Page:The Story of Manon Lescaut and of the Chevalier des Grieux.pdf/142

146 longed for my own liberty only with that object in view. You will, I am sure, bring all your ingenuity to my aid, while I, for my part, will devote my very life to the task."

Lescaut, who was not lacking in shrewdness and discretion, pointed out to me that we must act with great caution. My flight from St. Lazare, he said, and the unlucky offence I had committed while effecting my escape, would inevitably cause a public sensation; the Lieutenant-General of Police would institute a search for me, and his arm was a far-reaching one. In fine, unless I wished to run the risk of something even worse than St. Lazare, he thought it would be as well for me to remain in hiding within four walls for a few days, so that the first zeal of my enemies might have time to cool.

There was wisdom in his advice; but wisdom was also needed to follow it. So much circumspection and delay accorded but ill with my passion. I could stretch my compliance no further than to promise him that I would spend all the following day in bed. He looked me up in his room, where I remained until the evening.

Part of this time I occupied in devising projects and thinking out expedients for Manon's relief. I had every reason to believe that her prison was even more impenetrable than my own had been. Force and violence were out of the question; our only hope lay in stratagem, but the Goddess of Invention herself would have been at a loss how to begin.

I could find no solution of the problem, and postponed further consideration of it until after I had made some inquiries regarding the internal arrangements of the Hôpital.