thing that reassured me was the air of distinction the lady had, — a woman of that caste hates a row. J feel the same also: do what you like, — amuse yourself as you may wish with ladies, — all this concerns nobody else, and does harm to no one! '
'Rather the contrary,' I rejoined.
'But do it in the proper way, — maintain appearances!
'Pleasure coupled with discretion — that's my rule!'
'Oh! I'm not referring to you, — it's a pleasure to do anything for you! But all the same, when you asked me to leave the room, you looked a little afraid!
'But now, you are reassured?'
'Oh! now she has once passed through your hands, she will be all right.'
On the day arranged between Gilberte and myself, I attended at Mme. de Saint-Edme's house. She escorted me to the chamber she had got ready for us, where she left me alone. I was the first at the rendez-vous, — and I must have waited some little time when she came in to tell me that my fair cousin had just arrived but that just at that moment a lady 'habitue' had stopped her in the corridor and was expressing surprise at meeting her here.
'Why, Gilberte!' she had exclaimed — ' I never thought of meeting you here! — you always used to say you dared not come! Have you come then to meet somebody?'
As Gilberte, surprised unpleasantly, hesitated — not knowing what to say, Mme. de Saint-Edme came up and told her that her visitor had already arrived, — whereupon the other lady had remarked that it was a pity, but nevertheless continued her conversation.
This lady (I had very little doubt) was the blonde friend of Gilberte, Angela de Valencay, an adopted name, as I learnt later on, without my having done anything to pierce the veil of anonymity with which she (like the rest) strove to hide her visits for the purposes of satisfying and gratifying her secret passions.
'At all events, she does not seem to be jealous!' I asked Mme. de Saint-Edme.
'Not in the least. She would not mind lending her lovers to her friends. But she objects strongly to any one being jealous of her. That seems fair enough.'
Gilberte had not yet appeared.
'If she lets herself begin chattering with her friend, you may have to wait a long time,' said Mme. de Saint- Edme. 'But it is all right — here they come, both of them. Ladies, you are being anxiously waited for!'
'Oh! no one's waiting for me!' exclaimed Mme. de Valencay, — 'all have made their arrangements for their fuckings and fun, for I notice the refreshments all over the place.'
She indicated a table on which stood afternoon tea already laid out, which I had ordered in anticipation of Gilberte's arrival. I invited her to join us.
'But shan't I be in the way?' she replied. 'Two turtle-doves like best to be alone! Very well — if I shall not be in the way, I will join you with pleasure, — only you must tell me when I am to disappear. You will respect my modesty, I am sure!'
But as she spoke she looked at me in a way that sufficiently indicated that her wishes were the very opposite of her words: her ardent glances seemed intended to recall to me past pleasures shared together and to invite me to the further joys she was evidently ready to give me. Dressed simply in a black costume, and carrying herself in a quiet manner but with an air of distinction, there was nothing about her to betray the lascivious desires that had brought her here, or the lecherous fashion in which she was ready to conduct herself — unless it was that peculiar glance that allowed one to detect, beneath the woman dressed, the naked woman, and behind perfect Society manners the intimate familiarity with the most daring libertinage.
While she was apologising to Gilberte for the liberty she was allowing herself to take, I had called for another plate and had dismissed her cab: for she had said that she hesitated to rejoin a cab that had been waiting at the door so long, — a feeling and accession of shame that a woman on an amorous escapade will well understand and which is often experienced when the time comes for her to quit the sweet seclusion in which she has been surrendering herself to her lust.
Then when the ladies had removed their hats and mantles we sat down at the table. Thus I found myself between two pretty women, one a blonde, the other almost a brunette — a charming contrast! Each of them had been enjoyed by me separately, — but this fact did not in the least diminish the power of their charms over me, — and their joint presence, the sweet proximity of these two appetizing feminine bodies to me aroused in my flesh the wildest lust which I hoped in turn to communicate to them.
The idea that each of them had been previously enjoyed by me made them both somewhat constrained at first, especially Gilberte, who seemed almost jealous: but very soon, under the soothing influence of 'five o'clock tea' skilfully prepared, snatched kisses and licentious handlings, this slight constraint disappeared like dew under a morning sun. My mouth hotly attacked theirs alternately, — my tongue greedily sought theirs in turn, finding them only too ready to respond. Finally, when I was busily occupied with Gilberte, sucking his tongue, while my hands actively wandered all over her, unbuttoning her dress and stealing up her legs under her clothes till it reached the silken haired centre of attraction which my finger then sought to inflame, I felt Mme. de Valencay's hand pass over my trousers and attempt to drag into the air my torch of love, now fully alight and getting stiffer and stiffer in her fingers! Then away went all reserve! I begged them to undress or at all events to throw open their clothes so as to let me see, feel, handle and kiss more at my ease the two pairs of lovely breasts of which now I could only get a glimpse.
'But I say,' exclaimed Mme. de Valencay laughingly, 'if you're going to ask your guest to undress herself, your invitation in place of being a simple one to lunch will be one including a dance!'
'When a lady is invited to a dinner,' I replied, 'she naturally expects to stay and see the fun that is sure to follow.'
'Ah! a play for three, eh?' she rejoined gaily, 'but not arranged by the ballet-master of the Opera! Well, there's no reason why it should prove any the less entertaining, is there Gilberte?'
Gilberte smiled, half-pleased, half-vexed, — not from any sense of attended propriety but from a sort of feeling that as a comparative novice in amorous orgies she might have to play second fiddle to her friend! But her semi-hesitation only added a piquancy to her final surrender of herself, and did not hinder a woman of my cousin's disposition from letting herself go freely to learn fresh experiences in lust.
Mme. de Valencay was already busy (in accordance with my request) to release from their confinement the two prisoners whom I had begged her to set at liberty. To effect this she had taken off her light blue silk stays, — and my lady readers will fully comprehend how the removal of a corset causes the dropping of petticoats unless held up by the hand: Mme. de Valencay did not bother to do this, and so when the exciting rustling noise made by feminine garments being hurriedly taken off and thrown on a chair had ceased, she had on only a half-transparent chemise when she returned smilingly to my side! Gilberte, after a little pressing, followed suit, and soon was similarly attired. As for me, I rapidly divested myself of all my clothes, — and Mme. de Valencay's hand — Gilberte's also — was able to learn without hindrance the state in which I had been driven by the sight of the charms they were now exposing naked to me!
Then we set to work to play the fool! to commit a thousand erotic follies! We took chocolates from each others mouths: with my lips, I set to work to nibble one balanced on the nipple of one of their breasts, tickling her delightfully in so doing. Then I made a minute and close inspection of my companions' breasts, of the hairs under their armpits, also of what grew on their hills, light and golden on Mme. de Valencay's, auburn and plentiful on Gilberte's. They both lent themselves to these games with a grace and freedom that was simply charming. At each fresh indecency that she found herself committing, Gilberte blushed shamefacedly, her bashful modesty being increased by the presence of a witness. Having kissed with ardour all the charms that I had been comparing, dividing my admiration and tribute equally between my fair companions, I proceeded to cover with kisses the two mossy hills of Venus they were exhibiting to my delighted eyes. Kneeling in turn before each one and between her legs, my mouth played lovingly with their curling hairs, every now and then touching with my tongue the sweetly hidden slit, and eliciting from them little shrieks of pleasure. Suddenly, under a libertine inspiration, I took from the table two chocolate creams, and having slipped them into each of their cunts to their great surprise, I announced my intention of eating them there, and proceeded to do so taking Gilberte first.
'Oh! what an idea!' she exclaimed, quivering and palpitating with pleasure as my tongue discovered the fondant between the lips of her cunt and having dislodged and rolled it over her clitoris!
'Oh! make haste! make haste!' cried Mme. de Valencay, 'mine's beginning to melt!'
