“Manon Lescaut” by Giacomo Puccini libretto (English)

Contents: Roles; Act One; Act Two; Act Three; Act Four

ACT TWO

IN PARIS

An elegant room in Geronte’s house
At the back two glass doors. On the right rich curtains
conceal an alcove. On the left by the window, a
luxuriously appointed dressing-table at which Manon
is sitting wrapped in a white dressing-gown, while a
hairdresser and two assistants are busy putting the
finishing touches to her coiffure.

MANON (looking at herself in the mirror)
This curl is rather wilful!
(to the hairdresser)
The curlin-tongs, quickly.
(The hairdresser hurries to get the iron and sets to work
on the rebellious curl.)
Now the powder!
Make the eyebrows a little severe!
The ceruse!
(pleased with the effect)
Let my eyes flash like darts!
Bring the jonquil!

LESCAUT (entering)
Good morning, little sister!

MANON (to the hairdresser)
The rouge and the pomade!

LESCAUT
This morning you seem a trifle sulky.

MANON
Sulky? Why?

LESCAUT
No? So much the better!
Where’s Geronte?
Has he left your boudoir already?

MANON (to the hairdresser)
And now a beauty-spot!
(The hairdresser fetches the box containing the
patches. Manon is undecided which to choose.)

LESCAUT
The saucy one! The roguish one!
No? The flirtatious one?

MANON
I don’t know.
Oh well, two beauty-spots!
“The Assassin” to set off the eye
and “the Voluptuary” near the lips.
(The hairdresser carries out her orders and then
removes the dressing-gown. Manon appears richly and
elegantly dressed. The coiffeur bows and leaves with
his assistants.)

LESCAUT (scrutinising Manon)
Ah, what a delightful ensemble!
You’re gorgeous and radiant!
I’m elated! And with good reason!
Mine is the glory for saving
you from the love of a student.
When you fled, there at Amiens,
I never abandoned hope!
There I saw your destiny!
There the magic splendour
of these rooms flashed in my mind.
I have found you again!
A mean little house
was your dwelling;
you had kisses and no money!
He’s a fine young man, that Des Grieux,
but, alas, he’s not a Treasurer-General
so it was natural that you should
abandon that humble abode for a golden palace.

MANON
But tell me –

LESCAUT
What do you wish to say?

MANON
Nothing!

LESCAUT
Nothing? Really?

MANON
I wanted to ask –

LESCAUT
I’ll answer you!

MANON
You’ll answer?

LESCAUT
I understand!
In your eyes I detect a desire.
If Geronte should suspect it!

MANON
It’s true! You’ve guessed it.

LESCAUT
Do you long for news of him?

MANON
It’s true, it’s true! I left him
without a word of farewell, without a kiss!
(She looks around and her gaze falls upon the alcove.)
In those soft lace hangings,
in that gilt alcove
there is a silence, a mortal chill –
there is a silence,
a coldness that turns me to ice!
And I who was accustomed
to a voluptuous caress
of ardent lips and passionate arms
now have something quite different.
Oh, my humble dwelling,
you again appear before me –
cheerful, secluded, white-walled,
like a sweet dream of peace and love!

LESCAUT
Since you wish to know,
Des Grieux, (as Geronte once was),
is a great friend of mine.
He keeps on pestering me:
“Where’s Manon?
Where has she gone? With whom?
To the north? The east? The south?”
I reply: “I don’t know!”
At last I’ve convinced him!

MANON
He has forgotten me?

LESCAUT
No, no! But by winning money
he may discover the way that leads to you!
Now he is mending his fortunes!
I’ve introduced him to gambling! He’ll win!

MANON (to herself)
(For me you are striving,
for me, the wretch who deserted you,
who cost you so much grief!
Ah, come, give me back the past,
the fleeting hours, your passionate caresses!
Ah, give me back the kisses,
your burning kisses,
that rapture which once gladdened me!
Ah, come! Am I beautiful? Come!
Ah, come, I can bear it no longer!)

LESCAUT
The old card-table, for us, is just like
a universal coffer!

Launched and trained by me,
he’ll fleece everyone to the buff!
But meanwhile in the torment of long struggles
day and night
he lives unconscious of his madness,
and at the gaming table asks where you are!
He’ll win! He’ll win!
(Manon reflects, then studies herself in the mirror.)

MANON
Really now, doesn’t this gown
suit me marvellously?

LESCAUT
Like a glove!

MANON
And my wig?

LESCAUT
Wonderful!

MANON
And my corsage?

LESCAUT
Beautiful!
(A group of singers carrying sheets of music enters.
They bow to Manon and stand to one side.)
(softly, to Manon)
Who are these ugly mugs?
Quacks or apothecaries?

MANON
They’re musicians!
Geronte writes madrigals!

SINGER
On the mountain-top you roam,
O Chloris;
your lips are two blossoms,
and your eyes are a fountain.

SINGERS
Alas! Alas! Philenus expires at your feet!

SINGER
You loosen the wonder
of your hair to the wind,
and your little bare
white breast is a lily.

SINGERS
You are Chloris, Manon
and Geronte is transformed into Philenus!
Philenus is playing;
his pipes are murmuring: “Have pity!”
The echo sighs: “Have pity!”
Philenus is weeping: “Chloris have you no heart?
See, Philenus already swoons!”
No! To that sweet, plaintive piping
Chloris has never said No!

MANON (bored, giving Lescaut a purse)
Pay those people!

LESCAUT (pocketing the purse)
What! And insult art?

(to the musicians)
I bid you adieu, in the name of Glory!
(As the musicians bow and leave, in an anteroom seen
through the glass doors at the back Geronte is
receiving his guests.)

MANON (to Lescaut)
Madrigals! Dancing! And then music!
They are all lovely things! But I am so bored!
(A string quartet enter, take up their position at the
rear, and begin to tune their instruments. Manon rises
and goes to meet Geronte, ushering in his friends and
the dancing master.)

LESCAUT (to himself)
A little lady who is bored
is a frightening thing!
I’m away to Des Grieux!
In masterly fashion I’ll arrange events!
(He leaves unobserved, as Geronte’s guests pay their
respects to Manon.)

DANCING MASTER
(advancing, and offering Manon his hand)
I beg you, mademoiselle,
hold yourself erect – so –
excellent, that’s the style!
Now bring the whole body forward!
So!
I entreat you – in time!

GERONTE
Oh, charming dancer!

MANON
A little awkward.

DANCING MASTER
I beseech you, do not
heed whispered praise.
Dancing is a serious matter!

GENTLEMEN and ABBÉS (softly, to Geronte)
Hush! Control yourself like us;
admire in silence,
in silence adore –
it’s a serious matter.

DANCING MASTER (to Manon)
To the left! To the right!
A curtsy! Careful!
The lorgnette!

GERONTE
A perfect minuet.

GENTLEMEN and ABBÉS
What languor in her glance!
What sweetness, what tenderness!
She is too lovely – like a star!
What innocence! What a treasure!
That mouth – ripe for kisses!
If she smiles she seems like a star!

GERONTE
She is too lovely!
I cannot find the words –
the words to sing her praises!

MANON
Murmured golden praises
now throb around me;
come, curb your chorus of adulation! ah!
Murmured golden praises
now throb around me!

GERONTE
You make me lovesick!

MANON
Come, curb your chorus of adulation!

GERONTE
You make me lovesick,
you make me delirious!

GENTLEMEN and ABBÉS
You are the goddess of the day!
She is queen of the night!
(The dancing master shows signs of impatience.)

MANON
The good dancing master deplores this chatter.
If you flatter me
I shall not become the divine dancer
that your optimistic fancy
imagines me already to be.

DANCING MASTER
A partner –

GERONTE (rising hastily)
Here I am!

GENTLEMEN and ABBÉS
Excellent! What a fine couple!
Hurrah for the fortunate lovers!
Just like Mercury and Venus!
Oh, here happiness,
with love and wealth,
charmingly prospers!

MANON
The hour, O Thyrsis, is attractive and lovely,
the day smiles, smiles about
your faithful little shepherdess.
She sighs for you, dies for you.
But you appear and in a trice
she becomes joyful and alive!
Ah, see the sky!
How serene it is over the miracle of love!

GENTLEMEN and ABBÉS
You are the miracle!
You are love! ah! love, etc.

GERONTE (interrupting)
Gallantry is all very well,
but you forget that it is late.
A merry throng is surging along the esplanade.

GENTLEMEN and ABBÉS
How time flies here!

GERONTE
I know from experience.

(to Manon)
You, my shining joy,
promised to accompany us;
we will go ahead.

MANON
Only a brief moment I ask you;
waiting for me will be easy
in the gilded beau-monde.

GENTLEMEN and ABBÉS
Waiting is always tedious.

GERONTE
Do not prolong the suffering
of us poor souls in suspense.
(Kissing Manon’s hand, the guests, bowing, retire. The
dancing master and the musicians also leave.)
I’ll order the sedan-chair.
Farewell, my fair goddess.
(He departs.)

MANON
(admiring herself in the mirror)
Oh, I shall be the most beautiful!
(She picks up her cloak. Hearing someone approaching,
she expects it to be a servant.)
Is the sedan-chair here?
(Instead Des Grieux appears at the door. Manon runs to
him.)
You, you, my love! You?
Ah, my supreme love! Oh, heaven!

DES GRIEUX (reproachfully)
Ah, Manon!

MANON
Then you no longer love me?
You used to love me so much!
Oh, those long kisses!
Oh, the lingering enchantment!
Your erstwhile sweetheart
awaits your revenge.
Oh, don’t look at me like that;
you never looked so stern before!

DES GRIEUX
Yes, wicked girl, my revenge –

MANON
Oh, it’s my fault! It’s true!

DES GRIEUX
Ah, wicked girl, my revenge –

MANON
Oh, it’s true! You no longer love me –
Ah, it’s true! So you no longer love me?
You used to love me so much –
you no longer love me!

DES GRIEUX
Be silent, you are breaking my heart!
You do not know of
the dark, desolate days that descended upon me!

MANON
I want your forgiveness.
See? I’m rich –

DES GRIEUX
Be quiet!

MANON
Doesn’t this seem a feast
of gold and colour?
It’s all for you!

DES GRIEUX
For pity’s sake, be quiet!

MANON
I imagined a radiant future;
love brings you here.
I betrayed you, that’s true!
(She kneels.)
I am at your feet!
I betrayed you – call me wicked –
I kneel at your feet.
Oh, I want your forgiveness,
oh, do not deny it to me!
Am I perhaps less charming
and beautiful than Manon of other days?

DES GRIEUX
O temptress!
This is the old spell that blinds me!

MANON
It’s love’s magic; yield to it, I am yours!

DES GRIEUX
I can struggle no longer! I am defeated!

MANON
Surrender, I am yours!
Ah come, come!
In your arms clasp Manon who loves you...

DES GRIEUX
I cannot struggle, o temptress!

MANON
Hold me tight to your breast!
Manon longs for you alone, for you alone!

DES GRIEUX
I can no longer struggle!

MANON
Surrender, I am yours!

DES GRIEUX
I am defeated: I love you! –

MANON
Ah, come!

DES GRIEUX
– I love you!

MANON
Ah, come!
Manon longs for you alone, for you alone!

DES GRIEUX
I can no longer struggle!
I am defeated: I love you!

MANON
Come!
In your arms clasp Manon who loves you!

DES GRIEUX
In the depths of your eyes
I read my destiny;
all the treasures of the world
are in your divine lips!

MANON
Ah! Manon longs for you alone –
hold me close to your breast.
Return to my desires, I beg you,
return to the ecstasy,
to the lingering kisses of love!
Live in rapture close to my heart –
oh, come back to me! etc.
My mouth is an altar
where your kiss is God!

DES GRIEUX
These are your kisses!
This is your love!
Your kiss, sweet treasure, sets me afire!
In you I am drunk again with passion! etc.
In your dear arms
there is rapture, oblivion!

MANON
Lips adored and tender!

DES GRIEUX
Manon, you bring me nigh to death!

MANON
Lips sweet to kiss!

BOTH
Such sweet suffering!
(Geronte suddenly appears at the door and stands
dumbfounded.)

MANON
Oh!

GERONTE
I’ faith, Mademoiselle,
now I understand why we had to wait!
I have arrived at an awkward moment.
An unintentional mistake!
Who in this world does not make mistakes?
(to Des Grieux)
Even you, I believe, for instance,
have forgotten that you are in my house –

DES GRIEUX
Sir!

MANON (to Des Grieux)
Be silent!

GERONTE
Gratitude – for you this is a red-letter day!
(to Manon)
This is the way you remember
whence I took you,
the proof I have given you of true love!

MANON
(looking at Geronte capriciously, then picking up a
hand mirror from the table)
Love? Love?
My good sir, here!
Look at yourself – look!
If I am wrong, be fair and tell me so!
And then look at us!

GERONTE
I am fair, my pretty little doxy.
I know my duty –
I must leave here!
O gallant chevalier, o charming young lady,
au revoir –
and soon!
(He leaves.)

MANON (laughing)
Free! Free as air!
What joy, chevalier, my handsome lover!

DES GRIEUX
Listen, we must leave at once.
You shall not stay a moment longer
under this cursed old man’s roof!

MANON
What a pity!
All this splendour!
All these treasures!
Alas, we must go!

DES GRIEUX
Ah, Manon,
your foolish thoughts betray me;
always the same, always the same!
Trembling divinely,
in ardent abandon
sweet and tender like the
charm of your caress;
always some new ecstasy;
then, suddenly, overcome, dazzled
by the glitter of the gilded life!
I? Your slave and victim, I descend
the ladder of shame.
Slime in slime I am
and a depraved hero of the gambling den,
I have defiled myself, sold myself.
The vilest disgrace brings me nearer to you!
In the murky future, tell me,
what will you do with me?

MANON
Once again, pray forgive me!
I will be faithful and good, I swear it!
(Lescaut enters, breathless. Des Grieux and Manon
hurry to him in surprise.)

DES GRIEUX
Lescaut!

MANON
You here?
(Lescaut collapses into a chair.)

DES GRIEUX, then MANON
What’s happened? Speak!
(Lescaut indicates by his look and gestures that
something awful happened.)

MANON and DES GRIEUX
Oh, heavens! What has happened?
You make us shudder!

LESCAUT
Let me get my breath...

MANON and DES GRIEUX
You make us shudder!

LESCAUT
... to speak.

MANON and DES GRIEUX
Oh, heavens. what has happened? Say!

LESCAUT
He has denounced you!

MANON
Who?

DES GRIEUX
The old man?

LESCAUT
Yes!

MANON
Alas!

LESCAUT
Guards and archers are on their way here!

MANON
Alas!

DES GRIEUX
Oh, God!

LESCAUT
Come, chevalier, be off down the stairs!

MANON
Alas!

LESCAUT
I heard what had happened
from a grenadier at the barracks.
Down the stairs, chevalier, and away!
The guards and archers are already on their way!
Go, like the wind!

DES GRIEUX
Curse that crafty old man!

MANON
Alas! Alas!
I’m hurrying, alas!

DES GRIEUX
Yes! Watch out!

LESCAUT
Ah, you don’t know you are losing her,
ah, you don’t know the cruel
inhuman fate that awaits her: Exile!

MANON
Alas, death, death!

LESCAUT
Now hurry! Don’t hesitate!
In a few moments you’ll be lost!
The archers have already left the barracks! etc.
The vile old man will die of rage
if he finds the cage empty
and does not know where you’ve gone!

MANON
Alas; I’m hurrying!
(to Lescaut)
Just a moment! This sparkling emerald –
(to Des Grieux)
But yes! My God!
I’m hurrying! You help me!

DES GRIEUX
Yes, beware, vile old man!

(to Manon)
Let’s go, Let’s go! Hurry! Come on!
Help you do what?

LESCAUT
Manon!

MANON
To wrap up –

LESCAUT
Go quickly, they’re already on their way!

DES GRIEUX
Let’s go!

MANON
But yes! You help me...

DES GRIEUX
Let’s go!

MANON
...to wrap up this jewellery!
Empty the drawers!
And this enchantment that I so adore,
must I leave, abandon it?

DES GRIEUX
Come, let’s hurry! Let’s go, Manon!
Come, let’s away!
O my beloved Manon, hurry!
We must fly at once!
You are torturing me again!

LESCAUT
Oh, that fine coffer – a pity indeed!
Our route will be through the garden,
in a moment we shall be on the road
in the shadow of the tall trees.
They’ll have to be clever to catch us!

MANON
(collecting more jewels and hiding them under her
cloak)
It would be foolish to leave these gold trinkets,
O my treasures, o my treasures!

DES GRIEUX
Just bring your heart with you.
I only want to save your love.

LESCAUT (from the window)
Curses!
Here they are, surrounding the house!

DES GRIEUX
Manon!

MANON
Des Grieux
This way! Through there! Let’s fly!
Well then, out that way!

DES GRIEUX
Let’s fly! No, no!
That way, quickly, hurry!

LESCAUT
The old man is bawling orders,
the guards are filing in...

MANON
Alas!

DES GRIEUX
Let’s run!

LESCAUT
... the archers are standing at the ready!
(Manon and Des Grieux are undecided which way to
escape. Lescaut runs to the door and locks it.)
They’re coming in, climbing the stairs!
Here they are!

DES GRIEUX
Tell me, is there another way out?

MANON
Yes, over there in the alcove!

LESCAUT
(hustling Manon and Des Grieux into the alcove and
following them)
Here they come up the stairs!

MANON (in the alcove)
Oh! Oh!

(She rushes out of the alcove followed by Des Grieux
and Lescaut. A sergeant and two archers appear from
the alcove while Geronte and a squad of soldiers enter
through the door.)

SERGEANT
Nobody move!
(Geronte bursts into sarcastic laughter at Manon who,
panic-stricken, drops her cloak, spilling the stolen
jewels on the floor. Des Grieux draws his sword.)

LESCAUT
(disarming him)
If they arrest you, chevalier,
who can save Manon?
(At a sign from Geronte, Manon is dragged away by the
soldiers.)

DES GRIEUX
(desperately trying to follow Manon, but held back by
Lescaut)
Oh, Manon! Oh, my Manon!

INTERMEZZO

THE IMPRISONMENT – THE JOURNEY TO LE HAVRE
Des Grieux: “...How I love her! My passion is so strong
that I feel I am the most unhappy creature alive. The
attempts I made in Paris to obtain her release! I have
implored the powerful, I have knocked and petitioned
at every door! I have even resorted to violence. All
was in vain. Only one way remains for me – to follow
her! And I will follow her! Wherever she may
go!...Even to the ends of the earth!”
(The Story of Manon Lescaut and of the Chevalier des
Grieux by Abbé Prévost)

Contents: Roles; Act One; Act Two; Act Three; Act Four