Page 19 - A Tale of Two Cities

As the trial began, the accusations against Charles Darnay were
read out. A former friend of Darnay’s, John Barsad, accused him of
giving information to the French government about the movements
of the English army, the court heard. Barsad said that he and Darnay’s
servant had found lists of these movements among Darnay’s things.
The case was clear, according to the lawyer who presented these facts:
Charles Darnay was an enemy of the nation, and should be found
guilty.
‘Miss Manette!’ the lawyer called now, and Lucie stood up where
she had been sitting. ‘Miss Manette, look at the prisoner.’
Charles Darnay had not been uncomfortable with the eyes of
everyone in the courtroom on him. But when Miss Manette turned

to him, her face full of pity, he suddenly found it difficult to take his
eyes from her. ‘Miss Manette,’ the lawyer went on. ‘Have you seen
the prisoner before?’
‘Yes, sir,’ she replied. ‘I saw him on board the boat from France to
England, five years ago.’

‘Did you speak to him during the journey on that boat?’ asked the
lawyer.
‘Yes, sir. He noticed that my father was very ill and weak, and he
helped me with him. He was kind and good, and I hope that I will
not repay his kindness today by doing him any harm.’ She looked at
the prisoner, and there were tears in her eyes.
When the lawyer had questioned Lucie some more, he called for
her father, for Mr Lorry and for a witness who said that he had seen
Charles Darnay giving some papers (very like the lists that Barsad
had described) to another man in a hotel in Dover.

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