I kiss her hand and rejoin the Count who says he has enjoyed the scene immensely. The two little ladies who were whipped are now walking in the parlour entirely naked, their bottoms shaking prettily as they move about.
I take advantage of the situation to smack them both as they pass by.
The music for the dancing has been playing for the last half hour and it is really a charming sight to watch those half-nude women pass before my eyes. After the dance comes the supper. I am seated near a brunette whom I do not recognize and I give myself the treat of investigating her beauties with one hand under the table.
She touches my stick from time to time to keep it awake and we drink and eat heartily.
A wild gallop terminates the whole performance and as the light of day begins to show itself, we conclude that it is time to put on more presentable costumes. The ladies leave first and I go home to seek a much needed rest.
Jean stuck his head into my room to tell me the time of day but I did not hear him. It was five o'clock in the afternoon, before I got up and began my toilet. Jean does not utter a word. He probably thinks he has a new master.
"Has any one been here?"
"Yes, sir, a tall light haired gentleman who left his card. He has been here three times."
"Where is the card?"
Jean handed hit to me; it is the Count's. He writes on the card with a pencil that he will return at six o'clock. Evidently Mademoiselle Hortense will not see me today.
The bell rings and Jean introduces my new friend. He comes to invite me to supper at his country seat. I accept with delight. Before leaving, however, I must go and say goodbye to my neighbour.
"Good morning, neighbour!"
"Say good evening, rather; it is late enough for that," answered Madame Benoit with a severe look.
I was holding the knob and as I closed the door, I heard the murmur:
"Old Bachelor!"
CHAPTER FOUR
The Count's carriage is at the door and we are soon on the way to his villa, which is situated near Poissy. It is a pretty, modern, cheerful place with gardens on three sides, the other side sloping gently to the Seine, wooded, with narrow paths through it to the river.
The sun is setting and it is one of those beautiful autumn days that remind one rather of spring than the commencement of winter.
A butler does the honours of the house and if there are any other servants they do not appear.
There is a pretty parlour on the first floor, very richly decorated and furnished with sofas and armchairs and mirrors. I am much surprised at the style of the room, to the great amusement of the Count, who passes his arm through mine and leads me to the dining room.
The table is ready and a stroke of the bell brings the butler, to whom he gives orders for serving our meal.
After an excellent supper I stretched myself out in an armchair and the conversation begins.
The Count, who is a good talker, tells many personal adventures, which are all new and hail from all parts of the world. With a large fortune at his command, he has been able to satisfy every whim, and has travelled through America, Asia and part of Africa.
There is no country in Europe with which he is not perfectly familiar and he speaks several languages fluently; in fact he is a charming fellow.
"I had just been travelling in Switzerland," began the Count in his now familiar and well modulated voice, "and I had enjoyed the trip so much that I was tempted to extend my travels further south. I visited all the principal cities in Italy, and the occasion presenting itself to make the trip from Naples to Marseilles with an English family, I accepted the invitation with pleasure, and we set sail.
"For four days the vessel glided smoothly on the Mediterranean and I was almost sorry at last when we arrived at our destination.
"During the trip I had made the conquest of the younger of the girls, who had proposed the most embarrassing things to me: to elope with her or to marry her on her arrival at Marseilles. I got out of the difficulty by promising to go to Manchester the following season, which of course I was careful not to do.
"After taking leave of the Anderson family and thanking them for their kind invitation to visit them in England, I was taken with a severe attack of spleen and hesitated between following the little Misswhich I thought would be ridiculous-and returning to Moscow.
"I do not know what notion possessed me to visit Algiers, which the French had just conquered, but I took passage on the best steamer of the line which was then beginning to run every fortnight.
"The first meal on board the vessel brought together all the passengers around a long dining table. During the first part of the meal I could not fail to see that my neighbour was doing his best to start a conversation with me, and I would have ignored his overtures longer had it been possible. But giving me a nudge on the arm, he said:
"'This is excellent roast beef, sir, just what we have at home!' "I turned, and for the first time saw his features. He had a good natured, big round face- simplicity itself-was about forty years of age, and showed that he belonged to the class of well-to-do merchants.
"'Yes, sir, an excellent roast,' I answered at last.
"'You are doubtless going to Algiers on business, like myself,' he continued.
"'No,' I replied, 'I am going on a pleasure trip.' "'On a pleasure trip!' cried the good man in amazement.
"'Certainly, to see the country, hunt, kill time. I cannot kill anything else.' "'You are a Parisian,' said he with the air of a man who thinks that only a Parisian could conceive such an extravagant idea.
"'No, I am a Russian, from Moscow,' I answered.
"'And I am from Carpentras,' he returned proudly. 'I am going to Algiers on business and I am taking my wife with me. The poor little thing would not be separated from me, so I took her along. We have only been married for six months, he added confidentially with another nudge as he laughed his great big laugh.
"I was undecided whether to continue my conversation with him or to go and take a stroll on the deck, but my companion was a regular sticking plaster.
"Once on deck he talked loud enough to be heard a mile away. I was obliged to listen to the history of his fortune and count it over with him several times.
"His name was Theodore Paillard. At about eleven that evening, we retired to our cabins. My cabin was next to his and before I went to sleep, I heard him relating to his wife a lot of things about me of which I was totally ignorant but which he found in his fertile Southern imagination. I then heard Madame Paillard tell him to stop, that she was sleepy, but he would not be quiet, he wanted it, he said… he had not had it for three days.
"She said: 'No, it is not convenient in this little box.' I then heard her scold him. "'You are too big, Theodore. I assure you that you hurt me.
Then you are so heavy, you smother me. Let me put it in myself, you are so awkward. Now go ahead, easy. Oh… I don't feel anything. Get it for yourself and be quick about it. Don't pinch me like that, you hurt me, I tell you! How long you are… You have been drinking, I am certain.' "Then all was silent for a moment until Madame Paillard's voice rose once more, but this time in anger.
"'You are always the same, you satisfy yourself and leave me full of your stuff. You are selfish! I have really only had it once since we are married. Ah, now you are going to sleep and I must get up and wash.' "'My dear, I am very tired. I promise you that I will give it to you in the morning,' replied he in a pitiful tone. Then I heard the noise of a syringe. Theodore was snoring like a satiated beast. I dreamed all night of Madame Paillard and when I awoke during the night I got to wondering whether she was pretty, or if she were only passable! One is easily satisfied on board ship.
"Early the next morning I was on deck. I was not alone, however; a young woman was walking up and down, stamping her tiny feet from time to time to warm them.