- It’s the morning of Darnay’s trial.
- Five judges sit at the Tribunal bench. The audience hall is packed with people here to see a show.
- One woman sits in the front row, knitting. Beside her, Darnay sees Defarge.
- Dr. Manette sits right beneath the president of the Tribunal, ready to testify.
- Darnay’s charges are read: he’s an emigrant, and all emigrants are subject to death.
- It doesn’t matter, of course, that this law was instituted after Darnay came to France.
- The crowd seems to agree. They immediately call for his death.
- Darnay testifies that he’s been living in England and earning his own money there. He even married a woman in England.
- When asked, Darnay announces that his wife is Lucie, the daughter of Dr. Manette.
- The crowd gasps in astonishment. This is an even better show than they’d anticipated.
- The president asks why Darnay chose to return to France.
- Darnay explains that he felt a moral obligation to return, even though he’d given up any claim to his own lands long ago.
- He’d come back to save a citizen’s life. How could this be criminal?
- The audience now agrees with Darnay. They shout pretty loudly to save him.
- Audiences are pretty fickle, in case you haven’t noticed.
- The president reads Gabelle’s letter to Darnay aloud.
- Now Dr. Manette takes the stand. When he testifies that Darnay had actually been on trial in England for being a foe to England and a friend of the United States, the crowd goes crazy.
- The French helped the U.S. in the American Revolution, remember?
- Therefore, Darnay must be a good guy!
- The jury adds its voices to the choir: Darnay is set free!
- Crying "Long Live the Republic!" the crowd hoists Darnay on people’s shoulders and carries him out of the courtroom.
- He’s like a football hero: no one can get enough of him.
- Soon, though, the Manettes manage to get him home.
- Lucie and Darnay fall onto the floor, praying in thanks for Darnay’s release.
- Dr. Manette enters and Lucie runs to him, trembling.
- Smiling, the doctor tells her to be strong. He’s saved Darnay.