Page:The Story of Manon Lescaut and of the Chevalier des Grieux.pdf/300

304 hands, in which she still held mine, all forced the conviction upon me that the end of her sorrows was rapidly drawing near.

Do not ask me—in the name of pity do not ask me, to describe my feelings at that moment, nor to repeat her dying words!

She was taken from me; giving me tender assurances of her love with her last breath. More than this, concerning that tragic and mournful event, I have not the heart to tell you.

My soul did not take its flight with hers. Doubtless my punishment had not as yet been severe enough to satisfy the justice of Heaven. It was decreed that I should continue, from that hour, to drag on a forlorn and joyless life. Of my own choice do I renounce all hope of ever again leading a happy one.

All that day and all the following night did I lie with my lips pressed to my darling's face and hands. It was my firm intention so to die; but I reflected, as the second day was dawning, that when I was no more, her dear body would be in danger of becoming the prey of roaming beasts. I determined to bury her, and then to await the coming of death upon her grave. I was already so near my end, from the enfeebling effects of grief and long fasting, that it was only by the strongest effort of will that I could stand upright. I was obliged to have recourse to the cordials which I had brought with me. They revived my strength sufficiently to permit of my setting about the last sad office which I had to perform. Being in the midst of a sandy plain, I had no difficulty in scraping a hollow in the ground. I snapped my sword in two, in order to dig with it; but my hands served the purpose better.

I dug a deep grave, in which I laid the idol of my heart,