Tales and Novels of J. de La Fontaine — Volume 25 by Jean de La Fontaine
page 14 of 18 (77%)
page 14 of 18 (77%)
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By ladder, and a servant's aid,
To reach the chamber of the maid. To tell how often they embraced, How changed in form their tenderness, Would lead to nothing but a waste Of time, my readers will confess. The longest, most abstruse discourse Would lack precision, want the force Their youthful ardour to portray. To understand there's but one way-- Experience. The nightingale Sang all night long his pleasing tale, And though he made but little noise, The lass was satisfied. Her joys So exquisite that she averred The other nightingale, the bird Who warbles to the woods his bliss, Was but an ass compared with this. But nature could not long maintain Of efforts such as these the strain; Their forces spent, the lovers twain In fond embrace fell fast asleep Just as the dawn began to peep: The father as he left his bed By curiosity was led To learn if Kitty soundly slept, And softly to the passage crept. "I'll see the influence," he said, "Of nightingale and change of bed." With bated breath, upon tip toes, |
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