Page:The Story of Manon Lescaut and of the Chevalier des Grieux.pdf/133

Rh as it often is, holds out the promise of nothing but joy and pleasure, whereas Religion presents for our anticipation a round of sombre and irksome observances.

"Do not be alarmed," I hastened to add, for I saw that his piety was on the point of taking umbrage, "the only conclusion which I mean to draw now is that there can be no worse method of exorcising love from a man's heart than to decry its delights to him and to promise him greater gratification in the pursuit of Virtue. Constituted as we are, there is no disputing the fact that our happiness consists in pleasure; I defy any one to form any other conception of it. Now, the moment the heart is consulted, it will testify that of all possible pleasures, the most exquisite are those of love. To promise it deeper joys from any other source is but to delude it, as it quickly discovers; and such deception inclines it to distrust even the most positive assurances.

"To all preachers, therefore, who would reclaim me to virtue, I say: Tell me, if you will, that it is of all things the most indispensably necessary; but do not disguise the fact that its requirements are austere and rigorous. Prove beyond all question that the delights of love are fleeting; that they are forbidden; that indulgence in them will be followed by eternal punishment; prove—what will, per-