Part 9 (1/2)

”And how am I to get it?” asked Demetrios.

”Ah! that will be a little more difficult. She is an Egyptian, you know, and she makes up her two hundred plaits only once a year, like the other women of her race. But I want my comb to-morrow, and you must kill her to get it. You have sworn an oath.”

She pouted at Demetrios, who was looking on the ground. Then she concluded very quickly:

”I have chosen my necklace also. I want the seven-stringed pearl necklace on the neck of Aphrodite.”

Demetrios started violently.

”Ah! this time, it is too much! You shall not have the laugh of me to the end! Nothing, do you understand? neither the mirror, nor the comb, nor the collar.”

But she closed his mouth with her hand and resumed her caressing tone:

[Ill.u.s.tration: But she closed his mouth with her hand.]

”Don't say that. You know well that you will give me this too. I am sure of it. I shall have the three gifts. You will come to see me to-morrow evening, and the day after to-morrow if you like, and every evening. I shall be at home at any hour, in the costume you prefer, painted according to your taste, with my hair dressed after your pleasure, ready for your most extravagant caprices, If you desire but tender love, I will cherish you like a child. If you thirst after rare sensations, I will not refuse you the most agonising. If you wish for silence, I will hold my peace, when you want me to sing, ah! you will see, Well-Beloved!

I know songs of all countries. I know some that are soft as the murmur of springs, others that are terrible as the coming of thunder. I know some so simple and fresh that a young girl might sing them to her mother; and I know some that could not be sung at Lampsacos. I know some that Elephantis would have blushed to hear, and that I dare not sing above a whisper. The nights you want me to dance, I will dance till morning. I will dance fully dressed, with my trailing tunic, or in a transparent veil, or in open drawers and a corselet with two openings to allow the b.r.e.a.s.t.s to peep through. But have I promised you to dance naked? I will dance naked if you prefer. Naked and with flowers on my head, or naked with my hair loose, painted like a divine image. I can balance my hands, circle my arms, vibrate my breast, heave my belly, contort my croup, you will see! I dance on the tips of my toes or lying down in the carpets. I know all the dances of Aphrodite, that are danced before Ourania, and those that are danced before Astarte. I even know some they dare not dance. I will dance you all the loves. When this is finished we shall be only at the beginning. You will see! The queen is richer than I am, but there is not in all the palace a chamber as amorous as mine. I don't tell you what you will find there. There are things too beautiful for me to be able to give you an idea of them, and others so strange that I do not know the words to describe them. And then, do you know what you will see, something which transcends all the rest? You will see Chrysis whom you love, and whom you do not yet know.

Yes, you have only seen my face, you do not know how beautiful I am. Ah!

Ah! . . . Ah! Ah! You will have surprises. Ah! how you will play with my nipples, how you will bend my little waist as it lies upon your arm, how you will tremble in the grasp of my knees, how you will faint away on my moving body! And how excellent my mouth! Ah! my kisses!”

Demetrios looked at her with a frenzied eye.

She continued tenderly:

”What! You will not give me a poor old silver mirror when you may have all my hair like a golden forest in your hands?”

Demetrios tried to touch it . . . She recoiled and said:

”To-morrow!”

”You shall have it,” he murmured.

”And you will not take for me a little ivory comb which pleases me, When you can have my two arms like two branches of ivory around your neck?”

He tried to stroke them. She drew them behind her back and repeated: ”To-morrow!”

”I will bring it,” he said very low. ”Ah! I knew it!” cried the courtesan; ”and you will also give me the seven-stringed necklace of pearls on the neck of Aphrodite, and for that I will sell you all my body, which is like a half-opened sh.e.l.l of mother-of-pearl, and more kisses in your mouth than there are pearls in the sea!”

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Demetrios held out his head, supplicatingly.

She shot him a brilliant glance and gave him her sensual lips . . .

When he opened his eyes she was already afar off. A little pale shadow danced before her floating veil.