Book the Second: Chapter 3

Chapter Summary:
The trial begins. Mr. Attorney General (the prosecution) gives and opening speech to the jury. He tells them that although Mr. Darnay is young in years, he is old in treasonable practices. He tells them that he will call witnesses that are so perfect in their actions that they cannot be doubted in their testimony. He begins with a man named Barsad. This person says he was a friend of the accused but love of country led him to testify against a friend. He testified that he had seen Mr. Darnay with lists. The next witness, a Mr. Cly, who had been a servant of the accused, testified also to the lists. The Solicitor General (the defence council) then began to ask questions of the witnesses. In doing so it is discovered that the first man, Barsad, has a low character, is totally untrustworthy, and seems no better than a professional informer and spy. Mr. Cly it turns out was accuses of stealing some things and has known Barsad for 8 or so years.

Next Mr. Lorry, Miss Manette and Dr. Manette give testimony. Mr. Lorry is asked if Mr. Darnay was in the mail coach with him one Friday night in November in 1775. Mr. Lorry says there were two people there with him, but that he is unable to say one way or the other if one was Mr. Darnay because it was cold and everyone was so wrapped up. He says he met Mr. Darnay aboard the packet from Calis but did not have any interaction with him because he, Mr. Lorry, was in his room from shore to shore due, I presume, to sea sickness.

Miss Manette testifies that she did speak with Mr. Darnay aboard the packet but did not see any lists or hear any conversations do to the darkness. All she knows is that he was a very kind man and attentive to the needs of her father who at the time was only just released from prison. She said she hopes to not repay him for his kindness by hurting him with her testimony.

Dr. Manette testified that although he was aboard the same boat as his daughter and Mr. Lorry, he has no remembrance of Mr. Darnay because he had only just barely been "recalled to life".

Mr. Attorney General is trying to prove that Mr. Darnay got on the mail coach for Dover, got out early, doubled back to a little town, got some information, and then went to Paris. A few days latter he came back to London by way of the Calis Packet. He calls a witness who says he saw Mr. Darnay in the little town getting the lists. The Solicitor General then has his turn to question the witness. At this point in the story a curious wigged gentleman sends a note to Mr. Solicitor General, a Mr. Stryver by name. Mr. Stryver asks the witness to look at the curious wigged gentleman and see if he greatly resembles the accused. When his wig is removed the resemblance is great indeed. Mr. Carton (the curious wigged gentleman) does look very much like Mr. Darnay. So much so, that the testimony of this gentleman is called into question.

The jury then deliberates and the verdict is returned acquitted. Jerry Cruncher, who has been waiting around all day, then takes the message back to the bank.

Historical Context:
Courts: The attorney General was the first law officer of the government. He is the official empowered to act on behalf of the state in a trial for treason. The solicitor general was next in line after the attorney general. Vocabulary:

Vocabulary:
pernicious (pg. 78): Having a harmful effect, esp. in a gradual or subtle way

asseveration (pg. 79): The solemn or emphatic declaration or statement of something

debauched (pg. 86): Destroy or debase the moral purity of; corrupt

Stacy's Thoughts:
I think it is interesting how Dickens wrote this chapter. When the attorney general and solicitor general are conducting their examinations of Barsad and Cly, there is not dialogue; there are no quotation marks indicating speech. Dickens is just giving us the gist of the conversation. But when the examinations of Mr. Lorry, Lucie and Dr. Manette come there are quotation marks. Just an interesting observation. It probably has no real bearing on the story. I just think it was used to speed things along because those two men, although important for this part of the story, may not be important in the long run.

I love what Dickens said about the crowds of people who had come to see the trial. "a buzz arose in the courts as if a cloud of great blue-flies were swarming about the prisoner, in anticipation of what he was soon to become." He then references the blue-flies when there is a particularly interesting testimony or an unexpected turn in the case. Those blue-flies were eventually swept into the street, baffled by the outcome, and left searching for other carrion. To me this shows Dickens' disgust with the people at that time. They were fascinated with the trials. But not for the sake of seeing justice. I don't think the people cared about justice. They just wanted to see some action, even if that action meant an innocent man was put to death. They were swarming in anticipation of what he was to become. They expected a verdict of guilty and death. There was a conversation Jerry had with someone in the court. Jerry said

if they find him guilty. The man said that they would for sure find him guilty. As the story progresses, I think we are going to see more trials. Although for this trial everyone came in expecting the worst, the actual justice system was correctly utilized. Later on I feel that may be hard to come by.

I love the imagery that is used on page 88. Mr. Attorney General had fitted the jury with an entire suit of clothes. Mr. Solicitor General had done his best to turn them inside out. Then comes the judge who is turning the inside out clothes outside in and all the while trimming and shaping them into grave clothes. Is there really justice?

Page 87 tells us that as part of Darnay's defence he was going back and forth from London to Paris many times in the years in question. I found myself wondering what would necessitate that much travel. I like that on page 87 it tells us that there were some family matters that are to personal and private to divulge. Does this hint at Darnay's character. Would he have been willing to keep this secret and die rather than divulge it if it could save him? It seems that may be the case.