We have changed our privacy policy. In addition, we use cookies on our website for various purposes. By continuing on our website, you consent to our use of cookies. You can learn about our practices by reading our privacy policy.

A Tale of Two Cities Volume II, Chapter Twenty – A Plea Summary

  • The first person to visit Lucie and Darnay after they get married is Sydney Carton.
  • Are you really surprised?
  • Darnay is. He’s even more surprised when Carton makes a rather strange request: he wants to be Darnay’s friend.
  • There’s not exactly a ton of love lost between the two men, remember?
  • Nonetheless, Carton wants to be pals.
  • More specifically, he wants to be able to pop over to their house without any warning, just like an old family friend would.
  • Darnay doesn’t seem especially inclined to agree, but Carton reminds him of how Carton saved his life in court.
  • Okay, he’s got Darnay there.
  • Darnay agrees to be friends.
  • That doesn’t mean, however, that he has to like it.
  • Later in the day, he grumbles to Lucie about Carton’s strange request.
  • Astonishingly, Lucie gets a bit angry at him for saying mean things about Carton.
  • She tells Darnay to remember that they’re very, very happy together—and that Carton is very, very unhappy.
  • As she says, it’s hard for happy people to judge unhappy people. It just doesn’t seem fair.
  • Darnay seems pretty wowed by the wonderfulness of his wife.
  • The two newlyweds agree to always be kind to poor old Carton.
  • Lucie kisses Darnay and thanks him for his kindness.
  • Darnay kisses Lucie and blesses her for her compassion.
  • Life, in other words, is pretty perfect.