A Tale Of Two Cities chapter 18 prep.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
THE PAPER
Dr. Manette wrote a letter when he was in his cell in the Bastille
prison. during the last month of the year 1767 He wrote it in
intervals, under very difficulty. He wrote the letter with the rusty
iron point and charcoal from the chimney mixed with blood. He
wrote that letter when he knew that he was going to lose his mind.
He then hid the letter in a secret place in the chimney.
In his letter he said that while he was walking along the Seine, a
carriage went past him and two gentlemen called him by his name.
They looked alike in "looks and manners". They said that they went
to his home, but were told he would be found in this direction. They
forced him to get into the carriage. They were twin brothers. They
took him to their house to examine a woman. Her hair was tom and
her hands were tied up by a scarf and a handkerchief bearing the
initial E.
She was very sick and kept repeating. the words "My father. my
husband. And my brother." in the same order. and then would count
from one to twelve. He gave her some medicine and was taken to
another patient who was the brother of that woman. He was lying
wounded in a stable by a sword thrust. There was nothing the
Doctor could do. The boy was dying.
The young man told him that the woman was his sister. That she
had been married to a tenant, a poor peasant. One of the brothers
was interested in her. After marriage the Master asked the man to
lend him his wife. The woman hated the twin brothers much and
refused. When she refused to submit to the Master. He tried to
persuade her husband to use his influence with her. To make her
willing. They tortured the husband and over worked him. They kept
him awake all night quieting the frogs until he finally died.
So one of the brothers took her for his own pleasure. The young
boy "the woman‘s brother" took his other sister and hid her
somewhere to be out of their reach. The father of that woman died
broken hearted. The young boy then came to fight with the brother.
His sister saw him and came running. but he told her to keep away.
The brother gave the young boy some pieces of money. then struck
him with a whip. They fought and the brother thrust his sword very

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skillfully into the young boy's breast. When he was dying he cursed
the Marquis and his brother.
The twin brothers warned the doctor not to tell anything of what
had happened. She was fevered for a week. Towards the end she
opened her eyes and asked the doctor where she was and who he
was. When he asked her about her family name she passed out
(died). She died two hours before midnight when the doctor was
alone with her. The brothers were waiting in a room downstairs.
impatient to ride away. When the doctor told them that she had at
last died both brothers congratulated one another about the
woman‘s death.
The twin brother had formerly offered the doctor some money
and then they gave him a golden bracelet. but he refused to accept
it as he refused to accept the money before Early next morning the
doctor found the golden chain left at his door in a little box. with his
name on the outside.
The doctor decided to relieve his mind. He knew- what influence
the Nobles had in court. but he decided to write a letter to the
Minister about the unhappy event. He had kept the matter secret
from his wife.
The following day a lady came to see the doctor and presented
herself as the wife of the Marquis Evermonde He linked her name
with the initial "E" on the handkerchief. The lady knew about the
cruel story but she did not know that the woman was dead and
wanted to show her some sympathy.
When she knew the sad end of the woman. She wanted to help
the sister. but Dr. Manette told her that he knew nothing about the
other girl.
The lady was kind, she was not happy in her marriage. She told
the doctor that her brother-in- law did not trust her. He had a great
influence upon her husband. She was afraid of him as well as of her
husband. When the doctor went to sec her off there was a baby boy
named Charles with her in the carriage. She told Dr. Manette that
her boy would never prosper in life or inheritance and that she
feared that one day he might have to pay for his father and uncle's
evil deeds.
The same night, the last night of the year. at about nine o'clock.
the doctor's servant. a little boy named Ernest Defarge came and

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told him that a man was at the gate. The man followed the servant
into the sitting room. He told the doctor that he was wanted for an
urgent case. He said that a coach was waiting outside. When the
doctor was outside his house. he was caught and his arms were tied
from behind. Then he saw the twin brothers crossing the road from
a dark corner. The Marquis took from his pocket the letter that the
doctor had written, showed it to him. then burnt it in the light of a
lantern. Not a word was spoken, the doctor was driven to his living
grave (The Bastille).
The doctor ended his letter by laying a curse on the twin brothers
to the last of the race. After the public had heard the contents of
the letter, they were greatly moved. "Much influence around him,
has that Doctor?" murmured Madame Defarge. smiling to The
Vengeance. "Save him now, my Doctor. save him!" ' The vote of the
jury was as solidly against Charles as it had been in his favour the
last time. Death by the guillotine in twenty four hours.
Though it was a great shock to Lucie. she decided to pull herself
together for Darnay`s sake. She asked the jailers leave to say good-
bye to her husband and they let her. She gave Charles some
encouraging words and he asked her to kiss Little Lucie.
The Doctor fell on his knees to both Charles and Lucie because he
had been the cause of what had happened to Darnay. Charles tried
to comfort the Doctor and told him that he knew how much he
suffered when he suspected his birth and how he struggled to hide
it from his daughter. Charles asked the Doctor to forgive him.
When Charles was taken away, Lucie fell at her father's feet. and
from one of the comers C anon came and took he up. She was
carried home unconscious,
When Little Lucie saw Sydney. she ran up to him and asked him
to do something to help her mother and save her father. He bent
over the child and asked for a kiss. then he looked at her
unconscious mother and whispered, "A life you love,"
Canon urged Dr. Manette to try to use his influence once again to
save Charles. The Doctor assured him he would try every possible
means, but both Mr. Lorry and Sydney Canon appeared to agree
that there was no real hope of saving Darnay.
COMMENTARY

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At last the story is known. the story of that awful night many
years ago when darkness fell over Dr. Manette.
We Iearn that the wife of the Marquis. a decent woman. The
mother of the young Charles Darnay. has prophetically said that
Charles will one day be called upon to pay for the sins of his father
and uncle,
The reading of this document to the crowded court has the effect
desired by the Defarges who have been holding the document,
waiting for - the right time. The sentence is death for Charles
Darnay. fulfilling his mother's prediction,

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QUESTIONS WITH MODEL ANSWERS

I. What made Dr. Manette write that paper? How did he write it?
He wrote the paper in the year I767, ten years after being put in
prison. He began to write the paper when he lost all hope of coming
out of prison and when he noticed that he was beginning to lose his
reason, He wrote the paper at intervals with rusty nail as a pen and
his own blood mixed with soot from the chimney as ink.
2. What was written in the paper which M. Defarge had found in the
room I05, North Tower?
The paper was written by Dr. Manette when he was in prison. ln that
paper Dr, Manette cursed the Evermonde family and explained how
they were the cause of his imprisonment. He described how the two
Evermonde brothers had caused the death of the sister and her
husband and father and brother. They had also put Dr; Manette in
prison for along time without being tried and without any guilt, and
so they caused the separation between him and his wife and
daughter. At the end of his letter, Dr. Manette hoped that God
would show no mercy to the Evermonde family as they had no
mercy on people.
3. Who visited Dr. Manette on the day after the death of the woman
and her brother? Why did the visitor wish to help the dead woman 's
sister and family?
On the day after the death of the woman and her brother, a young
lady visited Dr. Manette. She was the wife of the younger brother
and Darnay's mother but she was not happy in her marriage. She
had discovered the main facts of the story of the woman and her
brother whose death the twin Evermondes had caused. She didn't
know that the girl was dead and wished to help her in some way
and to help her younger sister too. The Doctor did not know where
the younger sister was. She told the Doctor that she wanted to do
all she could for that cruelly-wronged family. She wanted to help
them because she was afraid lest these wrongs should become a
curse to her son who might be forced to pay for them some-day.
4. What was the people's reaction after paper was being read?
What was the verdict?
After the paper had been read in the court. the people cried for the
blood of the Evermondes. The verdict was to be put to death on the
guillotine within 24 hours.

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5. Haw did Darnay try to comfort Dr. Manette when he felt guilty?
Darnay told Dr. Manette that he knew how he suffered when he
knew the real name of Darnay, and how he overcame his feelings
for Lucie‘s sake. Both Lucie and Darnay thanked the Doctor and
asked God to help him.
6. What happened to Lucie as Charles Darnay was drawn away?
Who helped her?
As Darnay was drawn away, Lucie cried and asked to touch him for
the last time. and after being allowed to do so, she stood watching
him walk away. then she fainted. Sydney Canon picked her up and
carried her to the carriage.
7. What did Dr. Manette intend to do? Was there any hog?
Dr. Manette intended to sec some people in power and to try to
save Darnay, but there was no hope of saving Darnay's life after the
way by which the people showed their feelings, no one could dare
save him.
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
8. Where did Dr. Manette write the paper ? When ?
9. What happened when the Doctor was walking by the Seine?
I0. Why did her brother attack one of the Evermonde brothers?
I I. Whom did Charles's mother visit? Why'?
l2. How did die Marquis and his brother have revenge upon the
Doctor?

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