that it was still moi'e cruel not to have a woixl to say to her now that 1 saw her standing l)efore me in such deep distress. I cannot descrihe the tumult of feelings in my heart as I listened to her. She sat down. I remained sUindin/jf, half turned towards her, hut not daring to trust myself to look her full in the face. More than once I hegan a reply, but my sti'ength failed me before I could complete it, and the words died away upon my lips. At last, by a supreme ellort, I cried in a tone of anguish :
- Manon I Manon I False and heartless girl I
Weeping bitterly, she told me once more that she had no intention of justifying her i)erfidious conduct.
- Then, what is your intention ? " 1 critnl.
"To die!" was her response: '* unless you give me back your heart, for without it I cannot live ! "
- Then ask my life, faithless girl I^' I said, giving way
at last to the tears which I had been vainly striving to restrain; **ask me for my life, which is the only thing left me to sacrifice to you : as for my heart, it has never ceased to be voui*s.
