- It’s late at night. Sydney Carton is working. Stryver is drinking.
- He’s so happy about drinking, in fact, that he asks Carton to make another bowl of punch for the two of them.
- He has news.
- Stryver, it seems, has decided to marry.
- Carton knows Stryver pretty well. He asks if the woman has money.
- Stryver takes Carton to task for being such a cynic. He’s actually fallen in love this time.
- In fact, Stryver’s a bit worried that Carton won’t like his choice of a bride.
- Once upon a time, Carton spoke slightingly of the woman whom Stryver has decided to make his bride.
- Carton starts a little bit. Could Stryver mean….
- Yes. Stryver means to marry Lucie.
- Apparently, Stryver’s willing to overlook her poverty.
- He’s pretty magnanimous about the whole thing. Lucie will benefit a lot from the marriage, he thinks, but he’s willing to take her, anyway.
- We just want to put our opinion on the record: Stryver’s a pompous fool.
- Carton thinks so, too.
- While Stryver tells Carton about his plans, he also tries to dispense some free advice on how he thinks Carton should lead his own life.
- Perhaps Carton could find someone like…well, Lucie to marry.
- Lucie?
- Carton jumps uncomfortably.
- Stryver continues to offer unwelcome advice about Carton’s love life.
- Luckily, Carton chooses to ignore him.