Re: Barsad/Solomon and Cly in Two Cities

Charles Dickens (cdickens@RMPLC.CO.UK)
Tue, 27 Jan 1998 15:57:35 -0100 

My dear Mr Langlais,

  No apolgy is due from me, I like to think, for your confusion over the
chapter "A Hand at Cards," in "A Tale of Two Cities."  Confusion is of the
essence of the subject.  Confusion is valued by the actors in this drama,
and achieved.
  Roger Cly and John Barsad, alias Solomon Pross, are both what, since my
day, have become known as double agents.  Both have worked for the British
government.  At this point in the novel, both are working for the French
government.  Sydney Carton's "hand" against Barsad is a powerful one.  He
knows the man's past, and can arrange for him to be denounced.  The survival
of Cly, and his working in Paris with Barsad, is an ace for this reason.
Denounced, Barsad alone might have argued that his being "turned"(another
modern term, I believe) was made possible by his changing convictions.  But
he is in Paris, working for the French government, teamed with another
former British spy in the same situation.  Now I can use my final modern
term.  Who would believe they were not part of a "ring"?
  I do hope this makes the chapter intelligible to you, and that you will
forgive me for creating confusion where confusion is called for.

Faithfully yours,

Charles Dickens
________________________________________________________________________________


>Dear Mr. Dickens,
>
>I am currently rereading "A Tale of Two Cities" in preparation for
>teaching the novel to my senior class next month.  I am confused
>about a particular plot development in the novel and cannot seem to
>find any answers to this question in the literary criticism available
>to me.
>
>In the chapter "A Hand at Cards" Sydney Carton confronts Barsad in an
>attempt to blackmail him into helping with the rescue of Darnay.  In
>this chapter it is revealed that Robert Cly did not in fact die as
>was reported in a previous chapter.  Why does this persuade Barsad
>to help Carton.  My original thought was that Cly and Barsad
>were in fact the same person; however, upon reflection this cannot be
>the case as the two were mentioned as distinctly different people in
>the trial of Darnay at the begtinning of Book II.
>
>Could you please sort this problem out for me?
>
>Thank you,
>
>Ted Langlais
>Escuela Americana, El Salvador
>
>

======================
Charles Dickens
charles_dickens@rmplc.co.uk
Author