Page:The Story of Manon Lescaut and of the Chevalier des Grieux.pdf/237

Rh prospect is this to confront a lovely being like yourself! How, oh! how can Providence wreak such cruelty upon the most perfect of its creations? Why is it that we were not born, you and I, with qualities in keeping with the misery before us? We have been endowed with intelligence, with taste, and with fine feeling—and all, alas! to what end? While, on the other hand, how many ignoble souls, worthy of no better fate than ours, are to be seen in the enjoyment of every favor that fortune has to bestow!"

Bitter as were these reflections, they were cheerful in comparison with the fears that were agitating my mind with regard to the future. My heart was sick with dread of what might befall Manon. She had already been an inmate of the Hôpital, and though, for once, she had been fortunate enough to escape with impunity, I knew how dangerous were the consequences of relapses of this kind. It would have been a relief to confide my misgivings to her; but I was fearful of alarming her too much. I could only sit and tremble for her, without daring to warn her of the peril she was in; and I sighed as I pressed her to my heart and assured her again and again of my love—which was almost the only feeling I dared trust myself to express.

"Manon," I said, "answer me frankly: will you always love me?"

"It makes me very unhappy," she responded, "to think that you can doubt it."

"I do not doubt it, then," I replied; "and with that assurance from your lips, I am ready to defy all our enemies. I will make use of the influence of my family to obtain my release from the Châtelet, and, once free myself, I will rescue you from it, if I have to shed my blood to the last drop in the attempt!"

On reaching the prison we were separated and placed