Page:The Story of Manon Lescaut and of the Chevalier des Grieux.pdf/73

Rh his sister at her window one morning, he recognized her, and at once hurried to our apartment. He was a rough and churlish fellow, devoid of all honorable feeling. He burst into our room, cursing horribly; and, knowing something of his sister's adventures, proceeded to load her with reproaches and abuse. I had gone out a moment before, which was probably a fortunate circumstance for one or the other of us, as an insult was the last thing I was disposed to tolerate.

I did not return home until after he had left, and then Manon's air of dejection led me to suspect that something unusual had occurred. I drew from her an account of the painful scene through which she had just passed, and of her brother's brutal threats. So unmeasured was my indignation that I should at once have hastened after him to chastise him as he deserved, had she not restrained me by her tearful appeals. While we were talking the matter over, the guardsman re-entered the room in which we were sitting, without waiting to be announced. Had I known who he was, I should not have received him as civilly as I did; but, before I had time to inquire, he had greeted us with an air of cheerful self-assurance, and was rapidly telling Manon that he had come to apologize to her