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266 with him on our behalf. His excuse was that he was himself afraid of the vindictive old man who had already flown into a violent passion with him while reprimanding him on the subject of his intended intrigue with Manon.

Thus, my only remaining course was to resort to violent measures, such as M. de T had indicated; and on the success of these I built my last hopes—hopes, as I told him, that were very slender at best, but in one of which I found certainty and consolation; and that was, that should I fail, I should at least perish in the attempt. I begged him to aid me to the extent of offering up his prayers for my success, and then left him, with all my thoughts centred on the one object of finding associates into whom I might be able to infuse something, if only a single spark, of my own courage and determination.

The first person who occurred to my mind was the Guardsman whom I had employed to abduct G M. I further resolved to go and claim his hospitality for the night, as my mind had been too much preoccupied all the afternoon to allow of my securing a lodging for myself.

I found him alone. He expressed his pleasure at seeing me out of the Châtelet and at liberty once more, and warmly offered me his services. I explained to him how he could indeed be of assistance to me. He had good sense enough to appreciate all the difficulties of the proposed attempt; but he was also generous enough to undertake to surmount them.

We spent part of the night in discussing my project. He mentioned the three soldiers of the Guards whom he had hired to aid him on the last occasion, as bravos of proved mettle. M. de T had furnished me with exact information as to the number of Archers who were detailed to escort Manon on the journey. There were only