Page:Des Grieux, The Prelude to Teleny.djvu/85

 the youth, trembling from top to toe.

He—according to the fashion of the time—had been accustomed to kiss his cousin on her mouth, and did not know whether it would not be a breach of etiquette to kiss her hand.

"You may do what you like, as long as you do not wake her," said the aunt with a tantalizing smile.

The old dame thereupon drew aside to trim the night lamp, burning so dimly, but unfortunately, the light went out.

The young man felt rather nervous, finding himself in perfect darkness by the girl's bed.

He groped about and palped all sorts of soft places, then he imprinted a hot feverish moist kiss on a pulpy spot, which proved to be the young girl's breast. She in her slumbers—evidently dreaming of her lover and feeling the contact of his hot lips on her skin—clasped his head with her hands and kissed it repeatedly.

"Where are you?" asked the aunt.

"Here, "replied the youth in a low goatish voice. The old maid, feeling her way in the