In the Paris suburb of Saint Antoine, a large cask of wine tumbles from a cart and bursts. The town's dirt-poor residents rush out into the street and drink the wine, scooping it up from the dirt with cupped hands and dipping cloths into it to wring into their mouths.
The owner of a corner wine shop watches the proceedings, declaring them out of his control. The man returns to his store, where his wife, Madame Defarge, sits knitting behind a counter. He looks around the store and notices an elderly gentleman communicating with a young woman.
The elderly gentleman approaches and speaks with him, and the two men beckon to the young woman to follow them. They leave the store and walk through a small courtyard that leads to several houses. They enter a small garret. As they enter, Miss Manette admits that she is frightened of the man they are about to meet. They enter the room, which is small and dark. There, they find a white-haired man sitting on a bench, his back turned to them, busily making shoes.
