Chastity is imposed on girls, and fidelity on married women.
“Men, in framing these laws, have reserved for themselves the right of satisfying their passions, without thinking that in order to indulge them they must cause women to break the laws they laid down for them.
“These women give them happiness, but shame is their own lot.”
“That is very unjust!” remarked Violette.
“Yes, my dear, truly so. Therefore have certain women risen up and said: “What does society offer me in exchange for the bondage in which she keeps me? Marriage with a man I shall not probably love, who will take me at eighteen years of age, who will enjoy me and make me unhappy all my life. I had rather remain outside of society, follow my own inclinations and love whom I please. I shall be a woman of nature, not of society.
“From society's conventional point of view, what we have done was wrong. From nature's point of view, we have only given satisfaction to our legitimate desires.”
“Did you understand?”
“Quite well.”
“Well, think of this all day. This evening you can let me know whether you want to be nature's woman or that of society.”
I rang the bell and the maid came. Violette was in her bed, showing only her head. “Madame Leonie,” I said, “you will please attend to all this young lady's wants; you will have her food sent by Chevet, her pastry from Julien's. There is Bordeaux wine in the cupboard and 300 francs in this drawer.
“Ah! I forgot. Send for a dressmaker to measure the young lady for two simple but tasteful dresses, with bonnets to match.”
When I returned in the evening, Violette ran up to me, and, throwing herself into my arms, she said:
“I thought of what you told me.”
“All day?”
“No, for five minutes, and I prefer to be nature's woman.”
“You do not wish to return to Monsieur Beruchet?”
“Oh, no!”
“You wish to return to your sister's?”
Violette made no reply.
“Do you think it inconvenient to return to your sister's?”
“I am afraid it may not please Monsieur Ernest.”
“Who is that Monsieur Ernest?”
“A young man who visits my sister and who is a journalist.”
“What makes you think that he would not like to see you with your sister?”
“Because, when by chance Madame Beruchet sent me for an errand, and I quickly ran to kiss my sister when M. Ernest was there, he looked quite sulky. He went into the other room with Marguerite and locked the door. One day I remained because the lady had told me to wait for an answer and that seemed to put them both out of temper.”
“Well, then there is an end of it, you shall be the woman of nature.”
CHAPTER III
Dear girl! It was indeed nature, but a delightful nature which inspired her.
I had some excellent books in my library. She had been reading all day.
“Did you feel dull?” I asked.
“Yes, on account of your absence, but not otherwise.”
“What did you read?”
“I read Valentine.”
“Then I am not surprised,” I replied. “That book is a masterpiece.”
“I do not know. But what I do know is that it made me cry all the time.”
I rang the bell for Madame Leonie.
“Get tea ready,” I said. Then I asked Violette: “Do you like tea?”
“I don't know. I never tasted it.”
When tea was ready, I asked Violette whether she required the service of Leonie any longer. She said, “No” so I shut the door and locked it.
“Are you going to remain here?”
“If you will allow me.”
“All night?”
“All night!”
“Oh, won't that be nice! Then we can go to bed like two good little friends.”
“Just so. Have you ever slept with any of your girl friends?”
“At school, when I was quite little; but not since then, except when I slept with my sister.”
“What did you do then?”
“I used to say good night; I kissed her, and we both went to sleep.
“That is all.”
“And if we slept together, do you think that would be all?”
“I hardly know; but it seems to me there should be something else.”
“But then, what could we do together?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “Perhaps what you did to me this morning,” she said, embracing me.
I took her in my arms and put her on my knees. She was silent for some time; then she smiled and said:
“Can you guess what I should like?”
“No.”
“I should like to be learned.”
“Learned! Why would you like to be learned, of all things in the world?”
“To understand what I do not understand.”
“What is it you do not understand?”
“A good many things. For instance you asked me whether I was a virgin.”
“Yes.”
“Well, I replied, I did not know, and you burst out laughing.”
“That is correct.”
“Well, what is it to be a virgin?”
“A virgin is a young lady who has never been caressed by a man.”
“Then I am no longer a virgin now?”
“How's that?”
“Why, it seems to me that you caressed me this morning.”
“But there are different ways of caressing, my dear girl. The kisses I gave you this morning, though very sweet…”
“Oh, yes, they were sweet! They were indeed!”
“However sweet, they do not destroy virginity.”
“And what are those that do take away one's virginity?”
“I should first explain to you what is virginity.”
“Do explain it to me, then.”
“It is no easy matter.”
“Oh no, you are so clever!”
“Well, virginity is the physical and moral state of a girl who, like you, has not had a lover.”
“But what is having a lover?”
“It is doing with a man certain things by which children are begotten and brought into the world.”
“Did we not do these things?”
