OF THE ECSTACY OF ADOLPHE, AND THE REMARKABLE MANIFESTATION THEREOF
When all was said and done, the Chevalier tripped off to bid good
morning to Venus. He found her wandering, in a sweet white muslin
frock, upon the lawn outside, plucking flowers to deck her little
déjeuner. He kissed her lightly upon the neck.
"I'm just going to feed Adolphe," she said, pointing to a little
reticule of buns that hung from her arm. Adolphe was her pet unicorn.
"He is such a dear," she continued; "milk-white all over excepting his
black eyes, rose mouth and nostrils, and scarlet John."
The unicorn had a very pretty palace of its own, made of green foliage
and golden bars--a fitting home for such a delicate and dainty beast.
Ah, it was indeed a splendid thing to watch the white creature roaming
in its artful cage, proud and beautiful, and knowing no mate except the
Queen herself.
As Venus and Tannhäuser approached the wicket, Adolphe began prancing
and curvetting, pawing the soft turf with his ivory hoofs, and
flaunting his tail like a gonfalon. Venus raised the latch and entered.
"You mustn't come in with me--Adolphe is so jealous," she said, turning
to the Chevalier who was following her; "but you can stand outside and
look on; Adolphe likes an audience." Then in her delicious fingers she
broke the spicy buns, and with affectionate niceness, breakfasted her
ardent pet. When the last crumbs had been scattered, Venus brushed her
hands together and pretended to leave the cage, without taking any more
notice of Adolphe. Every morning she went through this piece of play,
and every morning the amorous unicorn was cheated into a distressing
agony lest that day should have proved the last of Venus's love. Not
for long, though, would she leave him in that doubtful, piteous state,
but running back passionately to where he stood, make adorable amends
for her unkindness.
Poor Adolphe! How happy he was, touching the Queen's breasts with his
quick tongue-tip. I have no doubt that the keener scent of animals must
make women much more attractive to them than to men; for the gorgeous
odour that but faintly fills our nostrils must be revealed to the brute
creation in divine fulness. Anyhow, Adolphe sniffed as never a man did
around the skirts of Venus. After the first charming interchange of
affectionate delicacies was over, the unicorn lay down upon his side,
and, closing his eyes, beat his stomach wildly with the mark of manhood!
Venus caught that stunning member in her hands and lay her cheek
along it; but few touches were wanted to consummate the creature's
pleasure. The Queen bared her left arm to the elbow, and with the
soft underneath of it made amazing movements horizontally upon the
tight-strung instrument. When the melody began to flow, the unicorn
offered up an astonishing vocal accompaniment. Tannhäuser was amused to
learn that the etiquette of the Venusberg compelled everybody to await
the outburst of these venereal sounds before they could sit down to
déjeuner.
Adolphe had been quite profuse that morning.
Venus knelt where it had fallen, and lapped her little apéritif!