when we should next find ourselves in Mme. de Liancourt's delicious boudoir for a seance a trois!
CHAPTER 3
On a warm summer morning, a young lady of elegant appearance was strolling in a pretty park, selecting the narrower paths when possible and every now and then looking behind her over her shoulder as if she was on the way to some love-tryst and feared that she might be followed. As a matter of fact she was being followed by a gentleman who did not lose sight of her for a single minute as he slipped along, hiding himself in the brushwood like an Indian in a jungle!
My fair readers, do I hear you say, what is he going to relate to us? — a scene of jealousy? — a husband surprising his wife just as she is about to enjoy with the sweet help of her lover a supplement to the monotonous conjugal attentions? Oh no I Please be reassured! Should anything drip it certainly won't be blood, — and if you should be affected by the fortune of our heroine it will be only with the most delicious of emotions!
The young lady quietly made her way to a sort of summer-house, then after a final look round she picked up her skirts (thereby revealing prettily shod feet and shapely calves), pressed through the surrounding herbage to the door, opened it quickly and disappeared within.
Sic vos non vobis…
For it was no other than myself who was thus taking a share in this adventure, a poacher in conjugal preserves!
Since I first met Mme. de Baisieux in Paris and obtained an introduction to her, and above all at the Chateau de C… when kind fortune had made us guests together, I had made assiduous siege to her with a certain hope of success as her husband was away on a long sea trip. But up to date I had been frustrated, — and now my want of success seemed to be explained, the place I desired was already occupied!
I thought of withdrawing, but I wished first to make certain of the position; and may I confess that I was also seized with the desire of being a spectator of the piquant scene which no doubt was about to take place and which would finally and convincingly show me the uselessness of further pursuit.
'How shocking!' my lady readers will no doubt exclaim! Well, perhaps so, but I ask them to deal not too hardly with me in a matter of curiosity!
Thereupon I sought for the means of seeing without being seen. A little garret-window afforded me the desired assistance, and through it I obtained a view of the interior, full of hay, a suitable furnishing to a rustic boudoir. Mme. de Baisieux was still alone; after having carefully closed the door, she seemed to De choosing a suitable spot for the sacrifice. I held my breath in my absorbed attention, quivering at the idea of being able to witness the scene which the principal actress was preparing against the arrival of the leading actor. Only I could not understand why she had so carefully fastened the door!
As soon as she had found a suitable place, Mme. de Baisieux seated herself, took out of her pocket a little book and hurriedly turned over the pages. At last she seemed to find what she was seeking. Forcing the book open so that she could easily hold it so in one hand, she stretched herself out voluptuously, supported herself on her elbow, — while her disengaged hand…
My dear lady readers, have you guessed? Need I draw a curtain over a picture which you all must recognise? Will you not prefer to take a naughty peep at the sin your sister is about to commit?
This hand with a graceful movement raised her dress and the white petticoats beneath it. In consequence of the heat, she had not put on any drawers, and so my eager eyes were able to travel delightedly over all the charms I so ardently coveted but which so far I did not possess! And all I saw only inflamed me all the more, — for her charming
exterior had not lied and her naked person was all and more than all I anticipated would be found under her clothes. All was rounded, plump! Above the dainty shoe came a slender shapely leg with a delicately rounded calf, a neat knee, then higher up a thigh underlined prettily by her blue garter, — the whole issuing from out of a wave of lace frillings! A fold of her chemise had dropped and so hid the part to which her hand had stolen! It was a living representation of Boilly's picture 'midi' only with all the movement in it!
So far I had never been privileged to witness this solitary feminine pastime! It was therefore with strangely concentrated attention that I followed every movement of her hand — as it first began to rove from one end to the other of her slit, sweetly and caressingly, as if to gently flatter and excite the deity it sought to tame.
She read a few lines, — then her movements quickened! There was a gentle tremble, as if a tremolo was being executed on the charming instrument on which she was playing, — then quicker, and still more quickly… The book slipped out of her hand… her body and her head fell back… her eyes half closed, showing the whites… while her lips half opened, displaying her pearly teeth…
Between her widely extended legs her hand continued its tender gymnastics. She jerked her stomach upwards in violent up-heavings, which allowed me momentary glances of blond clustering hairs, but not of the dainty tickling finger which had been entrusted with the delicate mission of awaking and exciting the sources of her pleasure… Ah! now it was over… the delicious crisis had come and gone!
Mme. de Baisieux raised herself, put the precious book into her pocket, brushed the dust off her garments, inspected herself in a pocket mirror, — and satisfied with the result, slipped prudently and cautiously away.
I quitted my peep-hole in a state of excitement more easily understood than described. My brain seethed with fresh desires and with them the hope of being able to enjoy them in the company of her whom I coveted, all the more so as it was evident now that she had no means of obtaining for herself a more solid and satisfactory way of solace.
I made a long round in the park timing myself so as to meet her on one of the pathways where she was amusing herself with plucking wild flowers. The action was natural enough as was our meeting, nevertheless she blushed, — for a woman will betray herself thus under such conditions. And she was not any more at her ease when I remarked that she was looking pale and tired. All the evening, I harped on this theme, leading her to think that I suspected her of having kept an amorous rendez-vous, a teasing she accepted in good temper in the impression that she had completely thrown me off the scent as to her real occupation of the morning. Nevertheless, it was many days before she went out by herself. Was this the result of distrust, or prudence, — or was she able to solace herself in the house? I learnt the truth later on; the poor girl occupied a room that communicated with that of the lady who owned the house, her aunt, — and it was a regular school-girl's room in which she had no privacy whatever; hence her visits to the summer house.
The recollection of my delicious vision was always with me.
I dearly would have loved to have witnessed again the charming scene, to plan so that I could turn up at precisely the right moment, — at all evens to get a chance of a talk with her by ourselves!
One day, the owner of a neighbouring estate invited the gentlemen of our party to his place for some rabbit shooting. I loved the sport, but what were my feelings of regret that I had accepted the invitation, when I saw that Mme. de Baisieux, straw-hatted, was on the point of going out by herself while we were filing our cartridge pouches! Hardly had we started, when I pretended that I had forgot mine (as a mere pretence for getting back to the house).
'We'll lend you some,' my friends exclaimed.
'They won't do,' I explained, — 'I use number 12.'
'I believe I saw the gentleman place his cartridge pouch in the wagon,' said a servant.
The gentleman had carefully taken them out again quietly!
'Shall we wait for you?'
'No, no, — I'll follow on foot. Begin without me. You may as well take my gun along with yours though.'
Off they all went! And now for the park!
The summer-house had its back on the wall of the roadway. I took the quickest cut to it by not entering the park by the side gate, and soon I was at the gable end. Perhaps Mme. de Baisieux had already begun to… to…! In a desperate hurry, I scrambled over the wall and jumped down on the other side.
Crack went something! Oh, bad luck! A confounded nail had caught in my breeches and had ripped one leg
