n their

horses outside the gate. Looking about him while in this state of

suspense, Charles Darnay observed that the gate was held by a

mixed guard of soldiers and patriots, the latter far outnumbering

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the former; and that while ingress into the city for peasants’ carts

bringing in supplies, and for similar traffic and traffickers, was

easy enough, egress, even for the homeliest people, was very

difficult. A numerous medley of men and women, not to mention

beasts and vehicles of various sorts, was waiting to issue forth; but

the previous identification was so strict, that they filtered through

the barrier very slowly. Some of these people knew their turn for

examination to be so far off, that they lay down on the ground to

sleep or smoke, while others talked together, or loitered about.

The red cap and tricolour cockade were universal, both among

men and women.

When he had sat in his saddle some half-hour, taking note of

these things, Darnay found himself confronted by the same man in

authority, who directed the guard to open the barrier. Then he

delivered to the escort, drunk and sober, a receipt for the escorted

and requested him to dismount. He did so, and the two patriots,

leading his tired horse, turned and rode away without entering the

city.

He accompanied his conductor into a