ant's mistress,
feeling a little dizzy, went into an adjoining room and lay down on the
bed. Her lover was soon beside her.

Mdlle. Q----, who was in the same case, told me that she would like to
rest, so I took her into a room where she could sleep the night, and
advised her to do so.

"I don't think I need fear its going any farther," I said, "we will leave
the marquis with your cousin then, and I will watch over you while you
sleep."

"No, no, you shall sleep too." So saying, she went into the
dressing-room, and asked me to get her cloak. I brought it to her, and
when she came in she said,--

"I breathe again. Those dreadful trousers were too tight; they hurt me."
She threw herself on the bed, with nothing on besides her cloak.

"Where did the breeches hurt you?" said I.

"I can't tell you, but I should think you must find them dreadfully
uncomfortable."

"But, dearest, our anatomy is different, and breeches do not trouble us
at all where they hurt you."

As I spoke I held her to my breast and let myself fall gently beside her
on the bed. We remained thus a quarter of an hour without speaking, our
lips glued together in one long kiss. I left her a moment by herself, and
when I returned she was between the sheets. She said she had undressed to
be able to sleep better, and, shutting her eyes, turned away. I knew that
the happy hour had come, and taking off my woman's clothes in a
twinkling, I gently glided into the bed beside her, for the last
struggles of modesty must be tenderly respected. I clasped her in my arms
and a gentle pressure soon aroused her passions, and turning towards me
she surrendered to me all her charms.

After the first sacrifice I proposed a wash, for though I could not
exactly flatter myself that I had been the first to break open the lock,
the victim had left some traces on the bed, which looked as if it were
so. The offer was received with delight, and when the operation was over
she allowed me to gaze on all her charms, which I covered with kisses.
Growing bolder, she made me grant her the same privilege.

"What a difference there is," said she, "between nature and art!"

"But of course you think that art is the better?"

"No, certainly not."

"But there may be imperfections in nature, whereas art is perfect."

"I do not know whether there be any imperfection in what I behold, but I
do know that I have never seen anything so beautiful."

In fact she had the instrument of lov