was carrying off from the Hôpital; and he had no fancy for getting himself into trouble merely to oblige me.
The rascal's scruples were simply a pretence for extorting a higher price from me for his coach. We were in too close proximity to the Hôpital to make any altercation desirable.
"Hold your peace," said I, "and you will earn a louis d'or."
After that, he would have aided me to burn down the Hôpital itself had I asked him.
We drove to the house in which Lescaut lived. As the hour was late M. de T——— left us on the way, promising to come and see us the following day. The turnkey alone remained with us.
I held Manon clasped so closely in my arms that we occupied only the place of one in the coach. She was weeping from joy, and I felt my face moistened by her tears.
When we reached Lescaut's door and were about to alight, I had a fresh dispute with the coachman, the consequences of which were disastrous. I repented my promise of giving him a louis, not only because the sum was exorbitant, but for another and much weightier reason—my utter inability to pay it.
I sent for Lescaut, who came down from his room to the door. I told him in a whisper the plight that I was in. Being naturally hot-tempered, and by no means accustomed to waste much consideration upon a coachman, he replied that I must surely be in jest. "A louis d'or, indeed!" he exclaimed. "Trounce the fellow with your cane until he has his money's worth!" In vain did I expostulate with him in a low voice that he would be the undoing of us. He snatched my cane out of my hands, and was evidently about to lay it across the driver's shoulders, when
