Volume I Part 36 (1/2)
”You are right,” he replied with a sigh. ”A Samson without hair.”
”You no hair!--and this--what is this?” she returned, ruffling his locks and making them stand up like a broom.
”I am speaking of my strength.”
”You have not strength, eh? Let's see--show me your arms.”
Laughing, he took off his jacket, and turning up the sleeves of his s.h.i.+rt he brought to view his enormous gladiatorial arms, on which the powerful muscles stood up like a network of cords.
”What strength!” exclaimed the girl, taking hold of one arm with both hands, which were unable to compa.s.s it. Then, seized with sudden enthusiasm and admiration, she added:
”How strong, how handsome you are, Gonzalo! Let me bite your arm?”
And bending down she tried to insert her pretty little teeth into the flesh, but the youth had such iron muscles that her teeth only pa.s.sed over the skin without breaking it.
Then she grew vexed, and tried again to succeed in piercing the flesh at all costs. Finally he relaxed his muscles, and said:
”I will let you bite me, but only on condition that you draw blood.”
”No, not so,” she replied, while her pleased smile expressed the wish to do it.
”Yes, you must draw blood; if not I won't let you do it.”
Then the girl proceeded to bite her husband's arm.
”Harder!” he cried.
And she bit harder.
”Harder!” he repeated.
And she bit harder still, while a mischievous smile sparkled in her eyes.
”Harder! harder!”
”Enough,” she said, rising from her seat; ”don't you see I have drawn blood? How cruel, just as if I were a dog!”
And bending down again, she sucked with delight the blood that welled up in the arm. Both smiled with repressed pa.s.sion, and then they looked at the little red circle made by the girl's teeth.
”Do you see?” she repeated, half ashamed. ”Well, it was one of your strange fancies!”
”Thanks! I should like this mark to remain here forever. But no, unfortunately it will soon go.”
”I can renew it every day,” she mischievously returned.
”I should be very pleased.”
”You want to make your wife into a little dog; well, you had better say so plainly.”