by abbé Prévost
IX
'Twas ever thus;--from childhood's hour I've seen my fondest hopes decay;-- I never loved a tree or flower, But it was sure to fade away; I never nursed a dear Gazelle, To glad me with its dark-blue eye, But, when it came to know me well, And love me, it was sure to die. MOORE.
"During my life I have remarked that fate has invariably chosen for thetime of its severest visitations, those moments when my fortune seemedestablished on the firmest basis. In the friendship of M. de T----,and the tender affections of Manon, I imagined myself so thoroughlyhappy, that I could not harbour the slightest apprehension of any newmisfortune: there was one, nevertheless, at this very period impending,which reduced me to the state in which you beheld me at Passy, andwhich eventually brought in its train miseries of so deplorable anature, that you will have difficulty in believing the simple recitalthat follows.
"One evening, when M. de T---- remained to sup with us, we heard thesound of a carriage stopping at the door of the inn. Curiosity temptedus to see who it was that arrived at this hour. They told us it wasyoung G---- M----, the son of our most vindictive enemy, of thatdebauched old sinner who had incarcerated me in St. Lazare, and Manonin the Hospital. His name made the blood mount to my cheeks. 'It isProvidence that has led him here,' said I to M. de T----, that I maypunish him for the cowardly baseness of his father. He shall notescape without our measuring swords at least.' M. de T----, who knewhim, and was even one of his most intimate friends, tried to moderatemy feelings of anger towards him. He assured me that he was a mostamiable young man, and so little capable of countenancing his father'sconduct, that I could not be many minutes in his society withoutfeeling esteem and affection for him. After saying many more things inhis praise, he begged my permission to invite him to come and sit inour apartment, as well as to share the remainder of our supper. As tothe objection of Manon being exposed by this proceeding to any danger,he pledged his honour and good faith, that when once the young manbecame acquainted with us, we should find in him a most zealousdefender. After such an assurance, I could offer no further opposition.
"M. de T---- did not introduce him without delaying a few momentsoutside, to let him know who we were. He certainly came in with an airthat prepossessed us in his favour: he shook hands with me; we satdown; he admired Manon; he appeared pleased with me, and witheverything that belonged to us; and he ate with an appetite that didabundant honour to our hospitality.
"When the table was cleared, our conversation became more serious. Hehung down his head while he spoke of his father's conduct towards us.He made, on his own part, the most submissive excuses. 'I say the lessupon the subject,' said he, 'because I do not wish to recall acircumstance that fills me with grief and shame.' If he were sincerein the beginning, he became much more so in the end, for theconversation had not lasted half an hour, when I perceived that Manon'scharms had made a visible impression upon him. His looks and hismanner became by degrees more tender. He, however, allowed noexpression to escape him; but, without even the aid of jealousy, I hadhad experience enough in love affairs to discern what was passing.
"He remained with us till a late hour in the night, and before he tookhis leave, congratulated himself on having made our acquaintance, andbegged permission to call and renew the offer of his services. He wentoff next morning with M. de T----, who accepted the offer of a seat inhis carriage.
"I felt, as I before said, not the slightest symptom of jealousy: I hada more foolish confidence than ever in Manon's vows. This dearcreature had so absolute a dominion over my whole soul and affections,that I could give place to no other sentiment towards her than that ofadmiration and love. Far from considering it a crime that she shouldhave pleased young G---- M----, I was gratified by the effect of hercharms, and experienced only a feeling of pride in being loved by agirl whom the whole world found so enchanting. I did not even deem itworth while to mention my suspicions to her. We were for some daysoccupied in arranging her new wardrobe, and in considering whether wemight venture to the theatre without the risk of being recognised. M.de T---- came again to see us before the end of the week, and weconsulted him upon this point. He saw clearly that the way to pleaseManon was to say yes: we resolved to go all together that same evening.
"We were not able, however, to carry this intention into effect; for,having taken me aside, 'I have been in the greatest embarrassment,'said he to me, 'since I saw you, and that is the cause of my visitingyou today. G---- M---- is in love with your mistress: he told me so inconfidence; I am his intimate friend, and disposed to do him anyservice in my power; but I am not less devoted to you; his designsappeared to me unjustifiable, and I expressed my disapprobation ofthem; I should not have divulged his secret, if he had only intended touse fair and ordinary means for gaining Manon's affections; but he isaware of her capricious disposition; he has learned, God knows how,that her ruling passion is for affluence and pleasure; and, as he isalready in possession of a considerable fortune, he declared hisintention of tempting her at once with a present of great value, andthe offer of an annuity of six thousand francs; if I had in all otherpoints considered you both in an equal light, I should have had perhapsto do more violence to my feelings in betraying him: but a sense ofjustice as well as of friendship was on your side, and the more so fromhaving been myself the imprudent, though unconscious, cause of hispassion in introducing him here. I feel it my duty therefore to avertany evil consequences from the mischief I have inadvertently caused.
"I thanked M. de T---- for rendering me so important a service, andconfessed to him, in a like spirit of confidence, that Manon'sdisposition was precisely what G---- M---- had imagined; that is tosay, that she was incapable of enduring even the thought of poverty.'However,' said I to him, 'when it is a mere question of more or less,I do not believe that she would give me up for any other person; I canafford to let her want for nothing, and I have from day to day reasonto hope that my fortune will improve; I only dread one thing,'continued I, 'which is, that G---- M---- may take unfair advantage ofthe knowledge he has of our place of residence, and bring us intotrouble by disclosing it.'
"M. de T---- assured me that I might be perfectly easy upon that head;that G---- M---- might be capable of a silly passion, but not of an actof baseness; that if he ever could be villain enough for such a thing,he, de T----, would be the first to punish him, and by that means makereparation for the mischief he had occasioned. 'I feel grateful forwhat you say,' said I, 'but the mischief will have been all done, andthe remedy even seems doubtful; the wisest plan therefore will be toquit Chaillot, and go to reside elsewhere.' 'Very true,' said M. deT----, 'but you will not be able to do it quickly enough, for G----M---- is to be here at noon; he told me so yesterday, and it was thatintelligence that made me come so early this morning to inform you ofhis intentions. You may expect him every moment.'"
"The urgency of the occasion made me view this matter in a more seriouslight. As it seemed to me impossible to escape the visit of G----M----, and perhaps equally so to prevent him from making hisdeclaration to Manon, I resolved to tell her beforehand of the designsof my new rival. I fancied that when she knew I was aware of theoffers that would be made to her, and made probably in my presence, shewould be the more likely to reject them. I told M. de T---- of myintention, and he observed that he thought it a matter of extremedelicacy. 'I admit it,' said I, 'but no man ever had more reason forconfiding in a mistress, than I have for relying on the affection ofmine. The only thing that could possibly for a moment blind her, isthe splendour of his offers; no doubt she loves her ease, but she lovesme also; and in my present circumstances, I cannot believe that shewould abandon me for the son of the man who had incarcerated her in theMagdalen.' In fine, I persisted in my intentions, and taking Manonaside, I candidly told her what I had learned.
"She thanked me for the good opinion I entertained of her, and promisedto receive G---- M----'s offers in a way that should prevent arepetition of them. 'No,' said I, 'yo
u must not irritate him byincivility: he has it in his power to injure us. But you know wellenough, you little rogue,' continued I, smiling, 'how to rid yourselfof a disagreeable or useless lover!' After a moment's pause she said:'I have just thought of an admirable plan, and I certainly have afertile invention. G---- M---- is the son of our bitterest enemy: wemust avenge ourselves on the father, not through the son's person, butthrough his purse. My plan is to listen to his proposals, accept hispresents, and then laugh at him.'
"'The project is not a bad one,' said I to her; 'but you forget, mydear child, that it is precisely the same course that conducted usformerly to the penitentiary.' I represented to her the danger of suchan enterprise; she replied, that the only thing necessary was to takeour measures with caution, and she found an answer to every objection Istarted. 'Show me the lover who does not blindly humour every whim ofan adored mistress, and I will then allow that I was wrong in yieldingso easily on this occasion.' The resolution was taken to make a dupeof G----M----, and by an unforeseen and unlucky turn of fortune, Ibecame the victim myself.
"About eleven o'clock his carriage drove up to the door. He made themost complaisant and refined speeches upon the liberty he had taken ofcoming to dine with us uninvited. He was not surprised at meeting M.de T----, who had the night before promised to meet him there, and whohad, under some pretext or other, refused a seat in his carriage.Although there was not a single person in the party who was not atheart meditating treachery, we all sat down with an air of mutualconfidence and friendship. G---- M---- easily found an opportunity ofdeclaring his sentiments to Manon. I did not wish to annoy him byappearing vigilant, so I left the room purposely for several minutes.
"I perceived on my return that he had not had to encounter any verydiscouraging austerity on Manon's part, for he was in the best possiblespirits. I affected good humour also. He was laughing in his mind atmy simplicity, while I was not less diverted by his own. During thewhole evening we were thus supplying to each other an inexhaustiblefund of amusement. I contrived, before his departure, to let him haveManon for another moment to himself; so that he had reason to applaudmy complaisance, as well as the hospitable reception I had given him.
"As soon as he got into his carriage with M. de T----, Manon rantowards me with extended arms, and embraced me; laughing all the whileimmoderately. She repeated all his speeches and proposals, withoutaltering a word. This was the substance: He of course adored her; andwished to share with her a large fortune of which he was already inpossession, without counting what he was to inherit at his father'sdeath. She should be sole mistress of his heart and fortune; and as animmediate token of his liberality, he was ready at once to supply herwith an equipage, a furnished house, a lady's maid, three footmen, anda man-cook.
"'There is indeed a son,' said I, 'very different from his father! Buttell me truly, now, does not such an offer tempt you?' 'Me!' shereplied, adapting to the idea two verses from Racine--
Moi! vous me soupconnez de cette perfidie? Moi! je pourrais souffrir un visage odieux, Qui rappelle toujours l'Hopital a mes yeux?
'No!' replied I, continuing the parody--
J'aurais peine a penser que l'Hopital, madame, Fut un trait dont l'amour l'eut grave dans votre ame.
'But it assuredly is a temptation--a furnished house, a lady's maid, acook, a carriage, and three servants--gallantry can offer but few moreseductive temptations.'
"She protested that her heart was entirely mine, and that it was forthe future only open to the impressions I chose to make upon it. 'Ilook upon his promises,' said she, 'as an instrument for revenge,rather than as a mark of love.' I asked her if she thought ofaccepting the hotel and the carriage. She replied that his money wasall she wanted."
The difficulty was, how to obtain the one without the other; weresolved to wait for a detailed explanation of the whole project in aletter which G---- M---- promised to write to her, and which in factshe received next morning by a servant out of livery, who, verycleverly, contrived an opportunity of speaking to her alone.
She told him to wait for an answer, and immediately brought the letterto me: we opened it together.
"Passing over the usual commonplace expressions of tenderness, it gavea particular detail of my rival's promises. There were no limits tothe expense. He engaged to pay her down ten thousand francs on hertaking possession of the hotel, and to supply her expenditure in such away as that she should never have less than that sum at her command.The appointed day for her entering into possession was close at hand.He only required two days for all his preparations, and he mentionedthe name of the street and the hotel, where he promised to be inwaiting for her in the afternoon of the second day, if she could manageto escape my vigilance. That was the only point upon which he beggedof her to relieve his uneasiness; he seemed to be quite satisfied uponevery other: but he added that, if she apprehended any difficulty inescaping from me, he could find sure means for facilitating her flight.
"G---- M---- the younger was more cunning than the old gentleman. Hewanted to secure his prey before he counted out the cash. Weconsidered what course Manon should adopt. I made another effort toinduce her to give up the scheme, and strongly represented all itsdangers; nothing, however, could shake her determination.
"Her answer to G---- M---- was brief, merely assuring him that shecould be, without the least difficulty, in Paris on the appointed dayand that he might expect her with certainty.
"We then resolved, that I should instantly hire lodgings in somevillage on the other side of Paris, and that I should take our luggagewith me; that in the afternoon of the following day, which was the timeappointed, she should go to Paris; that, after receiving G---- M----'spresents, she should earnestly entreat him to take her to the theatre;that she should carry with her as large a portion of the money as shecould, and charge my servant with the remainder, for it was agreed thathe was to accompany her. He was the man who had rescued her from theMagdalen, and he was devotedly attached to us. I was to be with ahackney-coach at the end of the street of St. Andre-des-arcs, and toleave it there about seven o'clock, while I stole, under cover of thetwilight, to the door of the theatre. Manon promised to make someexcuse for quitting her box for a moment, when she would come down andjoin me. The rest could be easily done. We were then to return to myhackney-coach, and quit Paris by the Faubourg St. Antoine, which wasthe road to our new residence.
"This plan, extravagant as it was, appeared to us satisfactorilyarranged. But our greatest folly was in imagining that, succeed as wemight in its execution, it would be possible for us to escape theconsequences. Nevertheless, we exposed ourselves to all risk with theblindest confidence. Manon took her departure with Marcel--so was theservant called. I could not help feeling a pang as she took leave ofme. 'Manon,' said I, 'do not deceive me; will you be faithful to me?'She complained, in the tenderest tone, of my want of confidence, andrenewed all her protestations of eternal love.
"She was to be in Paris at three o'clock. I went some time after. Ispent the remainder of the afternoon moping in the Cafe de Fere, nearthe Pont St. Michel. I remained there till nightfall. I then hired ahackney-coach, which I placed, according to our plan, at the end of thestreet of St. Andre-des-arcs, and went on foot to the door of thetheatre. I was surprised at not seeing Marcel, who was to have beenthere waiting for me. I waited patiently for a full hour, standingamong a crowd of lackeys, and gazing at every person that passed. Atlength, seven o'clock having struck, without my being able to discoveranything or any person connected with our project, I procured a pitticket, in order to ascertain if Manon and G---- M---- were in theboxes. Neither one nor the other could I find. I returned to the door,where I again stopped for a quarter of an hour, in an agony ofimpatience and uneasiness. No person appeared, and I went back to thecoach, without knowing what to conjecture. The coachman, seeing me,advanced a few paces towards me, and said, with a mysterious air, thata very handsome young person had been waiting more than an hour for
mein the coach; that she described me so exactly that he could not bemistaken, and having learned that I intended to return, she said shewould enter the coach and wait with patience.
"I felt confident that it was Manon. I approached. I beheld a verypretty face, certainly, but alas, not hers. The lady asked, in a voicethat I had never before heard, whether she had the honour of speakingto the Chevalier des Grieux? I answered, 'That is my name.' 'I have aletter for you,' said she, 'which will tell you what has brought mehere, and by what means I learned your name.' I begged she would allowme a few moments to read it in an adjoining cafe. She proposed tofollow me, and advised me to ask for a private room, to which Iconsented. 'Who is the writer of this letter?' I enquired. Shereferred me to the letter itself.
"I recognised Manon's hand. This is nearly the substance of theletter: G---- M---- had received her with a politeness andmagnificence beyond anything she had previously conceived. He hadloaded her with the most gorgeous presents. She had the prospect ofalmost imperial splendour. She assured me, however, that she could notforget me amidst all this magnificence; but that, not being able toprevail on G---- M---- to take her that evening to the play, she wasobliged to defer the pleasure of seeing me; and that, as a slightconsolation for the disappointment which she feared this might causeme, she had found a messenger in one of the loveliest girls in allParis. She signed herself, 'Your loving and constant, MANON LESCAUT.'
"There was something so cruel and so insulting in the letter, that,what between indignation and grief, I resolutely determined to forgeteternally my ungrateful and perjured mistress. I looked at the youngwoman who stood before me: she was exceedingly pretty, and I could havewished that she had been sufficiently so to render me inconstant in myturn. But there were wanting those lovely and languishing eyes, thatdivine gracefulness, that exquisite complexion, in fine, thoseinnumerable charms which nature had so profusely lavished upon theperfidious Manon. 'No, no,' said I, turning away from her; 'theungrateful wretch who sent you knew in her heart that she was sendingyou on a useless errand. Return to her; and tell her from me, totriumph in her crime, and enjoy it, if she can, without remorse. Iabandon her in despair, and, at the same time, renounce all women, who,without her fascination, are no doubt her equals in baseness andinfidelity.'
"I was then on the point of going away, determined never to bestowanother thought on Manon: the mortal jealousy that was racking my heartlay concealed under a dark and sullen melancholy, and I fancied,because I felt none of those violent emotions which I had experiencedupon former occasions, that I had shaken off my thraldom. Alas! I waseven at that moment infinitely more the dupe of love, than of G----M---- and Manon.
"The girl who had brought the letter, seeing me about to depart, askedme what I wished her to say to M. G---- M----, and to the lady who waswith him? At this question, I stepped back again into the room, and byone of those unaccountable transitions that are only known to thevictims of violent passion, I passed in an instant from the state ofsubdued tranquillity which I have just described, into an ungovernablefury 'Away!' said I to her, 'tell the traitor G---- M----and hisabandoned mistress the state of despair into which your accursedmission has cast me; but warn them that it shall not be long a sourceof amusement to them, and that my own hands shall be warmed with theheart's blood of both!' I sank back upon a chair; my hat fell on oneside, and my cane upon the other: torrents of bitter tears rolled downmy cheeks. The paroxysm of rage changed into a profound and silentgrief: I did nothing but weep and sigh. 'Approach, my child,approach,' said I to the young girl; 'approach, since it is you theyhave sent to bring me comfort; tell me whether you have any balm toadminister for the pangs of despair and rage--any argument to offeragainst the crime of self-destruction, which I have resolved upon,after ridding the world of two perfidious monsters. Yes, approach,'continued I, perceiving that she advanced with timid and doubtfulsteps; 'come and dry my sorrows; come and restore peace to my mind;come and tell me that at least you love me: you are handsome--I mayperhaps love you in return.' The poor child, who was only sixteen orseventeen years of age, and who appeared more modest than girls of herclass generally are, was thunderstruck at this unusual scene. Shehowever gently approached to caress me, when with uplifted hands Irudely repulsed her. 'What do you wish with me?' exclaimed I to her.'Ah! you are a woman, and of a sex I abhor, and can no longer tolerate;the very gentleness of your look threatens me with some new treason.Go, leave me here alone!' She made me a curtsy without uttering aword, and turned to go out. I called to her to stop: 'Tell me atleast,' said I, 'wherefore--how--with what design they sent you here?how did you discover my name, or the place where you could find me?'
"She told me that she had long known M. G---- M----; that he had sentfor her that evening about five o'clock; and that, having followed theservant who had been dispatched to her, she was shown into a largehouse, where she found him playing at picquet with a beautiful youngwoman; and that they both charged her to deliver the letter into myhands, after telling her that she would find me in a hackney-coach atthe bottom of the street of St. Andre. I asked if they had saidnothing more. She blushed while she replied, that they had certainlymade her believe that I should be glad of her society. 'They havedeceived you too,' said I, 'my poor girl--they have deceived you; youare a woman, and probably wish for a lover; but you must find one whois rich and happy, and it is not here you will find him. Return,return to M. G---- M----; he possesses everything requisite to make aman beloved. He has furnished houses and equipages to bestow, while I,who have nothing but constancy of love to offer, am despised for mypoverty, and laughed at for my simplicity.'
"I continued in a tone of sorrow or violence, as these feelingsalternately took possession of my mind. However, by the very excess ofmy agitation, I became gradually so subdued as to be able calmly toreflect upon the situation of affairs. I compared this new misfortunewith those which I had already experienced of the same kind, and Icould not perceive that there was any more reason for despair now, thanupon former occasions. I knew Manon: why then distress myself onaccount of a calamity which I could not but have plainly foreseen? Whynot rather think of seeking a remedy? there was yet time; I at leastought not to spare my own exertions, if I wished to avoid the bitterreproach of having contributed, by my own indolence, to my misery. Ithereupon set about considering every means of raising a gleam of hope.
"To attempt to take her by main force from the hands of G----M---- wastoo desperate a project, calculated only to ruin me, and without theslightest probability of succeeding. But it seemed to me that if Icould ensure a moment's interview with her, I could not fail to regainmy influence over her affections. I so well knew how to excite hersensibilities! I was so confident of her love for me! The very whimeven of sending me a pretty woman by way of consoling me, I would stakemy existence, was her idea, and that it was the suggestion of her ownsincere sympathy for my sufferings.
"I resolved to exert every nerve to procure an interview. After amultitude of plans which I canvassed one after another, I fixed uponthe following: M. de T---- had shown so much sincerity in the serviceshe had rendered me, that I could not entertain a doubt of his zeal andgood faith. I proposed to call upon him at once, and make him send forG---- M----, under pretence of some important business. Half an hourwould suffice to enable me to see Manon. I thought it would not bedifficult to get introduced into her apartment during G---- M----'sabsence.
"This determination pacified me, and I gave a liberal present to thegirl, who was still with me; and in order to prevent her from returningto those who had sent her, I took down her address, and half promisedto call upon her at a later hour. I then got into the hackney-coach,and drove quickly to M. de T----'s. I was fortunate enough to find himat home. I had been apprehensive upon this point as I went along. Asingle sentence put him in possession of the whole case, as well of mysufferings, as of the friendly service I had come to supplicate at hishands.
"He was so astonished to learn
that G---- M---- had been able to seduceManon from me, that, not being aware that I had myself lent a hand tomy own misfortune, he generously offered to assemble his friends, andevoke their aid for the deliverance of my mistress. I told him thatsuch a proceeding might by its publicity be attended with danger toManon and to me. 'Let us risk our lives,' said I, 'only as a lastresource. My plan is of a more peaceful nature, and promising at leastequal success.' He entered without a murmur into all that I proposed;so again stating that all I required was, that he should send for G----M----, and contrive to keep him an hour or two from home, we at onceset about our operations.
"We first of all considered what expedient we could make use of forkeeping him out so long a time. I proposed that he should write a notedated from a cafe, begging of him to come there as soon as possibleupon an affair of too urgent importance to admit of delay. 'I willwatch,' added I, 'the moment he quits the house, and introduce myselfwithout any difficulty, being only known to Manon, and my servantMarcel. You can at the same time tell G---- M----, that the importantaffair upon which you wished to see him was the immediate want of a sumof money; that you had just emptied your purse at play, and that youhad played on, with continued bad luck, upon credit. He will requiresome time to take you to his father's house, where he keeps his money,and I shall have quite sufficient for the execution of my plan.'
"M. de T---- minutely adhered to these directions. I left him in acafe, where he at once wrote his letter. I took my station close byManon's house. I saw de T----'s messenger arrive, and G---- M---- comeout the next moment, followed by a servant. Allowing him barely time toget out of the street, I advanced to my deceiver's door, andnotwithstanding the anger I felt, I knocked with as much respect as atthe portal of a church. Fortunately it was Marcel who opened for me.Although I had nothing to apprehend from the other servants, I askedhim in a low voice if he could conduct me unseen into the room in whichManon was. He said that was easily done, by merely ascending the greatstaircase. 'Come then at once,' said I to him, 'and endeavour toprevent anyone from coming up while I am there.' I reached theapartment without any difficulty.
"Manon was reading. I had there an opportunity of admiring thesingular character of this girl. Instead of being nervous or alarmedat my appearance, she scarcely betrayed a symptom of surprise, whichfew persons, however indifferent, could restrain, on seeing one whomthey imagined to be far distant. 'Ah! it is you, my dear love,' saidshe, approaching to embrace me with her usual tenderness. 'Goodheavens, how venturesome and foolhardy you are! Who could haveexpected to see you in this place!' Instead of embracing her in return,I repulsed her with indignation, and retreated two or three paces fromher. This evidently disconcerted her. She remained immovable, andfixed her eyes on me, while she changed colour.
"I was in reality so delighted to behold her once more, that, with somuch real cause for anger, I could hardly bring my lips to upbraid her.My heart, however, felt the cruel outrage she had inflicted upon me. Iendeavoured to revive the recollection of it in my own mind, in orderto excite my feelings, and put on a look of stern indignation. Iremained silent for a few moments, when I remarked that she observed myagitation, and trembled: apparently the effect of her fears.
"I could not longer endure this spectacle. 'Ah! Manon,' said I to herin the mildest tone, 'faithless and perjured Manon! How am I tocomplain of your conduct? I see you pale and trembling, and I am stillso much alive to your slightest sufferings, that I am unwilling to addto them by my reproaches. But, Manon, I tell you that my heart ispierced with sorrow at your treatment of me--treatment that is seldominflicted but with the purpose of destroying one's life. This is thethird time, Manon; I have kept a correct account; it is impossible toforget that. It is now for you to consider what course you will adopt;for my afflicted heart is no longer capable of sustaining such shocks.I know and feel that it must give way, and it is at this moment readyto burst with grief. I can say no more,' added I, throwing myself intoa chair; 'I have hardly strength to speak, or to support myself.'
"She made me no reply; but when I was seated, she sank down upon herknees, and rested her head upon my lap, covering her face with herhands. I perceived in a moment that she was shedding floods of tears.Heavens! with what conflicting sensations was I at that instantagitated! 'Ah! Manon, Manon,' said I, sighing, 'it is too late to giveme tears after the death-blow you have inflicted. You affect a sorrowwhich you cannot feel. The greatest of your misfortunes is no doubt mypresence, which has been always an obstacle to your happiness. Openyour eyes; look up and see who it is that is here; you will not throwaway tears of tenderness upon an unhappy wretch whom you have betrayedand abandoned.'
"She kissed my hands without changing her position. 'InconstantManon,' said I again, 'ungrateful and faithless girl, where now are allyour promises and your vows? Capricious and cruel that you are! whathas now become of the love that you protested for me this very day?Just Heavens,' added I, 'is it thus you permit a traitor to mock you,after having called you so solemnly to witness her vows! Recompenseand reward then are for the perjured! Despair and neglect are the lotof fidelity and truth!'
"These words conveyed even to my own mind a sentiment so bitterlysevere, that, in spite of myself, some tears escaped from me. Manonperceived this by the change in my voice. She at length spoke. 'Imust have indeed done something most culpable,' said she, sobbing withgrief, 'to have excited and annoyed you to this degree; but, I callHeaven to attest my utter unconsciousness of crime, and my innocence ofall criminal intention!'
"This speech struck me as so devoid of reason and of truth, that Icould not restrain a lively feeling of anger. 'Horrible hypocrisy!'cried I; 'I see more plainly than ever that you are dishonest andtreacherous. Now at length I learn your wretched disposition. Adieu,base creature,' said I, rising from my seat; 'I would prefer death athousand times rather than continue to hold the slightest communicationwith you. May Heaven punish me, if I ever again waste upon you thesmallest regard! Live on with your new lover--renounce all feelings ofhonour--detest me--your love is now a matter to me of utterinsignificance!'
"Manon was so terrified by the violence of my anger, that, remaining onher knees by the chair from which I had just before risen, breathlessand trembling, she fixed her eyes upon me. I advanced a little farthertowards the door, but, unless I had lost the last spark of humanity, Icould not continue longer unmoved by such a spectacle.
"So far, indeed, was I from this kind of stoical indifference, that,rushing at once into the very opposite extreme, I returned, or ratherflew back to her without an instant's reflection. I lifted her in myarms; I gave her a thousand tender kisses; I implored her to pardon myungovernable temper; I confessed that I was an absolute brute, andunworthy of being loved by such an angel.
"I made her sit down, and throwing myself, in my turn, upon my knees, Iconjured her to listen to me in that attitude. Then I brieflyexpressed all that a submissive and impassioned lover could say mosttender and respectful. I supplicated her pardon. She let her arms fallover my neck, as she said that it was she who stood in need offorgiveness, and begged of me in mercy to forget all the annoyances shehad caused me, and that she began, with reason, to fear that I shouldnot approve of what she had to say in her justification. 'Me!' said Iinterrupting her impatiently; 'I require no justification; I approve ofall you have done. It is not for me to demand excuses for anything youdo; I am but too happy, too contented, if my dear Manon will only leaveme master of her affections! But,' continued I, remembering that itwas the crisis of my fate, 'may I not, Manon, all-powerful Manon, youwho wield at your pleasure my joys and sorrows, may I not be permitted,after having conciliated you by my submission and all the signs ofrepentance, to speak to you now of my misery and distress? May I nowlearn from your own lips what my destiny is to be, and whether you areresolved to sign my death-warrant, by spending even a single night withmy rival?'
"She considered a moment before she replied. 'My good chevalier,' saidshe, resum
ing the most tranquil tone, 'if you had only at firstexplained yourself thus distinctly, you would have spared yourself aworld of trouble, and prevented a scene that has really annoyed me.Since your distress is the result of jealousy, I could at first havecured that by offering to accompany you where you pleased. But Iimagined it was caused by the letter which I was obliged to write inthe presence of G---- M----, and of the girl whom we sent with it. Ithought you might have construed that letter into a mockery; and havefancied that, by sending such a messenger, I meant to announce myabandonment of you for the sake of G---- M----. It was this idea thatat once overwhelmed me with grief; for, innocent as I knew myself tobe, I could not but allow that appearances were against me. However,'continued she, 'I will leave you to judge of my conduct, after I shallhave explained the whole truth.'
"She then told me all that had occurred to her after joining G----M----, whom she found punctually awaiting her arrival. He had in factreceived her in the most princely style. He showed her through all theapartments, which were fitted up in the neatest and most correct taste.He had counted out to her in her boudoir ten thousand francs, as wellas a quantity of jewels, amongst which were the identical pearlnecklace and bracelets which she had once before received as a presentfrom his father. He then led her into a splendid room, which she hadnot before seen, and in which an exquisite collation was served; shewas waited upon by the new servants, whom he had hired purposely forher, and whom he now desired to consider themselves as exclusively herattendants; the carriage and the horses were afterwards paraded, and hethen proposed a game of cards, until supper should be announced.
"'I acknowledge,' continued Manon, 'that I was dazzled by all thismagnificence. It struck me that it would be madness to sacrifice atonce so many good things for the mere sake of carrying off the moneyand the jewels already in my possession; that it was a certain fortunemade for both you and me, and that we might pass the remainder of ourlives most agreeably and comfortably at the expense of G---- M----.
"'Instead of proposing the theatre, I thought it more prudent to soundhis feelings with regard to you, in order to ascertain what facilitieswe should have for meeting in future, on the supposition that I couldcarry my project into effect. I found him of a most tractabledisposition. He asked me how I felt towards you, and if I had notexperienced some compunction at quitting you. I told him that you wereso truly amiable, and had ever treated me with such undeviatingkindness, that it was impossible I could hate you. He admitted thatyou were a man of merit, and expressed an ardent desire to gain yourfriendship.
"'He was anxious to know how I thought you would take my elopement,particularly when you should learn that I was in his hands. Ianswered, that our love was of such long standing as to have had timeto moderate a little; that, besides, you were not in very easycircumstances, and would probably not consider my departure as anysevere misfortune, inasmuch as it would relieve you from a burden of novery insignificant nature. I added that, being perfectly convinced youwould take the whole matter rationally, I had not hesitated to tell youthat I had some business in Paris; but you had at once consented, andthat having accompanied me yourself, you did not seem very uneasy whenwe separated.
"'If I thought,' said he to me, 'that he could bring himself to live ongood terms with me, I should be too happy to make him a tender of myservices and attentions.' I assured him that, from what I knew of yourdisposition, I had no doubt you would acknowledge his kindness in acongenial spirit: especially, I added, if he could assist you in youraffairs, which had become embarrassed since your disagreement with yourfamily. He interrupted me by declaring, that he would gladly renderyou any service in his power, and that if you were disposed to form anew attachment, he would introduce you to an extremely pretty woman,whom he had just given up for me.
"'I approved of all he said,' she added, 'for fear of exciting anysuspicions; and being more and more satisfied of the feasibility of myscheme, I only longed for an opportunity of letting you into it, lestyou should be alarmed at my not keeping my appointment. With this viewI suggested the idea of sending this young lady to you, in order tohave an opportunity of writing; I was obliged to have recourse to thisplan, because I could not see a chance of his leaving me to myself fora moment.'
"'He was greatly amused with my proposition; he called his valet, andasking him whether he could immediately find his late mistress, hedispatched him at once in search of her. He imagined that she wouldhave to go to Chaillot to meet you, but I told him that, when weparted, I promised to meet you again at the theatre, or that, ifanything should prevent me from going there, you were to wait for me ina coach at the end of the street of St. Andre; that consequently itwould be best to send your new love there, if it were only to save youfrom the misery of suspense during the whole night. I said it would bealso necessary to write you a line of explanation, without which youwould probably be puzzled by the whole transaction. He consented; butI was obliged to write in his presence; and I took especial care not toexplain matters too palpably in my letter.
"'This is the history,' said Manon, 'of the entire affair. I concealnothing from you, of either my conduct or my intentions. The girlarrived; I thought her handsome; and as I doubted not that you would bemortified by my absence, I did most sincerely hope that she would beable to dissipate something of your ennui: for it is the fidelity ofthe heart alone that I value. I should have been too delighted to havesent Marcel, but I could not for a single instant find an opportunityof telling him what I wished to communicate to you.' She finished herstory by describing the embarrassment into which M. de T----'s letterhad thrown G---- M----; 'he hesitated,' said she, 'about leaving, andassured me that he should not be long absent; and it is on this accountthat I am uneasy at seeing you here, and that I betrayed, at yourappearance, some slight feeling of surprise.'
"I listened to her with great patience. There were certainly parts ofher recital sufficiently cruel and mortifying; for the intention, atleast, of the infidelity was so obvious, that she had not even takenthe trouble to disguise it. She could never have imagined that G----M---- meant to venerate her as a vestal. She must therefore clearlyhave made up her mind to pass at least one night with him. What anavowal for a lover's ears! However, I considered myself as partly thecause of her guilt, by having been the first to let her know G----M----'s sentiments towards her, and by the silly readiness with which Ientered into this rash project. Besides, by a natural bent of my mind,peculiar I believe to myself, I was duped by the ingenuousness of herstory--by that open and winning manner with which she related even thecircumstances most calculated to annoy me. 'There is nothing of wantonvice,' said I to myself, 'in her transgressions; she is volatile andimprudent, but she is sincere and affectionate.' My love alonerendered me blind to all her faults. I was enchanted at the prospectof rescuing her that very night from my rival. I said to her: 'Withwhom do you mean to pass the night?' She was evidently disconcerted bythe question, and answered me in an embarrassed manner with BUTS andIFS.
"I felt for her, and interrupted her by saying that I at once expectedher to accompany me.
"'Nothing can give me more pleasure,' said she; 'but you don't approvethen of my project?'
"'Is it not enough,' replied I, 'that I approve of all that you have,up to this moment, done?'
"'What,' said she, 'are we not even to take the ten thousand francswith us? Why, he gave me the money; it is mine.'
"I advised her to leave everything, and let us think only of escapingfor although I had been hardly half an hour with her, I began to dreadthe return of G---- M----. However, she so earnestly urged me toconsent to our going out with something in our pockets, that I thoughtmyself bound to make her, on my part, some concession, in return forall she yielded to me.
"While we were getting ready for our departure, I heard someone knockat the street door. I felt convinced that it must be G---- M----; andin the heat of the moment, I told Manon, that as sure as he appeared Iwould take his life. In truth, I felt tha
t I was not sufficientlyrecovered from my late excitement to be able to restrain my fury if Imet him. Marcel put an end to my uneasiness, by handing me a letterwhich he had received for me at the door; it was from M. de T----.
"He told me that, as G---- M---- had gone to his father's house for themoney which he wanted, he had taken advantage of his absence tocommunicate to me an amusing idea that had just come into his head;that it appeared to him, I could not possibly take a more agreeablerevenge upon my rival, than by eating his supper, and spending thenight in the very bed which he had hoped to share with my mistress; allthis seemed to him easy enough, if I could only find two or three menupon whom I could depend, of courage sufficient to stop him in thestreet, and detain him in custody until next morning; that he wouldundertake to keep him occupied for another hour at least, under somepretext, which he could devise before G---- M----'s return.
"I showed the note to Manon; I told her at the same time of the mannerin which I had procured the interview with her. My scheme, as well asthe new one of M. de T----'s, delighted her: we laughed heartily at itfor some minutes; but when I treated it as a mere joke, I was surprisedat her insisting seriously upon it, as a thing perfectly practicable,and too delightful to be neglected. In vain I enquired where shethought I could possibly find, on a sudden, men fit for such anadventure? and on whom I could rely for keeping G---- M---- in strictcustody? She said that I should at least try, as M. de T---- ensuredus yet a full hour; and as to my other objections, she said that I wasplaying the tyrant, and did not show the slightest indulgence to herfancies. She said that it was impossible there could be a moreenchanting project. 'You will have his place at supper; you will sleepin his bed; and tomorrow, as early as you like, you can walk off withboth his mistress and his money. You may thus, at one blow, be amplyrevenged upon father and son.'
"I yielded to her entreaties, in spite of the secret misgivings of myown mind, which seemed to forebode the unhappy catastrophe thatafterwards befell me. I went out with the intention of asking two orthree guardsmen, with whom Lescaut had made me acquainted, to undertakethe arrest of G---- M----. I found only one of them at home, but hewas a fellow ripe for any adventure; and he no sooner heard our plan,than he assured me of certain success: all he required were sixpistoles, to reward the three private soldiers whom he determined toemploy in the business. I begged of him to lose no time. He got themtogether in less than a quarter of an hour. I waited at his lodgingstill he returned with them, and then conducted him to the corner of astreet through which I knew G---- M---- must pass in going back toManon's house. I requested him not to treat G---- M---- roughly, butto keep him confined, and so strictly watched, until seven o'clock nextmorning, that I might be free from all apprehension of his escape. Hetold me his intention was to bring him a prisoner to his own room, andmake him undress and sleep in his bed, while he and his gallantcomrades should spend the night in drinking and playing.
"I remained with them until we saw G---- M---- returning homewards; andI then withdrew a few steps into a dark recess in the street, to enjoyso entertaining and extraordinary a scene. The officer challenged himwith a pistol to his breast, and then told him, in a civil tone, thathe did not want either his money or his life; but that if he hesitatedto follow him, or if he gave the slightest alarm, he would blow hisbrains out. G---- M----, seeing that his assailant was supported bythree soldiers, and perhaps not uninfluenced by a dread of the pistol,yielded without further resistance. I saw him led away like a lamb."
