not bear the smart."

"There you are. How's that?"

"All right; but don't deceive me, I want no half measures. My reputation
would be made if I became with child."

I ask my reader's leave to draw a veil over some incidents of this truly
scandalous orgy, in which the ugly woman taught me some things I did not
know before. At last, more tired than exhausted, I told them to begone,
but the Astrodi insisted on finishing up with a bowl of punch. I agreed,
but not wishing to have anything more to do with either of them I dressed
myself again. However, the champagne punch excited them to such an extent
that at last they made me share their transports. The Astrodi placed her
friend in such a singular position that the humps were no longer visible,
and imagining that I had before me the high priestess of Jove, I paid her
a long sacrifice, in which death and resurrection followed one another in
succession. But I felt disgusted with myself, and drew away from their
lascivious frenzies, and gave them ten Louis to get rid of them. The
Astrodi fell on her knees, blessed me, thanked me, called me her god; and
the Lepi wept and laughed for joy at the same time; and thus for a
quarter of an hour I was treated to a scene of an extraordinary kind.

I had them taken home in my carriage, and slept till ten o'clock next
morning. Just as I was going out for a walk Stuard came to my room and
told me, with an air of despair, that if I did not give him the means of
going away before I left he would throw himself in the Rhine.

"That's rather tragic," said I, "but I can find a cure. I will disburse
twenty-five Louis, but it is your wife who must receive them; and the
only condition is that she must receive me alone for an hour, and be
entirely kind."

"Sir, we need just that sum; my wife is disposed to receive you; go and
talk to her. I shall not be in till noon."

I put twenty-five Louis in a pretty little purse, and left my room
thinking that the victory was won. I entered her room and approached her
bed respectfully. When she heard me she sat up in bed without taking the
trouble to cover her breast, and before I could wish her good-day she
spoke to me as follows:

"I am ready, sir, to pay with my body for the wretched twenty-five Louis
of which my husband is in need. You can do what you like with me; but
remember that in taking advantage of my position to assuage your brutal
lust you are the viler of the two, for I only sell myself s