“However sound this reasoning, it could not, in my mind, outweigh the immediate prospect of restoring Manon to liberty.  I said as much to M. de T——­, and trusted that he would excuse my imprudence and rashness, on the ground of love.  I added that it was already my intention to quit Paris for some neighbouring village, as I had once before done.  We then settled with the servant that he should carry his project into execution the following day, and to render our success as certain as he could, we resolved to carry into the prison men’s clothes, in order to facilitate her escape.

There was a difficulty to be surmounted in carrying them in, but I had ingenuity enough to meet it.  I begged of M. de T——­ only to put on two light waistcoats the next morning, and I undertook to arrange the rest.

We returned the following day to the Hospital.  I took with me linen, stockings, etc., for Manon, and over my body-coat a surtout, which concealed the bulk I carried in my pockets.  We remained but a moment in her room.  M. de T——­ left her one of his waistcoats; I gave her my short coat, the surtout being sufficient for me.  She found nothing wanting for her complete equipment but a pair of pantaloons, which in my hurry I had forgotten.

“The want of so necessary an article might have amused us, if the embarrassment it caused had been of a less serious kind.  I was in despair at having our whole scheme foiled by a trifling omission of this nature.  However, I soon hit on a remedy, and determined to make my own exit sans-culotte, leaving that portion of my dress with Manon.  My surtout was long, and I contrived by the help of a few pins to put myself in a decent condition for passing the gate.

“The remainder of the day appeared to me of endless length.  When at last night came, we went in a coach to within a few yards of the Hospital.  We were not long waiting, when we saw Manon make her appearance with her guide.  The door of the coach being opened, they both stepped in without delay.  I opened my arms to receive my adored mistress; she trembled like an aspen leaf.  The coachman asked where he was to drive? `To the end of the world!’ I exclaimed; `to some place where I can never again be separated from Manon.’

“This burst, which I could not control, was near bringing me into fresh trouble.  The coachman reflected upon what I said, and when I afterwards told him the name of the street to which I wished him to drive, he answered that he feared I was about to implicate him in some bad business; that he saw plainly enough that the good-looking young man whom I called Manon was a girl eloping from the Hospital, and that he was little disposed indeed to ruin himself for love of me.

“Extortion was the source of this scoundrel’s delicacy.  We were still too near the Hospital to make any noise. `Silence!’ said I to him, `you shall have a louis d’or for the job’:  for less than that he would have helped me to burn the Hospital.