Madame Couer-Brulant - The Cousins,volume II

“Don't you understand? The members of the Club de Topinambours have taken it upon themselves to find out who these two mystery women are. After all, both de Paliseul and I have told them about our first adventure. Since then, I have denied knowing anything more. I did not want to give up my love because of the curiosity of some members of my club. And, let me tell you, my dearest, these members are like bloodhounds, sniffing throughout Paris to pick up the trail. Why didn't the two of you trust the honor of two gentlemen?”

“In the first place, it was so amusing…”

“And in the second place?”

“What if we had not been so compatible?”

“I see, you mean if we had been like de Paliseul and Pomegranate?”

Florentine answered by nodding her head.

“And if I may ask, who is this dark Andalusian women?”

“Her secrets are not mine. I do not have the right to tell you.”

“Well, darling, you are right as far as that is concerned. But, now that I know your identity, the big problem remains-how to lead our bloodhounds on a wrong trail.”

“How do you want to do that.”

“Let me think about something.” Maxim gave her a reassuring kiss, his hands lingering upon her beautiful golden fleece.

“In whose name is this house?” he asked after several minutes.

“Felicitas'.”

“The Negro woman?”

“Yes.”

“And this precious woman is as much a Negro as I am, I dare presume?”

“You are right. But she is a very, very trustworthy servant.”

“That I have noticed. In whose service is she?”

“Pomegranate Flower's.”

“I think I have a good idea. Why don't we send de Paliseul an invitation from the Sphinx. He will be overjoyed to hear from his Pomegranate Flower, and undoubtedly tell everyone in the club about his new invitation. Then I will suggest to use this opportunity to uncover the secret of the two beautiful women. And you, my dearest, will have to make some arrangements with Felicitas, in whose name this house is registered, to give our friend de Paliseul a fitting reception.”

“That sounds very exciting!”

“Fine! Then we will create a complication our friend shall never forget!”

“What a great idea!”

“But you must promise to help me!”

“Of course!”

“Great! Let's start- the comedy tomorrow.”

They went into several details, not forgetting that they had gotten together to make love. When Maxim left, he had given Lady Evergreen more than ample proof that her trust in him had not diminished his love for her. Ten minutes after he had gone, Florentine was still recuperating from her last orgasm.

It was around four the next afternoon when de Paliseul excitedly waved his invitation before the members of the club. He was overjoyed.

“What are you waving there,” Maxim asked him.

“That Pomegranate Flower has finally changed her mind,” de Paliseul exclaimed.

“Bah! Pooh! Bullshit,” were just a few of the words that could be heard from the membership.

“See? It's the sign of the sphinx,” said de Paliseul, furious that his fellow members did not believe him.

“Do you remember your promise, de Paliseul?” Maxim asked innocently.

“I sure do, and I aim to keep it!”

“And we shall be very happy, once and for all, to lift the veil of secrecy which hides the ladies Evergreen and Pomegranate Flower!”

“But I don't know how to do it!”

“Very simple,” Maxim said hypocritically.

“We rent another coach which looks like any normal cab, but instead of an old nag, we make sure that it has a very spirited horse. All you have to do is tell us when and where.”

“Nine o'clock sharp, the tenth street lantern on the Champs Elysees.”

At precisely the indicated time, the black equipage with the sphinx emblem stopped in front of the lantern under which de Paliseul was waiting. The Negro woman showed her face, and, overjoyed with happiness, de Paliseul jumped inside. The coach rolled quickly away.

At a safe distance of about twenty paces however, it was followed by another coach which, as de Berny had suggested, looked for all the world like just another rent cab, but it had a spirited horse which easily could keep up with the carriage in front of it. Inside, bursting with tension and anticipation were the Counts de Berny, de Lyncent, and de Melreuse.

They turned into the Rue Charles V.

“So that's where they live?” the plotters said. “The next question is, how do we get in?”

The sphinx equipage stopped in front of the gate of an old building.

“Evergreen does not live here,” de Berny said.

“Are you sure?”

“You don't think that I would brag about my visits to a dump like this? I make a bet that de Paliseul has given us one of his famous fantasy stories.”

“That would be the limit!”

“I know that,” de Berny exclaimed as if he suddenly got a brilliant idea, “let's surprise him!”

“How?”

“It should not be difficult to bribe the gatekeeper of such a cheap establishment.”

They rang the bell, and the gate opened a narrow slit. An old gatekeeper showed his face.

“We must,” de Berny said, “speak to the gentleman who just came here to visit Madame Pomegranate Flower. It is very urgent that we see him at once. I hope you understand.” And he gave the old man a couple of gold pieces.

According to previous instructions the old man led the visitors up the stairs to the second floor, pointing wordlessly at a little waiting room. Nothing the gentlemen had seen so far looked remotely like the fantastic descriptions they had received. In fact, to them it looked as if they were being received in a second class whorehouse.

“It does not exactly fit the description,” de Lyncent remarked.

“No,” Maxim answered, “it's not in the least what I have seen in the little palace of Evergreen.”

The gentlemen were beginning to get impatient because they had to wait quite a while. Finally the old man returned. He motioned for them to be silent, and led them through another door, where they suddenly found themselves in a huge bedroom. It looked exactly like the one de Paliseul had described in such glowing colors, except for the fact that it was very dimly lit.

The three friends groped carefully around in the darkness when they heard two sudden exclamations and saw two bodies moving upon the bed.

“Excuse us, “de Melreuse said, “it seems that we have been led into the wrong room by mistake.”

Suddenly all the lights in the room went on and the three friends saw their comrade, de Paliseul, in the process of attacking a woman sexually. Her mask had fallen from her face and… it was the face of Felicitas!

De Paliseul jumped up as if he had been bitten by a viper.

“I would have liked it much better, you dirty cocksucker,” Felicitas screamed as if she were a real cheap whore, “if you could have kept your damned mouth shut. Are those guys gonna watch us fuck, or what? Why didn't you keep our secret? Please, come back here… you're the only one who can make me come!”

And with exaggerated tenderness, Felicitas threw her arms around the embarrassed de Paliseul's neck. He pushed her back.

“What do you mean pushing me, you bum! And what are those guys doing here anyway! I only fuck you free… they can stand in line and pay like the rest.”

“You… you… are… the… Negro maid of P-P-omegra…” de Paliseul stuttered helplessly.

“What do you mean by 'Negro maid'? Do I look black?” And Felicitas, now standing on the bed, turned around and lifted her skirts, showing a huge pair of snowy-white buns.

“And this,” she screamed in simulated anger, baring her voluptuous bosom, “are these tits you have been sucking black?”