- The chateau of the Marquis is a pretty great place.
- "Chateau," by the way, is a French word for an estate or manor house of the nobility.
- This particular chateau seems very stony.
- It’s got stone walls and stone battlements and stone lions on top of the stone battlements.
- The Marquis asks if his nephew has arrived. He hasn’t.
- Asking for his supper to be laid, the Marquis stares out the window for a time.
- Finally, as he’s coming to supper, the servants announce the arrival of his nephew.
- And his nephew is...Charles Darnay.
- We sort of knew that was coming.
- The two greet each other, but they don’t exactly seem happy to be reunited.
- Darnay apologizes for being late. He’s been detained by…business.
- Ever the gentleman, the Marquis accepts his apology.
- Darnay says that his task carried him into great danger—even possible death.
- We’re guessing that he’s referring to the trial for treason here.
- Moreover, he suspects that the Marquis was actually trying to support the accusations against him.
- Ever the gentleman, the Marquis doesn’t say anything.
- Darnay suspects that the only reason he wasn’t locked up forever in France is that the Marquis has been out of favor with the court for a while.
- In other words, his meddling in Darnay’s business probably wouldn’t have worked out the way the Marquis intended.
- Lamenting that the family name has fallen into such low regard, the Marquis suggests that people hate him because he’s so much better than they are.
- Darnay doesn’t exactly agree.
- Declaring that he’s renounced his relationship with the family, Darnay begs his uncle to repair some of the damage that the family has done to those around them.
- Darnay says that his mother’s dying wish was that the family would right some of the wrongs they’ve caused.
- The Marquis laughs at this folly.
- Angry, Darnay declares that he gives up his rights to the family land.
- He has a life in England now.
- The Marquis asks if Darnay has ever met a former patriot in England—a doctor with a young daughter.
- Darnay says he has.
- As Darnay leaves for the night, the Marquis mutters that he’d like to see him burned in his bed.
- Silence descends on the house.
- As the sun rises, terror grips the house.
- The Marquis has been stabbed in the night.