At that very moment the Countess was so close to her that her hair brushed Florence's head.
The beautiful actress gave a start, her nostrils quivered; she raised her head, opened her eyes, and perceived that her mouth was close to that fiery bouquet which at first sight had so excited her.
But the ardour of her desires had abated, and Florence, slightly tired, but not satiated, had now more leisure to devote to pleasure. She fondly kissed the perfumed hair and began returning the caresses which the Countess had lavished upon her; but suddenly she seemed struck with a novel idea, and, laying the Countess at full length on the bed, she applied her mouth to the latter's parted thighs, whilst she placed herself in a similar but reversed position.
Then the two bodies became one-the breasts were pressed on the respective bellies. During some moments all conversation ceased, for the two eager mouths were at work; nothing could be heard but the panting respiration of the women and sighs of pleasure, and suddenly both became motionless, quite exhausted.
This time there was a protracted pause. Both seemed as if sleeping. At last both appeared to revive, and simultaneously exclaimed:
'Oh, what bliss!' then, quite panting, dishevelled, with languid eyes, weakened by their exertions, they slipped from the bed and lay down on a long and spacious couch.
'Ah! beautiful Florence! What pleasure you gave me!' said Odette.
'Well, I am so glad I found something new.'
'Oh, darling! I thought I should die!'
'Then you had much pleasure?'
'Oh, yes; but I fancy that it cannot equal that which a man can give.'
'Do you think, then that a man in that respect is our superior?'
'Indeed I do. We but light the fire. We do not put it out.'
'Whereas man…'
'Ah! Man thoroughly stamps it out Luckily we have some inventions which supply the place of what nature refused us.
'Have you not heard of dildoes?'
'Is it a fact that such things really exist?'
'No doubt, have you never seen any?'
'Never!'
'Would you like to see one?'
'Indeed I should very much like to.'
'Do you know the shape of a man's attributes?'
'As much as I could judge from statues.'
'Not otherwise?'
'No.'
'You have never seen a man?'
'Never!'
'Oh, then I shall be able in my turn to show you something new.'
'Have you any?'
'Yes, of every description.'
'Oh, let me see them.'
'Wait a little then,' said Odette, 'I will fetch all my treasures.'
'Can I go with you?'
'Come.'
Odette took Florence to her dressing room and then, opening a secret drawer in her necessaries, she drew forth a casket and two cases like those used for pistols.
She brought forth the whole collection and laid it on the couch for inspection.
'First of all,' said Odette, 'I must show you the contents of the casket. The jewel which it encloses is not only a historical jewel, but also a work of art. It is said to be the production of the great Benvenuto Cellini.'
Odette opened the casket of red velvet, and exhibited a true masterpiece of carved ivory.
This was an exact life-size reproduction of man's organs of generation, and was altogether an admirable work of art. On one side of it were carved the lilies of France, and on the other side the three crescents of Diane de Poitiers.
No doubt this marvellous jewel had been the property of Monsieur de Saint Vallier's daughter, the widow of Monsieur de Breze and mistress of Francis I, and Henri II.
Florence examined it, with astonishment at first, then with curiosity, and finally with admiration. With astonishment, because it was the first time that she beheld and touched a. like object; with curiosity because she did not know how it worked; finally, with admiration, because Florence was a thorough artist, and it was a genuine work of art.
At the base of the instrument there was a cavity which came to view by unscrewing a portion of it, and that contained works almost as complicated as those of a clock, setting in motion a rod, which caused some liquid to spurt out in imitation of the natural process.
Florence was rather astonished, and wondered at the great size of the instrument, but the Countess, with a smile, replied by making some very elementary demonstrations and experiments. She applied the instrument to her own person, and so managed matters that in a short time it was altogether lost to view.
'You perceive how it works!' she said. 'Yet you must confess that the receptacle is not apparently in proportion with its contents.'
Florence leaned forward to make a closer inspection.
There was indeed no exaggeration. What the Countess stated was perfectly correct.
At first she put her hand to the appliance and moved it up and down.
'Not without milk!' said the Countess, staying her hand.
Having now sufficiently admired the historical jewel, they next inspected another, which was enclosed in one of the velvet cases. This was a common dildoe, of the same description as those manufactured in France or England, but more artistically made than those which were designed at the time for Italian and Spanish convents, where a couple of millions were sold every year.
This one was similar to that of Diane de Poitiers, of the ordinary size, about five or six inches in length and flesh-coloured, but the contrivance for the emission of the liquid was not so complicated; as this one was not so artistic as the first, the two women paid less attention to it than to the beautiful instrument which had had the honour of being used by Diane de Poitiers.
They now went on to the third. On beholding this Florence gave a shriek of surprise and terror. No wonder, for it measured from seven to eight inches in length and five or six in circumference.
'Oh!' said she. 'That one is not of Diane's. It is rather of Pasiphae!'
The Countess laughed.
'Therefore do I call it 'The Giant'. It is a curiosity from South America and gives us an idea of what the requirements of the ladies of Rio de Janeiro, Caracas, Buenos Ayres and Lima may be.'
'But see how marvellous are the works of this affair.'
'Indeed it was a marvellous piece of workmanship, and was formed of some kind of gum highly-polished, each hair was set as if by one of the best hairdressers in Paris, and assuredly it had been cast, according to the practice of the sculptors, in a good mould from nature.'
'Why,' said Florence, who could not encompass it in her tiny hand. 'This is a monster, and I do not believe there is a woman alive who could give a reception to such a huge thing.'
Odette smiled, but said nothing.
'But do reply,' said Florence, with impatience, 'and do not laugh at me any more.'
'I am not laughing at you, my little Florence,' said Odette. 'Now listen.'
'I listen,' said Florence.
'Should a woman wish to amuse herself with a jewel of that size, deliberately and without preliminary excitement, it could not be used without the greatest exertion, but supposing that two women mutually excite one another by all kinds of caresses, that the one who plays the lover, brings the other, the mistress to the highest pitch of salaciousness, she then applies the dildoe well coated with cold cream, and pushes it in gently, the thing will find
