Page:The Story of Manon Lescaut and of the Chevalier des Grieux.pdf/153

Rh with a view to facilitating our flight. It was no easy matter to smuggle them in; but I had enough fertility of invention to hit upon a method of doing so. Merely asking M. de T to wear two thin waistcoats the next day, one underneath the other, I undertook to answer for all the rest.

In the morning we returned to the Hôpital. I took with me some under-linen, a pair of stockings, etc., for Manon; and wore, over my coat, a surtout, which concealed the bulky appearance of my pockets. We remained in her room only a few minutes. M. de T left her one of his waistcoats, while I gave her my coat—the surtout serving well enough for me to go away in. There was nothing lacking to complete her costume except a pair of breeches, which I had unluckily forgotten. The omission of these very necessary garments would doubtless have afforded us matter for laughter, had the embarrassment to which it put us been less serious. I was in despair to think that a trifle of this nature might result in the defeat of all our hopes. My determination was soon arrived at, however, and was no other than to make my exit without breeches, leaving my own behind me for Manon. My surtout was a long one, and, with the aid of a few pins, I put