Page:The Story of Manon Lescaut and of the Chevalier des Grieux.pdf/49

Rh rent of tears, and my lips only to give utterance to the most piteous and heart-rending moans.

My father, who always loved me tenderly, devoted himself with all the force of his affection to the task of consoling me. I listened to him, but his words fell meaningless on my ears. Throwing myself at his feet, I clasped my hands in entreaty, and besought him to let me return to Paris that I might seek out B and revenge myself on him at the point of the sword.

"No, no!" I cried; "he has not won Manon's heart! He has used violence toward her; he has seduced her by some unholy charm or drug—aye, even, perchance, brutally violated her! Manon loves me; ah! do I not know it well? He must have menaced her, dagger in hand, to force her to desert me. What is there that he would not have done to tear so sweet a mistress from my arms? Can it be possible, just Heaven! that Manon has betrayed—has ceased to love me?"

As I repeatedly declared my intention of returning to Paris forthwith, and started to my feet again and again with that purpose in view, my father became convinced that, as long as my present transports of grief continued, nothing that he could say would have any effect in pre-