Page:The Story of Manon Lescaut and of the Chevalier des Grieux.pdf/107

Rh ine that I can look forward without sighing, aye, and weeping," and, as I spoke, the tears rose to my eyes, "to the vile and unhappy life which you expect me to lead in this house? I put aside all consideration of my honor and of my rank; it is too late now for such feeble influences as these to enter into rivalry with a love like mine. But can you not understand how bitter it is for me to see that love so ill requited, nay, so cruelly used by an ungrateful and heartless mistress?"

"Stay!" she interrupted. "Why torture me, dear Chevalier, with reproaches which, coming as they do from you, pierce me to the very heart? I see what it is that wounds your feelings. I had hoped, I own, that you would consent to my project of doing something towards retrieving our fortunes; and it was out of consideration for your delicate sense of honor that I began to put it into execution without consulting you. But I renounce it, now that I find you so strongly disapprove of it."

She added that all she asked of me was a little forbearance during the remainder of the day; explaining that she had already received two hundred pistoles from her old lover, and that he had promised to bring her, that evening, a handsome necklace of pearls, and other jewels, as well as one half of the annual allowance he had agreed to make her.

"Only give me time," she begged, "to get his presents into my possession. I assure you, on my word of honor, that he will not be able to boast of having obtained any favors from me; for as yet I have put him off until our return to town. He has, indeed, kissed my hand some thousands of times, and it is only right that he should pay for that pleasure. It will not be dear at five or six thousand francs, making the price proportionate to his wealth and age."