Page:The Story of Manon Lescaut and of the Chevalier des Grieux.pdf/193

Rh He apologized gracefully for the liberty he was taking in inviting himself to dine with us; and expressed no surprise on seeing M. de T, who, in fact, had promised him the day before that he would be present, and had only avoided coming in the same coach with him by excusing himself under pretext of having some business to attend to.

In spite of the fact that we were one and all harboring treachery in our hearts, we took our places at the table with every appearance of mutual confidence and good-will. G M easily found an opportunity of declaring his sentiments to Manon. He had no reason to think me anything but complaisant, as I purposely left the room for some little time. I could see, when I returned, that his suit had not been received with such severe disfavor as to drive him to despair. On the contrary, he was in the best of humors, and I affected to be in equally high spirits. He, of course, was laughing in his sleeve at my simplicity, and I at his. Each of us was a most diverting spectacle for the other during the whole of that afternoon. Before he left, I again continved to allow him a few moments' private conversation with Manon; so that he had every cause to congratulate himself upon my accommodating disposition, as well as on the good cheer he had enjoyed.