In chapter 17, we find that the Doctor has finally come to terms with his imprisonment and can freely speak about it. He has been completely restored to life. Almost in a sick sence of humor, he looses his progress less than a day later when he learns about Charles D'Aulnais true identity. I suspect that the Doctor may be more involved with matters in France that he has currently led us to believe since his former servant Defarge was also surprised when he learned this information. Something must have happened between the Manettes and the D'Aulnais before that the Doctor becomes completely regressed again. Did he do something to the D'Aulnais that led to his imprisonment? Afterall, we have seen how unforgiving the French nobility is from the previous chapters. (Excluding Charles of course).
Sorry it is kind of confusing to read, its hard to explain what i'm thinking about this situation. :-/
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I see what Ben is saying about how Dr. Manette has a sudden regression. Ben, you posed the question: So why now does he suddenly digress so much so fast that only Lucie can retrieve him? It's true that this was a very extreme relapse where he even began to make more shoes, but I think that it is a given fact that he will continue to have these kinds of relapses. In my opinion, Darnay's innocent remark about the Doctor's wife was of course a touchy subject for Dr. Manette. Yet, I think that no matter what anyone says or does, there is always going to be little things that will remind Dr. Manette of his life in prison and he will relapse periodically for a very long time to come.
Even at the trial for Darnay, recalling Dr. Manette's life in prison caused him to leave the room with Lucie, who comforted him. Dr. Manette would have remembered his prison life no matter if Darnay were the one who were there with him on that night or not. Dr. Manette will, in my opinion, never stop bringing back his previous, dreadful life.
Also, to touch on the other question you asked: Why and what makes the memories of his wife so painful that he needs to retreat to the extreme depths of his mind in order to protect himself? I do not know what events exactly involving his wife that Dr. Manette could be recalling, but I do know that he had to leave his wife and child behind when he was sent to prison. One day, he was living his normal life with his wife, and the next he was off to spend eighteen years in confinement, away from his wife who died while he was locked up. That alone would be extremely difficult to think about, and would definitely cause a relapse for poor Dr. Manette.
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