A Tale of Two Cities

Chapters 20 &23

By:Morris Maraya

Chapter 20

Summary

- Right after Darnay's and Lucy's Honeymoon, Sydney Carton shows up and asks Darnay for true friendship, and to not just consider him a friend “as a fashion of speech”

- Sydney also apologizes for being drunk on his trial

- However, Darnay still sees him as “unsubstantial as ever”

- Lucy on the other hand still sees the good in Sydney, and wants Darnay to be generous and forgiving of Sydney, and to believe that he still has a heart

Chapter 23

Summary

- The mender of roads meets a stranger that has traveled far, and they both greet each other as “Jacques”, which conveys that they are both revolutionaries

- The stranger asks for directions, then asks to be woken up when the mender of roads finishes his job at sunset

- Four figures approach the Marquis chateau from the East, West, North, and South

- They light the castle on fire, and someone rides out from it to seek help from the village, but no one responds, not even the soldiers

- Also, the village goes after tax collector Gabelle, who has barred his door and camped on his roof the entire night watching the fire

- There are reports of similar occurrences throughout the countryside

Fin