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“You better watch what you say, sir. You have already told me that you adore me…”

“How do I know what I am saying! All I can see is that you are able to walk away from me, and it tears out my heart!”

“Now, that would be too bad. I could not have such slaughter on my conscience. Well, since you have assured me that you will respect me, I could decide to…”

“You could decide what? Oh, please speak!”

“I could put you in a position to teach me your theories about love. They seem to me a notch above the average, and they are clearly unconventional. I am intrigued.”

“Oh, how sweet of you! Unfortunately, it is a long story, and I am afraid that the exhibition is about to close.”

“You are right. What a pity. And the world is so evil-thinking. You may not be aware of the demands of society.”

“Madame, I am the son of General Lompret,” the young man said proudly.

“Well, in that case, there are seemingly no objections for us to meet when the exhibition closes in a few minutes. My carriage will be waiting for you at the exit.”

Michael was a little bit stunned at the sudden turn of events, but he was tremendously pleased when the splendid equipage spirited him and the beautiful woman away from Paris.

“Sir,” Julia said, as Paris disappeared in the distance, “you know that I am eagerly awaiting your explanations about the theory of love. I am all ears.”

“Madame, how could you, since you obviously possess a brilliant mind and spirit, talk so cold-bloodedly about the one and only true religion. The religion of the heart, based upon the adoration of beauty and the search for the highest fulfillment of love.”

“You must admit that this religion has a tinge of paganism.”

“Paganism must have been marvelous! All the religions that followed have only shown us how beautiful paganism was. A time when men were men, instead of groveling eunuchs. The people in those times must have been beautiful.”

“You seem to be making quite a case!”

“Madame, everything that makes my heart go quicker is worth my making love to it. I am an artist. My feelings are my own, and it is my responsibility to make them as beautiful as possible. All things that are not directly related to nature are bad. There is a strange and compelling relationship between an artist's feelings, his mind and his body. It has to be in harmony, or he is miserable and cannot create the beautiful things he dreams of. True, I admit that quite often it is a physical desire and a physical satisfaction which brings us our best inspiration. But, alas, society does not always allow us to give full rein to our imagination.”

His vibrant voice, his passionate looks and the implications of his speech charged the interior of the small carriage with a large amount of electricity which was now waiting to be discharged.

“You know that the best way to convince me,” Madame de Corriero smiled, “is to prove to me that you truly belong to that small, select group who know how to love.”

“I have always tried to follow the admonition in the Gospels, 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.' ”

“With the best will of the world, I couldn't possibly want more. Tell me something, have you ever found anyone who was a complete soundboard to your feelings? You must have searched long enough.”

“Unfortunately, never. Whenever I thought to behold the perfect woman, she disappeared like a mirage. I am afraid that I shall die without ever having tasted the perfection of love about which I dream.”

“Oh? I would not give up all hope, if I were you.”

“I hope you don't find me too forward, when I admit that I had hoped to find my ideal when I saw you this afternoon at the exhibition. You are not an ordinary woman, and you, too, know that one must be slightly mad in order to be completely in love. Two souls cannot mingle unless the bodies have become one.”

Julia was visibly moved by Michael's forceful speech, and she did not pull away her hand when he put his strong fingers around hers. He took her in his arms and kissed her tenderly at first, then more passionately, and finally his hot lips pressed vibrantly against her trembling mouth, his tongue searching for the moist cavity, brushing against her pearly-white teeth. She let him do with her as he pleased, floating as if in a dream. All she could think about was to tenderly nibble on his earlobe and play with the tip of her tongue around his cheeks, neck and massive shoulders.

Suddenly the carriage stopped. Julia scribbled a few lines on a card, put the card in an envelope and handed it to a servant who was waiting outside the carriage.

“Give this to her Ladyship, immediately.” Then she changed her mind. “Wait, help us out of the coach, and drive up to the house.”

Carriage and servant disappeared in the distance and Michael was alone with Madame de Corriero at the edge of a forest.

“If I am not too impudent,” he said, “where are we?”

“On the other side of Bondy Forest,” the young woman answered with a smile. “Are you afraid?”

“Only for what I might do… but, don't be afraid, I won't do it.”

“I would not be afraid. On the contrary! You are giving me an entirely new perspective, and you have shown me that love can exist in a form which I had hitherto never thought possible.”

“You are much too charming never to have been loved, and too sensitive never to have given it.”

“I am not denying that. But nothing has ever made my heart go quicker than the vision you have given me. It makes me feel a little sad, because I am afraid that only those who can conceive of those lofty ideals will be able to enjoy the greatest happiness.”

“And would you allow me…”

“What?”

“To introduce you to this supreme ecstasy?”

“And would you think wrongly of me when I asked you to come with me?”

“To where?”

“My home, of course. Any other place would be unthinkable.”

“I could not think of anything more pleasant. But, please, dear lady friend, we have known each other, it seems to me, for ages now, and I still do not know your name. I cannot keep calling you Madame.”

“Call me Madcap.”

“Madcap? That's no name for you! You are a lady of high society, that is obvious! But, if you want, Madcap it is!”

“That just fine, friend Michael. Now, give me your strong arm, and let's walk.”

“Company! March,” Michael exclaimed happily. The adventure began to intrigue him more and more.

Soon they entered one of those long driveways, bordered by giant elm trees, which led to a Louis XIII castle, modernized, with fountains, waterfowl, exotic trees… needless to repeat ourselves, dear reader, it is obvious that the couple had arrived at Charmettes.

“What a beautiful mansion,” Michael exclaimed. “How happy you must be to live here!”

“This is not my home,” Julia quickly answered, “it belongs to a friend of mine who is on a vacation, and who has asked me to stay here a while.”

“Before I enter,” Michael said, “you must promise me to visit me in my atelier.”

“I would love that.”

The carriage which had brought Julia and her newfound lover had now taken Florentine to the home on the Boulevard St. Michel. The servants had strict orders to treat Julia as if she were the Lady of the Manor.

Dinner was ready to be served, and both Julia and Michael were hungry from the long trip. They talked about poetry, art, some of the artists were praised to heaven, and others were cast in the depth of hell.

Dinner was over and Julia arose. Michael, too, got up, and Julia said to him, “Why don't you lie down on the couch and make yourself comfortable?”

Curious, he did as he was told. He stretched out on his back, pillowing his head on his arm, watching her feline movements. She slowly removed her dress, carelessly dropping it on the floor. Next came her bodice, her chemise, and finally she was draped only in a thin, gauze garment. Michael caught his breath at the provocative sensuality that radiated from his Madcap. He could clearly discern the sumptuous, proud, jutting globes of her breasts, the dark coral aureoles and, in their sweet centers, crinkly ripely developed nipples. The filmy, thin garment clung to her hips, buttocks and upper thighs like a second skin. She turned slightly to one side and his eyes glistened at the sight of those two tightly set, upstanding and rounded, resilient bottom cheeks. She slowly removed her shoes and stockings. Her buttocks quivered and contracted in a way that showed the ambery, shadowy succulence of their separation. For the moment, she stood with her back to him, then her hands reached back to the bandeau which fastened the garment. It fluttered to the floor and she turned slowly to face him. Her breasts surged out, rising and falling very quickly. The satiny skin was flawless, velvety smooth, and her naked nipples were larger than he had first supposed them, partially hardened because of her erotic excitement.