Volume V Part 5 (2/2)

”You called el,”

said she, pointing to Annette; ”we don't see such in Venice”

”She isan to exaht her perfectly beautiful, and repeating her opinion to the girl in Italian gave her a kiss Marcoline asked her plainly in the Venetian entle me back to Marseilles, where my home is”

”Then you would have been my niece too, if I had married his brother I wish I had such a pretty niece”

This pleasant rejoinder was followed by a storht pronounce truly Venetian, if it were not that this would wound the feelings of the almost equally ardent Provencals

I took my niece for a sail in the bay, and after we had enjoyed one of those delicious evenings which I think can be found nowhere else--sailing on a mirror silvered by the e-blossoranates, the aloes, and all the scented flohich grow along the coasts--we returned to our lodging, and I asked Annette what had becoone to bed early, and I went gently into her rooht of the candle awoke her, and she did not seelove to her, and at last made as if I would kiss her, but she resisted, and ent on talking

When Annette had put her ether

”Go to bed, my dear,” said I ”I will coave an to talk aboutfrom hi that I would either have her taken to Venice, or bring her with me when I went to France

”Do you want to marry me?”

”No, I am married already”

”That's a lie, I know, but it doesn't matter Send me back to Venice, and the sooner the better I don't want to be anybody's concubine”

”I admire your senti entle caresses which are so much harder for a wohed, but seeing that I persisted in spite of her resistance, she suddenly glided out of the bed and took refuge in my niece's room and locked the door after her I was not displeased; the thing was done so easily and gracefully I went to bed with Annette, who lost nothing by the ardour hich Marcoline had inspired me I told her how she had escaped from my hands, and Annette was loud in her praises

In the ot up early and went into ht of the coirls were certainly a very pleasant sight As soon as my niece saw me, she exclaimed,--

”My dear uncle, would you believe it? This sly Venetian has violatedthe fact proceeded to give my niece fresh marks of her affection, which ell received, and from the moveood guess as to the nature of their amusement

”This is a rude shock to the respect which your uncle has had for your prejudices,” said I

”The sports of two girls cannot tempt a man who has just left the ar, and perhaps you know it, for I am more than tempted”

With these words I lifted the sheets of the bed Marcoline shrieked but did not ed me to replace the bed-clothes However, the picture beforeto be concealed

At this point Annette came in, and in obedience to her mistress replaced the coverlet over the two Bacchantes I felt angry with Annette, and seizing her threw her on the bed, and then and there gave the teethearts such an interesting spectacle that they left their own play to watch us When I had finished, Annette, as in high glee; said I was quite right to avenge myself on their prudery I felt satisfied hat I had done, and went to breakfast I then dressed, and visited my brother