Page:The Story of Manon Lescaut and of the Chevalier des Grieux.pdf/174

178 would soon be entitled to claim my share of my mother's property. I did not hide from Manon the fact that one hundred pistoles formed the whole of my present capital. This was enough to enable me to wait with an easy mind for some addition to my means, which there seemed every prospect of my obtaining, either by right of inheritance, or from the resources of the card-table.

Thus, for the first few weeks, I gave myself up to the enjoyment of my situation. A controlling sense of honor, as well as a lingering dread of the police, led me to defer from day to day the renewal of my relations with the fraternity of the Hôtel de Transilvanie, and I contented myself with playing in some assemblies of less unenviable notoriety, where Fortune so favored me as to spare me the humiliation of resorting to the tricks of the sharper.

I spent part of every afternoon in town, returning to Chaillot for supper, very often accompanied by M. de T, whose friendship for us grew warmer every day. Manon found distractions which prevented the hours from hanging heavily on her hands. She made the acquaintance of several young women in the neighborhood, whom the arrival of spring had attracted to the village; and, what between walks and the various little diversions of their sex, they beguiled the time pleasantly enough.

They made up a party at cards, playing always for limited stakes, and devoting the winnings to defray the expense of hiring a coach. They drove out daily to enjoy the air in the Bois de Boulogne, and, on my return of an evening, I always found Manon lovelier, happier, and more devoted than ever.

Some clouds arose, however, which seemed to lower threateningly over the fabric of my happiness. But they were quickly dispelled; and the upshot of the affair was rendered so comical by Manon 's frolicsome humor, that I