A Tale of Two Cities: the Dread Tribunal of Five Judges

The dread tribunal of five Judges, Public Prosecutor, and determined Jury, sat every day. Their lists went forth every evening, and were read out by the gaolers of the various prisons to their prisoners. The standard gaoler-joke was, “Come out and listen to the Evening Paper, you inside there!” | The dreaded tribunal was made up of five judges, a public prosecutor, and a selected jury. The court was in session every day, and their lists were sent out every night. The jailers in the various prisons read the lists out loud to their prisoners. They would often make a joke of it and say, “Come out and listen to the evening paper, you prisoners!” | “Charles Evremonde, called Darnay!” | “Charles Evremonde, also known as Darnay!” | So at last began the Evening Paper at La Force. | This is how the “evening paper” began at La Force Prison. | When a name was called, its owner stepped apart into a spot reserved for those who were announced as being thus fatally recorded. Charles Evremonde, called Darnay, had reason to know the usage; he had seen hundreds pass away so. | When someone’s name was called, the person would step forward into an area reserved for him. Charles Evremonde, also known as Darnay, already knew this. He had seen hundred of people go to their deaths this way. | His bloated gaoler, who wore spectacles to read with, glanced over them to assure himself that he had taken his place, and went through the list, making a similar short pause at each name. There were twenty-three names, but only twenty were responded to; for one of the prisoners so summoned had died in gaol and been forgotten, and two had already been guillotined and forgotten. The list was read, in the vaulted chamber where Darnay had seen the associated prisoners on the night of his arrival. Every one of those had perished in the massacre; every human creature he had since cared for and parted with, had died on the scaffold. | The swollen jailer, who wore reading glasses, glanced