Page:The Story of Manon Lescaut and of the Chevalier des Grieux.pdf/29

Rh duced upon me by her charms; and I thought that I detected signs of no less emotion on her side. She confessed that she did not regard me with indifference, and that liberty would be all the sweeter to her if she owed it to me. She was eager to know who I was, and looked upon me with increased favor when I told her; for, being of humble origin herself, it flattered her self-esteem to find that she had made the conquest of a lover of my rank. We then began to consider by what means we could gain the happiness of mutual possession.

After much discussion we concluded that there was no other course open to us but flight. We should have to elude the vigilance of her escort, who, though only a servant, was not a man to be trifled with. We arranged that I should order a postchaise during the night, and that I should return to the inn early in the morning, before he was awake, when we would steal away quietly, and make straight for Paris, getting married upon our arrival there. I had about fifty crowns, the fruits of my small savings, while she had nearly double that amount. We imagined, inexperienced children that we were, that this sum was inexhaustible; and we reckoned no less confidently upon the success of the rest of our plan.