Volume IV Part 9 (2/2)
”I know they are”
”Very good”
I shuddered at the idea of the wo turned out of doors without any resources but her body, by which she refused to profit On the other hand I could not condemn the inn-keeper who, like his felloas not troubled with allantry I had yielded to an ie for hts when Stuard ca me to come and see his wife and try and persuade her to behave in a different iveis rather tedious”
”Come, she knohat you have done for her; she will talk to you, for her feelings”
”What business have you to talk about feelings after what happened yesterday evening?”
”It ell for that gentleht, otherwise I should have killed hi”
”My dear sir, allow adocio
Yesterday, not to-day, was the time to kill him, or to throw your plate at his head, at all events We will now go and see your wife”
I found her in bed, her face to the wall, the coverlet right up to her chin, and her body convulsed with sobs I tried to bring her to reason, but as usual got no reply Stuard wanted to leave o too, as I could do nothing to console her, as hethe Marquis of Grimaldi's hundred louis for a smile and her hand to kiss
”A hundred Louis!” cried the felloith a sturdy oath; ”what folly! We e by now A princess allows one to kiss her hand for nothing, and she A hundred Louis! Oh, damnable!”
His exclamations, very natural under the circuh The poor devil swore by all his Gods, and I was about to leave the room, when all at once the wretched woman was seized with true or false convulsions With one hand she seized a water-bottle and sent it flying into the middle of the room, and with the other she tore the clothes away from her breast Stuard tried to hold her, but her disorder increased in violence, and the coverlet was disarranged to such a degree that I could see the rew calm, and her eyes closed as if exhausted; she remained in the most voluptuous position that desire itself could have invented I began to get very excited Hoas I to look on such beauties without desiring to possess the he was gone to fetch some water I saw the snare, and ht in it I had an idea that the whole scene had been arranged with the intent that I should deliver myself up to brutal pleasure, while the proud and foolish woman would be free to disavow all participation in the fact I constrained ently veiled what I would fain have revealed in all its naked beauty
I condemned to darkness these charms which this ht be debased
Stuard was long enough gone When he came back with the water-bottle full, he was no doubt surprised to find me perfectly calm, and in no disorder of any kind, and a few minutes afterwards I went out to coolrapidly, feeling enraged with myself, for I felt that the wo myself to reason; the more I walked the more excited I became, and I determined that after what I had seen the only cure for my disordered fancy was enjoyment, brutal or not I saw that I should have to win her, not by an appeal to senti what sacrifices I retted ht of false delicacy, for if I had satisfied hed her to scorn, and my position would have been unassailable At last I deterive him twenty-five louis if he could obtain me an interviehich I could satisfy my desires
Full of this idea I went back to the inn, and hadto enquire after her Le Duc toldin her room too, and that the landlord had told the company that she would not take her meals in public any more This was information I possessed already
After dinner I called on the good-natured Dolci, who introduced h to satisfy his son's desire of travelling The young man was possessed of considerable dexterity, and perfor tricks He had an a that I was curious to know about his love affairs he told me numerous little stories which shewed e when one's inexperience is one's sole misfortune
There was a rich lady for whoive her that which he would be ashairl who required hiive hirant his favours to the rich woirl, ould be sure to scold and then forgive He was no profligate, and seemed rather inclined to become a Protestant He ae, in a garden near Avignon, and a sister of the gardener's as kind to hi I went back to the inn, and I had not long to wait for the Astrodi and the Lepi (so the hunchbacked girl was named); but when I saw these two caricatures of women I felt stupefied I had expected them, of course, but the reality confounded liness by an outrageous freedoh a hunchback was very talented and an excellent actress, was sure of exciting desire by the rare beauty of her eyes and teeth, which latter challenged adularity and whiteness The Astrodi rushed up to ave ed to submit The quieter Lepi offered me her cheek, which I pretended to kiss I saw that the Astrodi was in a fair way to becoed her to moderate her transports, because as a novice at these parties I wanted to get accustoood
While aiting for supper I asked her, for the sake of sonon
”Only the vice-legate's auditor,” she replied; ”and though he enerous I have accustoh I should have thought such a thing io, as I fancied the exercise a har”
”So the auditor makes a boy of you?”