attending to some business, beg-ging her not to leave her place or speak with strangers.

Manon waits in the courtyard, bashful and shy, envying the three girls who seem to be passing a pleasant time inside the pavilion, and grieving that she will soon withdraw from the world and its delights and retire behind the quiet walls of the convent.

At that moment there arrives a young man of handsome appearance — the aristocrat, the Chevalier des Grieux. A glance, then a smile... then love. And when Guillot's coachman appears, saying that his carriage is at Manon's disposal, the Chevalier and Manon cannot withstand the overwhelming temptation: they board the carriage on its way to Paris, just as Lescaut and Guillot return, astonished at what has happened and furious at Manon's disappearance. The innkeeper explains that the two have left in the carriage, and the assembled crowd bursts out laughing at Guillot, who boils with rage and swears to be avenged on Manon and her mad kinsman Lescaut.

Act Two

The scene: Des Grieux's house in Paris.

Manon is radiant with happiness at the side of her besotted new lover, the Chevalier des Grieux, in his house in Paris. Des Grieux is penning a letter to his father, asking his leave to marry Manon, while she stands behind him,

reading over his head the glowing phrases in which he describes her. Their privacy is broken by a servant announcing the arrival of two visitors: Lescaut, and the nobleman De Brétigny, who had been courting Manon with bouquets of flowers. With anger and bluster Lescaut demands sat-isfaction from Des Grieux for the insult done to his family's honor; Des Grieux calms him, shows him the letter he is about to send to his father, and assures him that his intentions are honorable.

While the two are deep in talk, De Brétigny draws Manon a little aside and tells her that the Count, Des Grieux's father, will disinherit his son if he marries her. He tells her, moreover, that the Count has a plan to carry his son off from her that very night. If she truly loves Des Grieux, let her keep this from him, so as not to bring about his ruin; and let her rely upon him, and upon his devotion and his presence, after her beloved's departure. The visitors take their leave with great politeness, and Des Grieux goes out to post his letter, leaving Manon to sing a touching song of farewell addressed to the little table at which the two had taken their supper: "Farewell, our little table."

On Des Grieux's return to the room, he sings a beautiful song brimming over with happiness and peace, in which he tells her that he dreams of a tranquil life in a country cottage.

Suddenly a knock is heard at the door. Manon begs her beloved to stay beside her, but he opens the door. A struggle follows, ending in the seizure of Des Grieux, whom his abductors carry off. Then Manon understands that her short-lived happiness is at an end, and, left alone, she sings a song from the depths of her broken heart, beginning "My poor Chevalier."

Act Three

First scene: the Queen's prome-nade in Paris.

The public square teems with sellers and buyers, and with revelers raising a din — among them Lescaut, the three young women, and Guillot, who has sworn vengeance on Manon and Des Grieux. Soon Manon arrives on the arm of De Brétigny, who has become her lover since Des Grieux went away. She appears happy and gay as ever, the belle of the city, and sings a light song that carries her philosophy of life, entitled "Gather, O rosebuds, while you may."

Into the square comes the Count des Grieux, the Chevalier's father, a stubborn aristocrat. Manon hears him telling De Brétigny that the young Chevalier has entered the sem-inary attached to the church of "Saint-Sulpice." Manon finds a pretext for speaking with the Count alone, and through her sly questioning she discovers that Des Grieux still loves her. As the curtain falls she orders her kinsman Lescaut to fetch her carriage, for she is going with all speed to the church of "Saint-Sulpice."