Manon Lescaut - The Abbé Prévost (best free ebook reader .txt) 📗

the Chevalier des Grieux and Manon Lescaut?’ I was so overcome with shame and disappointment, that I could make him no reply. He appeared for some minutes revolving different thoughts in his mind; and as if they had suddenly excited his anger, he exclaimed, addressing himself to me: `Wretch! I am confident that you have murdered my son!’

“I felt indignant at so insulting a charge. `You hoary and lecherous villain!’ I exclaimed, `if I had been inclined to kill any of your worthless family, it is with you I should most assuredly have commenced.’

“`Hold him fast,’ cried he to the archers; `he must give me some tidings of my son; I shall have him hanged tomorrow, if he does not presently let me know how he has disposed of him.’

“`You will have me hanged,’ said I, `will you? Infamous scoundre! it is for such as you that the gibbet is erected. Know that the blood which flows in my veins is noble, and purer in every sense than yours. Yes,’ I added, `I do know what has happened to your son; and if you irritate me further, I will have him strangled before morning; and I promise you the consolation of meeting in your own person the same fate, after he is disposed of.’

“I was imprudent in acknowledging that I knew where his son was, but excess of anger made me commit this indiscretion. He immediately called in five or six other archers, who were waiting at the gate, and ordered them to take all the servants into custody. `Ah! ah! Chevalier,’ said he, in a tone of sardonic raillery,—`so you do know where my son is, and you will have him strangled, you say? We will try to set that matter to rights.’

“I now saw the folly I had committed.

“He approached Manon, who was sitting upon the bed, bathed in a flood of tears. He said something, with the most cruel irony, of the despotic power she wielded over old and young, father and son— her edifying dominion over her empire. This superannuated monster of incontinence actually attempted to take liberties with her.

“`Take care,’ exclaimed I, `how you lay a finger upon her!—

neither divine nor human law will be able, should your folly arouse it, to shield you from my vengeance!’

“He quitted the room, desiring the archers to make us dress as quickly as possible.

“I know not what were his intentions at that moment with regard to us; we might perhaps have regained our liberty if we had told him where his son was. As I dressed, I considered whether this would not be the wisest course. But if, on quitting the room, such had been the disposition of his mind, it was very different when he returned. He had first gone to question Manon’s servants, who were in the custody of the guard. From those who had been expressly hired for her service by his son, he could learn nothing; but when he found that Marcel had been previously our servant, he determined to extract some information from him, by means of intimidation, threats, or bribes.

“This lad was faithful, but weak and unsophisticated. The remembrance of what he had done at the penitentiary for Manon’s release, joined to the terror with which G–- M–- now inspired him, so subdued his mind, that he thought they were about leading him to the gallows, or the rack. He promised that, if they would spare his life, he would disclose everything he knew. This speech made G–- M–- imagine that there was something more serious in the affair than he had before supposed; he not only gave Marcel a promise of his life, but a handsome reward in hand for his intended confession.

“The booby then told him the leading features of our plot, of which we had made no secret before him, as he was himself to have borne a part in it. True, he knew nothing of the alterations we had made at Paris in our original design; but he had been informed, before quitting Chaillot, of our projected adventure, and of the part he was to perform. He therefore told him that the object was to make a dupe of his son; and that Manon was to receive, if she had not already received, ten thousand francs, which, according to our project, would be effectually lost to G–- M–-, his heirs and assigns for ever.

“Having acquired this information, the old gentleman hastened back in a rage to the apartment. Without uttering a word, he passed into the boudoir, where he easily put his hand upon the money and the jewels. He then accosted us, bursting with rage; and holding up what he was pleased to call our plunder, he loaded us with the most indignant reproaches. He placed close to Manon’s eye the pearl necklace and bracelets. `Do you recognise them?’ said he, in a tone of mockery; ‘it is not, perhaps, the first time you may have seen them. The identical pearls, by my faith! They were selected by your own exquisite taste! The poor innocents!’ added he; `they really are most amiable creatures, both one and the other; but they are perhaps a little too much inclined to roguery.’

“I could hardly contain my indignation at this speech. I would have given for one moment’s liberty—Heavens! what would I not have given? At length, I suppressed my feelings sufficiently to say in a tone of moderation, which was but the refinement of rage: `Put an end, sir, to this insolent mockery! What is your object? What do you purpose doing with us?’

“`M. Chevalier,’ he answered, `my object is to see you quietly lodged in the prison of Le Chatelet. Tomorrow will bring daylight with it, and we shall then be able to take a clearer view of matters; and I hope you will at last do me the favour to let me know where my son is.’

“It did not require much consideration to feel convinced that our incarceration in Le Chatelet would be a serious calamity. I foresaw all the dangers that would ensue. In spite of my pride, I plainly saw the necessity of bending before my fate, and conciliating my most implacable enemy by submission. I begged of him, in the quietest manner, to listen to me. `I wish to do myself but common justice, sir,’ said I to him; `I admit that my youth has led me into egregious follies; and that you have had fair reason to complain: but if you have ever felt the resistless power of love, if you can enter into the sufferings of an unhappy young man, from whom all that he most loved was ravished, you may think me perhaps not so culpable in seeking the gratification of an innocent revenge; or at least, you may consider me sufficiently punished, by the exposure and degradation I have just now endured. Neither pains nor imprisonment will be requisite to make me tell you where your son now is. He is in perfect safety. It was never my intention to injure him, nor to give you just cause for offence. I am ready to let you know the place where he is safely passing the night, if, in return, you will set us at liberty.’

“The old tiger, far from being softened by my prayer, turned his back upon me and laughed. A few words, escaped him, which showed that he perfectly well knew our whole plan from the commencement.

As for his son, the brute said that he would easily find him, since I had not assassinated him. `Conduct them to the Petit-Chatelet,’ said he to the archers; `and take especial care that the chevalier does not escape you: he is a scamp that once before escaped from St. Lazare.’

“He went out, and left me in a condition that you may picture to yourself. `O Heavens!’ cried I to myself, `I receive with humble submission all your visitations; but that a wretched scoundrel should thus have the power to tyrannise over me! this it is that plunges me into the depths of despair!’ The archers begged that we would not detain them any longer. They had a coach at the door. `Come, my dear angel,’ said I to Manon, as we went down, `come, let us submit to our destiny in all its rigour: it may one day please Heaven to render us more happy.’

“We went in the same coach. I supported her in my arms. I had not heard her utter a single word since G–- M–-‘s first appearance: but now, finding herself alone with me, she addressed me in the tenderest manner, and accused herself of being the cause of all my troubles. I assured her that I never could complain, while she continued to love me. `It is not I that have reason to complain,’ I added; `imprisonment for a few months has no terrors for me, and I would infinitely prefer Le Chatelet to St. Lazare; but it is for you, my dearest soul, that my heart bleeds. What a lot for such an angel! How can you, gracious Heaven! subject to such rigour the most perfect work of your own hands? Why are we not both of us born with qualities conformable to our wretched condition? We are endowed with spirit, with taste, with feeling; while the vilest of God’s creatures—brutes, alone worthy of our unhappy fate, are revelling in all the favours of fortune.’

“These feelings filled me with grief; but it was bliss compared with my prospects for the future. My fear, on account of Manon, knew no bounds. She had already been an inmate of the Magdalen; and even if she had left it by fair means, I knew that a relapse of this nature would be attended with disastrous consequences. I wished to let her know my fears: I was apprehensive of exciting hers. I trembled for her, without daring to put her on her guard against the danger; and I embraced her tenderly, to satisfy her, at least, of my love, which was almost the only sentiment to which I dared to give expression. `Manon,’ said I, `tell me sincerely, will you ever cease to love me?’

“She answered, that it made her unhappy to think that I could doubt it.

“`Very well,’ replied I, `I do so no longer; and with this conviction, I may well defy all my enemies. Through the influence of my family, I can ensure my own liberation from the Chatelet; and my life will be of little use, and of short duration, if I do not succeed in rescuing you.’

“We arrived at the prison, where they put us into separate cells. This blow was the less severe, because I was prepared for it. I recommended Manon to the attention of the porter, telling him that I was a person of some distinction, and promising him a considerable recompense. I embraced my dearest mistress before we parted; I implored her not to distress herself too much, and to fear nothing while I lived. I had money with me: I gave her some; and I paid the porter, out of what remained, the amount of a month’s expenses for both of us in, advance. This had an excellent effect, for I found myself placed in an apartment comfortably furnished, and they assured me that Manon was in one equally good.

“I immediately set about devising the means of procuring my liberty. There certainly had been nothing actually criminal in my conduct; and supposing even that our felonious intention was established by the evidence of Marcel, I knew that criminal intentions alone were not punishable. I resolved to write immediately to my father, and beg of him to come himself to Paris. I felt much less humiliation, as I have already said, in being in Le Chatelet than