Page:The Story of Manon Lescaut and the Chevalier Des Grieux.djvu/55

renting- me. He therefore made nie follow him to a room in the upiHjr part of the house, where he left me in charge of two seivants, whom he ordered not to let me out of their sight. I was in a state of mind bordering upon fi'enzy. Gladly would I have given my life a thousand times over in ex- change for one short quarter of an hour in Paris ; but I realized that, after having declared my intentions so openly, I should not readily be permitted to escape from my room. I looked out of the windows, and calculated their height from the ground. Seeing no possibility of I'egaining my liberty in that way, I appealed to the two servants in my most pereuasive tones, promising — nay, vowing solemnly to make their fortunes some dsLy, if they would connive at m^' escape. I entreated, I wheedled, I thi*eatened them — but this attempt was as vain as the other. At last, losing all hope, I resolved to die, and threw myself upon the bed with tjie determination that I would never leave it alive. I l>pent that night and the following day in this condition. I refused the food that was brought me the next day. My father came to see me in the afternoon. He was good enough to soothe my sufferings by consola- tions of the gentlest kind. He commanded me so im- peratively to take some food that I yielded, out of respect to his orders. Several days went by, during which I ate nothing save in his presence and in obedience to his wishes. He con- tinued to press upon my considei'ation eveiy argument calculated to recall me to my senses and to inspire me with contempt for my faithless Manon. I certainly had lost all esteem for her ; what esteem could I retain for the most fickle and perfidious of beings ? But her image — the fair features which T bore imprinted on my inmost heart