CHAPTER 30Then Gernande turned to me; I was in front of him, my buttocksat the level of his face, and he paid his respects to his God; buthe did not abuse me; nor do I know why he did not torment hisGanymedes; he chose to reserve all his unkindness for the Countess.Perhaps the honor of being allied to him established one's right tosuffer mistreatment at his hands; perhaps he was moved to crueltyonly by attachments which contributed energy to his outrages. Onecan imagine anything about such minds, and almost always safelywager that what seems most apt to be criminal is what will inflamethem most. At last he places his young friends and me beside hiswife and enlaces our bodies; here a man, there a woman, etc., allfour dressing their behinds; he takes his stand some distance awayand muses upo
