The looming ghost of the colony in A Tale of Two Cities

A Tale of Two Cities, unlike other 18th century novels, does not directly engage with the empire but instead suppresses the whole colonial question or so it seems. The French Revolution seems to be the main concern in the novel, however, it is important to note that the 1857 Indian 'Mutiny' had happened only two years ago. The novel thus needs to be read in that context too. India, or the colony for that matter has a looming presence in the novel. It almost acts as a subtext. My contention here is that while the setting of the novel is the French Revolution, the aim is to consolidate the larger British national identity, especially given the events in the colony.
The colony appears at a number of times in the novel, one may also say, only in passing but it is a resisting force, constantly present and resisting.The various spirits, echoes and specters that surface in the novel act as a reminder for a past that still haunts Britain -- a representation of the suppressed social, political and historical past. It is not just these unnatural forces that reminds one of the colony but other incidents throughout the novel too. For instance, in the second chapter of Book 1, the horses with their "mutinous intent" would not drive the passengers on the Dover mail up the hill. Similarly, there is Roger Cly and Barsad, who are spies and act as betrayers to their master and the nation, respectively. Madame Defarge, on the other hand, is an example of mutiny in herself. She violates all norms of gender and because the nation also becomes a field for perpetuating patriarchal structures, Madame Defarge's determination becomes a threat, a force of resistance: "Tell the Wind and Fire where to stop; not me," she pleads with vengeance while trying to save Lucie and her child.