and placed it into the mouth of the gorgonzola-oops, sorry, I mean “gargoyle” — which served as a repository for accusations destined to the Counsel of the Ten who ruled Venice.
In the evening, she went to the salon of the marchioness of Rubo where Choisy appeared, a few moments later, more seductive than ever, butterflying from one lady to another like a sheik in his harem. As he came near Hilda, he bowed to her familiarly, and she felt gnawed by jealousy as she thought that he was amiable with all the other women as well. She felt like strangling him with her own hands. But, suddenly, she felt all serene and happy, for he had just whispered to her:
— To-night?
She smiled and her eyes said “yes.” Soon afterwards, she left for her home. There, she paced the room impatiently, gnawing her knuckles and wondering if he would come or if she would have to go and stab him with a dagger.
But he came all right. And he was his usual charming self.
She threw herself into his arms, delirious with carnal desire, tore his clothes off him, pushed him on the bed and contemplated for a moment his magnificent virility. Then, without bothering about preliminaries, she threw herself on top of him and took him with astonishing savagery which filled him with ecstasy. And, while her loins agitated themselves with frenzy, she bit him on the shoulder to prevent herself from abusing him.
Then she sucked him off with such passion that she could not help biting him at times, which made Choisy sweat with the sudden fright that she should forget herself and bite too deeply, too irremediably so. Just imagine-a prickless Choisy! Better die of the plague than such a calamity.
When she had finished, she rolled on the bed with him and held him close against her. She was vibrating with a passion he had never known in any other woman. He did his best to satisfy her but she was always hungry for more. As he sucked her off, and kneaded her buttocks in his hands, she groaned with pleasure and, taking violent hold of his hair, pushed his head against her twat forcibly. And she kissed him, later, so savagely that she drew blood.
— But what's the matter with you to-night? he asked.
— It's because I love you, she answered with passion.
She nearly spouted out all she had on her heart, but said nothing, for she guessed that if she did she would lose him to that odious Francesca.
Choisy went back to his hotel in the morning, weary but wonderfully contented.
But he had slept only a few hours when he was rudely awakened by loud knocks on his door.
It was a Commissioner of the Republic who had come to signify to him that the Counsel of the Ten had decided on his expulsion because of unwarranted debauch. In vain did he discuss, plead, solicit a delay of execution, naming the baron of Ransac as warrant of his good faith and intentions. But the ambassador had already been told and there was nothing he could do-he would have to leave the Venice he had grown so attached to.
But he was very philosophical and, as the gondola of the police was driving him away, he smiled benignly and waved good-bye to Venice, saying:
— Addio, Venizia! I shall always keep an exquisite remembrance of you. Venice, you have earned your reputation of Capital of Love… but there are other towns…
And even then he started thinking about his future love adventures which, he was sure, were awaiting him round the comer.
Charlotte de Ransac was one of the first to know of Choisy's sudden departure, for her husband worked at the embassy. With great difficulty she overcame her emotion.
— But what has he done? she asked, was it a political intrigue?
— Not even that, her husband answered, that Choisy is incorrigible-he had taken as his mistress a-well, a person dear to an important person.
— Who? Charlotte wanted to know.
— A-courtesan-the fair Francesca.
Charlotte de Ransac became pale and pretexted she was feeling unwell to take refuge in her room. There she felt as if a crater had opened out under her feet. After such a cruel act of treason she thought she would not be able to bear the blow inflicted on her. But, little by little, she reasoned with herself and calculated that soon her husband would be recalled in Paris, and there she would probably meet Choisy again, and then, what a revenge she would wreak out!
At the end of the day, the marchioness came to visit Mrs. de Ransac and she guessed at once that something was worrying Charlotte.
— What is the matter with you, have you bad news from France? she asked.
— Not from France, but from Venice-oh, my dear. I want to open my heart to you And she started blurting out everything about her relationship with Choisy.
So the marchioness, whose cunt had been the repository of Choisy's penis, was now the repository of Charlotte's confessions.
— You too! Flavia could not help exclaiming.
It was time such a dangerous man went away.
They looked at each other and they did not have to add another word-they were united in the same misfortune.
And they did not even have the consolation of knowing that Hilda was bitterly repenting her sudden access of fury which had led her to writing a letter to the Counsel of the Ten, thus bringing about the expulsion of the very one she wanted so much to keep.
The three women, victims of Choisy's guile, never showed in public the bitterness that was in their hearts, as gossip would have been relentless if their affairs with their lover had become known in the famous Venice salons.
CHAPTER TEN
Still under the menace of pursuits for having killed a gentleman in a duel, Choisy took all the necessary precautions, once on the French soil. He landed in Marseilles and stayed there a while under the name and disguise of countess of Barres.
Who could have suspected that this young and pretty lady was in fact a man hungry for adventures, handy with a sword and still more with feminine hearts and who knew better than most men, how to give women wonderful voluptuous sensations? The shrewdest among them did not suspect for a moment that another identity could be hidden under the pomades and creams that gave Choisy the complexion of a peach, and his hair so elegantly arranged, his crystal-clear aristocratic voice and distinguished manners.
Anyway, he avoided showing himself too much, in order not to run the risk of arousing the concupiscence of men which could have been very annoying.
He stayed in his Marseilles hotel and dispatched his valet Bouju to Bourges with the order to make the acquisition of a domain that had been advertised as vacant. As soon as he had purchased it, he kept his feminine disguise and went to Bourges where Bouju had prepared everything with his usual efficiency.
The name of the domain that Choisy was now inhabiting was Crepon. It was not really a castle, more like a house surrounded with a large park, dense with vegetation.
The news of the “countess of Barres's” arrival spread round, and the first visitor was a Mr. du Plan, bailiff, his real name was Duplan, but he spelt it du Plan in order to appear noble. He was eager to make the acquaintance of this new lady.
Choisy received him so well that he was invited in his turn, and he could not find a ready-made excuse to refuse. Anyway, he knew that if this fat bailiff became too pressing, he could always simulate and play the part of virtuous woman.
So, two days later, the countess of Barres, alias Choisy, made his entrance in the salon of Mr. du Plan and was introduced to the other guests who consisted mainly of provincial ladies with antiquated dresses, except the
