life after the Bastille

Sixteen years in the Bastille has made me into a different man, and I wish Icould be myself again. All i've known is jail, and being locked up and and now i know nothing to comfort me from the horrible thoughts except that of shoe making. Shoe making helps me escape the horrible thoughts and memories of the Bastille. It relaxes me and gets me in a mode where i concentrate on nothing but the shoe im creating. Shoe making also helps me not to think of my beautiful daughter, Lucie and how much i miss her. As much as i love her and long for her presence, i try my hardest not to think of her because of the pain. Thinking about her only makes me miss her more and that is torturous. I havent seen her in about sixteen years and i wonder how much shes grown and how smart shes become. I know she is well because she is in the trusty hands of mt servant , miss pross who is such a hard worker and good family friend. Thoughts of my beloved Lucie only leads to thoughts of my wife, God rest her soul, and all of my great memories of when i was a doctor. For i loved my job and family and life before the Bastille.I make shoes of the latest fashion, yet the latest fashion is no longer what i think the latest fashion is. My mind is in a whole other era than present time.

Chaos in Paris

The French countryside stands ruined and depressed. Political disputes and conflict still rises here and its chaos. The Paris streets are no place for fun or socializing, but a place for riots and revolutionaries. Charles received a letter from someone in need and departed with a “glorious vision of doing good”. He told Lucie and I only through a letter. Lucie and I have learned that Charles has been put in a prison called La force. We went to Tellisons bank to ask Jarvis for help in rescuing Charles, but Jarvis responded by showing me a large mob outside that is going to kill all the prisoners. So I went outside of Tellisons bank and a cry went out; “help for the Bastille prisoner’s kindred in La Force! I went to Paris, brave and confident and I persuaded the Tribunal to keep Darnay alive! I got a job as a physician at La Force. So much action and turmoil is going on here in Paris…The king and queen have been beheaded! And the guillotine is a fixture and sits in the Paris streets, where beheadings are happening daily. A few days later, I had to tell Lucie that Charles will stand trial the next day but I assure her that he will be fine.

Relapse

Its been a little over a year since my last post, but not too much has happened. The biggest news is that The Marquis Evremonde was found dead with a knofe through his heart. Attatched was a note that said “drive him fast to his tomb, this from Jaques”. But presently, Darnay came by my house yesterday and admitted his love for my daughter, Lucie.  He went on to say how he honors mine and Lucie’s special relationship. He told me he does not intend to ruin our close relationship at all. I was quite surprised of his honesty and feelings. What I thought was strange though was that Darnay asked a promise of me. He asked that I promise to vouch for what he had said and the true meaning of his love for Lucie. He was concerned that if Lucie was to ever ask, that she might mistake his love as false of not sincere I assured him that Lucie feels the same way about him and should not worry. He went on to say that Charles Darnay is not his real name and said he can only reveal his real name on the day of his wedding. That night I went to my shoemaker’s bench and began making shoes again. I thought this part of my life was gone but there must be something Im trying to block out. Is it the fact that Lucie is no longer mine? Is it that shes grown up and ready to be on her own? Or could it be that the man she is marrying is hiding his true identity and does that concern me? Much happened yesterday and I can only seem to go about making shoes again. Ive relapsed.

At the courthouse

 Today was the day Lucie and I went to the courthouse as witnesses against a prisoner. As we walked in through the doors of the courtroom, Lucie and I could hear a wind of whispers throughout the whole courtroom. We were a little uncomfortable at first, but we soon realized it was just people wanting to know who we were and why we were there and what connection we had to the hearing. Apparently, a man named Charles Darnay was found guilty of giving secret information to the king of France, Louis XVI. The information was that England plans to send armed forces to fight in the American colonies. The prosecutors asked Lucie if she knows Mr Charles Darnay and Lucie said she had met him on a ship back to England. When I was called to the stand, I had said that I remember nothing due to my illness on the ship. I was a little confused, as not remembering very much is bothersome and I was trying to remember but couldn’t. I do not like looking back at my past, but that was a little part of my past that i needed to remember. As we were leaving the courtroom, Mr. Charles Darnay caught my daughter’s attention and he gently grabbed Lucie’s hand and kissed it.