Thereupon the Countess began covering with kisses the charming ornament, which, as we said before, rose to a point as far as the breasts, getting thinner on the stomach and wider lower down, and on which when leaving her box, Florence had scattered a whole bouquet of newly gathered violets.
"Come!" said the astonished Countess; "I confess I am vanquished. Not only are you far more handsome than I am, but you are much prettier!"
Then she led her to the dining room. Both naked, they entered the palace of mirrors, where a thousand crystals reflected at once their beautiful forms and the lights of the chandeliers and lustre's.
They looked at one another for some little time, their arms encircling each other's waists; each proud of her own beauty and that of her companion; then they took two white haicks, one with gold stripes, the other ornamented with silver, as transparent as woven air, and they sat down to supper. All the dishes were most dainty. The iced champagne sparkled in muslin-like decanters, and they began to sip the exhilarating beverage from the same glass, and often from each other's lips.
CHAPTER 9
At first they were attentive to one another as lovers would be together, helping one another to small dainties and titbits, intermixed with burning kisses on the arms, shoulders and lips. Then, after supper, they rose, letting their haicks fall to the floor, the Countess like the goddess Pomona, bearing away some fruit in a basket of golden filigree, and Florence holding in her hand a cup brimming over with sparkling champagne.
They approached the bed with arms encircling each other's waists. Then they looked at one another, as if to say: "Who is going to begin?"
"Ah!" said the Countess, "I think I must begin."
No doubt Florence was satisfied with the reply, for she pressed her lips to those of the Countess, imprinting a burning kiss on her mouth, and she lay on the bed in a posture full of abandon.
The Countess gazed for a moment on the strange form, in which were combined the virility of the man and the gracefulness of woman. She took from her hair the golden comb studded with diamonds, and laid it as a crown on the charming representative of the mysterious Isis, who, foremost of all goddesses, was worshipped under the name of Saunia.
The gold and diamonds sparkled in the black fur, and the comb almost disappeared in it, without reaching however to the aperture which the jealous Countess would have wished to encompass.
Then she went on her knees, and as the magnificent ornament which she had just added to the shrine did not hinder her from paying her respects to it, she gently laid Florence's thighs on her two shoulders, and drew aside the thick fur which closed the entrance to the grotto disclosed to her view, like a casket of black velvet lined with rose-coloured satin.
At this unexpected sight the Countess gave an exclamation of pleasure, and at once began to apply her tongue to the pretty sanctuary; but, to her great astonishment, she perceived that the passage, which she thought free, was closed up. She rose quickly and looking eagerly at Florence, said:
"What does that mean?"
"Why, dear Odette," said Florence laughing, "it means that I am a virgin, or if you prefer it, that I still have my maidenhead."
"Is there any difference?"
"Certainly, my dear. The virgin is a girl that never was touched by anybody; the innocent one who knows nothing of love's pleasures. But she of the maidenhead is the one who in spite of her own private practices, or her intercourse with others, has been able to keep whole the membrane of the Hymen."
"Ah! then I have found a girl whom man never sullied! Oh! my beautiful Florence, I can hardly believe it."
"You can ascertain for yourself," said Florence; "the more so as I have to reproach you with stopping short when I was just about to feel the approach of pleasure. Begin again, my beloved Odette, and should there be any further occasion for astonishment, wait till you have done before you express it."
"One word more?"
"Certainly."
"Then you have still your maidenhead, but you are no longer a virgin?"
"No, indeed I am not."
"Are men responsible for your being no longer a virgin?"
"Not for the world. The gaze of man never rested on my form; never did man touch me."
"Ah!" cried Odette, "that is all I wished to know," and she threw herself on Florence, and applied her lips to the sanctuary.
Florence gave a little shriek. She felt, perhaps too acutely the impression of the teeth which caressed her, but almost at the same time, Odette's tongue replaced the teeth and that clever tongue at once ascertained the accuracy of Florence's statement, and that if she was no longer a virgin, her maidenhead was still intact.
As for Florence she experienced all the pleasure which can be given by a skilful tongue, and it was so intense that she could hardly help uttering little shrieks as if in pain. She was almost in a swoon when the Countess began giving her on the mouth kisses which had been so profusely distributed elsewhere.
"Ah! it is my turn!" she said in a state of great excitement.
And she let herself glide from the bed in the posture of the wounded gladiator. The Countess took her place on the bed and drew her body close to Florence's inclined head.
"Ah!" she murmured: "If a man had seen and heard what you just heard and saw, I should never dare to lift up my head again."
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."