Page:Des Grieux, The Prelude to Teleny.djvu/97

 thoughts bent partly on the vision he had seen the evening before, and partly on the little endearments the scullery maid had in store for him, caresses which made her call him a little bugger and a dirty pig.

In the evening he again had supper with his aunt; the viands were more spiced than usual, the wine itself was drugged; moreover the old maid—if we can call her an old maid—kept him talking about Camille's charms and other erotic subjects, then as soon, as she saw him thoroughly excited she accompanied him up to the young girl's room.

She had not been many minutes with them, when she was called away. A neighbour—a lady friend of hers—had been suddenly taken ill, and she had been sent for, as everybody knew what an experienced nurse she was.

"I have to leave you, my dears, therefore you must promise to be very good children till I return. You, Gaston, you can if you like read to your cousin; though—on second thoughts—you had better not, for her head is aching; try to amuse her till I return."