Page:The Story of Manon Lescaut and of the Chevalier des Grieux.pdf/95



distress which this scene with Tiberge had caused me was soon dispelled by Manon's caresses. We continued to lead a life that was all made up of love and pleasure. With the increase of our wealth came redoubled affection. Venus and the Goddess of Fortune had no slaves happier or more loving than we. Why call this world an abode of misery, when it can offer the enjoyment of such exquisite delights as these? Alas! Because they have the drawback of passing away all too soon. What other felicity would mortals desire, if such joys as these were of a kind to last forever? Ours shared the common fate of being short-lived and bringing in their train the bitterest regrets.

My gains at play had become so considerable that I was thinking of investing part of my money. My successes were no secret to our servants—being especially well known to my own valet and Manon's maid, before both of whom we were in the habit of talking quite unreservedly and without any misgivings. The maid was a pretty girl, and my valet's sweetheart. They had to deal with young and lenient employers, whom they supposed that they would have no difficulty in deceiving. They conceived the design of doing so, and carried it into effect with results