Volume II Part 53 (1/2)
M---- M---- took up a book full of the lance in hted in the alcove?”
I understood her, and replied:
”You would oblige e we can all three sleep couessed that she fearedfroht of our amorous trio, and she wished to destroy that suspicion by her proposal
The table having been laid in front of the alcove, supper was served, and we all did honour to it We were all blessed with a devouring appetite While M---- M---- was teaching her friend how to ress made in beauty by C---- C----
”Your boso the last nine months”
”It is like mine,” answered M---- M----, ”would you like to see for yourself?”
Of course I did not refuse M---- M---- unlaced her friend, whoafterwards the same office upon herself, in less than two olden apple like the three Goddesses, and which would have set at defiance the handsoe the prize without injustice Need I say what an ardent fire that ravishi+ng sight sent coursing through my veins? I placed immediately an the table the Academie des Dames, and pointed out a certain position to M---- M----, who, understanding , represent that group with me?”
A look of compliance was C---- C----'s only answer; she was not yet inured to amorous pleasures as ht, the two friends were getting ready, and in a few minutes ere all three in bed, and in a state of nature At first, satisfied with enjoying the sight of the barren contest of my two bacchanalians, I was amused by their efforts and by the contrast of colours, for one was dark and the other fair, but soon, excited myself, and consumed by all the fire of voluptuousness, I threw myself upon them, and I made them, one after the other, almost faint away from the excess of love and enjoyment
Worn out and satiated with pleasure, I invited them to take some rest
We slept until ere awakened by the alarum, which I had taken care to set at four o'clock We were certain of turning to good account the two hours we had then to spare before parting co to confess our exhaustion, but highly pleased with each other, and longing for a renewal of our delightful pleasures
The next day, however, when I ca which, as is generally the case, Love had routed Reason, I felt some remorse M---- M---- wanted to convince me of her love, and for that purpose she had combined all the virtues which I attached to my own affection--namely, honour, delicacy, and truth, but her temperament, of which her mind was the slave, carried her towards excess, and she prepared everything in order to give way to it, while she awaited the opportunity oflove toit, because her heart, enslaved by her senses, never reproached her She likewise tried to deceive herself by endeavouring to forget that Ibeen surprised She knew that to utter such a coe eous than she was, and she relied uponashamed to make such a confession I had no doubt whatever that the absence of the aed and concerted beforehand I could see still further, for it seemed evident to uess the artifice, and that, feeling stung to the quick, in spite of all enerous than they had been thehtful night, how could I refuse to let hiued very well, for, in spite of all the objections of my mind, I saw that I could not on my side put any obstacle in their way C---- C---- was no i her the moment she was not hindered by my presence It rested entirely with M---- M----, who had perfect control over her Poor girl! I saw her on the high road to debauchery, and it was ht how little I had spared theie, and ould beco, in such a position as to be coine both of them thrown upon reeable It would be an 'embarras de richesse' In this miserable contest between reason and prejudice, between nature and sentio to the supper or to reht will pass with perfect decency, but I shall provein common politeness: if I remain absent, C---- C---- is lost, at least, in er exist, and then good-bye to all idea of a e with her” In the perplexity ofmore certain than mere probabilities to base my decision upon I put on my mask, and repaired to the mansion of the French a that I had a letter for Versailles, and that I would thank him to deliver it to the courier when he went back to France with his excellency's dispatches
”But, sir,” answered the man, ”we have not had a special courier for the last two er arrive here last night?”
”Then he arretor down the chih the gate”
”But the aht?”
”That may be, sir, but not here, for his excellency dined with the Spanish auessed rightly I could no longer entertain any doubt It was all over; I could not draw back without shaame was distasteful to her; no violence would of course be offered to her The die was cast!
Towards evening I went to the casino of Muran, and wrote a short note to M---- M----, requesting her to excuse adin's prevented ht with her and with our two friends, to whoies
After that I returned to Venice, but in rather an unpleasanttable, and lost all night
Two days afterwards, being certain that a letter from M---- M---- awaited me at Muran, I went over, and the door-keeper handed me a parcel in which I found a note fro was now in common between them
Here is C---- C----'s letter”
”We were very sorry, dearest friend, e heard that we should not have the happiness of seeing you My dear M---- M----'s friend came shortly afterwards, and when he read your note he likewise expressed his deep regret We expected to have a very dull supper, but the witty sayings of that gentleine of what follies ere guilty after partaking of soay as ourselves, and we spent the night in trios, not very fatiguing, but very pleasant I can assure you that that e hi Believe me, dearest, I shall ever love you, and you must for ever remain the master of my heart”
In spite of all h, but the note of M---- M---- was ular Here are the contents of it: