Page:The Story of Manon Lescaut and of the Chevalier des Grieux.pdf/124

128 sweet mistress, the beloved queen of my heart, in the Hôpitals—as though she were the vilest of creatures! How can I find fortitude enough to survive this grief and shame?"

The good Father, distressed at seeing me in such deep affliction, did his best to console me. He told me that he had never understood my adventure as I related it. He had been aware, indeed, that I had been leading an immoral life, but had hitherto been under the impression that M. de G M had interfered simply because he felt bound to do so out of friendship and esteem for my family. This, he said, was the only ground which M. de G M had taken when explaining the matter to him". What I had just told him, he assured me, would quite change the aspect of affairs for me; and he had no doubt that the faithful report of my story, which he intended to make to the Lieutenant-General of Police, would go far towards obtaining me my liberty.

He then asked me how it was that it had never occurred to me to let my family know of what had taken place, since they had had no share in consigning me to prison. I parried this suggestion by pleading that I dreaded the pain such a confession would cause my father, and the