he letter
to me: we opened it together.

"Passing over the usual commonplace expressions of tenderness, it gave
a particular detail of my rival's promises. There were no limits to
the expense. He engaged to pay her down ten thousand francs on her
taking possession of the hotel, and to supply her expenditure in such a
way as that she should never have less than that sum at her command.
The appointed day for her entering into possession was close at hand.
He only required two days for all his preparations, and he mentioned
the name of the street and the hotel, where he promised to be in
waiting for her in the afternoon of the second day, if she could manage
to escape my vigilance. That was the only point upon which he begged
of her to relieve his uneasiness; he seemed to be quite satisfied upon
every other: but he added that, if she apprehended any difficulty in
escaping from me, he could find sure means for facilitating her flight.

"G---- M---- the younger was more cunning than the old gentleman. He
wanted to secure his prey before he counted out the cash. We
considered what course Manon should adopt. I made another effort to
induce her to give up the scheme, and strongly represented all its
dangers; nothing, however, could shake her determination.

"Her answer to G---- M---- was brief, merely assuring him that she
could be, without the least difficulty, in Paris on the appointed day
and that he might expect her with certainty.

"We then resolved, that I should instantly hire lodgings in some
village on the other side of Paris, and that I should take our luggage
with me; that in the afternoon of the following day, which was the time
appointed, she should go to Paris; that, after receiving G---- M----'s
presents, she should earnestly entreat him to take her to the theatre;
that she should carry with her as large a portion of the money as she
could, and charge my servant with the remainder, for it was agreed that
he was to accompany her. He was the man who had rescued her from the
Magdalen, and he was devotedly attached to us. I was to be with a
hackney-coach at the end of the street of St. Andre-des-arcs, and to
leave it there about seven o'clock, while I stole, under cover of the
twilight, to the door of the theatre. Manon promised to make some
excuse for quitting her box for a moment, when she would come down and
join me. The rest could be easily done. We were then to return to my
hackney-coach, and quit