Volume V Part 12 (1/2)

Next ave her her breakfast, and then replaced her in the cupboard Later on, I gave her her instructions over again, telling her to do everything with calm precision, a cheerful face, and, above all, silence

”Don't be afraid,” said she, ”I will make no mistakes”

As ere to dine at noon exactly, I went to look for the h the bath was there, and the bed which was to be our altar was prepared

A few -rooed with the choicest lace, and looking radiant Her breasts, which forty years before had been the fairest in all France, were covered with a lace shawl, her dress was of the antique kind, but of extres were emeralds, and a necklace of seven aqua an enor a carat and a half, coer the carbuncle which she thought worth a million francs, but which was really only a splendid i Seht it e I would have knelt before her and kissed her hand, but she would not let me, and instead opened her arnole that she could go out till six o'clock, we talked over our ht in

Claired to see us at dinner, at which Semiramis would only eat fish At half-past one I told Clair hi

The an to be uneasy, and I pretended to be so, too I looked at , and said from time to time,--

”We are still in the hour of Mars, that of the sun has not yet commenced”

At last the time-piece struck half-past two, and in twoUndine was seen advancing into the roo with ave her the paper she carried Seeing that I did not rise, the marchioness reracious air and took the paper from her She was surprised, however, to find that it was all white

I hastened to give her a pen to consult the oracle on the subject, and after I had made a pyramid of her question, she interpreted it and found the answer:

”That which is written in water must be read in water”

”I understand now,” said she, and going to the bath she plunged the paper into it, and then read in still whiter letters: ”I am dumb, but not deaf I am coun”

”Then bathedown the paper and sitting on the bed

With perfect exactitude Marcoline undressed the marchioness, and delicately placed her feet in the water, and then, in a twinkling she had undressed herself, and was in the bath, beside Madame d'Urfe What a contrast there was between the two bodies; but the sight of the one kindled the flaazed on the beautiful girl, I, too, undressed, and when I was ready to take off , wipe the feet of Selory of the i of the Salaranted, and I consu on the chare before

Semiramis had been handsome, but she was then what I am now, and without the Undine the operation would have failed Nevertheless, Semiramis was affectionate, clean, and sweet in every respect, and had nothing disgusting about her, so I succeeded

When the milk had been poured forth upon the altar, I said,--

”We must noait the hour of Venus”

The Undine performed the ablutions, embraced the bride, and came to perform the same office for me

Semiramis was in an ecstasy of happiness, and as she pointed out to ed to confess that I had never seen any rew excited by so voluptuous a sight, and when the hour of Venus began I proceeded to the second assault, which would be the severest, as the hour was of sixty-fivewith perspiration, and tiring Se able to come to the point Still I was ashamed to trick her She, the victim, wiped the drops of sweat fro my exhaustion, kindled anew the flaed body had destroyed Towards the end of the hour, as I was exhausted and still unsuccessful, I was obliged to deceive her byuse of those movements which are incidental to success As I went out of the battle with all the signs of th still about me, Semiramis could have no doubts as to the reality of my success, and even the Undine was deceived when she caed to satisfy Mercury We spent a quarter of the tihted Seent of France, if he had ever known of the these endearments to be peculiar to river spirits, was pleased with everything, and begged the Undine to shew me the same kindness Marcoline obeyed, and lavished on me all the resources of the Venetian school of love She was a perfect Lesbian, and her caresses having soon restored ed to undertake to satisfy Mercury I proceeded to the work, but alas! it was all in vain I sathat Mada her by pretended ecstacies and movements, followed by complete rest Semiramis afterwards toldmore than mortal

I threw myself into the bath, and underwent my third ablution, then I dressed Marcoline washed the marchioness and proceeded to clothe her, and did so with such a graceful charenius, and threw herVenetian kiss she vanished, and went to her hiding place in the cupboard