retion; but that he hoped this little adventure would make me
wiser. I took the whole lecture only in the sense that accorded with
my own notions. I thanked my father for his indulgence, and promised
that I would in future observe a better regulated and more obedient
course of conduct. I felt that I had secured a triumph; for, from the
present aspect of affairs, there was no doubt that I should be free to
effect my escape from the house even before the night was over.

"We sat down to supper. They rallied me about my Amiens conquest, and
my flight with that paragon of fidelity. I took their jokes in good
part, glad enough at being permitted to revolve in my mind the plans I
had meditated; but some words which fell from my father made me listen
with earnest attention. He spoke of perfidy, and the not disinterested
kindness he had received at the hands of M. de B----. I was almost
paralysed on hearing the name, and begged of my father to explain
himself. He turned to my brother, to ask if he had not told me the
whole story. My brother answered, that I appeared to him so tranquil
upon the road, that he did not suppose I required this remedy to cure
me of my folly. I remarked that my father was doubtful whether he
should give me the explanation or not. I entreated him so earnestly
that he satisfied me, or I should rather say tortured me, with the
following most horrible narration.

"He began by asking me whether I was really simple enough to believe
that I had been really loved by the girl. I told him confidently that
I was perfectly sure of it, and that nothing could make me for a moment
doubt it. 'Ha, ha, ha!' said he, with a loud laugh; 'that is excellent!
you are a pretty dupe! Admirable idea! 'Twould be a thousand pities,
my poor chevalier, to make you a Knight of Malta, with all the
requisites you possess for a patient and accommodating husband.' He
continued in the same tone to ridicule what he was pleased to call my
dullness and credulity.

"He concluded, while I maintained a profound silence, by saying that,
according to the nicest calculation he could make of the time since my
departure from Amiens, Manon must have been in love with me about
twelve days; 'for,' said he, 'I know that you left Amiens on the 28th
of last month; this is, the 29th of the present; it is eleven days
since M. de B---- wrote to me; I suppose he required eight days to
establish a perfect understanding with your mistress; so t