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A Tale of Two Cities
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Original study guide for literature
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A Tale of Two Cities By Charles Dickens Summary and Analysis Book 1: Chapter 1 - The Mail
Summary:
In England, the Dover mail coach makes its way up a hill one late November night. The foreboding atmosphere of night and mist makes everyone uneasy — the passengers, the coachman, and the guard. Highway robberies are common, and the travelers are as wary of each other as they are of anyone else they might meet on the road.
As the coach reaches the top of the hill, the travelers hear a horse approaching at a gallop. The rider, Jerry, is a messenger from Tellson's Bank in London, and he has a message for one of the passengers, Mr. Jarvis Lorry, an employee of the bank. Mr. Lorry reads the message, which states, "Wait at Dover for Mam'selle."Mr. Lorry tells Jerry to return the answer, "Recalled to Life,"and the coach continues on its way. As Jerry gallops back to London, he muses over Mr. Lorry's mysterious response.
Analysis:
Like many nineteenth-century authors, Dickens uses atmosphere and setting to establish the mood of a story, and this chapter exemplifies his mastery of the technique. The action of the novel begins with discomfort and anxiety as the characters slog along the muddy highway in the dark, damp chill of a late November mist. The threat of highway robbery that Dickens describes in the first chapter combines with the misty cold to create a sense of vulnerability and apprehension.
Mr. Lorry serves as a figurative and actual link between France and England throughout the book. As Dickens reveals in later chapters, Mr. Lorry is first and foremost a man of business, and his business — Tellson's Bank — carries him between England and France. At this point, though, his current business is a mystery to everyone but himself.
The messages exchanged between him and Jerry are a puzzle to all that hear them, especially Mr. Lorry's response: "Recalled to life."This theme of mystery and secrecy will recur repeatedly and will play a central role in the unfolding of the plot.
Glossary:
the mail "short for "mail coach,"a coach that carried mail and passengers. arm-chest a chest containing weapons. cutlass a short, curving sword, originally used by sailors. jack-boots heavy, sturdy military boots that extend above the knees.
"The rider's horse was blown"The horse was out of breath. flint and steel Flint is a fine-grained, very hard rock that produces sparks when struck against a piece of steel. Before the invention of matches, people used flint and steel to start fires.
第一章
邮件
在一个有雾的星期五晚上在十一月下旬1775先生，罗瑞先生走shooters'hill多佛邮车旁边。雾太浓了他甚至看不见马匹，只听到他们挣扎的鞭子的坡长。在他旁边，其他乘客默默的走在泥泞的靴子和厚重的外套的衣领，在他们的耳朵。
人人都害怕。卫兵骑在教练身后，手上的一个六枪，怀疑乘客尽黑暗围绕着他。乘客相互怀疑，车夫，防范。每个人都怀疑其他人被强盗。
“豪禾！”哭泣的车夫。”一把吧！”和最后一次努力把教练的顶部。
作为后卫下来打开门的乘客，车夫喊道，“合征毒素！乔。
“你听到汤姆？”
大家听了，他们的心跳几乎可以听到。
“马”来，低声的后卫。”有人骑快。”他迅速爬到他的地方，抓起一把枪。
声音的马走，快。
“你！”看守喊道。”停止，或我开枪！”他们听到马停止，和人的语音呼叫的雾，'是多佛邮车吗？”
“别管它是什么！”喊警卫。”你是谁。
如果它是多佛邮车我希望看到一个乘客，先生，罗瑞先生。”
“我是他，我知道这信使，”罗瑞先生说的警卫立即。”是你，杰里？”他喊道。
“是的，先生。我有个口信给你。台尔森银行。”
一匹马和骑手雾里出来。
如果你有枪，保持你的手远离它！”警告警卫。
骑手递给罗瑞先生一小片纸。他打开了它在光的灯教练和阅读it-first自己，然后大声道：“等在多佛尔小姐。”他想了一会儿，然后说，'杰里。说我的答案是，生活的回忆。”
“生活的回忆，重复杰里。”这是一个奇怪的答案，先生。”
“拿着这个消息回台尔森，杰里。现在去。晚安！
罗瑞先生爬进教练在其他乘客，他们的手表和金钱藏在他们的靴子，都假装睡着了。
克朗彻杰里骑马回到伦敦，在beerhouses停止前进的道路上，而卡车前往沿道路多佛尔。作为银行家坐半梦半醒看夜影赶过去车外窗，同样的思想回到了他一次：“十八年！被活埋了十八年！”
A Tale of Two Cities By Charles Dickens Summary and Analysis Book 1: Chapter 2 - The Preparation
Summary:
Mr. Lorry arrives at the Royal George Hotel in Dover in the late morning. After freshening up, he spends the day relaxing and meditating on his mission while he waits for the young woman, Lucie Manette, to arrive. When Lucie arrives, Mr. Lorry introduces himself and proceeds to divulge the