Page:The Story of Manon Lescaut and of the Chevalier des Grieux.pdf/240

244 Before his visit, which I little suspected to be so near at hand, I received one from the Lieutenant-General of Police; or, to call things by their proper names, I was subjected to an examination by him. He reprimanded me a little, but not with undue harshness or severity; telling me kindly that he was sorry that I should have been guilty of such misconduct, and pointing out how imprudent I had been to make an enemy of a man like G M

"It is clear enough," he went on to say, "that your offence was prompted by thoughtlessness and folly rather than by actual malice. This is the second time, however, that you have brought yourself within the pale of my jurisdiction; and I was in hopes that you had profited more than you seem to have done by the two or three months' discipline you underwent at Saint-Lazare."

I was overjoyed to find that I had such a considerate judge to deal with, and answered all his questions with so much deference and self-restraint that he seemed to be very favorably impressed. He told me not to let my present situation weigh too heavily on my mind, as he felt inclined to befriend me, in consideration of my youth and rank.