Despite his protests that he is merely "a man of
business," the old bachelor and representative of Tellson's Bank in London is at heart
tender and considerate. In Chapter XVIII of Book the Second of A Tale of Two
Cities, on the wedding day of Charles Darnay and Lucie Manette, a startling
change comes over Lucie's father after Darnay has come to him on his wedding day to tell
him something as agreed upon by the two men. At this point the reader is unaware of the
details of their conversation, but the subject deals with Manette's imprisonment in
France. Psychologically and emotionally disturbed after the conference with his new
son-in-law, Manette retreats into his obsessive behavior of making
shoes.
Then, in Chapter XIX, after nine days in which he is
mentally withdrawn, Dr. Manette puts aside his shoemaking tools. As Mr. Lorry peers
into the room, he observes that Manette seems "calmly studious and attentive." After
conferring with the dutiful Miss Pross, Mr. Lorry decides to approach Manette about his
problem. So, just as he broached the subject of Dr. Manette's return to life from the
Bastille earlier in the novel by speaking of Manette as another man, Mr. Lorry confers
with Manette about his shoemaking by speaking in the third person, also. Tenderly, and
also cleverly, Lorry has Manette offer his professional opinion about a "dear friend" of
his. In this manner of conferring about a stranger, Dr. Manette is more comfortable
speaking of his personal problems and, certainly, less embarrassed about his obsessive
behavior.
When Mr. Lorry uses his business acumen again and
asks if the "friend" would return to this repetitive action if he were to become
overworked again, Dr. Manette replies that he thinks
not.
I think
that, henceforth, nothing but some extraordinary jarring of that chord could renew it.
After what has happened, and after his recovery, I find it difficult to imagine any such
violent sounding of that string again. I trust, and I almost believe, that the
circumstances likely to renew it are
exhausted.”
Finally, Mr.
Lorry asks Manettes's professional opinon about the friend's getting rid of his
"blacksmith's forge," and Manette agrees that the man should dispose of his
forge. Somewhat reluctantly, the physician agrees,
In her name, then, let it be done; I sanction it.
But, I would not take it away while he was present. Let it be removed when he is not
there; let him miss his old companion after an
absence.”
So, when Manette
travels to visit Lucie and her new husband, Miss Pross and Mr. Lorry hack the
shoemaker's bench to pieces, feeling almost "like accomplices in a horrible
crime."
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