A Tale of Two Cities: Book 2, Chapter 6 Summary & Analysis

Four months pass. Mr. Lorry visits Dr. Manette and Lucie at their home. Lucie has decorated the house beautifully, but Mr. Lorry notices that Manette's shoe-making workbench is still in the house.

Dr. Manette and Lucie are out, though. Mr. Lorry speaks with Miss Pross, who comments on and dismisses all the suitors who constantly call on Lucie. She adds that her brother, Solomon Pross, is the only man good enough for Lucie. Lorry remains silent, though he knows Solomon is a cheat and scoundrel. Mr. Lorry then asks if Dr. Manette ever uses his workbench or speaks about his imprisonment. Miss Pross responds that Dr. Manette does not think about his traumatic years of imprisonment.

Lucie and Manette return. Charles arrives to visit moments later. Charles tells them of his recent trip to the Tower of London, where a workman recently realized that what he had thought were someone's initials carved into a wall ("D.I.G.") were actually instructions: beneath the floor, they found the ashes of a letter. Dr. Manette nearly faints at this story.

Sydney Carton also visits. Sitting out on the veranda as a storm approaches, Lucie tells him that she sometimes imagines that the echoes of the footsteps from the pedestrians below belong to people who will soon come into their lives. Carton says it must be a great crowd to make such a sound, and says that he will welcome these people into his life.