T2C. Three Jacobin tricoteuses in front of the guillotine (John Mclenan)

A tale of two cities, illustration by john mclenan, three women knitting before the guillotine. Headnote vignette john mclenan dickens's a tale of two cities, book iii, chapter 5 ("the steps die out forever") the thirtieth installment of the novel appeared in harper's weekly (3 december 1859): 781; it had originally appeared in the uk on saturday, 26 november in all the year round passage illustrated: "the clocks are on the stroke of three, and the furrow ploughed among the populace is turning round, to come on into the place of execution, and end. The ridges thrown to this side and to that, now crumble in and close behind the last plough as it passes on, for all are following to the guillotine. In front of it, seated in chairs, as in a garden of public diversion, are a number of women, busily knitting. On one of the fore-most chairs, stands the vengeance, looking about for her friend. "therese!" she cries, in her shrill tones. "who has seen her? thérèse defarge!"".