Defarge is the leader of his community and will be pivotal in leading the people on the Storming of the Bastille. He discovers a paper in Dr. Manette’s old cell in the Bastille which documents why Manette was imprisoned and by whom. These papers prove nearly fatal to the novel's protagonist, Charles Darnay, in recounting a series of injustices and murders by his father and uncle. Worse still, these infamies were committed against the family of Madame Defarge, Ernest's ruthless wife, who convinces him to denounce Darnay to the guillotine. Generally good-natured and decent, Defarge is torn by loyalty to his wife and loyalty to Dr. Manette; he does nothing to stop Manette's family from escaping France, despite Madame Defarge's urging.