by abbé Prévost
XIII
Sunt hie etiam sua proemia laudi, Sunt lachrymae rerum, et mentem mortalia tangunt. VIRGIL.
E'en the mute walls relate the victim's fame. And sinner's tears the good man's pity claim. DRYDEN.
"We set sail; the wind continued favourable during the entire passage.I obtained from the captain's kindness a separate cabin for the use ofManon and myself. He was so good as to distinguish us from the herd ofour miserable associates. I took an opportunity, on the second day, ofconciliating his attentions, by telling him part of our unfortunatehistory. I did not feel that I was guilty of any very culpablefalsehood in saying that I was the husband of Manon. He appeared tobelieve it, and promised me his protection; and indeed we experienced,during the whole passage, the most flattering evidences of hissincerity. He took care that our table was comfortably provided; andhis attentions procured us the marked respect of our companions inmisery. The unwearied object of my solicitude was to save Manon fromevery inconvenience. She felt this, and her gratitude, together with alively sense of the singular position in which I had placed myselfsolely for her sake, rendered the dear creature so tender andimpassioned, so attentive also to my most trifling wants, that it wasbetween us a continual emulation of attentions and of love. I felt noregret at quitting Europe; on the contrary, the nearer we approachedAmerica, the more did I feel my heart expand and become tranquil. If Ihad not felt a dread of our perhaps wanting, by and by, the absolutenecessaries of life, I should have been grateful to fate for having atlength given so favourable a turn to our affairs.
"'After a passage of two months, we at length reached the banks of thedesired river. The country offered at first sight nothing agreeable.We saw only sterile and uninhabited plains, covered with rushes, andsome trees rooted up by the wind. No trace either of men or animals.However, the captain having discharged some pieces of artillery, wepresently observed a group of the inhabitants of New Orleans, whoapproached us with evident signs of joy. We had not perceived thetown: it is concealed upon the side on which we approached it by ahill. We were received as persons dropped from the clouds.
"The poor inhabitants hastened to put a thousand questions to us uponthe state of France, and of the different provinces in which they wereborn. They embraced us as brothers, and as beloved companions, who hadcome to share their pains and their solitude.
"We turned towards the town with them; but we were astonished toperceive, as we advanced, that what we had hitherto heard spoken of asa respectable town, was nothing more than a collection of miserablehuts. They were inhabited by five or six hundred persons. Thegovernor's house was a little distinguished from the rest by its heightand its position. It was surrounded by some earthen ramparts, and adeep ditch.
"We were first presented to him. He continued for some time inconversation with the captain; and then advancing towards us, he lookedattentively at the women one after another: there were thirty of them,for another troop of convicts had joined us at Havre. After havingthus inspected them, he sent for several young men of the colony whowere desirous to marry. He assigned the handsomest women to theprincipal of these, and the remainder were disposed of by lot. He hadnot yet addressed Manon; but having ordered the others to depart, hemade us remain. 'I learn from the captain,' said he, 'that you aremarried, and he is convinced by your conduct on the passage that youare both persons of merit and of education. I have nothing to do withthe cause of your misfortunes; but if it be true that you are asconversant with the world and society as your appearance wouldindicate, I shall spare no pains to soften the severity of your lot,and you may on your part contribute towards rendering this savage anddesert abode less disagreeable to me.' I replied in the manner which Ithought best calculated to confirm the opinion he had formed of us. Hegave orders to have a habitation prepared for us in the town, anddetained us to supper. I was really surprised to find so muchpoliteness in a governor of transported convicts. In the presence ofothers he abstained from enquiring about our past adventures. Theconversation was general; and in spite of our degradation, Manon and Iexerted ourselves to make it lively and agreeable.
"At night we were conducted to the lodging prepared for us. We found awretched hovel composed of planks and mud, containing three rooms onthe ground, and a loft overhead. He had sent there six chairs, andsome few necessaries of life.
"Manon appeared frightened by the first view of this melancholydwelling. It was on my account much more than upon her own, that shedistressed herself. When we were left to ourselves, she sat down andwept bitterly. I attempted at first to console her; but when sheenabled me to understand that it was for my sake she deplored ourprivations, and that in our common afflictions she only considered meas the sufferer, I put on an air of resolution, and even of content,sufficient to encourage her.
"'What is there in my lot to lament?' said I; 'I possess all that Ihave ever desired. You love me, Manon, do you not? What happinessbeyond this have I ever longed for? Let us leave to Providence thedirection of our destiny; it by no means appears to me so desperate.The governor is civil and obliging; he has already given us marks ofhis consideration; he will not allow us to want for necessaries. As toour rude hut and the squalidness of our furniture, you might havenoticed that there are few persons in the colony better lodged or morecomfortably furnished than we are: and then you are an admirablechemist,' added I, embracing her; 'you transform everything into gold.'
"'In that case,' she answered, 'you shall be the richest man in theuniverse; for, as there never was love surpassing yours, so it isimpossible for man to be loved more tenderly than you are by me. Iwell know,' she continued, 'that I have never merited the almostincredible fidelity and attachment which you have shown for me. I haveoften caused you annoyances, which nothing but excessive fondness couldhave induced you to pardon. I have been thoughtless and volatile; andeven while loving you as I have always done to distraction, I was neverfree from a consciousness of ingratitude. But you cannot believe howmuch my nature is altered; those tears which you have so frequentlyseen me shed since quitting the French shore, have not been caused bymy own misfortunes. Since you began to share them with me, I have beena stranger to selfishness: I only wept from tenderness and compassionfor you. I am inconsolable at the thought of having given you oneinstant's pain during my past life. I never cease upbraiding myselfwith my former inconstancy, and wondering at the sacrifices which lovehas induced you to make for a miserable and unworthy wretch, who couldnot, with the last drop of her blood, compensate for half the tormentsshe has caused you.'
"Her grief, the language, and the tone in which she expressed herself,made such an impression, that I felt my heart ready to break in me.'Take care,' said I to her, 'take care, dear Manon; I have not strengthto endure such exciting marks of your affection; I am little accustomedto the rapturous sensations which you now kindle in my heart. OhHeaven!' cried I, 'I have now nothing further to ask of you. I am sureof Manon's love. That has been alone wanting to complete my happiness;I can now never cease to be happy: my felicity is well secured.'
"'It is indeed,' she replied, 'if it depends upon me, and I well knowwhere I can be ever certain of finding my own happiness centred.'
"With these ideas, capable of turning my hut into a palace worthy ofearth's proudest monarch, I lay down to rest. America appeared to myview the true land of milk and honey, the abode of contentment anddelight. 'People should come to New Orleans,' I often said to Manon,'who wish to enjoy the real rapture of love! It is here that love isdivested of all selfishness, all jealousy, all inconstancy. Ourcountrymen come here in search of gold; they little think that we havediscovered treasures of inestimably greater value.'
"We carefully cultivated the governor's friendship. He bestowed uponme, a few weeks after our arrival, a small appointment which becamevacant in the fort. Although not one of any distinction, I gratefullyaccepted it as a gift of Providence, as it enabled me to liveindependently of others' aid. I took a servant
for myself, and a womanfor Manon. Our little establishment became settled: nothing couldsurpass the regularity of my conduct, or that of Manon; we lost noopportunity of serving or doing an act of kindness to our neighbours.This friendly disposition, and the mildness of our manners, secured usthe confidence and affection of the whole colony. We soon became sorespected, that we ranked as the principal persons in the town afterthe governor.
"The simplicity of our habits and occupations, and the perfectinnocence in which we lived, revived insensibly our early feelings ofdevotion. Manon had never been an irreligious girl, and I was far frombeing one of those reckless libertines who delight in adding impietyand sacrilege to moral depravity: all the disorders of our lives mightbe fairly ascribed to the natural influences of youth and love.Experience had now begun with us to do the office of age; it producedthe same effect upon us as years must have done. Our conversation,which was generally of a serious turn, by degrees engendered a longingfor virtuous love. I first proposed this change to Manon. I knew theprinciples of her heart; she was frank and natural in all hersentiments, qualities which invariably predispose to virtue. I said toher that there was but one thing wanting to complete our happiness: 'itis,' said I, 'to invoke upon our union the benediction of Heaven. Wehave both of us hearts too sensitive and minds too refined, to continuevoluntarily in the wilful violation of so sacred a duty. It signifiesnothing our having lived while in France in such a manner, becausethere it was as impossible for us not to love, as to be united by alegitimate tie: but in America, where we are under no restraint, wherewe owe no allegiance to the arbitrary distinctions of birth andaristocratic prejudice, where besides we are already supposed to bemarried, why should we not actually become so--why should we notsanctify our love by the holy ordinances of religion? As for me,' Iadded, 'I offer nothing new in offering you my hand and my heart; but Iam ready to ratify it at the foot of the altar.'
"This speech seemed to inspire her with joy. 'Would you believe it,'she replied, 'I have thought of this a thousand times since our arrivalin America? The fear of annoying you has kept it shut up in my breast.I felt that I had no pretensions to aspire to the character of yourwife.'
"'Ah! Manon,' said I, 'you should very soon be a sovereign's consort,if I had been born to the inheritance of a crown. Let us not hesitate;we have no obstacle to impede us: I will this day speak to the governoron the subject, and acknowledge that we have in this particularhitherto deceived him. Let us leave,' added I, 'to vulgar lovers thedread of the indissoluble bonds of marriage;[1] they would not fearthem if they were assured, as we are, of the continuance of those oflove.' I left Manon enchanted by this resolution.
"I am persuaded that no honest man could disapprove of this intentionin my present situation; that is to say, fatally enslaved as I was by apassion which I could not subdue, and visited by compunction andremorse which I ought not to stifle. But will any man charge me withinjustice or impiety if I complain of the rigour of Heaven in defeatinga design that I could only have formed with the view of conciliatingits favour and complying with its decrees? Alas do I say defeated?nay punished as a new crime. I was patiently permitted to go blindlyalong the high road of vice; and the cruellest chastisements werereserved for the period when I was returning to the paths of virtue. Inow fear that I shall have hardly fortitude enough left to recount themost disastrous circumstances that ever occurred to any man.
"I waited upon the governor, as I had settled with Manon, to procurehis consent to the ceremony of our marriage. I should have avoidedspeaking to him or to any other person upon the subject, if I hadimagined that his chaplain, who was the only minister in the town,would have performed the office for me without his knowledge; but notdaring to hope that he would do so privately, I determined to actingenuously in the matter.
"The governor had a nephew named Synnelet, of whom he was particularlyfond. He was about thirty; brave, but of a headstrong and violentdisposition. He was not married. Manon's beauty had struck him on thefirst day of our arrival; and the numberless opportunities he had ofseeing her during the last nine or ten months, had so inflamed hispassion, that he was absolutely pining for her in secret. However, ashe was convinced in common with his uncle and the whole colony that Iwas married, he put such a restraint upon his feelings, that theyremained generally unnoticed; and he lost no opportunity of showing themost disinterested friendship for me.
"He happened to be with his uncle when I arrived at the governmenthouse. I had no reason for keeping my intention a secret from him, sothat I explained myself without hesitation in his presence. Thegovernor heard me with his usual kindness. I related to him a part ofmy history, to which he listened with evident interest; and when Irequested his presence at the intended ceremony, he was so generous asto say, that he must be permitted to defray the expenses of thesucceeding entertainment. I retired perfectly satisfied.
"In an hour after, the chaplain paid me a visit. I thought he was cometo prepare me by religious instruction for the sacred ceremony; but,after a cold salutation, he announced to me in two words, that thegovernor desired I would relinquish all thoughts of such a thing, forthat he had other views for Manon.
"'Other views for Manon!' said I, as I felt my heart sink within me;'what views then can they be, chaplain?'
"He replied, that I must be, of course, aware that the governor wasabsolute master here; that Manon, having been transported from Franceto the colony, was entirely at his disposal; that, hitherto he had notexercised his right, believing that she was a married woman; but thatnow, having learned from my own lips that it was not so, he hadresolved to assign her to M. Synnelet, who was passionately in lovewith her.
"My indignation overcame my prudence. Irritated as I was, I desiredthe chaplain instantly to quit my house, swearing at the same time thatneither governor, Synnelet, nor the whole colony together, should layhands upon my wife, or mistress, if they chose so to call her.
"I immediately told Manon of the distressing message I had justreceived. We conjectured that Synnelet had warped his uncle's mindafter my departure, and that it was all the effect of a premeditateddesign. They were, questionless, the stronger party. We foundourselves in New Orleans, as in the midst of the ocean, separated fromthe rest of the world by an immense interval of space. In a countryperfectly unknown, a desert, or inhabited, if not by brutes, at leastby savages quite as ferocious, to what corner could we fly? I wasrespected in the town, but I could not hope to excite the people in myfavour to such a degree as to derive assistance from them proportionedto the impending danger: money was requisite for that purpose, and Iwas poor. Besides, the success of a popular commotion was uncertain;and if we failed in the attempt, our doom would be inevitably sealed.
"I revolved these thoughts in my mind; I mentioned them in part toManon; I found new ones, without waiting for her replies; I determinedupon one course, and then abandoned that to adopt another; I talked tomyself, and answered my own thoughts aloud; at length I sank into akind of hysterical stupor that I can compare to nothing, becausenothing ever equalled it. Manon observed my emotion, and from itsviolence, judged how imminent was our danger; and, apprehensive more onmy account than on her own, the dear girl could not even venture togive expression to her fears.
"After a multitude of reflections, I resolved to call upon thegovernor, and appeal to his feelings of honour, to the recollection ofmy unvarying respect for him, and the marks he had given of his ownaffection for us both. Manon endeavoured to dissuade me from thisattempt: she said, with tears in her eyes, 'You are rushing into thejaws of death; they will murder you--I shall never again see you--I amdetermined to die before you.' I had great difficulty in persuadingher that it was absolutely necessary that I should go, and that sheshould remain at home. I promised that she should see me again in a fewmoments. She did not foresee, nor did I, that it was against herselfthe whole anger of Heaven, and the rabid fury of our enemies, was aboutto be concentrated.
"I went to the fort: the governor
was there with his chaplain. Isupplicated him in a tone of humble submission that I could have illbrooked under other circumstances. I invoked his clemency by everyargument calculated to soften any heart less ferocious and cruel than atiger's.
"The barbarian made to all my prayers but two short answers, which herepeated over and over again. 'Manon,' he said, 'was at his disposal:and he had given a promise to his nephew.' I was resolved to commandmy feelings to the last: I merely replied, that I had imagined he wastoo sincerely my friend to desire my death, to which I would infinitelyrather consent than to the loss of my mistress.
"I felt persuaded, on quitting him, that it was folly to expectanything from the obstinate tyrant, who would have damned himself ahundred times over to please his nephew. However, I persevered inrestraining my temper to the end; deeply resolved, if they persisted insuch flagrant injustice, to make America the scene of one of the mosthorrible and bloody murders that even love had ever led to.
"I was, on my return home, meditating upon this design, when fate, asif impatient to expedite my ruin, threw Synnelet in my way. He read inmy countenance a portion of my thoughts. I before said, he was brave.He approached me.
"'Are you not seeking me?' he enquired. 'I know that my intentionshave given you mortal offence, and that the death of one of us isindispensable: let us see who is to be the happy man.'
"I replied, that such was unquestionably the fact, and that nothing butdeath could end the difference between us.
"We retired about one hundred paces out of the town. We drew: Iwounded and disarmed him at the first onset. He was so enraged, thathe peremptorily refused either to ask his life or renounce his claimsto Manon. I might have been perhaps justified in ending both by asingle blow; but noble blood ever vindicates its origin. I threw himback his sword. 'Let us renew the struggle,' said I to him, 'andremember that there shall be now no quarter.' He attacked me withredoubled fury. I must confess that I was not an accomplishedswordsman, having had but three months' tuition in Paris. Love,however, guided my weapon. Synnelet pierced me through and through theleft arm; but I caught him whilst thus engaged, and made so vigorous athrust that I stretched him senseless at my feet.
"In spite of the triumphant feeling that victory, after a mortalconflict, inspires, I was immediately horrified by the certainconsequences of his death. There could not be the slightest hope ofeither pardon or respite from the vengeance I had thus incurred.Aware, as I was, of the affection of the governor for his nephew, Ifelt perfectly sure that my death would not be delayed a single hourafter his should become known. 'Urgent as this apprehension was, itstill was by no means the principal source of my uneasiness. Manon,the welfare of Manon, the peril that impended over her, and thecertainty of my being now at length separated from her, afflicted me tosuch a degree, that I was incapable of recognising the place in which Istood. I regretted Synnelet's death: instant suicide seemed the onlyremedy for my woes.
"However, it was this very thought that quickly restored me to myreason, and enabled me to form a resolution. 'What,' said I to myself,'die, in order to end my pain! Then there is something I dread morethan the loss of all I love! No, let me suffer the cruellestextremities in order to aid her; and when these prove of no avail, flyto death as a last resource!'
"I returned towards the town; on my arrival at home, I found Manon halfdead with fright and anxiety: my presence restored her. I could notconceal from her the terrible accident that had happened. On mymentioning the death of Synnelet and my own wound, she fell in a stateof insensibility into my arms. It was a quarter of an hour before Icould bring her again to her senses.
"I was myself in a most deplorable state of mind; I could not discernthe slightest prospect of safety for either of us. 'Manon,' said I toher, when she had recovered a little, 'what shall we do? Alas, whathope remains to us? I must necessarily fly. Will you remain in thetown? Yes dearest Manon, do remain; you may possibly still be happyhere; while I, far away from you, may seek death and find it amongstthe savages, or the wild beasts.'
"She raised herself in spite of her weakness, and taking hold of myhand to lead me towards the door: 'Let us,' said she, 'fly together,we have not a moment to lose; Synnelet's body may be found by chance,and we shall then have no time to escape.' 'But, dear Manon,' repliedI, 'to what place can we fly? Do you perceive any resource? Would itnot be better that you should endeavour to live on without me; and thatI should go and voluntarily place my life in the governor's hands?'
"This proposal had only the effect of making her more impatient for ourdeparture. I had presence of mind enough, on going out, to take withme some strong liquors which I had in my chamber, and as much food as Icould carry in my pockets. We told our servants, who were in theadjoining room, that we were going to take our evening walk, as was ourinvariable habit; and we left the town behind us more rapidly than Ihad thought possible from Manon's delicate state of health.
"Although I had not formed any resolve as to our future destination, Istill cherished a hope, without which I should have infinitelypreferred death to my suspense about Manon's safety. I had acquired asufficient knowledge of the country, during nearly ten months which Ihad now passed in America, to know in what manner the natives should beapproached. Death was not the necessary consequence of falling intotheir hands. I had learned a few words of their language, and some oftheir customs, having had many opportunities of seeing them.
"Besides this sad resource, I derived some hopes from the fact, thatthe English had, like ourselves, established colonies in this part ofthe New World. But the distance was terrific. In order to reach them,we should have to traverse deserts of many days' journey, and more thanone range of mountains so steep and vast as to seem almost impassableto the strongest man. I nevertheless flattered myself that we mightderive partial relief from one or other of these sources: the savagesmight serve us as guides, and the English receive us in theirsettlements.
"We journeyed on as long as Manon's strength would permit, that is tosay, about six miles; for this incomparable creature, with her usualabsence of selfishness, refused my repeated entreaties to stop.Overpowered at length by fatigue, she acknowledged the utterimpossibility of proceeding farther. It was already night: we sat downin the midst of an extensive plain, where we could not even find a treeto shelter us. Her first care was to dress my wound, which she hadbandaged before our departure. I, in vain, entreated her to desist fromexertion: it would have only added to her distress if I had refused herthe satisfaction of seeing me at ease and out of danger, before her ownwants were attended to. I allowed her therefore to gratify herself,and in shame and silence submitted to her delicate attentions.
"But when she had completed her tender task, with what ardour did I notenter upon mine! I took off my clothes and stretched them under her,to render more endurable the hard and rugged ground on which she lay.I protected her delicate hands from the cold by my burning kisses andthe warmth of my sighs. I passed the livelong night in watching overher as she slept, and praying Heaven to refresh her with soft andundisturbed repose. 'You can bear witness, just and all-seeing God! tothe fervour and sincerity of those prayers, and Thou alone knowest withwhat awful rigour they were rejected.'
"You will excuse me, if I now cut short a story which it distresses mebeyond endurance to relate. It is, I believe, a calamity withoutparallel. I can never cease to deplore it. But although it continues,of course, deeply and indelibly impressed on my memory, yet my heartseems to shrink within me each time that I attempt the recital.
"We had thus tranquilly passed the night. I had fondly imagined thatmy beloved mistress was in a profound sleep, and I hardly dared tobreathe lest I should disturb her. As day broke, I observed that herhands were cold and trembling; I pressed them to my bosom in the hopeof restoring animation. This movement roused her attention, and makingan effort to grasp my hand, she said, in a feeble voice, that shethought her last moments had arrived.
"I, at first, took this for a
passing weakness, or the ordinarylanguage of distress; and I answered with the usual consolations thatlove prompted. But her incessant sighs, her silence, and inattentionto my enquiries, the convulsed grasp of her hands, in which sheretained mine, soon convinced me that the crowning end of all mymiseries was approaching.
"Do not now expect me to attempt a description of my feelings, or torepeat her dying expressions. I lost her--I received the purestassurances of her love even at the very instant that her spirit fled.I have not nerve to say more upon this fatal and disastrous event.
"My spirit was not destined to accompany Manon's. Doubtless, Heavendid not as yet consider me sufficiently punished, and thereforeordained that I should continue to drag on a languid and joylessexistence. I willingly renounced every hope of leading a happy one.
"I remained for twenty-four hours without taking my lips from the stillbeauteous countenance and hands of my adored Manon. My intention wasto await my own death in that position; but at the beginning of thesecond day, I reflected that, after I was gone, she must of necessitybecome the prey of wild beasts. I then determined to bury her, andwait my own doom upon her grave. I was already, indeed, so near my endfrom the combined effect of long fasting and grief, that it was withthe greatest difficulty I could support myself standing. I was obligedto have recourse to the liquors which I had brought with me, and theserestored sufficient strength to enable me to set about my last sadoffice. From the sandy nature of the soil there was little trouble inopening the ground. I broke my sword and used it for the purpose; butmy bare hands were of greater service. I dug a deep grave, and theredeposited the idol of my heart, after having wrapt around her myclothes to prevent the sand from touching her. I kissed her tenthousand times with all the ardour of the most glowing love, before Ilaid her in this melancholy bed. I sat for some time upon the bankintently gazing on her, and could not command fortitude enough to closethe grave over her. At length, feeling that my strength was givingway, and apprehensive of its being entirely exhausted before thecompletion of my task, I committed to the earth all that it had evercontained most perfect and peerless. I then lay myself with my facedown upon the grave, and closing my eyes with the determination neveragain to open them, I invoked the mercy of Heaven, and ardently prayedfor death.
"You will find it difficult to believe that, during the whole time ofthis protracted and distressing ceremony, not a tear or a sigh escapedto relieve my agony. The state of profound affliction in which I was,and the deep settled resolution I had taken to die, had silenced thesighs of despair, and effectually dried up the ordinary channels ofgrief. It was thus impossible for me, in this posture upon the grave,to continue for any time in possession of my faculties.
"After what you have listened to, the remainder of my own history wouldill repay the attention you seem inclined to bestow upon it. Synnelethaving been carried into the town and skilfully examined, it was foundthat, so far from being dead, he was not even dangerously wounded. Heinformed his uncle of the manner in which the affray had occurredbetween us, and he generously did justice to my conduct on theoccasion. I was sent for; and as neither of us could be found, ourflight was immediately suspected. It was then too late to attempt totrace me, but the next day and the following one were employed in thepursuit.
"I was found, without any appearance of life, upon the grave of Manon:and the persons who discovered me in this situation, seeing that I wasalmost naked and bleeding from my wounds, naturally supposed that I hadbeen robbed and assassinated. They carried me into the town. Themotion restored me to my senses. The sighs I heaved on opening my eyesand finding myself still amongst the living, showed that I was notbeyond the reach of art: they were but too successful in itsapplication.
"I was immediately confined as a close prisoner. My trial was ordered;and as Manon was not forthcoming, I was accused of having murdered herfrom rage and jealousy. I naturally related all that had occurred.Synnelet, though bitterly grieved and disappointed by what he heard,had the generosity to solicit my pardon: he obtained it.
"I was so reduced, that they were obliged to carry me from the prisonto my bed, and there I suffered for three long months under severeillness. My aversion from life knew no diminution. I continuallyprayed for death, and obstinately for some time refused every remedy.But Providence, after having punished me with atoning rigour, saw fitto turn to my own use its chastisements and the memory of my multipliedsorrows. It at length deigned to shed upon me its redeeming light, andrevived in my mind ideas worthy of my birth and my early education.
"My tranquillity of mind being again restored, my cure speedilyfollowed. I began only to feel the highest aspirations of honour, anddiligently performed the duties of my appointment, whilst expecting thearrival of the vessels from France, which were always due at thisperiod of the year. I resolved to return to my native country, thereto expiate the scandal of my former life by my future good conduct.Synnelet had the remains of my dear mistress removed into a morehallowed spot.
"It was six weeks after my recovery that, one day walking alone uponthe banks of the river, I saw a vessel arrive, which some mercantilespeculation had directed to New Orleans. I stood by whilst thepassengers landed. Judge my surprise on recognising Tiberge amongstthose who proceeded towards the town. This ever-faithful friend knewme at a distance, in spite of the ravages which care and sorrow hadworked upon my countenance. He told me that the sole object of hisvoyage had been to see me once more, and to induce me to return withhim to France; that on receipt of the last letter which I had writtento him from Havre, he started for that place, and was himself thebearer of the succour which I solicited; that he had been sensiblyaffected on learning my departure, and that he would have instantlyfollowed me, if there had been a vessel bound for the same destination;that he had been for several months endeavouring to hear of one in thevarious seaport towns, and that, having at length found one at St. Malowhich was weighing anchor for Martinique, he embarked, in theexpectation of easily passing from thence to New Orleans; that the St.Malo vessel having been captured by Spanish pirates and taken to one oftheir islands, he had contrived to escape; and that, in short, aftermany adventures, he had got on board the vessel which had just arrived,and at length happily attained his object.
"I was totally unable adequately to express my feelings of gratitude tothis generous and unshaken friend. I conducted him to my house, andplaced all I possessed at his service. I related to him everycircumstance that had occurred to me since I left France: and in orderto gladden him with tidings which I knew he did not expect, I assuredhim that the seeds of virtue which he had in former days implanted inmy heart, were now about to produce fruit, of which even he should beproud. He declared to me, that this gladdening announcement more thanrepaid him for all the fatigue and trouble he had endured.
"We passed two months together at New Orleans whilst waiting thedeparture of a vessel direct to France; and having at length sailed, welanded only a fortnight since at Havre-de-Grace. On my arrival I wroteto my family. By a letter from my elder brother, I there learned myfather's death, which, I dread to think, the disorders of my youthmight have hastened. The wind being favourable for Calais, I embarkedfor this port, and am now going to the house of one of my relations wholives a few miles off, where my brother said that he should anxiouslyawait my arrival."
[1] Some say that Love, at sight of human ties, Spreads his light wings, and in a moment flies.