ATaleofTwoCities(1859)isahistoricalnovelbyCharlesDickens.TheplotcentresontheyearsleadinguptotheFrenchRevolutionandculminatesintheJacobinReignofTerror.Ittellsthestoryoftwomen,CharlesDarnayandSydneyCarton,wholooksimilarbutareverydifferentinpersonality.DarnayisaromanticFrencharistocrat,whileCartonisacynicalEnglishbarrister.However,thetwoareinlovewiththesamewoman,LucieManette. 　　OthermajorcharactersinthebookincludeDr.AlexandreManette(Lucie'sfather),whowasunjustlyimprisonedintheinfamousBastilleformanyyearsunderalettredecachet,andMadameDefarge,afemalerevolutionarywithagrudgeagainsttheEvrémondefamily. 　　Plotsummary 　　[edit]BooktheFirst:RecalledtoLife 　　JarvisLorrytravelstoDovertomeetayoungwoman,LucieManette,in1775.Whenhearrives,heinformsherthatherfather,DoctorManette,whomshepreviouslybelievedtobedead,hasactuallybeenincarceratedasaprisonerinParisforthepasteighteenyears,andhasrecentlybeenreleasedbytheFrenchgovernment.Tellson’sBankissendingLorrytoidentifythedoctor(whohadbeenoneofTellson’sclients)andbringhimtoEngland.ThenewsupsetsLuciegreatly;hetriestocomforther,butMissProsstakesoverwhenshefearshehasfrightenedLucietoomuch. 　　ThestoryshiftsabruptlytoSaintAntoine,asuburbofParis,whereacaskofwineaccidentallysplitsandspillsontheground.Thepoorseizetheunexpectedwindfall,jubilantlydrinkingthewineoffthestreet.WatchingthedegradationindisgustisDefarge,theownerofawineshopandleaderofabandofrevolutionaries.Afterwards,shegoesbackintohershopandtalkstoagroupoffellowrevolutionaries,whocalleachother"Jacques". 　　Mr.LorryandLucieManettearriveandDefargetakesthemtohisapartmenttoseeDr.Manette.Thedoctoris,toallappearances,completelymad.Hesitsinadarkroomalldaymakingshoes,ashedidwhileinprison.LucietakeshimtoEngland. 　　[edit]BooktheSecond:TheGoldenThread 　　Fiveyearslater(1780),Dr.Manettehasrecoveredfromhisordeal.FrenchemigreCharlesDarnayistriedattheOldBaileyforspying.ThosetestifyingagainsthimareaJohnBarsadandaRogerCly,whoclaimthathehadbeenreportingonEnglishtroopsinNorthAmericatotheFrench.Dr.ManetteandhisdaughtervouchforDarnaybecausehehadsailedwiththemontheirvoyagetoEngland.Intheend,DarnayisacquittedbecausethewitnessesareunabletotellhimapartfromjuniordefensecounselSydneyCarton,whobearsastrikingresemblancetohim.Cartonisdepictedunflatteringlyasadrunkard;converselyDarnayissetoutasahandsome,gallantvictimofadeficientBritishlegalprocess.CartonbecomesenamouredwithLucieandjealousofDarnay. 　　InParis,theMarquisSt.Evrémonde,Darnay'suncle,isreturningfromanaudiencewithMonseigneur,oneofthe'greatestlordsinFrance',whenhiscoachrunsoverandkillsthesonofthepeasantGaspard;hethrowsacointoGaspardtocompensatehimforhisloss;intheassembledcrowdistheimplacabletricoteuse,MadameDefarge.Shethrowsthemoneyback,enragingtheMarquisandleadinghimtoexclaimthathewouldwillinglykillanyofthepeasantsofFrance. 　　Onhiswaybacktohischâteau,theMarquispassesthroughavillage,wherearoadmendertellshimthathesawamanclingingtothebottomofhiscarriage.TheMarquishas