Teleny or the Reverse of the Medal by Oscar Wilde, Anonymous Page B

her.
    As I pressed my mouth on hers, I felt her whole body quiver with delight, nay once— and once only — I felt the tip of her tongue thrust slightly within my mouth, and then she seemed maddened with pleasure. She was in fact like a young Maenad in her first initiation.
    I actually began to desire her, and yet I felt sorry to sacrifice her at once on love's altar, for this little game was worth being rehearsed more than once.
    I lifted her again in my arms and put her on the bed.
    How pretty she looked as I held her down. Her curly and wavy hair dishevelled by the fight was strewn in locks all over the pillows. Her dark lively eyes, with their short but thick lashes were twinkling with an almost phosphorescent fire, her face all aglow, was bedabbled with my blood, her parted, panting lips would have made the soft phallus of some old worn-out monsignore leap with renewed life.
    I had pinioned her down and for a moment stood over her, admiring her. My glances seemed to irritate her, and she struggled once more to be free.
    The hooks and eyes of her dress had given way, so that there was just a glimpse of fair flesh, gilt by many a glowing harvest sun, and of two swelling breasts, to be seen; and you know how much more exciting this glimpse is than the wanton display of all the flesh exhibited at balls, theatres, and brothels.
    I tore away all obstacles. I thrust one hand into her bosom, and I tried to slip the other one under her dress; but her skirts were so tightly twisted between her legs, and these were so firmly entwined together, that there was no getting them apart.
    After many stifled cries, that seemed more like the twittering of some wounded bird, after much tugging and tearing on my side, scratching and biting on hers, my hand finally reached her naked knees; then it slipped up to the thighs. She was not stout, but as firm and as muscular as an acrobat. My hand reached the parting of the two legs; finally, I felt the slight down that covers Venus' mount.
    It was useless to try and thrust my forefinger between the lips. I rubbed her a little. She screamed for mercy. The lips parted slightly. I tried to get my finger in.
    'You are hurting me; you are scratching me,' she cried.
    Finally her legs relaxed, her dress was up, and she burst into tears—tears of fear, shame, and vexation!
    My finger then stopped; and as I withdrew it I felt that it was also wet with tears—tears which were by no means briny ones.
    'Come, don't be frightened!' said I, taking her head between my hands, and kissing her repeatedly. 'I was only joking. I do not mean to harm you. There, you can get up! You can go, if you like. I surely will not detain you against your free will.'
    And thereupon I thrust my hand within her bosom, and began to pinch the tiny nipple, in size no bigger than a luscious wild strawberry, of which she seemed to have all the fragrance. She shook with excitement and delight as I did so.
    'No,' she said, without attempting to get up, 'I am in your power. You can do with me what you like. I can't help myself any longer. Only remember, if you ruin me, I shall kill myself.'
    There was such an earnestness in her eyes as she said this that I shivered, and let her go. Could I ever forgive myself, if I were the cause of her committing self murder?
    And still the poor girl looked at me with such loving, longing eyes, that it was plain she was unable to bear the scathing fire that consumed her. Was it not my duty, then, to make her feel that soothing ecstasy of bliss she evidently longed to taste?
    'I swear to you,' said I, 'that I shall do you no harm; so do not be afraid, only keep quiet.'
    I pulled up her thick linen chemise, and I perceived the tiniest slit that could be seen, with two lips of a coralline hue, shaded by a soft, silky, black down. They had the color, the gloss, the freshness of those pink shells so plentiful on Eastern strands.
    Leda's charms, which made Jupiter turn into a swan, or Danae's, when she opened