# Manon quote



## Orgel (Dec 29, 2006)

I'm looking for a quote (in French) from Massenet's Manon, which comes close to the English: The bird that has flown from what it believed was captivity, most often in the night, returns and beats at the windowpane.

I've tried Googling but can find nothing.
Thanks to anyone who tries to help me out here.


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

The words are sung by Manon herself, in Act III, Scene 2, to Des Grieux at the church of Saint-Sulpice, when she is trying to win him back:

Hélas! Hélas! L'oiseau qui fuit
ce qu'il croit l'esclavage,
le plus souvent la nuit
d'un vol désespéré revient battre au vitrage!
Pardonnez-moi!

[Alas! Alas! The bird that escapes
what it thinks is servitude,
very often comes back in the night
in a desperate flight, to beat against the glass!
Forgive me!]


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## Orgel (Dec 29, 2006)

Thank you so much, Elgarian! I tried both English and French possibilities on Google, but even with "fuit" rather than "has flown", I found only a partial quote from the French on an Italian blog site.

A beautiful framed poster of the Seattle production of the opera has been haning in my hallway for many years, and I've always wanted to have the original French. Yes, I could have sent for a libretto, but using the Internet is so much more fun.

Thanks again!


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

You're welcome. I'd guess that I'd be unable to answer 99 questions out of every 100 that might be posted in this forum, so to encounter one that I _could_ answer was an unexpected pleasure!


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