Beauregard de Farniente - The Adventures of Father Silas

I made the signal to Verland that had been agreed upon in case of the non-execution of our project, Postponing till the next day my explanation of the reasons. We were both at church, and he approached without speaking a word; his countenance expressed his grief, and I felt alarmed.

“Do you love me?” said I.

“I love you!” said he.

“Verland, I read your distress in your eyes, and it rends my heart. Lament with me a want of courage that might have snatched us from the enjoyment of our love, if despair itself has not suggested the means of consoling us both. I do not doubt your love, but I want a proof of it, as there is a cruel mother opposed to our wishes. Ah, Verland, does not the blush which suffuses my face tell you what means I wish you to employ?”

“Dear Agatha” said he as he squeezed my hand, “your love makes you feel the necessity of a thing that I have often proposed to you?”

“Yes!” I answered; “you shall no longer mourn; but to ensure our happiness I only want one word from your mouth.”

“Speak! What must I do?”

“Marry my mother!”

He stood speechless with surprise, and stared at me as if he had lost his senses.

“Marry your mother, Agatha! What is it you propose?”

“Something,” said I, “of which I repent. Your coldness proves your love; and your indifference opens my eyes to my own passion. Good heavens! Have I then given a thought to such a coward!”

“Agatha,” said he, “what do you wish to reduce me to?”

“Ungrateful wretch! When I surmount the horror of seeing you in the arms of my rival-when, to deceive her, to give myself up to you, to have the happiness of seeing you, and to enjoy your caresses, I sacrifice for you all that I hold most dear-you tremble; am I stronger than you? No; but you have not so much love.”

“Enough! enough!” said he; “you triumph; I am ashamed of myself, and our hearts shall soon be at ease.”

Delighted at his decision, I promised to recompense him on his wedding day; perhaps I should not have been able to wait, if my mother's impatience had not been as great as mine. Verland offered her his hand, and she consented too become his wife. In raptures at the conquest that she imagined to be effected by her charms, she was eager to reap the fruits of it, but they were not destined for her. The wedding day came, and my joy procured me from my mother most affectionate caresses, which I repaid by others not less sincere. My heart revelled in anticipation of pleasure and vengeance. Verland came; he was adorable; a thousand new graces animated his every action; his slightest smile enchanted me, and the most unmeaning of is words was able to inflame me! I could hardly keep my feelings under due control. In the midst of the tumult he came up to me, and said:

“I have done everything for love, will love do nothing for me?”

A glance of the eye was my only answer. I quitted the company, and he followed my example. I retired to my chamber, and he was with me in a minute. I threw myself down on the bed and he was on me instantaneously. I must beg to be excused the detail of the pleasures we enjoyed. “O mother,” cried I in the midst of our transports, “how dearly have you paid for your injustice!”

My lover was a prodigy; we remained an hour together without being idle a minute. His strength never failed him; but as Antaeus, when wrestling with Hercules, gained fresh strength every time he touched the earth, so my lover by coming in contact with me was so invigorated as to come to the charge every time with increased ability.

During his time they were looking for both of us in every direction, and had even knocked at my door. For fear of exciting suspicion, we then separated. Verland went into the garden, where they found him, as he intended they should. He was most unmercifully railed at by all the party and a regular war of jokes was carried on against him. A pretended headache came to his relief; and he said that having felt indisposed, and not wishing to disturb the amusement of others, he had retired for a few minutes without speaking. His cast-down looks, occasioned by the fatigue he had undergone, made them believe the excuse to be true.

Feeling certain that they would come to seek me in my chamber, I raised the slide that covered the keyhole, and laid myself prostrate before a crucifix. This succeeded admirably; it was thought that the rejoicings were not sufficient to withdraw me from my religious duties, and this extraordinary devotion created a kind of veneration for me.

As soon, however, as I had sufficiently recovered myself I rejoined the company, and to prevent all possibility of suspicion, I pretended that I only joined in the festivity out of complaisance to others.

After the execution of this scheme of marrying my mother with my lover, I made every arrangement to have as much as possible of his society, and to prevent discovery, I affected a greater devotion, and would not be interrupted in my prayers; I gave orders to our people not to knock at my door unless the key was outside. Verland, on his side, accustomed my mother to his absence, pretending to have business abroad, and then came to my chamber. Although somewhat constrained, we were not disgusted with our pleasures; I could have imagined they would last for ever, but was undeceived in a moment. I happened one day to meet a young person whose features I recollected, and I asked her what she was doing in the town. She said that as yet she had not situation, so I asked her if she would be my chambermaid, to which she consented.-But my dear Father, there is no need for me to conceal anything from you. This pretended maiden was no other than my Martin, of whom your sister must have spoken in telling you my story. I had not seen him since our separation, and he was still as pretty and lovely as then; his chin was scarcely covered with a slight down, and this I cut off very carefully, so that he appeared to everybody a very pretty girl, but to me he was a man of inestimable value.

I told Martin of my intrigue with Verland, and he was too happy in having found me again to be jealous about it. His docility and vigor were alike charming to me. I so managed my affairs; that the day was devoted to Verland; the night to Martin; and the day only disappeared to give place to a voluptuous night. Never did a mortal enjoy more perfect felicity; but pleasure is ever of short duration, and is followed by pain in proportion to its extent.

In his clothes, Martin could very well pass for a handsome girl. The ungrateful Verland-but why call him ungrateful? Was not I at fault, and had not my heart gone astray from him?-Verland was caught with the charms of my maid; and began to neglect his mistress. As the night always made up for any deficiency of the day, I had not perceived the indifference of Verland; he was so far master of the art of persuasion that the motives he alleged for his absence seemed to me satisfactory. If I scolded, a smile or a kiss appeased my anger. A day's repose made him more vigorous for the morrow: at last he proceeded so far as to make believe that the interest of our pleasure rendered his occasional absence necessary. I consented, and Martin supplied his place.

Yesterday! Oh unhappy day! Which I shall always recall with horror; yesterday was a day of repose for Verland. I was shut in my room with Martin my only companion; and our love assuming its usual dominion over us; we gave way to its dictates. I was laid on my bed; with my bosom naked; my clothes turned up, and my thighs parted, waiting for Martin to recover his strength. He was also naked; and putting his right thigh between mine; had one hand on my bubbies and the other on my left thigh. Whilst his eyes and his mouth sought to revive his ardor, Verland unexpectedly entered and surprised us in this position. He had time to shut the door and to come up to us before our fright allowed us to alter our attitude.