Page:The Story of Manon Lescaut and the Chevalier Des Grieux.djvu/33

32 heart and soul to my service, having been my father's coachman for many years before he had established him- self at Amiens. I conducted her there myself, despite the muttered objections of her old protector ; while my friend Tiberge, who was completely mj^stified by this scene, followed me without uttering a word. He had not overheard our con- versation, having occupied himself in pacing up and down the court-yard while I was woomg my fair one. Dread- ing his virtuous scruples, I rid mj^self of his presence by asking him to execute a small commission for me ; and thus had the happiness, when we reached the inn, of having my heart's mistress entirely to myself. I soon discovered that I w^as not the mere boy I had hithei'to supposed myself to be. My heart expanded under the influence of a thousand sensations of pleasure of which I had never so much as dreamed. A delicious warmth suffused itself through all my veins, and I yielded up my whole being to an indescribable ecstasy w^hich robbed me for some time of the free use of my voice, and found expression only in my eyes. Mademoiselle Manon Lescaut — for such, she told me, was her name — seemed to be w^ell pleased at the effect pro-