Book II, Chapter Six – Hundreds of People

Doctor Manette and Lucie live in a quiet little corner of Soho. Everything there seems sunny and happy. Happy people, happy places. Happy happy happy. (Almost too happy?) Doctor Manette has started to take in a few patients.  The Manettes don’t have loads of money, but Lucie has managed to make their home very…homey. 

Mr. Lorry steps inside the door and is greeted by a wild-looking red-haired woman - Miss Pross.  Once upon a time she was Lucie’s landlady/governess, but now she lives with the Manettes.  She’s very, very devoted to Lucie. Oh, and she calls Lucie "Ladybird." I wish I could tell you a reason for this, but I really can’t. 

She informs Mr. Lorry that hundreds of people have been beating down her door to get to Lucie.  Hundreds?  Well, Miss Pross might be exaggerating slightly. There have been more visitors to the house than she would like, however: Charles Darnay, Sydney Carton, and Mr. Stryver have all been making regular appearances at the Manette house.

While the two wait for the Manettes to return, Miss Pross tells Mr. Lorry that the doctor has been up at night, pacing back and forth in his room. Only Lucie can calm him down and get him.  Eventually the Manettes return. Later Mr. Darnay stops by. Making conversation, he asks Doctor Manette if he’s seen the Tower of London.  (It was the place that the British held political prisoners. In other words, it was sort of the British equivalent of the Bastille, where Dr. Manette was held.) Darnay says that folks were restoring the Tower and happened to find a hidden letter buried by a former prisoner. For no apparent reason, Dr. Manette seems violently upset by this news.

Even later, Sydney Carton stops by. It begins to rain really heavily, so everyone has to stay at the Manettes for a long time. Watch the end of this chapter for some creepy foreshadowing…and Carton’s socially awkward comments.