Page:The Story of Manon Lescaut and of the Chevalier des Grieux.pdf/116

120 efforts on my behalf, I should find nothing but pleasure in my seclusion.

"Pleasure!" I exclaimed: "Ah, Father, you little know what alone, in all this world, can give me pleasure!"

"I do know," he replied, "but I hope that your inclinations will change."

I saw by this answer that he was acquainted with my adventures, and, perhaps, with my name. I begged him to enlighten me on this point; and he then told me frankly that he had been informed of everything.

This discovery was the cruellest punishment of all. I burst into a torrent of tears, and exhibited every sign of utter despair. Nothing could console me for the humiliation of thus becoming a by-word to all my acquaintances and the disgrace of my family. For eight whole days I remained in a state of the deepest dejection, unable to understand anything or think of anything but the stigma which now rested upon me. Not even the memory of Manon could add anything to the intensity of my grief: at least, it mingled with it only as a feeling which lay back of this new anguish; and the dominant emotions in my breast were shame and mortification. The full force of these sentiments is not known to every one. The ordinary