all unnecessary support; I have never seen, never touched, anything more
beautiful, and the two magnificent globes of the Venus de Medicis, even
if they had been animated by the spark of life given by Prometheus, would
have yielded the palm to hose of my divine nun.

I was burning with ardent desires, and I would have satisfied them on the
spot, if my adorable mistress had not calmed my impatience by these
simple words:

"Wait until after supper."

I rang the bell; she shuddered.

"Do not be anxious, dearest."

And I shewed her the secret of the sham window.

"You will be able to tell your lover that no one saw you."

"He will appreciate your delicate attention, and that will prove to him
that you are not a novice in the art of love. But it is evident that I am
not the only one who enjoys with you the delights of this charming
residence."

"You are wrong, believe me: you are the first woman I have seen here. You
are not, adorable creature, my first love, but you shall be the last."

"I shall be happy if you are faithful. My lover is constant, kind, gentle
and amiable; yet my heart has ever been fancy-free with him."