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My mistress's bell

It is noonday She, however, is still abed with her arms intertwined behind her neck

"I want to bathe," she says, "and you will attend o downstairs and make sure the door below is also locked"

I descended the winding stairs that lead froave way beneath ainst the iron banister After having ascertained that the door leading to the Loggia and the garden was locked, I returned Wanda was now sitting on the bed with loosened hair, wrapped in her green velvet furs When she made a rapidIt made me start terribly, I don't knohy? I was like one condemned to death, who knows he is on the way to the scaffold, and yet begins to treor, take me on your arms"

"You mean, mistress?"

"You are to carry me, don't you understand?"

I lifted her up, so that she rested in my arms, while she twined hers around my neck Slowly, step by step, I went down the stairs with her and her hair beat froainst , and every moment it seemed as if I had to break down beneath it

The bath consisted of a wide, high rotunda, which received a soft quiet light frolass cupola above Two palms extended their broad leaves like a roof over a couch of velvet cushions Fros led to the white reen ribbon on my toilet-table upstairs," said Wanda, as I let her down on the couch, "go get it, and also bring the whip"

I flew upstairs and back again, and kneeling put both in my mistress's hands She then had e knot which I fastened with the green ribbon Then I prepared the bath I did this very aardly because ain I had to look at the beautiful wo on the red velvet cushions, and froleanetic power stronger than my will compelled me to look I felt that all sensuality and lustfulness lies in that which is half-concealed or intentionally disclosed; and the truth of this I recognized even more acutely, when the basin at last was full, and Wanda threw off the fur- cloak with a single gesture, and stood before oddess in the Tribuna