“To be sure, we're a race of puritans, Marcia. On the one hand we grant ourselves every prurient temptation-the movies, the theater, magazines, comic books. On the other, we're afraid of candid behavior to the point of neuroticism and frustrations. And I may say here and now, my beloved, that your attitude delights-not that I wasn't sure you'd be so frank and sweet and thoughtful, but that you actually want me to qualify my own rights to be your lover. Is that it?”
“Yes, my darling. Oh, yes, I can envision myself, when you tell me of your adventures, as this or that beautiful woman in your arms. And it will make me all the more jealously passionate now that I've got you for my very own.”
They kissed, but tenderly; he sought no overt caresses of her beautiful and scantily clad body so close to his.
Then sitting back and lighting a cigarette, he pondered, “In a way, my dear, to relate to you the stories of my adventures, as you put it, is almost to give me leave to make myself out a rake!”
“Oh, come, Max, surely you don't think me so prudish that I'd expect a handsome, virile, worldly, and very obviously handsome and attractive man of your age to be a monk. No, my dear, no more than I'd expect you to be cheaply promiscuous. I'm a bit selfish and my ego wants me to believe that in choosing me as your lifelong wife, you performed an act of selectivity based on your good taste.”
“Minx!”
“Roue!” she teased back, and they both laughed and held hands a minute. Very gravely, moving closer to him, she murmured, “Max, this is our very first night-a timeless night, to be remembered for all our lives. I want to absorb you- spiritually, physically, yes that too-but right now I want to sublimate with you, to see you as you were when you made love. Don't hold back anything. I mean that, yes, the most physical details. I want to know them all-how you react to love, to caress, and-to physical types of beauty and feminine attractiveness. Isn't-well-isn't there some sort of magic carpet which brought you to new beauty after beauty in the various countries you visited?”
“It's a very curious thing that you should use that phrase, beloved, for Jules Romains uses it in his Man of Good Will. Yes, there is a magic carpet of my youth, shall I say, whereon I was transported to some extremely delightful as well as exciting meetings. It does depart a little from the rather tried and boring stories that men tell of their conquests and of this or that waitress or hotel maid. But-do you actually want to know all and everything, as you put it?”
She nodded, eyes fond, teasing. “But everything, my liege lord. How the girl looked naked in bed, how her skin felt, her thighs…”
“Marcia,” he gasped, half laughing, half incredulous.
“You're not to think me wanton, my love. In a way, this is a most important session for me now, which precedes our making love. Instruct me, then, my dearest, on your body-its desires. Speak those words which you spoke then of the things that thrilled you so I'll know how to please you — when our time comes.”
He could not believe his ears. But she was impassioned and sincere. And he thanked his good fortune that he had found so enlightened a young woman who brought that most exciting combination to the bridal bed, of emancipated virginity and ardent eagerness for love!
“Well, then, Marcia, I'll accede to your wishes. First, a brief background. As you know, my father began this importing business toward the last year of his life. But, as he was already independently wealthy from his other pursuits in the market and investment house, he used it only as a hobby.” She nodded, her eyes studying his face.
“It wasn't till I was twenty that I had my first girl, and that was on the occasion of my graduation from Columbia, where I'd majored in languages because I was then very interested in the importing business and decided to make something of it. I'll say only that she was a girl in my own class. We were infatuated with each other, but she was much too neurotic to make a joyous lover, and fortunately I did not involve myself too deeply with her, not wanting to hurt her.
“Well, after college, I spent two years working for a very fine import firm to learn the competitive angles, but I made only one extended trip through the Continent and had my mind too much on my job to think of girls. It wasn't till I was twenty-eight, by which time I had taken over Dad's firm and expanded it and put in it a good deal of my inheritance as working capital, that my first real opportunity came.”
“So you had only one girl till you were twenty-eight, darling?”
“Yes. So you see, my sweet, I started on a chaste course myself.”
“Ah-but you didn't finish it, did you?” she teased naughtily, her eyes very soft and doting.
“Shall I stop before I offend your chaste ears, my love?” he smiled.
“If you do, I shall lock myself in the bedroom and not let you in.”
“A fate indeed worse than death!” They both laughed heartily and he took her hand and kissed it, while she kissed his hair gently.
“Very well. But once I start, young lady, there's no holding back.”
“I don't want you to suppress a single detail. Let's say this is my emotional champagne, which they tell me every timid young virgin needs before going to bed with her husband,” she said softly, and again he marveled at her adorable candor.
“Very well, and again may I say I'm amazed and delighted in your interest in my humble gifts. Should I hypocritically avow that all my life till this hour had been but preparation…”
She laughingly put a hand over his mouth, shook her head, said, “No, Max, you idiot, words won't convey that to me. Tell me what I'm to expect. Do you realize, my dearest husband, that all over America men are going to bed for the first time and while the man has whims and quirks, the poor girl is left in the dark as to what to expect in bed. For example, had I let you undress me and kiss me a bit and then carry me to our bridal bed, I should still, happy as I was from your interest in my body, have absolutely no way of knowing what makes your emotions tick- whether to expect a satyr devouring me or perhaps have my bottom paddled.”
“Marcia,” he laughed, flushing a little, “if you keep that teasing up, perhaps that may happen to you too.”
“Ah, you see, you said 'too.' That indicates you have other notions in mind. Well, my eager spouse, you're to inform me about them.”
“Wouldn't you like it much better to be taken by surprise?”
“Oh, but I shall be. For the act itself always surpasses the talk of it, Max, my love. This is a prelude, you see. Now, go on!”
“Marcia, I'm still a bit dumbfounded. This must certainly be the most unusual wedding night in history,” he jested, lightly squeezing her slim hand.
She smiled provocatively, eyes resting on his handsome face. “I want it to be. This is an unusual night for me, too, you know. Let's make it memorable. No, another thing, Max, my darling. I am not exactly a child, even if I am known technically as a 'good girl.' So I want you to use the words you'd generally use to describe the things you said and did. Please, do begin, my cavalier.”
He leaned back, eyes studying the ceiling a moment, while he lit another cigarette.
Then he said, “Well, my first really remarkable experience came when I was twenty-eight, as I just said. I had made London my first stop, to investigate some linens at a commission agent's. They were Irish linens, rather top quality, and I felt that there was a market for them here, especially as no American firm had that particular quality. So I felt that I had to make an all-out effort to cultivate the agent's friendship so I'd get the business. I made myself as charming as I could.”
“Which, my liege lord, if I may be permitted to interrupt at this point, is extremely charming.” Marcia smiled a delicious look at him.
He took her hand, brought it to his lips and kissed it. “You are pardoned. Now then, Marcia, my love, this commission agent was a man of about thirty-five. We spent two days together, lunching and dining in each other's company, at my invitation, so I could register on his impressionability. At last, on the third day, he agreed that I should be given a prior option to contract for a good quantity of the stuff I wanted, and I gave him a certified check on a London bank to bind the deal. He suggested a supper at a famous nightclub in Piccadilly as a celebration, and of course I agreed.