Page 38 - A Tale of Two Cities

Chapter 6
A Tale of Two Cities
Three years passed since these terrible times, and Tellson’s Bank
in London, where many of France’s aristocrats had sent their money
at the first sign of trouble, now became an important centre for

these people. When they escaped from France, they arrived fi rst at

Tellson’s, and as a result, the bank was often now the first place in
London to receive news of the continuing trouble there.
The people at Tellson’s, therefore, heard at once when their Paris
office was in danger. Because Mr Lorry knew the bank’s business

better than anyone, he immediately offered to go and save the many
important books and papers that were kept there.
Hearing that Mr Lorry was planning to travel to France, Charles

Darnay came to the Tellson’s office one misty afternoon to try to talk
to him. ‘Please do not go to Paris, Mr Lorry,’ he said. ‘The weather is
uncertain, the journey is long, the country is disorganised, and the
city might not even be safe for you.’
‘My dear Charles,’ said Mr Lorry, ‘my bank is in great danger, and
I am the only person who can go. Anyway, I am an old man, so no
one will be interested in me.’
‘I wish I were going myself,’ said Charles.
‘You?’ cried Mr Lorry. ‘An emigrant? Now that really would be
madness! The people who are leading this revolution know that
many of France’s aristocrats have come here to be safe, and they
hate them for it!’
‘I know,’ said Charles, ‘but I have always had sympathy for the
misery of the people, so perhaps they would listen to me, and I
could persuade them to be less violent.’

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