threatened to take the life of the Prince and even hers. She told him she would do as he wished and, lying, said she did not go to her husband since at present he had a passion for one of the serf girls. Gustavus did not believe her fully and they had many scenes. She did not want to give up her lover. She could not stay away from her master. She had to think her way out. Suddenly she was struck with an idea: didn't they tell her that Grushenka looked just like her, not only in figure but in face also? It was whispered that they were like twins, that nobody could really say who was who. If that were true then Grushenka could take her place in the bed chamber of her spouse. This thought was so daring, so exciting, that she had to go to work right away. She commanded Grushenka to her presence and had herself and the girl clothed in dresses exactly similar and their hair done in the same way. She then had one of her maids ask other servants from the basement which of the two was the Princess. The servants looked uneasy, afraid to make a mistake. They tried to avoid a direct answer and finally pointed at random, missing the Princess as often as they chose her. That was fine! All that was needed now was for the Princess to teach Grushenka exactly how to behave with the master. She dismissed all the servants including her handmaids, locked herself in her bedroom with Grushenka and made her kneel down and swear solemnly never to betray her. She confided her plan to the girl and rehearsed to the smallest detail the way the parties took place. When Grushenka undressed, an obstacle appeared: Grushenka was clean shaven. There was nothing to do but wait until the hair had grown. So it was decided.
During this time, for many an afternoon, Grushenka was told how she would have to behave during the coming sessions and Nelidowa, during this period, observed herself in all details when she was with her mate. She was sure of success. The bedroom of the Prince was lit by a single large candle which stood in a corner far from the bed and there was a small candle in front of the Icon. This small illumination would not have permitted him to find out the difference between Nelidowa and Grushenka even if they had not been so much alike. Another remark must be made concerning these confidential rehearsals between the young women. They began to like each other. The Princess had never thought of Grushenka before except as a low and silly serf girl. Now she wanted something from her. She ordered her, of course, to take her place. Grushenka could tell the master and the catastrophe arising from such a mishap would have been unthinkably horrible! Therefore the Princess became kind to the girl, chatted with her and tried to discover her character. She was captivated with Grushenka's simple charm and faith. On the other hand, Grushenka now learned that the Princess was unhappy, uncertain of herself, that she had had a hard youth, that she longed for kindness and that her nervous and brutal behavior did not arise from coldness, but from unawareness. Grushenka became a hand maid of her mistress, was always around her, confidante in her love matters and her companion during the long hours of the dragging days. The whip was never applied to her, she was not scolded, and she slept next to her mistress' room and became something like a little sister. When Grushenka's hair had grown (they examined it daily), the day came when a male servant announced that His Highness expected the visit of Her Highness. Grushenka put on the blue slippers and both women walked through the several rooms to the master's chamber. Grushenka entered while Nelidowa, with beating heart, peeped through a crack of the door. The Prince had come from a card game where he had been drinking, and felt tired and a little lascivious.
Grushenka held his stub in her hand, worked it firmly and mounted him.
He groaned and moved his hips and was through. He was through for the night and sent her away with a slap on the behind. Nelidowa took Grushenka with her to her bed. She was excited, joyously excited, while Grushenka was very calm. She had done the whole job without hesitation. She wanted to help her mistress. That was her duty; for the rest, she was not concerned. Nelidowa hugged and kissed the girl.
So it was that Grushenka became the master's wife as far as his bed was concerned. The first few times Nelidowa went with her to the door and peeped. After that she remained in the bed until Grushenka returned, and a few weeks later was no longer concerned about the matter. When the servant came to announce that his master was ready, Nelidowa would say she'd come right away, and Grushenka, who lay on the bed in the next room, got up and went to the Prince. Until that time Nelidowa had satisfied the whims of her mate in spite of her repulsion. She now found her satisfaction under the pushing of Gustavus' shaft while Grushenka had to look forward to her master.
Grushenka had never known fine people, so the rudeness of the Prince did not shock her. On the contrary, his brutal force and immense vitality captured her and made her forget the repulsion which his belly might have inspired. She loved his scepter. She began not only to massage it, but to caress it, to kiss it. He thought first that she wanted a gift from him, perhaps one of his estates or a will made out in her favor. But when no such demands came, he felt with pleasure what a passionate, refined and loving wife he had. Grushenka had a much easier time with him than Nelidowa used to have. The Princess always used to aggressively try to stop him from taking hold of her body with his hands, but now the Prince was stiff before Grushenka was in bed and she sat on him before he could annoy her with his hands.
Besides, she made love with so much passion that she did not mind when he squeezed her nipples while his machine was inside her. During the intermission, he lauded her with teasing words about her newly found temperament but hardly touched her, waiting until she should take hold of him again. She sometimes lay between his legs, raising his big behind with a pillow, and kissing him. She quivered all over and got immensely excited, and worked herself up by pressing her legs close together. Sometimes Nelidowa would watch this scene out of curiosity, jealous that the girl enjoyed it so much. Afterwards she would pinch her and scold her about something and then again she would kiss the girl's mouth because she felt the contamination of the excitement which had gotten hold of Grushenka. Sometimes she would decide to go to her husband herself, but at the last moment she would change her mind, and go to her lover. If he were not in the neighborhood, she would have one of her maids satisfy her caprice.
All went well except for some small incidents. For example, the master would tell Grushenka something he wanted done the next day and she, not familiar with the people concerned or with the facts, would have a hard time remembering exactly what he had said. Or the Princess would be asleep when she came from the master's bedroom and she would lie awake the whole night so as not to forget. At other times, Grushenka would have a rash or pimples on her face which Nelidowa did not have and she would be much afraid of detection in spite of the subdued light in his bedchamber. Nelidowa told her lover the huge joke she had played on her mate and smuggled him into her own bedroom and prepared with care the comedy of watching the session between her husband and Grushenka. When Gustavus arrived, she presented Grushenka to him and made him compare them to find out who was who. To her great satisfaction, he was not for a moment in doubt, although they wore no clothes. The reason for his quick judgment was that Nelidowa alone spoke, while Grushenka kept silent with a smile on her lips. She wanted to please Gustavus of whom she had heard so much; she had a romantic affection for him through Nelidowa. Grushenka liked Gustavus as soon as she laid eyes on him. He was so gracious in his movements, his bearing was elegant, his hands were white, fine and well taken care of, in great contrast to those of the Russian men. He was eager to point out differences between the two; a little mole underneath the shoulder blade, the different shape of the bust, the flavor of the hair. Of course, “his love” was more beautiful. Though this pleased her, Nelidowa had to show him that she was the mistress and Grushenka the slave. First she told him what a pig Grushenka was for liking the love-making of the Prince, then she turned Grushenka around and around, exposing her in every fashion. Just then a message came from the Prince, who expected the Princess. Grushenka moved her hand over her bust and belly as if she were stroking her skin. She then stepped into the little blue slippers and went towards the bedroom of the Prince-husband. Nelidowa and Gustavus followed.
Tip-toeing quietly, they took posts at the crack of the door.
Grushenka, well aware of the watchers and annoyed by the humiliation to which Nelidowa had submitted her, did not follow the usual behavior. The lovers at the door could see the Prince on a bed with light blue silk covers, resting on his back, his fingers playing a happy rhythm on the bed sheet, his lips sensually pursed; the picture of a man who knows that he will be taken care of shortly. The door through which the lovers peeped faced the foot of the bed, and his monstrous hairy body and big belly were plainly visible.
Grushenka leaned over and took him in her left hand, caressing him. The gentle treatment soon made the machine stiff. Grushenka did not kiss it; she pointed maliciously with her tongue in its direction and smacked her lips, but she did not embrace the shaft with them.
Instead, she mounted. The lovers could clearly see how Master Priapus slowly poked his nose into her love- nest. Grushenka bent forward, and giving over her splendid breasts to his grasping hands, made a few firm up and down movements. Then, of a sudden, she bent back.
Opening her knees as wide as possible, she leaned so far back that her elbows almost touched her own heels. Of course the fat master was unable to reach any part of her body in this position, and groaning with
