Page 22 - A Tale of Two Cities
P. 22
There was great surprise in the court, as everyone turned to
A Tale of Two Cities
look at Mr Carton, the careless-looking lawyer. He did indeed look
extraordinarily like the prisoner. His manner and clothes were
very different to those of Charles Darnay, but their faces were very
similar.
‘So perhaps the man you saw in the hotel in Dover was Mr
Carton, or another person who looks like Mr Darnay,’ Mr Stryver
continued. The prisoner, he explained, often went to France because
he had been born in France and had family business there – not
because he was a spy. His accusers were liars and thieves, and had
been trying to make money from him.
There was a long wait now for the result of the case, and the
crowd were talking among themselves when a cry suddenly
sounded through the court. It was Mr Carton, who had jumped to
his feet and was calling to the police officers: ‘Help the young lady!
She is going to fall!’ Only he had noticed that Lucie’s head had
fallen suddenly onto her father’s shoulder, and that she was close to
fainting.
With the help of two of the officers, Doctor Manette took his
daughter outside, where she was soon feeling better. She recovered
further when the good news came through that Charles Darnay had
been found not guilty. Once she had rested for a little, she and her
father went to congratulate Mr Darnay, who they found with Mr
Lorry, Mr Stryver and Mr Carton.
Mr Darnay wanted first to be sure that Lucie was quite well, but
he then stepped forwards to thank Doctor Manette warmly for his
support. As he did so, a strange look came into the doctor’s face.
Lucie saw that his face had frozen into a look of dislike and fear. Mr
Darnay did not notice because the conversation continued among
the group.
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