“We were first presented to him.  He continued for some time in conversation with the captain; and then advancing towards us, he looked attentively at the women one after another:  there were thirty of them, for another troop of convicts had joined us at Havre.  After having thus inspected them, he sent for several young men of the colony who were desirous to marry.  He assigned the handsomest women to the principal of these, and the remainder were disposed of by lot.  He had not yet addressed Manon; but having ordered the others to depart, he made us remain. `I learn from the captain,’ said he, `that you are married, and he is convinced by your conduct on the passage that you are both persons of merit and of education.  I have nothing to do with the cause of your misfortunes; but if it be true that you are as conversant with the world and society as your appearance would indicate, I shall spare no pains to soften the severity of your lot, and you may on your part contribute towards rendering this savage and desert abode less disagreeable to me.’  I replied in the manner which I thought best calculated to confirm the opinion he had formed of us.  He gave orders to have a habitation prepared for us in the town, and detained us to supper.  I was really surprised to find so much politeness in a governor of transported convicts.  In the presence of others he abstained from enquiring about our past adventures.  The conversation was general; and in spite of our degradation, Manon and I exerted ourselves to make it lively and agreeable.

“At night we were conducted to the lodging prepared for us.  We found a wretched hovel composed of planks and mud, containing three rooms on the ground, and a loft overhead.  He had sent there six chairs, and some few necessaries of life.

“Manon appeared frightened by the first view of this melancholy dwelling.  It was on my account much more than upon her own, that she distressed herself.  When we were left to ourselves, she sat down and wept bitterly.  I attempted at first to console her; but when she enabled me to understand that it was for my sake she deplored our privations, and that in our common afflictions she only considered me as 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 I have ever desired.  You love me, Manon, do you not?  What happiness beyond this have I ever longed for?  Let us leave to Providence the direction of our destiny; it by no means appears to me so desperate.  The governor is civil and obliging; he has already given us marks of his consideration; he will not allow us to want for necessaries.  As to our rude hut and the squalidness of our furniture, you might have noticed that there are few persons in the colony better lodged or more comfortably furnished than we are:  and then you are an admirable chemist,’ added I, embracing her; `you transform everything into gold.’