But to return to that evening.
When Mademoiselle had regarded us thoughtfully and amusedly with a somewhat triumphant air for several minutes, she bade me walk up to Beatrice and let her examine me.
Beatrice descended from her pedestal for the purpose and passed her hands over my plump body. I could not keep my hands off hers and we found ourselves locked in each other's arms.
Mademoiselle at length told Beatrice to lead me into the inner room where I had spent the three nights after my escapade with Maud.
There was a crimson silk coverlet over the bed and on it she made Beatrice recline. How lovely, how desirable, she looked!
'Now, Julia, kneel down. Beg for her embrace, ask her price. What do you value a night by her side at?'
'Beatrice,' I said, in a trembling whisper, 'may-may I spend the night with you here, in your arms, in bed with you?'
The last part of the suggestion appeared to me insulting.
Beatrice moved ravishingly. She had not the ordinary means of defence which women possess when clothed; and I could see how my question and the ardent longing expressed more by my eyes and looks than my words, agitated her form; and, to my great relief, under the influence of the rosy little god Bacchus or for some other reason, she entered into the joke.
'First,' she said, 'I must make the illusion complete.'
And she threw away the card.
I am convinced of the rapacity of all women.
Beatrice did not scout the notion; on the contrary she took it most kindly.
'And what,' she said, 'are you willing to give me if I do?'
'Oh Beatrice!' I cried, hiding my face close to her lovely form, 'all I have-love.'
'Love!' she retorted, scornfully. 'I can have love for the asking. I shall not give it for nothing.'
'Quite right, Beatrice; make him pay,' said Mademoiselle.
'Yes,' Beatrice rejoined, 'what will you pay?'
Mademoiselle laughed outright.
'Five-five-guineas,' I stammered.
Beatrice's eyes brightened as an idea seemed to strike her.
'Very well,' she answered, 'give them to me and I will give you what you want all night long. And I shall take what I desire. Give them to me now.'
I looked at Mademoiselle. 'Tomorrow?'
'Tomorrow, nonsense!' exclaimed Beatrice. 'You won't buy repentance at any price then. Now, before you feel you have any need of repentance-'
'Beatrice,' I exclaimed, reproachfully.
'Oh, that's all very well. Five guineas, what are five guineas, five hundred thousand guineas?' and Beatrice looked significantly at me.
I understood. This damsel would want a fine settlement.
Mademoiselle laughed delightedly again.
'Your money is in a drawer of my escritoire, in the next room; the right-hand top one. Go and get your guineas.'
I returned in a moment with them, and shamefacedly handed them to Beatrice.
She counted them singly and put them under her pillow, and then, throwing herself back, she opened her arms and said with a winning smile: 'Come.'
I sprang on to the bed and locked her in my embrace.
If the contact of her flesh which before I had touched only with my hands had set me on fire, I was now, as my body pressed against hers, ablaze with pleasure. I kissed her and she kissed me back. At last I made certain advances. What did I care for Mademoiselle's presence then!
To my astonishment Beatrice said: 'No! I promised you what you desired, and I shall take what I want. Do you think that for five guineas you are to have what you seem on the point of taking?'
I knelt up, puzzled and disappointed.
Beatrice put her hands on my shoulders and pushed my head down to her middle, making me turn round as she did so. She caught my head with her thighs.
'There,' she exclaimed, 'that is what you want,' as she rubbed herself against me, 'and here,' taking hold of Mons. Priapus who was now near her face, 'is my toy. You shall sleep like that.'
'It is not what I meant at all,' I gasped.
'It is what I meant though,' replied Beatrice, 'and you shall stay so all night because I want this thing and will not be done out of him.'
'Capital,' exclaimed Mademoiselle. 'Good night. Mind you keep to your bargain, Beatrice.'
'I certainly shall,' exclaimed Beatrice.
'There, Julia, you beast,' she added as soon as Mademoiselle had gone, giving me a sound smack, and then another, and another, 'there, I have outwitted her hand on you, and I have got you to myself anyhow. How could you consent to play such a part and with me too? You shall pay for it hereafter. Now kiss me at once! You know how. It is not the first time and I shall perhaps, just once, act Agnes' part with this thing.'
She did so as I kissed her.
When we had rested she made me get underneath the bed clothes and dived into them herself, placing me in the same position again. What a night it was! I, as the hours-Hark! I hear Mademoiselle's voice; she is 306
wondering what I am dawdling over. I must be off, and with a sigh I broke off my broodings about that night, put on my most elegant tea gown in frantic haste and rushed off to her boudoir.
CHAPTER 3
'Julia,' exclaimed Mademoiselle, as at last I entered her room in some hurry and confusion, 'what on earth have you been doing all this time? Surely it cannot have taken so long to change your frock! There was no one with you, was there-Beatrice, or Maud, or Agnes?' she enquired with an uncertain and menacing air and a look which scanned me searchingly. 'No?' she went on, relieved, and unbending her brows as she heard my denial. 'Then what on earth can you have been doing? You knew I was waiting for you: the tea is cold long ago. I have a good mind to make you drink it as it is for a penance; but, I suppose, today you must be indulged; and so,' going to the kettle, 'I will make you some fresh tea. You must attribute this complaisance to the sympathy between our feminine natures. As a girl myself I can understand what you have been through.'
I gave Mademoiselle a grateful look in recognition of her taking, in this good-natured way, my having kept her waiting so long, while the suggestion of a similarity between her eminently feminine nature and my own, caused a wave of feeling to pass over me not at all unpleasant in its effects, occasioning me a sweet sense of confusion and shame at the suggested positive allegation of my womanhood and the attendant irresistible conviction that beneath my lady's attire existed a veritable girl.
I felt ashamed of Mons. Priapus of whose existence I had become bewilderingly aware from the force of her words which excited very curious sensations, and I proceeded, impelled more by civility than by any other pronounced motive to make the best excuses I could.
'While I was changing my frock, Mademoiselle,' I said, slowly watching her as I spoke, 'various recollections rushed upon my mind which so absorbed me that I fear I dwelt longer upon them than I ought to have done; and, indeed, I was not aware how quickly the time was passing.'
'Ah!' exclaimed Mademoiselle, with a little gesture of delight and a very intelligent glance. 'I can easily understand and excuse you. No doubt you were dreaming of your first lover. Come, sit down here beside me'; and with a tone expressing much interest and sympathy, 'tell me all about it, my dear.'
Mademoiselle's manner was tender and delicately affectionate. It conveyed to me that she would consider
