Page:The Story of Manon Lescaut and of the Chevalier des Grieux.pdf/281

Rh for a man who was, at best, only the chief of a wretched band of exiles. While there were others present, he studiously refrained from asking us any questions regarding the leading incidents of our story. The conversation was of a general nature, and, despite our heavy hearts, Manon and I did our best to help in making it agreeable and amusing.

In the evening the Governor had us conducted to the dwelling which had been prepared for us. This we found to be a miserable hut, roughly constructed of logs and clay, and consisting of two or three rooms on the ground floor, with a garret overhead. It had been furnished, by his orders, with five or six chairs, and a few of the commonest necessaries of life.

The sight of this sorry abode seemed to dismay poor Manon sadly. Her distress was on my account far more than on her own. No sooner were we left alone together than she sat down and began to weep bitterly. At first I endeavored to console her, but when she admitted that she was grieving only for my sake, and that her sole thought, in our common misfortunes, was of how much I had to suffer, I quickly assumed an air of such confi-