- Jerry Cruncher heads into the bank to figure out what his assignment for the day will be.
- An old bank clerk sends him to the courts with a note for Mr. Lorry.
- Apparently, Mr. Lorry just wants Jerry to hang around as a messenger for him at the court.
- Interested in the prospect of some excitement at the court, Jerry asks the clerk what sort of trial will be held today.
- It’s a trial for treason.
- That means that the accused will be drawn and quartered. Jerry’s pretty excited.
- We interrupt this summary for a quick history announcement:
- Drawing and quartering is the traditional punishment for high treason in the U.K. Remember the ending of Braveheart? That’s drawing and quartering.
- For those of you who aren’t Mel Gibson fans, however, we’ll explain a bit.
- First, convicted traitors were hanged until they were almost dead.
- Then they were disemboweled.
- Then they were beheaded. And their bodies were cut into four parts.
- In other words, it wasn’t all that pleasant.
- It wasn’t all that much better for women at the time, either. They weren’t beheaded: they were burned at the stake.
- Back to our story...
- Mr. Jerry Cruncher is actually pretty excited about the prospect of a high treason case. Chances are that the guy will be hanged—whether or not he’s guilty.
- Jerry heads to the court. Mr. Lorry’s already there.
- The court itself is packed to the gills. Apparently everyone loves a treason case as much as Jerry does.
- Also, everyone loves a good drink. The place reeks of alcohol.
- Hmm…sounds more like Judge Judy than Law and Order. We’re not really sure if this is supposed to be a court or a circus.
- In the center of all the hubbub is the prisoner.
- He’s going to be central to the story, so we’ll spend some time introducing him.
- He’s about twenty-five. He appears to be a gentleman. Oh, and did we mention that he’s really good-looking? Well, he is.
- Although he appears to be a little bit shaken to be in the middle of a three-ring circus, Charles Darnay is, in all other respects, a fine, fine man.
- Of course, that doesn’t stop the rest of the spectators in the court from mentally hanging, drawing, and quartering the guy before he’s even been tried.
- …everyone, that is, except for a young woman and a distinguished-looking older man.
- They’re Lucie and her father, in case you were wondering.
- As it turns out, they happen to be the key witnesses in the case against Darnay.
- What? Don’t worry, we’ll explain. It just might take us a chapter or two.