Manon Lescaut
Manon. I asked him for only fifty pistoles. 'You can remit it to me,'
said I to him, 'through the hands of the postmaster. You must perceive
that it is the last time I can by possibility trespass on your friendly
kindness; and my poor unhappy mistress being about to be exiled from
her country for ever, I cannot let her depart without supplying her
with some few comforts, to soften the sufferings of her lot, as well as
to assuage my own sorrows.'
"The gendarmes became so rapacious when they saw the violence of my
passion, continually increasing their demands for the slightest
favours, that they soon left me penniless. Love did not permit me to
put any bounds to my liberality. At Manon's side I was not master of
myself; and it was no longer by the hour that time was measured; rather
by the duration of whole days. At length, my funds being completely
exhausted, I found myself exposed to the brutal caprice of these six
wretches who treated me with intolerable rudeness--you yourself
witnessed it at Passy. My meeting with you was a momentary relaxation
accorded me by fate. Your compassion at the sight of my sufferings was
my only recommendation to your generous nature. The assistance which
you so liberally extended, enabled me to reach Havre, and the guards
kept their promise more faithfully than I had ventured to hope.
"We arrived at Havre. I went to the post-office: Tiberge had not yet
had time to answer my letter. I ascertained the earliest day I might
reckon upon his answer: it could not possibly arrive for two days
longer; and by an extraordinary fatality, our vessel was to sail on the
very morning of the day when the letter might be expected. I cannot
give you an idea of my despair. 'Alas!' cried I, 'even amongst the
unfortunate, I am to be ever the most wretched!'
"Manon replied: 'Alas! does a life so thoroughly miserable deserve the
care we bestow on ours? Let us die at Havre, dearest chevalier! Let
death at once put an end to our afflictions! Shall we persevere, and go
to drag on this hopeless existence in an unknown land, where we shall,
no doubt, have to encounter the most horrible pains, since it has been
their object to punish me by exile? Let us die,' she repeated, 'or do
at least in mercy rid me of life, and then you can seek another lot in
the arms of some happier lover.'
"'No, no, Manon,' said I; 'it is but too enviable a lot, in my
estimation, to be allowed to share your misfortunes.'
"Her observations made me tremble. I saw that she was overpowered by
her afflictions. I tried to assume a more tranquil air, in order to
dissipate such melancholy thoughts of death and despair.
"I resolved to adopt the same course in future; and I learned by the
results, that nothing is more calculated to inspire a woman with
courage than the demonstration of intrepidity in the man she loves.
"When I lost all hope of receiving the expected assistance from
Tiberge, I sold my horse; the money it brought, joined to what remained
of your generous gift, amounted to the small sum of forty pistoles; I
expended eight in the purchase of some necessary articles for Manon;
and I put the remainder by, as the capital upon which we were to rest
our hopes and raise our fortunes in America. I had no difficulty in
getting admitted on board the vessel. They were at the time looking
for young men as voluntary emigrants to the colony. The passage and
provisions were supplied gratis. I left a letter for Tiberge, which
was to go by the post next morning to Paris. It was no doubt written
in a tone calculated to affect him deeply, since it induced him to form
a resolution, which could only be carried into execution by the
tenderest and most generous sympathy for his unhappy friend.
XIII
Sunt hie etiam sua proemia laudi,
Sunt lachrymae rerum, et mentem mortalia tangunt.
VIRGIL.
E'en the mute walls relate the victim's fame.
And sinner's tears the good man's pity claim.
DRYDEN.
"We set sail; the wind continued favourable during the entire passage.
I obtained from the captain's kindness a separate cabin for the use of
Manon and myself. He was so good as to distinguish us from the herd of
our miserable associates. I took an opportunity, on the second day, of
conciliating his attentions, by telling him part of our unfortunate
history. I did not feel that I was guilty of any very culpable
falsehood in saying that I was the husband of Manon. He appeared to
believe it, and promised me his protection; and indeed we experienced,
during the whole passage, the most flattering evidences of his
sincerity. He took care that our table was comfortably provided; and
his attentions procured us the marked respect of our companions in
misery. The unwearied object of my solicitude was to save Manon from
every inconvenience. She felt this, and her gratitude, together with a
lively sense of the singular position in which I had placed myself
solely for her sake, rendered the dear creature so tender and
impassioned, so attentive also to my most trifling wants, that it was
between us a continual emulation of attentions and of love. I felt no
regret at quitting Europe; on the contrary, the nearer we approached
America, the more did I feel my heart expand and become tranquil. If I
had not felt a dread of our perhaps wanting, by and by, the absolute
necessaries of life, I should have been grateful to fate for having at
length given so favourable a turn to our affairs.
"'After a passage of two months, we at length reached the banks of the
desired river. The country offered at first sight nothing agreeable.
We saw only sterile and uninhabited plains, covered with rushes, and
some trees rooted up by the wind. No trace either of men or animals.
However, the captain having discharged some pieces of artillery, we
presently observed a group of the inhabitants of New Orleans, who
approached us with evident signs of joy. We had not perceived the
town: it is concealed upon the side on which we approached it by a
hill. We were received as persons dropped from the clouds.
"The poor inhabitants hastened to put a thousand questions to us upon
the state of France, and of the different provinces in which they were
born. They embraced us as brothers, and as beloved companions, who had
come to share their pains and their solitude.
"We turned towards the town with them; but we were astonished to
perceive, as we advanced, that what we had hitherto heard spoken of as
a respectable town, was nothing more than a collection of miserable
huts. They were inhabited by five or six hundred persons. The
governor's house was a little distinguished from the rest by its height
and its position. It was surrounded by some earthen ramparts, and a
deep ditch.
"We were first presented to him. He continued for some time in
conversation with the captain; and then advancing towards us, he looked
attentively at the women one after another: there were thirty of them,
for another troop of convicts had joined us at Havre. After having
thus inspected them, he sent for several young men of the colony who
were desirous to marry. He assigned the handsomest women to the
principal of these, and the remainder were disposed of by lot. He had
not yet addressed Manon; but having ordered the others to depart, he
made us remain. 'I learn from the captain,' said he, 'that you are
married, and he is convinced by your conduct on the passage that you
are both persons of merit and of education. I have nothing to do with
the cause of your misfortunes; but if it be true that you are as
conversant with the world and society as your appearance would
indicate, I shall spare no pains to soften the severity of your lot,
and you may on your part contribute towards rendering this savage and
desert abode less disagreeable to me.' I replied in the manner which I
thought best calculated to confirm the opinion he had formed of us. He
gave orders to have a habitation prepared for us in the town, and
detained us to supper. I was really surprised to find so much
politeness in a governor of transported convicts. In the presence of
others he abstained from enquiring about our past adventures. The
conversation was general; and in spite of our degradation, Manon and I
exerted ourselves to make it lively and agreeable.
"At night we were conducted to the lodging prepared for us. We found a
wretched hovel composed of planks and mud, containing three rooms on
the ground, and a loft overhead. He had sent there six chairs, and
some few necessaries of life.
"Manon appeared frightened by the first view of this melancholy
dwelling. It was on my account much more than upon her own, that she
distressed herself. When we were left to ourselves, she sat down and
wept bitterly. I attempted at first to console her; but when she
enabled me to understand that it was for my sake she deplored our
privations, and that in our common afflictions she only considered me
as the sufferer, I put on an air of resolution, and even of content,
sufficient to encourage her.
"'What is there in my lot to lament?' said I; 'I possess all that I
have ever desired. You love me, Manon, do you not? What happiness
beyond this have I ever longed for? Let us leave to Providence the
direction of our destiny; it by no means appears to me so desperate.
The governor is civil and obliging; he has already given us marks of
his consideration; he will not allow us to want for necessaries. As to
our rude hut and the squalidness of our furniture, you might have
noticed that there are few persons in the colony better lodged or more
comfortably furnished than we are: and then you are an admirable
chemist,' added I, embracing her; 'you transform everything into gold.'
"'In that case,' she answered, 'you shall be the richest man in the
universe; for, as there never was love surpassing yours, so it is
impossible for man to be loved more tenderly than you are by me. I
well know,' she continued, 'that I have never merited the almost
incredible fidelity and attachment which you have shown for me. I have
often caused you annoyances, which nothing but excessive fondness could
have induced you to pardon. I have been thoughtless and volatile; and
even while loving you as I have always done to distraction, I was never
free from a consciousness of ingratitude. But you cannot believe how
much my nature is altered; those tears which you have so frequently
seen me shed since quitting the French shore, have not been caused by
my own misfortunes. Since you began to share them with me, I have been
a stranger to selfishness: I only wept from tenderness and compassion
for you. I am inconsolable at the thought of having given you one
instant's pain during my past life. I never cease upbraiding myself
with my former inconstancy, and wondering at the sacrifices which love
has induced you to make for a miserable and unworthy wretch, who could
not, with the last drop of her blood, compensate for half the torments
she has caused you.'
"Her grief, the language, and the tone in which she expressed herself,
made such an impression, that I felt my heart ready to break in me.
'Take care,' said I to her, 'take care, dear Manon; I have not strength
to endure such exciting marks of your affection; I am little accustomed
to the rapturous sensations which you now kindle in my heart. Oh
Heaven!' cried I, 'I have now nothing further to ask of you. I am sure
of Manon's love. That has been alone wanting to complete my happiness;
I can now never cease to be happy: my felicity is well secured.'
"'It is indeed,' she replied, 'if it depends upon me, and I well know
where I can be ever certain of finding my own happiness centred.'