ever, once to Versailles, and saw the routine of court, but
returned with a great delight to her old books and the heroes in them.
She was dissatisfied with France and Frenchmen. She says: "I sighed as I
thought of Athens, where I could have equally admired the fine arts
without being wounded by the spectacle of despotism. I transported
myself in thought to Greece--I was present at the Olympic games, and I
grew angry at finding myself French. Thus struck by all of grand which
is offered by the republics of antiquity, I forgot the death of
Socrates, the exile of Aristides, the sentence of Phocion."

She began, at last, to repine at her situation. She felt conscious of
her abilities, and that her thoughts were high and noble, and she longed
for a higher position, in which she might use her talents. Her father
grew more and more poor and unable to care for his family, and her
mother was anxious that she should be married. She did not lack offers.
She was beautiful and accomplished, and many suitors presented
themselves, but not one whom she could love. Her mother now died, to her
great sorrow. She now persuaded her father to retire from the business
which he was ruining, and save the little property he had left, and she
retired to a little convent. She prepared her own food, lived very
simply, and saw only her own relations.

It was about this time that Manon became acquainted, through a
school-friend, with M. Roland, who was the younger son of a poor, but
noble family, and whose lot in life was not an easy one. He was now
considerably advanced in years, and was superintendent of the
manufactories at Rouen and Amiens. He had written several works upon
these subjects, and was somewhat celebrated. She took great pleasure in
his society, and after five years of friendship, respected, and perhaps
loved him. He offered himself and was finally accepted. She says: "In
short, if marriage was as I thought, an austere union, an association in
which the woman usually burdens herself with the happiness of two
individuals, it were better that I should exert my abilities and my
courage in so honorable a task, than in the solitude in which I lived."

The married couple visited Switzerland and England, and then settled
down near Lyons, with her husband's relations. She had one child--a
daughter--and her life and happiness consisted in taking care of her and
her husband. She thus gives a beautiful picture of her life:

"Seated in my chi