Madame Couer-Brulant - The Cousins,volume II

“It did not prevent me from discovering it.”

“True… maybe I should rejoice instead of complaining.”

“As a matter of fact, if I can get the artist's permission, I have every intention of buying this wonderful painting.”

“Sell it? To you? Such a beautiful lady? Madame, that is against nature. I would be enormously pleased, though, if you would accept it as a gift…”

“That,” interrupted Julia quickly, “is a matter between me and the Art Commission with whom I intend to deal. Monsieur Michael, it was a pleasure having met you, and I hope that the feeling was mutual.” And with these words Julia de Corriero seemed to have ended the conversation.

“But I would never forgive myself, if I could not see you again.”

“See me again? What gives you that idea?”

“I can think of no reason why that should be so strange. I admit that I am an artist, and not a man of rank. But when I meet a woman who looks like Venus herself, I simply lose my head-of course, only as far as the prejudices of society are concerned. I promise that I would never lose respect, and I have already begun to adore you. I can feel that you are taking possession of my mind and heart. As a matter of fact, I can feel it clearly.”

“Really,” countered Julia with a smile. “And may I ask, if you are so much in love all of a sudden, are you in the habit of watching what you are doing?”

“But naturally! Because I am only in love when I can adore!”

“You better watch what you say, sir. You have already told me that you adore me…”

“How do I know what I am saying! All I can see is that you are able to walk away from me, and it tears out my heart!”

“Now, that would be too bad. I could not have such slaughter on my conscience. Well, since you have assured me that you will respect me, I could decide to…”

“You could decide what? Oh, please speak!”

“I could put you in a position to teach me your theories about love. They seem to me a notch above the average, and they are clearly unconventional. I am intrigued.”

“Oh, how sweet of you! Unfortunately, it is a long story, and I am afraid that the exhibition is about to close.”

“You are right. What a pity. And the world is so evil-thinking. You may not be aware of the demands of society.”

“Madame, I am the son of General Lompret,” the young man said proudly.

“Well, in that case, there are seemingly no objections for us to meet when the exhibition closes in a few minutes. My carriage will be waiting for you at the exit.”

Michael was a little bit stunned at the sudden turn of events, but he was tremendously pleased when the splendid equipage spirited him and the beautiful woman away from Paris.

“Sir,” Julia said, as Paris disappeared in the distance, “you know that I am eagerly awaiting your explanations about the theory of love. I am all ears.”

“Madame, how could you, since you obviously possess a brilliant mind and spirit, talk so cold-bloodedly about the one and only true religion. The religion of the heart, based upon the adoration of beauty and the search for the highest fulfillment of love.”

“You must admit that this religion has a tinge of paganism.”

“Paganism must have been marvelous! All the religions that followed have only shown us how beautiful paganism was. A time when men were men, instead of groveling eunuchs. The people in those times must have been beautiful.”

“You seem to be making quite a case!”

“Madame, everything that makes my heart go quicker is worth my making love to it. I am an artist. My feelings are my own, and it is my responsibility to make them as beautiful as possible. All things that are not directly related to nature are bad. There is a strange and compelling relationship between an artist's feelings, his mind and his body. It has to be in harmony, or he is miserable and cannot create the beautiful things he dreams of. True, I admit that quite often it is a physical desire and a physical satisfaction which brings us our best inspiration. But, alas, society does not always allow us to give full rein to our imagination.”

His vibrant voice, his passionate looks and the implications of his speech charged the interior of the small carriage with a large amount of electricity which was now waiting to be discharged.

“You know that the best way to convince me,” Madame de Corriero smiled, “is to prove to me that you truly belong to that small, select group who know how to love.”

“I have always tried to follow the admonition in the Gospels, 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.' ”

“With the best will of the world, I couldn't possibly want more. Tell me something, have you ever found anyone who was a complete soundboard to your feelings? You must have searched long enough.”

“Unfortunately, never. Whenever I thought to behold the perfect woman, she disappeared like a mirage. I am afraid that I shall die without ever having tasted the perfection of love about which I dream.”

“Oh? I would not give up all hope, if I were you.”

“I hope you don't find me too forward, when I admit that I had hoped to find my ideal when I saw you this afternoon at the exhibition. You are not an ordinary woman, and you, too, know that one must be slightly mad in order to be completely in love. Two souls cannot mingle unless the bodies have become one.”

Julia was visibly moved by Michael's forceful speech, and she did not pull away her hand when he put his strong fingers around hers. He took her in his arms and kissed her tenderly at first, then more passionately, and finally his hot lips pressed vibrantly against her trembling mouth, his tongue searching for the moist cavity, brushing against her pearly-white teeth. She let him do with her as he pleased, floating as if in a dream. All she could think about was to tenderly nibble on his earlobe and play with the tip of her tongue around his cheeks, neck and massive shoulders.

Suddenly the carriage stopped. Julia scribbled a few lines on a card, put the card in an envelope and handed it to a servant who was waiting outside the carriage.

“Give this to her Ladyship, immediately.” Then she changed her mind. “Wait, help us out of the coach, and drive up to the house.”

Carriage and servant disappeared in the distance and Michael was alone with Madame de Corriero at the edge of a forest.

“If I am not too impudent,” he said, “where are we?”

“On the other side of Bondy Forest,” the young woman answered with a smile. “Are you afraid?”

“Only for what I might do… but, don't be afraid, I won't do it.”

“I would not be afraid. On the contrary! You are giving me an entirely new perspective, and you have shown me that love can exist in a form which I had hitherto never thought possible.”

“You are much too charming never to have been loved, and too sensitive never to have given it.”

“I am not denying that. But nothing has ever made my heart go quicker than the vision you have given me. It makes me feel a little sad, because I am afraid that only those who can conceive of those lofty ideals will be able to enjoy the greatest happiness.”

“And would you allow me…”

“What?”

“To introduce you to this supreme ecstasy?”

“And would you think wrongly of me when I asked you to come with me?”

“To where?”

“My home, of course. Any other place would be unthinkable.”

“I could not think of anything more pleasant. But, please, dear lady friend, we have known each other, it seems to me, for ages now, and I still do not know your name. I cannot keep calling you Madame.”

“Call me Madcap.”

“Madcap? That's no name for you! You are a lady of high society, that is obvious! But, if you want, Madcap it is!”