Then I quietly mounted the throne of love. A soft aah! announced my amour's entry into the passion pit. Our sensual delight reached its peak without resorting to foreplay with hands or tongues and we emptied the goblet of delightful passion, floating through eternity and tumbling into a peaceful sleep.
I still had my beautiful Glossen captured in a firm embrace when I woke up. Her body exuded a delightful fragrance and every muscle was as soft and relaxed as the down mattress that held us together. Not a single sign of passion was drawn on her beautiful face. Only pure heavenly love shone forth from every pore. I woke her with delicate kisses; she opened her eyes:
“Oh, my dear Baron, every time I think that now I have experienced every delight of which the human soul is capable and next time it is still more beautiful, but the degree of delight I have known this day can surely never be surpassed.”
She did not stop kissing me.
“Young man, created to dispense those delights which give meaning to life itself, please, please, listen to me. Be firm and be careful. Do not allow yourself to be dragged down to low passion which destroys everything that is good and beautiful.”
It might sound as a paradox to some of you, dear readers, since the beautiful woman I held in my arms, was the wife of an officer.
That we did not get up without having achieved a tender union and without having liberally sacrificed upon the altar of love is not necessary to mention, because it came as naturally as one chapter in this book follows another.
3. THE FESTIVITIES
My father and his Lilla arrived early. I led him to Glossen; he kissed her and said with a smile:
“My dear lady, I do hope that this unexpected and quick journey has not been too tiresome for you. You must have left very early, since you arrived here before I did.”
Without answering she took my father and me by the arm and led us into my bedroom and pointed at the bed.
“Are you accusing me, you old libertine, of having rested from a ten hour journey, here in this bed, last night, in the arms of the most beautiful young man in the world?”
My face was blood-red and my eyes burned.
Father: “Look, fair lady, the dear boy is ashamed about your giving away his little secret.”
Glossen (embracing and kissing me): “No, darling, you are not ashamed, are you? This old voluptuary is well versed in the delights of the flesh, and his heart is too good. He would not dream of denying others even the smallest of pleasures. If he had not been so old, and if I had not been married, I would want him to be my husband. Am I right, you old darling? Even then you would not deny me the embraces of a lovely young man.”
Father: “Blabbermouth, do you realize that you are mentioning secrets which are indigestible to commoners with plebeian upbringing and education?”
Glossen: “It would be terrible to keep even the smallest thing secret from your darling son-and he is truly your own flesh and blood — which might prevent him from enjoying the delights of life to the fullest.”
Father: “If you can help him, accept my gratitude.”
And he kissed her lips, her breasts, and took his leave with the following words:
“Karl, you have good taste.”
Glossen: “Did you hear that, you embarrassed youngster?”
I: “My God, you have taken me by surprise, and I don't know what to do.”
Glossen: “I will kiss you and play with you till you remember what you ought to do.”
She took me by the hand, pulled me toward my room, threw me upon the sofa and kissed and tickled me till I felt as if I were on fire.
“You are glowing, young man.”
She locked the door, then unbuttoned my breeches. I lifted her skirt; she embraced me with her thighs and we ended our little joke in sweet delirium.
My guests arrived one after the other. I received them and earned as many compliments as my father did, especially from two exalted ladies who had brought their equally exalted young daughters with them.
The entire company consisted of sixteen persons.
We sat down to our afternoon meal and the small orchestra which belonged to my father played joyful music, delighting our spirits as much as the fine wines that were being served.
Around three in the afternoon the bell of the village church started to ring.
“They have gathered together,” my father said. “Would you all please follow me?”
We followed him though we did not know where he was leading us. We went to the village square. Old and young had gathered together. The village music started. Father opened the dance with a young peasant girl and we followed his example, enjoying ourselves as much as the peasants with their simple, rough pleasures.
How that evening and the night were spent, I leave up to the imagination of my readers. I would not want to wear you out with a recounting of the simplest joys.
The visiting party left the next morning after breakfast and only my father and my dear Glossen remained.
A plan was laid to map out my future. Old Jonas was installed as the keeper of Blassenheim. I was supposed to go to my regiment where father had bought me the rank of Lieutenant. And next spring I would go to the University to further my learning and acquire more experience.
Father gave me an experienced man to become my servant and a week later I set out on my journey.
4. A FEW REMARKS WHICH MAY SERVE AS AN EXPLANATION
I assume that my readers will not mind, before I start telling about my regiment, a few short explanations about my father and my beautiful Glossen.
If you consider this chapter superfluous, please feel free to ignore it.
I have told you that my father was the last one of his line, and also that he was one of the richest noblemen in the country.
His first article of faith was: Love God and love thy neighbor; his second was: Man has been created for pleasure; out of these two he formed the entire philosophy on how to live his life.
My readers are familiar with his opinions about love. He believed that man, as well as all other creatures, was undergoing constant change. He believed the same of all things, especially of love. He was therefore firmly convinced that the fetters of marriage would effectively destroy the primal goal, the pleasures for which man had been created.
The beautiful Glossen shared my father's opinion, especially in regard to pleasure and delight. She was the only daughter of a nobleman who had given her away in marriage at a tender age and thereupon died, leaving her a moderate income and an estate free of debt.
She was very talented, spirited and had a good education. She soon found out that her husband alone was not sufficient to give meaning to her life. Abandon during his early years had caused him to become a senile dodderer before he had reached the age of thirty-five. Her fiery temperament found no satisfaction at all!
She was barely twenty years old when she acquired a lover, and she found in his embraces that she had no reason whatsoever to feel guilty about her decision.
Unfortunately he died in a duel; Frau von Glossen mourned him properly and looked around for over four years but did not find anyone who could meet the standards she had set for proper enjoyment and voluptuous fulfillment.
She had observed me for quite some time before she made the decision to meet me; and you, dear reader, now know the rest of that story.
5. DOES NOT CONTAIN ANYTHING OF IMPORTANCE
I arrived in the capital city, where my regiment was quartered; I met the general and my fellow-officers, was taught military drill, and went out regularly on guard duty.
I made acquaintances, and went to parties, and if I had not acquired a lot of books, I am afraid that I would have spent many a boring hour.