The Bitter Sweet Courage of Sydney Carton

In Book the Second, "The Golden Thread," chapter 13, "The Fellow of No Delicacy," Sydney Carton at last reveals his aching love to Lucie Manette. With courage he professes his love:

"My last supplication of all, is this; and with it, I will relieve you of a visitor with whom I well know you have nothing in unison, and between whom and you there is an impassible space. It is useless to say it, I know, but it rises out of my soul. For you, and for any dear to you, I would do anything. If my career were of that better kind that there was any opportunity or capacity of sacrifice in it, I would embrace any sacrifice for you and for those dear to you. Try to hold me in your mind, at some quiet times, as ardent and sincere in this one thing. The time will come, the time will not be long in coming, when new ties will be formed about you — ties that will bind you yet more tenderly and strongly to the home you so adorn — the dearest ties that will ever grace and gladden you. Oh, Miss Manette, when the little picture of a happy father's face looks up in yours, when you see your own bright beauty springing up anew at your feet, think now and then that there is a man who would give his life to keep a life you love beside you" (Pg. 154).

Reading this I could feel Carton's pain. A pain that brought ache to his heart and peace to his soul. As I read the novel I was constantly waiting for Carton to finally reveal his heart's desires and genuine intentions. With that said, it is inevitable to ignore the way Dickens uses this powerful moment of love and heartache to foreshadow the motivation behind Carton's decision to sacrifice himself to preserve the life of the man who was his rival in earning Lucie's love. The way he would "embrace any sacrifice for [Lucie] and for those dear to [her]." How do you guys feel about this all or nothing moment?