To Sappho
You complain, my sweet girl, that it is long since you heard from me, and remind me that I, of all men, am the only one who could ever give you delight. In reply to your complaint, I must assure you that had there been anything to relate which would have been likely to interest my young philosopher I should have written, but I know too well that ordinary love affairs between men and women do not much amuse you and that the loves of girls for each other are more to your taste. By your other remark I am much flattered; and if you can frame some excuse to your aunt for leaving home and will come here, I think I can show you how to pass an agreeable afternoon. In the interim I will detail an adventure which I met with the other day, and I think will vastly please your fancy.
I was strolling out in one of those thick woods which abound in this neighbourhood when in a secluded dell I espied two young ladies seated very lovingly together, engaged in earnest conversation. They were so absorbed in their discourse that I found no difficulty in approaching softly to within a yard of the spot and, concealing myself in a thicket, I sat down on the turf to listen to them.
The elder of the two was a fine handsome woman of about five or six and twenty, with lustrous dark eyes, black hair, an aquiline nose, and noble figure, yet rather too masculine looking to be altogether pleasing. Her companion was a lovely girl of sixteen, a most exquisite face of a perfect oval, laughing blue eyes shaded with long black lashes, and a profusion of the most beautiful hair of a light auburn which wantoned in the breeze in a hundred lovelocks, forming a most charming picture; her figure was exquisitely rounded in all the witchery of early girlhood, and its undulations raised certain strong desires in my heart to be better acquainted with its beauties.
I now set myself to listen to their conversation.
'I assure you,' the dark-eyed woman was saying, 'there is nothing in it; these men are the most selfish creatures in the world; and besides, what pleasure, think you, can they give us that we do not have already without their aid?'
'Well, dear friend,' laughed the girl, in a sweet silvery voice, 'I am sure you talk very sensibly, but yet there must be something in the joys of love, if we are to believe the poets, who have so often made it their theme; besides, I do not mind telling you that I know a little more about the subject than you may suppose.'
'Mon Dieu,' ejaculated the dark beauty, who I now began to think was a Frenchwoman, especially as I had already noticed a slight foreign accent in her voice; 'Mon Dieu' (and she turned pale), 'how is it possible you should know anything of love at your age?'
'Shall I tell you?' replied the young girl.
'Ah! yes, yes; tell me, ma chere.'
'Well then, dear; you know young Mrs. Leslie?'
'Certainly.'
'She was a former school-fellow of mine; and a month or two after her honeymoon, I went on a visit to that pretty country seat of her husband's, Harpsdeen Court, in Bedfordshire. While there she not only told me all about the secret joys of matrimony, but permitted me to witness her bliss.'
'To witness it? Incredible!'
''Tis a fact, I do assure you; shall I tell you what I saw, and how I saw it?'
'Oh yes, ma petite, I do not mind what you may have seen, I was only afraid one of these perfidious men had captivated your poor little heart; as it was a mere girlish frolic, it will amuse me very much to hear all about it.'
The young girl, first giving her friend a sweet kiss, which I envied, thus began:
'My friend Clara Leslie, though she has a pleasing amiable face, is not strictly handsome, but nature, you know, is full of compensations, as her husband found out to his great satisfaction. She has a shape that vies with the Venus de Medici, the most lovely figure you ever beheld. When quite a girl at school, she could show a leg that any woman might envy, but now at twenty years of age she surpassed the finest statue I ever saw. I will not trouble you with a recapitulation of all that passed on her wedding night, and subsequently up to my arrival at Harpsdeen, because you, my sweet friend, doubtless know all that occurs on such occasions, but will confine myself to what I saw. She proposed to me to sleep in a room adjoining theirs, divided only by a thin oaken wainscot in which one of the knots in the wood could be taken out at pleasure and thus command a full view of the nuptial couch. Clara told me she would place a pair of wax lights on a table near the bed, and out of regard to me would so manage matters that I should see all that passed between her and her handsome husband, the squire. Accordingly, we all went to bed about ten o'clock one night and I, having undressed and wrapped myself in my robe de chambre, placed myself on an ottoman over against the panel. Assisted by her husband, Clara was soon reduced to a state of nature and stood naked like a beautiful Eve, with her lovely hair meandering down her alabaster back and shoulders.
'“Charles, dear,” said my sweet friend, “do you lie on the foot of the bed and let me mount you, a la St George, you call it, I believe. I do so love that position.”
'He kissed her tenderly, and being now himself naked, flung himself back on the foot of the bed.
'Then, dearest Maria, I saw, for the first time, that wondrous ivory staff with its ruby-crested head, rising from a nest of glossy black curls. Having waited a moment to give me an opportunity of seeing it, she pressed her face in his lap and took the head of his noble toy in her mouth; then after moistening it for a few seconds, she mounted astride him, displaying to my delighted gaze her large beautiful dimpled bottom and lily white thighs, between which I could clearly discern the mark of her sex; then grasping his wand in her little hand, she guided it in and immediately began to move up and down a la postilion.
'He clasped those white hemispheres with his hands, he squeezed them together, he held them open, he thrust his finger into the nether rosebud, he kissed her breasts, while mutual sighs of delight escaped the fond pair. As for me, I was so excited as to be almost beside myself, and felt almost suffocated. At length, I sought relief in the schoolgirl's substitute and used my finger for want of something better. Though this was but a poor expedient, it relieved the burning heat and caused a flow of love's dew, which allayed the itching desire which had taken possession of me. Meantime, Clara's climax and Charlie's came simultaneously and they lay panting in each other's arms. In a very short time, however, he was again ready for action, and making Clara kneel upon the bed he stood behind, and again the amorous encounter was renewed. Four times in various attitudes did he repeat the play, and then putting out the candles they retired to rest.
'As for me, I could scarcely sleep at all; all night I was tossing about, trying in vain with my finger to procure myself that satisfaction which I had seen her enjoy.
'Now my dear Marie, inveigh as much as you please against love; for my part the sooner some nice young fellow takes a fancy to me the better I shall like it.'
'My dearest child,' cried the dark beauty, 'I dare say it is very true that your friend has made a very excellent match and is quite happy in her husband, but what I want to impress upon you is that for one such marriage as that there are ten wretched ones. Besides, I will, if you like, soon demonstrate to you that there is more pleasure to be derived from the love of woman for woman than any that the male can give. We are all alone here in this lovely glen; let me show you how I will make love.'
'You!' cried the young girl. 'What? Are you going then to make love to me?'
'To no other, my pet,' whispered hoarsely the salacious woman, as her dark eyes gleamed and her hand passed up the clothes of her companion.
'Oh; but,' said the younger, 'this is very droll, good heaven, what are you about! Really, Marie, I am surprised at you.'