Page:The Story of Manon Lescaut and of the Chevalier des Grieux.pdf/289

Rh "Other views for Manon!" I exclaimed, as my heart sank within me: "and what may those views be, your reverence?"

"As you are well aware," he replied, "the Governor is master here, and, Manon having been sent out from France for the benefit of the colony, it is for him to dispose of her as he thinks fit. He has not done so as yet, because he believed her to be married; but now that he has learned from your own lips that she is not, he has decided to give her to M. Synnelet, who is in love with her."

At this my hot indignation got the better of my prudence. I haughtily ordered the chaplain out of my house, vowing the while that if the Governor, or Synnelet, or the whole town together, should dare to lay hands on my wife or my mistress, whichever they chose to call her, they would do so at their peril.

I then hastened to acquaint Manon with the terrible message which I had just received. We came to the conclusion that Synnelet must have worked upon his uncle's mind since my return, and that it was all the outcome of a long premeditated design on his part.

What were we to do? They had power on their side; we were helpless. Had we been in mid-ocean instead of