20: Said Monsieur Defarge to himself
- 21: Monsieur Defarge started and became deeply attentive
- 22: Was the grim reply of Monsieur Defarge
- 23: Lorry got his arm securely round the daughter's waist
- 24: The shoemaker stopped his work
- 25: The shoemaker looked up as before
- 26: Still looking steadfastly in his face Monsieur Manette
- 27: And was stooping to work again
- 28: With her appealing hands upon his breast
- 29: Monsieur Defarge put this provender
- 30: Monsieur Defarge going first with the lamp
- 31: And the heavy shadow of Temple Bar
- 32: Half past seven of the clock on a windy March morning
- 33: Cruncher reposed under a patchwork counterpane
- 34: Jerry Cruncher worried his breakfast rather than ate it
- 35: But it's wery hard to spile him
- 36: Jerry Cruncher to squeeze himself into court
- 37: And over and over again aforesaid
- 38: As a precaution against gaol air and gaol fever
- 39: Attorney General had to inform the jury
- 40: Most coincidences were curious
- 41: And the prisoner has not a timorous air
- 42: To be confronted with such pity
- 43: They had conferred together until the last moment
- 44: Stryver the prisoner's counsel
- 45: Stryver had fitted on the jury
- 46: Carton made his way to the outside of the bar
- 47: To recognise in Doctor Manette
- 48: Darnay had kissed her hand fervently and gratefully
- 49: Darnay stood upon the pavement
- 50: Again Darnay answered not a word
- 51: Charles Darnay rose and wished him good night
- 52: Turned into the Stryver chambers
- 53: Stryver laughed till he shook his precocious paunch
- 54: The old Sydney Carton of old Shrewsbury School
- 55: Lorry had become the Doctor's friend
- 56: Country airs circulated in Soho with vigorous freedom
- 57: There were three rooms on a floor
- 58: Lorry knew Miss Pross to be very jealous
- 59: That Doctor Manette has any theory of his own
- 60: Miss Pross was a pleasant sight
- 61: Doctor Manette received him kindly
- 62: As it turned towards Charles Darnay
- 63: Monseigneur in Town Monseigneur
- 64: Monseigneur had the other truly noble idea
- 65: At the reception of Monseigneur
- 66: Was required to officiate frizzled
- 67: And looked at Monsieur the Marquis
- 68: Philosopher and vendor of wine
- 69: The sun and the Marquis going down together
- 70: Monsieur Gabelle was the Postmaster
- 71: Under a little heap of poor grass
- 72: That the flambeau carried up the steps
- 73: It was the nephew of Monseigneur
- 74: These slight favours that might so incommode you
- 75: The Marquis took a gentle little pinch of snuff
- 76: With his snuff box in his hand
- 77: And summoned his valet to his own bedroom
- 78: The stone faces of the chateau
- 79: Darnay soon became known and encouraged
- 80: He had loved Lucie Manette from the hour of his danger
- 81: Doctor Manette how can I fail to know that
- 82: Have you any reason to believe that Lucie loves you
- 83: That if Miss Manette should bring to you at any time
- 84: The Stryver arrears were handsomely fetched up
- 85: You have no business to be incorrigible
- 86: Sydney Carton drank the punch at a great rate
- 87: Stryver shouldered his way from the Temple
- 88: Mildly tapping the Stryver arm
- 89: Laughed Stryver with a vexed laugh
- 90: Stryver turned and burst out of the Bank
- 91: Stryver shouldering him towards the door
- 92: Can I not recall you forgive me again
- 93: The last supplication but one I make to you
- 94: Cruncher sat watching the two streams
- 95: And incessantly groaning and calling out Yah
- 96: You see that there Cly that day
- 97: Cruncher and his son went home to tea
- 98: Thus the evening wore away with the Cruncher family
- 99: Young Jerry very well knew what it would be
- 100: Be careful to dewelop your talents
- 101: Defarge refreshed himself with a draught of wine but
- 102: Defarge closed the door carefully
- 103: Defarge standing between them and the narrator
- 104: It is Defarge whom you see here
- 105: Whom Defarge escorted to the top of the stairs
- 106: And throughout Defarge held him by the collar
- 107: Madame Defarge looked superciliously at the client
- 108: Madame Defarge spoke to her husband Say then
- 109: Defarge raised his head thoughtfully
- 110: The moment Madame Defarge took up the rose
- 111: The spy had kept his eyes open
- 112: Madame Defarge poured it out for him
- 113: Madame Defarge knitted steadily
- 114: And as Madame Defarge moved on from group to group
- 115: In the moonlight which is always sad
- 116: Whether it had been born alive
- 117: There was even to be no bridesmaid but the gaunt Miss Pross
- 118: Remarked the matter of fact Miss Pross
- 119: And he came out with Charles Darnay
- 120: In conjunction with Miss Pross
- 121: Lorry to have Miss Pross in with her work
- 122: Miss Pross stood whispering at his side
- 123: Lorry grasped his hand in return
- 124: That the relapse you have described
- 125: Said Doctor Manette with the firmness of self conviction
- 126: Lorry readily engaged for that
- 127: Charles Darnay as was natural asked him
- 128: I have gone aside from my purpose
- 129: Echoing Footsteps A wonderful corner for echoes
- 130: Stryver shouldered his way through the law
- 131: Darnay had once put in practice to catch him
- 132: The footsteps raging in Saint Antoine afar off
- 133: And still Defarge of the wine shop at his gun
- 134: The turnkey stopped at a low door
- 135: As Defarge and the rest bore him along
- 136: When Madame Defarge sat at her counter
- 137: Does everybody here recall old Foulon
- 138: The people immediately behind Madame Defarge
- 139: And Monsieur Defarge said to madame his wife
- 140: The mender of roads would discern without surprise
- 141: Inspired the mender of roads with awe
- 142: The trees environing the old chateau
- 143: Monsieur Gabelle did heavily bar his door
- 144: The head quarters and great gathering place of Monseigneur
- 145: And Charles Darnay stood leaning on it
- 146: Which had already made Charles Darnay restless
- 147: Darnay with great difficulty checked himself
- 148: Stryver shouldered himself into Fleet street
- 149: The Loadstone Rock was drawing him
- 150: And what is the message to the unfortunate Gabelle in prison
- 151: Observed the timid functionary
- 152: And out upon the mire deep roads
- 153: And looked at Darnay with a close attention
- 154: Is this the emigrant Evremonde
- 155: Defarge glanced darkly at him for answer
- 156: To whom Defarge presented The Emigrant Evremonde
- 157: The gaoler opened a low black door
- 158: Tellson's had whitewashed the Cupid
- 159: On the opposite side of the courtyard
- 160: The grindstone had a double handle
- 161: He found her child and Miss Pross with her
- 162: Lorry when business hours came round
- 163: Looked terrified at Madame Defarge
- 164: Defarge looked gloomily at his wife
- 165: Be held inviolate in safe custody
- 166: Lorry received these confidences
- 167: A revolutionary tribunal in the capital
- 168: All red wine for La Guillotine
- 169: I call it my Little Guillotine
- 170: And all spun round another way
- 171: Charles is summoned for to morrow
- 172: He said Removed to the Conciergerie
- 173: Only daughter of Doctor Manette
- 174: Citizen Gabelle was called to confirm it
- 175: And the courtyard overflowed with the Carmagnole
- 176: Duly embellished the doorpost down below
- 177: Cruncher had discharged the office of purveyors
- 178: Miss Pross had lighted the lamp
- 179: And added He is accused by Saint Antoine
- 180: Than Miss Pross uttered a scream
- 181: And regarding that name of Pross
- 182: Barsad was not a Sheep of the Prisons
- 183: Barsad is the best authority possible
- 184: Barsad to the nearest Section Committee
- 185: And tried them on Madame Defarge
- 186: Barsad leaned back in his chair
- 187: Cruncher to moderate and explain himself
- 188: Nor yet his half fardens half fardens
- 189: Cruncher knuckled his forehead
- 190: I am in my seventy eighth year
- 191: Carton terminated the conversation here
- 192: Saith the Lord he that believeth in me
- 193: Saith the Lord he that believeth in me
- 194: Sydney Carton drank nothing but a little coffee
- 195: In the writing of Doctor Manette
- 196: Doctor Manette keeping his eyes fixed on the reader
- 197: Which was a fringed scarf for a dress of ceremony
- 198: ' The elder brother looked to the younger
- 199: We were all tenants of his that man's who stands there
- 200: They so harnessed him and drove him
- 201: I mark this cross of blood upon him
- 202: He was smoother and more polite to me than the elder
- 203: If the sister can be discovered
- 204: To show how the Defarges had not made the paper public
- 205: At heart and by descent an Aristocrat
- 206: Sydney Carton came and took her up
- 207: I encouraged Doctor Manette in this idea
- 208: In conversation with the Defarges
- 209: As that Bastille paper describes
- 210: Madame Defarge took him to the door
- 211: Is under the control of the Defarges
- 212: And it could depend on no better man
- 213: That contended against resignation
- 214: He wrote a long letter to Lucie
- 215: Who had walked to and fro at La Force
- 216: Carton still had his hand in his breast
- 217: Carton his hand again in his breast looked steadily at him
- 218: And Carton seated himself at the table
- 219: Evremonde has an assignation elsewhere
- 220: The old postilions count their money
- 221: Madame Defarge cast down her eyes
- 222: The question was addressed to the wood sawyer
- 223: Madame Defarge slightly waved her hand
- 224: She and Jerry had beheld the coach start
- 225: Cruncher thought it might be best
- 226: Miss Pross had nothing beautiful about her
- 227: Said Madame Defarge to herself
- 228: Cruncher to repeat what he said
- 229: Six tumbrils roll along the streets
- 230: And Evremonde will be despatched in a wink
- 231: The tumbrils begin to discharge their loads
- 232: Saith the Lord he that believeth in me