Page:The Story of Manon Lescaut and of the Chevalier des Grieux.pdf/155

Rh was carrying off from the Hôpital; and he had no fancy for getting himself into trouble merely to oblige me.

The rascal's scruples were simply a pretence for extorting a higher price from me for his coach. We were in too close proximity to the Hôpital to make any altercation desirable.

"Hold your peace," said I, "and you will earn a louis d'or."

After that, he would have aided me to burn down the Hôpital itself had I asked him.

We drove to the house in which Lescaut lived. As the hour was late M. de T left us on the way, promising to come and see us the following day. The turnkey alone remained with us.

I held Manon clasped so closely in my arms that we occupied only the place of one in the coach. She was weeping from joy, and I felt my face moistened by her tears.

When we reached Lescaut's door and were about to alight, I had a fresh dispute with the coachman, the consequences of which were disastrous. I repented my promise of giving him a louis, not only because the sum was exorbitant, but for another and much weightier reason—my utter inability to pay it.

I sent for Lescaut, who came down from his room to the door. I told him in a whisper the plight that I was in. Being naturally hot-tempered, and by no means accustomed to waste much consideration upon a coachman, he replied that I must surely be in jest. "A louis d'or, indeed!" he exclaimed. "Trounce the fellow with your cane until he has his money's worth!" In vain did I expostulate with him in a low voice that he would be the undoing of us. He snatched my cane out of my hands, and was evidently about to lay it across the driver's shoulders, when