The Boudoir No. 2

THE COQUETTE AND THE GASCON

A young coquette widow in France had been followed by a Gascon of quality, who had boasted among his companions of some favours he had never received, to be revenged on him, sent for him one evening, and told him it was in his power to do her a very particular service. The Gascon, with much profession of his readiness to obey her commands, begged to hear in what manner she designed to employ him.

"You know," said the widow, "my friend Belinda, and must often have heard of the jealousy of that impotent wretch her husband. Now, it is absolutely necessary, for the carrying on of a certain affair, that his wife and I should be together for a whole night. What I have to ask of you is to dress yourself in her night clothes, and lie by him a whole night in her place, that he may not miss her while she is with me."

The Gascon, though of a very lively and undertaking complexion, began to startle at the proposal "Nay," says the widow, "if you have not the courage to go through what I ask of you, I must employ somebody else that will."

"Madam," says the Gascon, "I will kill him for you if you please; but for laying with him, how is it possible to do it without being discovered?"

"If you do not discover yourself," says the widow, "you will be safe enough, for he is past all curiosity. He comes in at night while she is asleep, and goes out in the morning before she wakes, and is in pain for nothing but that he knows she's there."

"Madam," replied the Gascon, "how can you reward me for passing a night with this old fellow?"

The widow answered, with a laugh, "Perhaps by admitting you to pass a night with one you think more agreeable."

He took the hint, put on his night clothes, and had not been in bed above an hour before he heard a knocking at the door, and the treading of one who approached the other side of the bed, and who he did not question was the good man of the house. I do not know whether the story would be the better by telling you in this place, or at the end of it, that the person who went to bed to him was our young coquette widow.

The Gascon was in a terrible fright every time she moved in the bed, or turned towards him, and did not fail to shrink from her, till he had conveyed himself to the very edge of the bed. I will not dwell upon the perplexity he was in the whole night, which was augmented when he observed that it was now broad day, and that the husband did not yet offer to get up and go about his business. All that the Gascon had for it was to keep his face turned from him, and feign himself asleep, when to his utter confusion the widow at last put out her arm and pulls the bell at her bed head. In came her friend, and two or three companions to whom the Gascon had boasted of her favours. The widow jumped into a wrapping gown, and joined with the rest at laughing at this man of intrigue.