Page:The Story of Manon Lescaut and of the Chevalier des Grieux.pdf/163

Rh self, and one which would be sure, moreover, to leave me full of agitation and remorse. "The conclusion, then, would seem to be," I continued, "that I must renounce all hope, since there is no third alternative open to me, and since I am so little inclined to adopt these two that I would rather shed half my blood than accept either one of them; all of it, that is to say, rather than accept them both."

"Yes," I added, after a moment's reflection, "I certainly would rather pour out my whole life's blood than stoop to abject begging. But what, pray, has my blood to do with the question? My present concern is to provide for Manon—to insure the continuance of her love and fidelity. Where is the consideration that can outweigh her in my mind? None have ever yet done so. She is, to me, all that glory, happiness, and fortune are to other men!

"There are, doubtless, many things which I would lay down my life to gain or to avoid; but to value a thing more than my own life is no reason for prizing it as much as I do Manon."

This train of thought soon brought me to a decision. I rose and walked on, with the determination of first going to see Tiberge, and then M. de T.

On reaching Paris, I took a hackney-carriage, in spite of the fact that I had no means of paying for it, trusting