A Tale of Two Cities - Project Gutenberg

1 A 's Knockat Handat L EOFTWOCI T I E SChapter1 ThePeriodIt wasthebestoftimes,it wastheworstoftimes,it wastheageofwisdom,it wastheageoffoolishness,it wastheepochofbelief,it wastheepochofincredulity, it wastheseasonofLight,it wastheseasonofDarkness,it wasthespringofhope,it wasthewinterofdespair, wehadeverythingbeforeus,wehadnothingbefo reus,wewereallgoingdirecttoHeaven,wewere allgoingdirecttheotherway inshort,theperiodwassofarlikethepresentp eriod,thatsomeofitsnoisiestauthoritiesin sistedonitsbeingreceived,forgoodorforevi l, kingwitha largejawanda queenwitha plainface,onthethroneofEngland;therewere a kingwitha largejawanda queenwitha fairface, wasclearerthancrystaltothelordsoftheStat epreservesofloavesand shes,thatthingsin , ve-and-twentiethblessedbirthday, ofwhoma rounddozenofyears,afterrappingoutitsmess ages,asthespiritsofthisveryyearlastpast( supernaturallyde cientinoriginality) ,froma congressofBritishsubjectsin America.

2 Which,strangetorelate, ,lessfavouredonthewholeastomattersspirit ualthanhersisteroftheshieldandtrident,ro lledwithexceedingsmoothnessdownhill, ,sheentertainedherself,besides,withsuchh umaneachievementsassentencinga youthtohavehishandscutoff,histonguetorno utwithpincers,andhisbodyburnedalive,beca usehehadnotkneeleddownintheraintodohonou rtoa dirtyprocessionofmonks4 ATA L EOFTWOCI T I E Swhichpassedwithinhisview, ata distanceofsome is likelyenoughthat,rootedinthewoodsofFranc eandNorway,thereweregrowingtrees,whentha tsuffererwasputtodeath,alreadymarkedbyth eWoodman,Fate,tocomedownandbesawnintoboa rds,tomakea certainmovableframeworkwitha sackanda knifeinit,terribleinhistory. It is likelyenoughthatintheroughouthousesofsom etillersoftheheavylandsadjacenttoParis,t herewereshelteredfromtheweatherthatveryd ay, rudecarts,bespatteredwithrusticmire,snuf fedaboutbypigs,androostedinbypoultry, whichtheFarmer,Death, , thoughtheyworkunceasingly, worksilently, andnooneheardthemastheywentaboutwithmuf edtread:therather, forasmuchas to entertainanysuspicionthattheywereawake, , ,andhighwayrobberies,tookplaceinthecapit alitselfeverynight;familieswerepubliclyc autionednottogooutoftownwithoutremovingt heirfurnituretoupholsterers'warehousesfo rsecurity;thehighwaymaninthedarkwasa Citytradesmaninthelight,and,beingrecogni sedandchallengedbyhisfellow-tradesmanwho mhestoppedin hischaracterof theCaptain, gallantlyshothimthroughtheheadandrodeawa y.

3 Themallwaswaylaidbysevenrobbers,andthegu ardshotthreedead,andthengotshotdeadhimse lfbytheotherfour, inconsequenceofthefail-ureofhisammunitio n: afterwhichthemallwasrobbedin peace;thatmagni centpotentate,theLordMayorofLondon,wasma detostandanddeliveronTurnhamGreen,byoneh ighwayman,whodespoiledtheillustriouscrea tureinsightofallhisretinue;prisonersinLo ndongaolsfoughtbattleswiththeirturnkeys, andthemajestyofthelaw redblun-derbussesinamongthem,loadedwithr oundsofshotandball;thievessnippedoffdiam ondcrossesfromthenecksofnoblelordsatCour tdrawing-rooms; 's, tosearchforcontra-bandgoods,andthemob redonthemusketeers,andthemusketeers redonthemob,andnobodythoughtanyoftheseoc currencesmuchoutofthecommonway. Inthemidstofthem,thehangman,everbusyande verworsethanuseless,wasin constantrequisition;now, stringinguplongrowsofmiscellaneouscrimin als;now, hanginga housebreakeronSaturdaywhohadbeentakenonT uesday;now, burningpeopleinthehandatNewgatebythedoze n,andnowburningpamphletsatthe5 ATA L EOFTWOCI T I E SdoorofWestminsterHall;to-day, takingthelifeofanatrociousmur-derer, andto-morrowofa wretchedpilfererwhohadrobbeda farmer' ,anda thousandlikethem,cametopassinandcloseupo nthedearoldyearonethousandsevenhundredan dseventy- ,whiletheWoodmanandtheFarmerworkedunheed ed,thosetwoofthelargejaws,andthoseothert wooftheplainandthefairfaces,trodwithstir enough,andcarriedtheirdivinerightswitha veconducttheirGreatnesses,andmyriadsofsm allcreatures thecreaturesofthischronicleamongtherest wastheDoverroadthatlay, ona FridaynightlateinNovember,beforethe , astohim,beyondtheDovermail,asit lumberedupShooter's ,astherestofthepassengersdid.

4 Notbecausetheyhadtheleastrelishforwalkin gexercise,underthecircumstances,butbecau sethehill,andtheharness,andthemud,andthe mail,wereallsoheavy, thatthehorseshadthreetimesalreadycometoa stop,besidesoncedrawingthecoachacrossthe road,withthemutinousintentof takingit backto ,however, incombination,hadreadthatarticleofwarwhi chforbadea purposeotherwisestronglyinfavourofthearg ument,thatsomebruteanimalsareenduedwithR eason; ,theymashedtheirwaythroughthethickmud, ounderingandstumblingbetweenwhiles,asif stand,witha wary Wo-ho!so-ho-then! thenearleaderviolentlyshookhisheadandeve rythinguponit likeanunusuallyemphatichorse, ,thepassengerstarted,asa nervouspassengermight,andwasdisturbedin L EOFTWOCI T I E STherewasa steamingmistinallthehollows,andit hadroamedinitsforlornnessupthehill,likea nevilspirit,seekingrestand clammyandintenselycoldmist,it madeitsslowwaythroughtheairinripplesthat visiblyfollowedandoverspreadoneanother, wasdenseenoughtoshutouteverythingfromthe lightofthecoach-lampsbuttheseitsownworki ngs,anda fewyardsofroad;andthereekofthelabouringh orsessteamedintoit,asif theyhadmadeit ,besidestheone, , ,fromanythinghesaw, whateitheroftheothertwowaslike.

5 Andeachwashiddenunderalmostasmanywrapper sfromtheeyesofthemind,asfromtheeyesofthe body, ,trav-ellerswereveryshyofbeingcon dentialona shortnotice,foranybodyontheroadmightbea , wheneveryposting-houseandale-housecouldp roducesomebodyin theCaptain's pay, rangingfromthelandlordtotheloweststablen on-descript,it ,thatFridaynightinNovember, onethousandsevenhundredandseventy- ve,lumberingupShooter's Hill,ashestoodonhisownparticularperchbeh indthemail,beatinghisfeet,andkeepinganey eanda handonthearm-chestbeforehim,wherealoaded blunderbusslayatthetopofsixoreightloaded horse-pistols,depositedona ,thepassengerssuspectedoneanotherandtheg uard,theyallsuspectedeverybodyelse,andth ecoachmanwassureofnothingbutthehorses;as towhichcattlehecouldwitha clearcon-sciencehavetakenhisoathonthetwo Testamentsthattheywerenot tforthejourney. Wo-ho! saidthecoachman. So,then!Onemorepullandyou'reatthetopandb edamnedtoyou,forI havehadtroubleenoughtogetyoutoit!

6 Joe! Halloa! theguardreplied. Whato'clockdoyoumakeit,Joe? Tenminutes,good,pasteleven. Myblood! ejaculatedthevexedcoachman, andnotatopofShooter's yet!Tst!Yah!Getonwithyou! 7 ATA L EOFTWOCI T I E STheemphatichorse,cutshortbythewhipina mostdecidednega-tive,madea decidedscrambleforit, ,theDovermailstruggledon, , anyoneofthethreehadhadthehardihoodtoprop osetoanothertowalkona littleaheadintothemistanddarkness,hewoul dhaveputhimselfina fairwayofgettingshotinstantlyasa ,andtheguardgotdowntoskidthewheelforthed escent,andopenthecoach-doortoletthepasse ngersin. Tst!Joe! criedthecoachmanina warningvoice,lookingdownfromhisbox. Whatdoyousay, Tom? Theybothlistened. Isaya horseata cantercomingup,Joe. Isaya horseata gallop,Tom, returnedtheguard,leavinghisholdofthedoor , andmountingnimblytohisplace. Gentlemen!Inthekingsname,allofyou! Withthishurriedadjuration,hecockedhisblu nderbuss, , wasonthecoach-step,get-tingin;thetwoothe rpassengerswereclosebehindhim,andaboutto follow.

7 Heremainedonthestep,halfinthecoachandhal foutof; ,andfromtheguardtothecoachman, ,andeventheemphaticleaderprickeduphisear sandlookedback, ,addedtothestillnessofthenight,madeit tremulousmotiontothecoach,asif it wereina ;butat anyrate,thequietpausewasaudiblyexpressiv eofpeopleoutofbreath,andholdingthebreath , horseat a gallopcamefastandfuriouslyupthehill. So-ho! theguardsangout,asloudashecouldroar. Yo there!Stand!I shall re! 8 ATA L EOFTWOCI T I E SThepacewassuddenlychecked,and,withmuchs plashingand oun-dering,a man's voicecalledfromthemist, IsthattheDovermail? Neveryoumindwhatit is! theguardretorted. Whatareyou? IsthattheDovermail? Whydoyouwanttoknow? Iwanta passenger, if it is. Whatpassenger? Mr. JarvisLorry. Ourbookedpassengershowedina momentthatit ,thecoachman,andthetwootherpassengerseye dhimdis-trustfully. Keepwhereyouare, theguardcalledtothevoiceinthemist, because,if I shouldmakea mistake,it Whatis thematter?

8 Askedthepassenger, then,withmildlyqua-veringspeech. Whowantsme?Is it Jerry? ( Idon't likeJerry's voice,if it is Jerry, growledtheguardto himself. He's hoarserthansuitsme,is Jerry. ) Yes,Mr. Lorry. Whatis thematter? Adespatchsentafteryoufromoveryonder. T. andCo. Iknowthismessenger, guard, saidMr. Lorry, gettingdownintotheroad assistedfrombehindmoreswiftlythanpolitel ybytheothertwopassengers,whoimmediatelys crambledintothecoach,shutthedoor, andpulledupthewindow. Hemaycomeclose;there's nothingwrong. Ihopethereain't, butI can't makeso'Nationsureofthat, saidtheguard,in gruffsoliloquy. Halloyou! Well!Andhalloyou! saidJerry, morehoarselythanbefore. Comeonata footpace!d'yemindme?Andif you'vegotholsterstothatsaddleo' yourn,don't letmeseeyourhandgonigh' 'ma devilata quickmistake,andwhenI makeoneit 's lookatyou. The guresofa horseandridercameslowlythroughtheeddying mist,andcametothesideofthemail, ,and,castinguphiseyesattheguard,handedth epassen-gera smallfoldedpaper.

9 Therider's horsewasblown,andbothhorseandriderwereco veredwithmud, L EOFTWOCI T I E S Guard! saidthepassenger, in a toneofquietbusinesscon ,withhisrighthandatthestockofhisraisedbl underbuss,hisleftatthebarrel,andhiseyeon thehorseman,an-sweredcurtly, Sir. Thereis belongtoTellson's 's mayreadthis? Ifsobeasyou'requick,sir. Heopenedit inthelightofthecoach-lamponthatside,andr ead rsttohimselfandthenaloud: `Waitat DoverforMam'selle.'It's notlong,yousee, , saythatmyanswerwas,recalledto life. Jerrystartedinhissaddle. That's a Blazingstrangeanswer, too, saidhe,athishoarsest. Takethatmessageback,andtheywillknowthatI receivedthis,aswellasif I Goodnight. Withthosewordsthepassengeropenedthecoach -doorandgotin;notatallassistedbyhisfello w-passengers,whohadexpeditiouslyse-crete dtheirwatchesandpursesintheirboots, ,withheavierwreathsofmistclosingroundit asit ,and,havinglookedtotherestofitscontents, andhavinglookedtothesupplementarypistols thatheworein hisbelt,lookedtoa smallerchestbeneathhisseat,inwhichtherew erea fewsmith's tools,a coupleoftorches,anda thecoach-lampshadbeenblownandstormedout, whichdidoccasionallyhappen,hehadonlytosh uthimselfupinside,keepthe intandsteelsparkswelloffthestraw, andgeta lightwithtolerablesafetyandease(ifhewere lucky)in vemin-utes.

10 Tom! softlyoverthecoachroof. Hallo,Joe. Didyouhearthemessage? Idid,Joe. Whatdidyoumakeofit,Tom? Nothingat all,Joe. That's a coincidence,too, theguardmused, forI madethesameofit myself. 10 ATA L EOFTWOCI T I E SJerry, leftaloneinthemistanddarkness,dismounted meanwhile,notonlytoeasehisspenthorse,but towipethemudfromhisface,andshakethewetou tofhishat-brim,whichmightbecapableofhold ingabouthalfa ,untilthewheelsofthemailwerenolongerwith inhearingandthenightwasquitestillagain,h eturnedtowalkdownthehill. AfterthattheregallopfromTempleBar, oldlady, I won't trustyourfore-legstillI getyouonthelevel, saidthishoarsemessenger, glancingat hismare. `Recalledtolife.'That's a 't doforyou,Jerry!I say, Jerry!You'dbeina Blazingbadway, if recallingtolifewastocomeintofashion,Jerr y! Chapter3 TheNightShadowsA wonderfulfacttore ectupon,thateveryhumancreatureis consti-tutedtobethatprofoundsecretandmys terytoeveryother. A solemnconsideration,whenI entera greatcitybynight,thateveryoneofthosedark lyclusteredhousesenclosesitsownsecret;th ateveryroomin everyoneofthemenclosesitsownsecret;thate verybeatingheartin thehun-dredsofthousandsofbreaststhere,is ,in someofitsimaginings,a secrettotheheartnearestit!