"No," she replied, "you must not think of attempting to come here tonight; recollect that my room is exactly over the one occupied by Mr. and Mrs. E.; they would be sure to hear you and what then would be the consequence? E. is such a malicious brute that he would certainly acquaint my husband, in which case I would not give twopence for either of our lives."
"Well, well, but listen; depend on it I will use every precaution; he must have ears like the very devil should he discover the sound of my footsteps, for 'Light as down, when borne on zephyrs' wings, I'll fly to meet my love!' "
"Softly, my dear, suppose you should elude the ears of Mr. E., the eye of Jealousy is ever watchful, its ear forever open."
"Jealousy! What mean you?"
"Oh, Mister Innocent, do you believe that I have never noticed your attentions to our modest landlady, that I have never marked her stolen glances?"
"Come, come, give over this idle jesting. I think of Mrs. E.! When you are by, the woman's affable, obliging, and all that; I respect her; certainly, but as for more-pshaw! Besides the little brown jade is a very dragon of virtue and loves her little toad of a husband better than any other man on earth."
"Except yourself," interrupted Emma. "Well, never mind, you shall have it all your own way; but this I will say-and woman's knowledge in such things is generally pretty clear and what I say I know to be the case-that whether you love her or not, she absolutely doats on you, adores the ground you walk on."
"Nonsense; I begin to think that you are slightly tinted with the yellow monster yourself. Let's change the subject."
"Well, as you like; but remember, keep it close as you will, in spite of your utmost caution, if she don't soon betray herself, my name is not Emma S."
Breakfast being over, I took leave of her for the day, having several engagements that could not be postponed, saying as I departed, "Don't forget, it is all settled; and by this kiss, Emma, here do I lodge tonight!"
"I cannot prevent you from trying the door," she answered, "but do not be angry should you find it fast."
I must here confess that during the day my conscience frequently reproached me for my infidelity to Bessy, but when I reflected upon her obstinate, her continued perseverance in withholding from me the desired favour, then conscience quite as readily acquitted me.
Nor do I think, upon reflection, that the most fastidious of my readers will condemn me, when they consider the state of excitement I was in at the moment of my frailty and the sweetly powerful temptation ready to allure me; for the transient yielding moment of forgetfulness in which my Bessy lay within my arms had increased to an ungovernable height the fury of my passion, and although her subsequent behaviour had for a moment quelled the raging flame, can it be a matter of surprise that the refreshing breath which wafted Emma's kisses to my lips, so shortly after, should fan the expiring embers into a mighty, uncontrollable, and furious blaze which nothing but love's hallowed stream could quench?
Let me be tried by Cupid's potent laws,
I fear not censure-nay, expect applause!
My professional duties kept me from home the whole of that day; in fact midnight had passed ere the concert was concluded and the clock was striking two as, flushed with wine, I applied the key to the door of my lodging. I entered, gained my room, undressed and went to bed, actually forgetting for a time the convenient loneliness of the perhaps anxiously expecting Emma.
Suddenly it flashed across my mind-did she not declare that worlds would not tempt her to run the risk of a discovery? Has she not vowed that her door shall be fast locked? I'll try, at all events-but cautiously! I gently quit my bed, step lightly over the floor of my apartment-shoeless, unslippered, not a creaking board to whisper my design to those below. I unclose my door, my impatient hand now rests upon the polished handle by which I expect to gain access to happiness, when-confusion to all potteries! — a flower-stand that stood upon the window of the landing-place which divided the apartments, touched by my elbow, fell to the ground with a confounded crash which made the house re-echo to the sound. I made a backward movement in order to regain my bed, there to await the issue of this infernal adventure. Who could have contemplated such a d-d mishap?
As I expected, roused by the clamour, Mr. E., grumbling at the disturbance, unclosed his door. He calls, "Hulloa! what's all this?" No answer. He ascended the stairs, and perceiving the visible cause of the uproar, in the wreck of the accursed flower-stand, muttered to himself,
"How the deuce could this have happened? It's d-n strange! Couldn't fall of itself, that's very clear."
At last thinking that it might appear suspicious to feign sleep after such a clatter, I opened the door rubbing my eyes and yawning, as one suddenly awakened, and affected great surprise at seeing him in his shirt, but observed at the same time, "I cannot imagine what it can be that so suddenly disturbed me. I awoke this moment with a ringing in my ears, as if the very house was falling."
"Ah," returned he, "the same noise alarmed me, and look here!" he added, pointing to the shattered garden pots, "this is a d-d curious occurrence; I can't account for it, anyhow; not a breath of wind is stirring; and even if it was blowing like the devil, the window being closed, why even that couldn't do it. What think you, mister-can you explain it better?"
Although not yet broad day, being in the middle of summer, there was light enough to enable me to perceive that he was eyeing me with a look of keen suspicion, glancing at my neighbour's door as if to satisfy himself that all was right in that quarter. Whatever his thoughts might have been at first, I flatter myself that they were in a moment dispelled, by the look and tone of unconcern with which I answered,
"Most certainly, nothing more easy, when an entrance is attempted through a window, the seat of which is filled with flower-pots."
His coward cheeks grew pale as death, as trembling he exclaimed,
"Good God! what! do you think that thieves were attempting-but no, it would be impossible to get into the house this way-see how securely that window is fastened."
"And yet," I answered, smilingly, "the entrance has been effected; and see where the grim-visaged thief even now stands glaring on us," at the same time pointing to a large black cat, who, luckily for me, had taken its station on the lower stairs; a broken pane in the window corroborated my explanation.
He was satisfied, and bidding me good morning, descended the stairs.
Vexed and irritated, I returned to my own solitary bed, until, by the universal stillness which reigned through the house, I concluded that slumber had again sealed up his eyelids; then, with increased caution, I once more quit my chamber and gain the door of Emma's. I try the lock-it yields! I enter. Three easy paces bring me to the bed! The crimson streaks of opening day afforded light barely sufficient to reveal to my admiring gaze the voluptuous form which sleeping lay before me.
The heat throughout the night had been oppressive and consequently during her slumbers she had thrown off every article of clothing; the counterpane alone remained and this had fallen to below her knees.
The splendid picture formed by this sleeping Venus the reader must imagine; words would be too feeble, even were I to write for a month, to do justice to the exciting scene: therefore I at once abandon the attempt.
Unable calmly to endure the sight, I knelt beside her and pressing my lips to hers with energy lightly touched a rosy nipple. She awoke with a slight scream which might have been attended with danger had not the increasing fervour of my kisses delivered with open mouth and penetrating tongue stifled the rising sound, which was not repeated, having been but the effect of momentary alarm; memory soon returning she clasped me to her naked bosom and having rapturously sucked my delighted pizzle for some minutes cried upon me to birdnest her without a moment's delay, and with clutching hands upon my buttocks drove me to the hilt within her pouting proud-faced vulva.