One of these students, however, held aloof2 from the others; for the work-girls' loud jollity had no attraction for his sensitive, poetic3 nature, and, in spite of being rallied by his companions for his indifference4 to the girlish charms around him, he stood apart, wrapped in his own dreamy thoughts.
This fastidious youth was the Chevalier des Grieux, a young man of high birth and good breeding, who was also possessed5 of a fine, passionate6 nature and the true artistic7 temperament8 which could only be satisfied with the highest in beauty, and art, and love; and though his giddy companions, in their raillery, now declared his gloomy looks portended9 that he must be a victim to the darts10 of Cupid, his heart had never yet been touched.
Presently the diligence entered the courtyard, and amongst the passengers who alighted was a beautiful young girl, who was accompanied by her brother and an elderly fop, whose elegantly rich attire11 and lordly airs proclaimed him to be a person of wealth and importance.
The young girl was Manon Lescaut, a maiden12 of exquisite13 loveliness, who, in spite of her extreme youth and beauty, was even now being conducted by her brother to a convent, the life of a nun14 being the fate destined15 for her by her parents, who feared that the snares16 of the world might prove too much for one so fair, whom they believed could only be kept safe from temptation by taking the veil.
Manon, however, had a rich, passionate nature that craved17 for light, warmth, beauty and all the joys of a happy, full life; and she was sad at the thought that the cup of pleasure which she so ardently19 desired to drain was to be snatched from her lips ere she had scarce tasted of it.
Her brother, also, felt that it was a mistake to deprive so fair and radiant a young life of the joy that should certainly be its due; and he had already determined21 to disobey the instructions he had received and to prevent the incarceration22 of his young sister's charms. His motive23, however, was far from being disinterested24, since his nature was a depraved one; and in order to gratify his desire for low pleasures and his mercenary, avaricious25 instincts, he determined to use his sister's beauty as a decoy for securing wealth for them both.
To this end he had already encouraged the very obvious attentions of the rich, elderly libertine26, Baron27 Geronte de Ravoir, who had travelled with them in the diligence, and who had become so fascinated with Manon's young loveliness that he desired above all things to possess her; and when the foppish28, amorous29 Baron presently invited the brother and sister to join him at supper, Lescaut eagerly accepted for both.
Meanwhile the handsome young student, Des Grieux, had no sooner beheld30 the fair Manon than he had become so enthralled31 by her exquisite, ethereal beauty and delicate grace, that he could scarce take his eyes from her face; and eagerly making his way towards her, he soon found an opportunity to enter into conversation with her, and asked her name and destination.
Manon replied simply and shyly, but her tones were so sad and she sighed so deeply as she spoke32 of the convent life awaiting her at her journey's end, that Des Grieux, filled with pity and distress33, besought34 her not to think any more of taking the veil, but to allow him to contrive35 some means of escape for her.
As the pair gazed into each other's eyes and talked thus eagerly together, a deep love sprang up spontaneously in their hearts; for both were young, fair, and of ardent20 temperaments36, and were, moreover, mutually attracted to one another by a strange, but sweet magnetism38 which neither could resist.
Des Grieux was overjoyed to find in Manon the answering sympathy of a delicate, sensitive, highly-strung and passionate nature for which his own poetic temperament had longed; and he eagerly besought her to meet him again later on in the evening. Finally, Manon agreed to do so; and then, hearing her brother calling to her, she hurried away into the inn, leaving Des Grieux to wander apart from the merry throng39 once more and to indulge in his new rapturous thoughts alone.
Meanwhile the well-seasoned roué, Baron Geronte, had not been idling his time; for, having already determined to carry Manon off by force with him to Paris, there to become his mistress, he secretly called aside the landlord of the inn and arranged with him to have a post-chaise ready in a secluded40 spot behind the inn at a certain time during the evening.
It happened, however, that this conversation was overheard by Edmond, one of the young students, who, having noticed the mutual37 attraction of love between Manon and Des Grieux, now approached the latter and informed him of Geronte's plan for the abduction of the beautiful girl.
Full of dismay at this news, Des Grieux entreated41 the assistance of Edmond, who declared that the only thing to be done was for Des Grieux himself to make use of the waiting post-chaise and to depart in it with Manon before the old roué could complete his plans.
Des Grieux hailed this scheme with relief and joy; and Edmond, eager to help in such a mischievous42 trick, ran off to make arrangements for the post-chaise to be got ready at once.
Meanwhile, Lescaut, ever ready to satisfy his gambling43 craze, was already engaged with his new companion in playing cards and dice44, and in drinking with some of the wilder students; and so absorbed were both he and Geronte, that they did not notice that Manon had again come out into the courtyard and was talking with Des Grieux in a quiet corner.
Des Grieux quickly told the beautiful girl of Geronte's plot for her abduction, and of his own plans for her rescue; and again declaring his deep love for her, entreated her to go with him instead to Paris, where they would dwell together in perfect happiness.
At first, Manon tried to resist; but her love for Des Grieux overwhelmed every other feeling, and she declared she would gladly go with him wherever he would. The lovers, therefore, crept stealthily to the back of the courtyard, where they found the post-chaise already waiting; and it was not until they had entered the vehicle and were driving along at a merry rate that Geronte and Lescaut saw what had happened.
The disappointed roué stamped and raved18 about the courtyard, nearly choking with rage at having his fair victim thus snatched from his grasp under his very nose; but Lescaut soon found a means of pacifying45 him. Knowing his sister's love of luxury and comfort, Lescaut believed that she could only be happy whilst the means of gratifying her naturally extravagant46 desires were forthcoming; and, therefore, he bade Geronte not to despair of winning her yet, since, when the young student's slender purse was exhausted48, Manon might be enticed49 away from him by the offer of such magnificent living as Geronte would have to offer her.
This, indeed, proved to be the case; for when Des Grieux had lavished50 all the means at his immediate51 disposal upon gratifying the artistic longings52 of the ardent girl whom he had taken under his protection, he found himself helpless to retain so bright a creature within the restrictions53 of a narrowly-limited purse.
Manon loved Des Grieux passionately54; but her voluptuous55, pleasure-loving soul craved for luxury and extravagant amusements such as Des Grieux could not possibly gratify in the humble56 little cottage to which he had taken her. The consequence was that when the Baron Geronte at length arrived on the scene during Des Grieux's absence, his offer of a magnificent house, and all the glittering delights that wealth could purchase, was too strong a temptation for the sunshine-loving Manon, who thus allowed herself to be lured57 away from her true lover to become the mistress and petted favourite of one for whom she had no real affection.
Geronte's admiration58, however, was pleasing to her; and for some weeks Manon lived a life of continual pleasure and luxury in the Baron's magnificent hotel, where her every whim59 was gratified and where she reigned60 almost as a queen.
Her brother, Lescaut, was well pleased with the turn events had taken, since he, also, now lived a life of luxury at the expense of his sister's wealthy protector; but he was clever enough to see that Manon would not long be satisfied with her present distractions61, since her ever-changing moods and iridescent62 nature demanded variety, and that satiety63 of even luxury must inevitably64 come. He realised, also, that her love for Des Grieux was not dead, but only awaited his reappearance to burst forth47 into full bloom once more; and he knew that Des Grieux alone would have lasting65 influence in his sister's life.
For his own ends, therefore, and for the sake of having future means of gratifying his low tastes, Lescaut sought out the wretched Des Grieux once more, and encouraged him to gamble desperately66, enticing67 him to this course by telling him that he would thus secure the wealth that should eventually enable him to win back the radiant Manon whom he still so fondly loved. He even went further still, and arranged for an interview between the pair; but dire68 misfortune came of this.
One day Geronte had arranged for a grand entertainment to be given before his beautiful mistress in their hotel, having secured the services of certain musicians and singers to give renderings69 of some high-flown verses which he had himself composed in praise of her beauty; and he engaged also a dancing-master to give her instructions in the minuet and other fashionable dances of the period; but finding that the spoilt beauty soon showed signs of boredom70, he left the hotel with his friends to take a stroll along the Boulevards, somewhat piqued71, asking her to join him later on, but intending to return himself shortly to see how she amused herself during his absence.
This was the very hour for which Lescaut had arranged the meeting between Des Grieux and Manon; and a few minutes after the departure of the Baron, the lovers were in each other's arms.
Manon was overjoyed at finding herself once more in the presence of her beloved Des Grieux; and the latter so quickly fell under the magic spell of her fatal fascination72, that his first reproaches were soon forgotten in the passionate words of love and endearment73 which he could not repress.
So absorbed in their joy were the lovers that, oblivious74 of their surroundings, they paid no heed75 to the passing of time; and thus it came to pass that they were presently discovered by Geronte, still folded in each other's arms.
Furiously jealous at the sight, Geronte instantly rushed out from the hotel and denounced Manon to the authorities as a person of ill repute; and, in spite of her tears and entreaties76, the unhappy girl was dragged off to prison and subsequently condemned77 to deportation78.
Lescaut, still acting79 for his own selfish ends, made several endeavours, assisted by the almost frantic80 Des Grieux, to save the wretched victim from her awful fate; but all the efforts they made were in vain.
Des Grieux was overcome with grief and despair at the failure of his attempts to effect Manon's escape from prison on the day before she sailed, and, rather than be parted from his beloved one, when the last chance of rescue had vanished, he offered himself as a cabin-boy on board the vessel81 that conveyed her to America.
He was thus enabled to be of some small comfort to her on her arrival in the strange land she had dreaded82 so much; but, even here, fate was still against the lovers. Manon's fatal beauty was the means of placing further perils83 in her path, and, in order to escape a worse danger than any which had threatened her before, she was compelled to make a sudden hurried flight, accompanied by the ever-faithful Des Grieux.
The lovers now were forced to wander as fugitives84 in a vast solitary85 wilderness86, far from human habitation and aid, and where starvation soon met them face to face.
All too quickly, poor Manon wasted and drooped87, her bright butterfly nature utterly88 crushed by such terrible reverses; and at last, one day, as the pair toiled89 on their way, she sank to the ground dying from exhaustion90.
Full of despair, Des Grieux vainly sought for water and refreshment91, to save the precious life he loved so well; but Manon, knowing herself to be past all human aid, called him back to her side once more, and, folded closely in his trembling arms, she expired, declaring her love for him with her last breath.
Heart-broken, Des Grieux, with a cry of woe92, fell senseless beside the dead body of his beloved Manon—that Manon, so fair and so alluring93, such a bewildering contrast of passionate love and mischievous coquetry, a fascinating, sunshine-loving butterfly with the tender heart of a true woman.
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1
flirting
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| v.调情，打情骂俏( flirt的现在分词 ) | |
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aloof
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| adj.远离的；冷淡的，漠不关心的 | |
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poetic
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| adj.富有诗意的，有诗人气质的，善于抒情的 | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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artistic
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| adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的 | |
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temperament
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| n.气质，性格，性情 | |
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portended
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| v.预示( portend的过去式和过去分词 )；预兆；给…以警告；预告 | |
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darts
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| n.掷飞镖游戏；飞镖( dart的名词复数 )；急驰，飞奔v.投掷，投射( dart的第三人称单数 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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nun
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| n.修女，尼姑 | |
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destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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snares
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| n.陷阱( snare的名词复数 )；圈套；诱人遭受失败（丢脸、损失等）的东西；诱惑物v.用罗网捕捉，诱陷，陷害( snare的第三人称单数 ) | |
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craved
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| 渴望，热望( crave的过去式 )； 恳求，请求 | |
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raved
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| v.胡言乱语( rave的过去式和过去分词 )；愤怒地说；咆哮；痴心地说 | |
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ardently
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| adv.热心地，热烈地 | |
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ardent
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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incarceration
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| n.监禁，禁闭；钳闭 | |
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23
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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24
disinterested
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| adj.不关心的，不感兴趣的 | |
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25
avaricious
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| adj.贪婪的，贪心的 | |
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libertine
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| n.淫荡者；adj.放荡的，自由思想的 | |
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baron
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| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
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foppish
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| adj.矫饰的，浮华的 | |
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amorous
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| adj.多情的；有关爱情的 | |
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30
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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enthralled
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| 迷住，吸引住( enthrall的过去式和过去分词 )； 使感到非常愉快 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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besought
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| v.恳求，乞求（某事物）( beseech的过去式和过去分词 )；(beseech的过去式与过去分词) | |
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contrive
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| vt.谋划，策划；设法做到；设计，想出 | |
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temperaments
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| 性格( temperament的名词复数 )； （人或动物的）气质； 易冲动； （性情）暴躁 | |
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mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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magnetism
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| n.磁性，吸引力，磁学 | |
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throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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secluded
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| adj.与世隔绝的；隐退的；偏僻的v.使隔开，使隐退( seclude的过去式和过去分词) | |
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41
entreated
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| 恳求，乞求( entreat的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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mischievous
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| adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的 | |
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gambling
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| n.赌博；投机 | |
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dice
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| n.骰子；vt.把（食物）切成小方块，冒险 | |
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pacifying
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| 使（某人）安静( pacify的现在分词 )； 息怒； 抚慰； 在（有战争的地区、国家等）实现和平 | |
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extravagant
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| adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的 | |
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47
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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49
enticed
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| 诱惑，怂恿( entice的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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lavished
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| v.过分给予，滥施( lavish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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51
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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52
longings
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| 渴望，盼望( longing的名词复数 ) | |
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restrictions
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| 约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则） | |
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54
passionately
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| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
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voluptuous
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| adj.肉欲的，骄奢淫逸的 | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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lured
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| 吸引，引诱（lure的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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whim
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| n.一时的兴致，突然的念头；奇想，幻想 | |
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reigned
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| vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式） | |
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distractions
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| n.使人分心的事[人]( distraction的名词复数 )；娱乐，消遣；心烦意乱；精神错乱 | |
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iridescent
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| adj.彩虹色的，闪色的 | |
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satiety
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| n.饱和；(市场的)充分供应 | |
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inevitably
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| adv.不可避免地；必然发生地 | |
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lasting
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| adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持 | |
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desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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enticing
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| adj.迷人的；诱人的 | |
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dire
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| adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的 | |
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renderings
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| n.（戏剧或乐曲的）演奏( rendering的名词复数 )；扮演；表演；翻译作品 | |
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boredom
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| n.厌烦，厌倦，乏味，无聊 | |
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piqued
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| v.伤害…的自尊心( pique的过去式和过去分词 )；激起（好奇心） | |
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fascination
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| n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋 | |
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endearment
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| n.表示亲爱的行为 | |
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oblivious
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| adj.易忘的，遗忘的，忘却的，健忘的 | |
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heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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entreaties
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| n.恳求，乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
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77
condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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deportation
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| n.驱逐，放逐 | |
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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80
frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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81
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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82
dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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83
perils
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| 极大危险( peril的名词复数 )； 危险的事（或环境） | |
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84
fugitives
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| n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
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85
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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86
wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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87
drooped
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| 弯曲或下垂，发蔫( droop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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88
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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89
toiled
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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90
exhaustion
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| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
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91
refreshment
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| n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点 | |
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92
woe
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| n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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alluring
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| adj.吸引人的，迷人的 | |
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