Farewell to the Flesh
Adam and Hoss had never been to New Orleans and, as Adam complained, they had come at the worst time-Mardi Gras. Adam explained to Hoss about the festival, about the debauchery that everyone indulged in, whether they be of the upper classes or the lower. Hence, the masks and costumes-people couldn't be recognized while they behaved in a shameful, vulgar manner. Hoss thought that was a great idea and suggested that they do something like Mardi Gras in Virginia City. Adam made a sound of disgust and rolled his eyes.
Hoss grinned broadly as he leaned over the balcony of their hotel room, watching the beginning of the street party as night was falling. Torches and lanterns had been hung outside all the buildings whether they be homes or stores-the streets were bright with color and music and noise. Hoss told Adam that he wanted to participate in the revelries, to dance in the streets while bands played and to see the women gyrate in their revealing costumes and to drink as much as he wanted. Adam said that he was tired; the meeting with M. Robard had gone on far too long and Adam wasn't quite sure that they were going to get the property that Marie had been bequeathed by her deceased aunt. He would have to be sharp-minded tomorrow if he was going to finagle the upper hand from the haughty Frenchman, Robard. But, what Adam didn't tell Hoss was that he also hoped that he would see Mlle Robard again, Robard's sloe-eyed daughter with her dark hair that was glossy like a crow's back. She had a way of moving that reminded Adam of a weasel with its liquidity. He hadn't been able to take his eyes off her. But she had barely glanced at him and only sniffed and gave a slight nod when introduced.
Hoss finally talked Adam into joining in the fun and the only reason, Adam said, that he would go was to keep Hoss out of trouble-or possibly something worse. Hoss had guffawed and asked if getting into trouble wasn't the whole purpose of Mardi Gras. So Adam took the sheet off Hoss' bed, suggested he use it as a costume draped it around him so that he resembled a lusty Roman. Hoss did just that and Adam, to create more of a costume, snapped a few branches of the ivy plants that were crawling up the walls and over the balcony and braiding them, he manage to make an imitation laurel wreath to top off Hoss' regal costume.
Hoss admired himself in the mirror and Adam had sarcastically commented on his "Roman" boots but Hoss just dismissed it. Hoss asked Adam if he was going to dress in a costume and Adam said that his suit was just fine. Hoss shook his head in disgust and told Adam that he was too staid and Adam responded with shock-he didn't know that Hoss knew such words as "staid."
As Adam and Hoss stood outside the hotel, a street vendor came up and asked them to purchase a mask-he had a box full of them. Hoss found one that resembled a jester and Adam told him that it was perfect for Hoss but Adam declined one. Hoss told him that he had to wear one but Adam said, no. He wasn't planning on doing anything that he would be ashamed of and he also emphasized that Hoss was to be back at the hotel room by morning-if not earlier.
Hoss walked out onto the street and was immediately approached by two women who each took one of his arms and danced him away. Adam just watched as a man approached Hoss and draped multiple strands of beads over his neck. "Bacchus," Adam thought and turned to walk along the sidewalks, to stay away from the revelers who had taken over the street. A woman with only hundreds of strings of beads to cover her bare breasts came smiling up to him and pulling a few strings from over her head, draped the beads over his neck-although he had tried to protest-but she kissed him on the mouth, lightly cupped his crotch, and just went on dancing away, throwing multiple strings of cheap, gaudy beads over anyone's head who didn't already have some.
Adam decided to leave the beads on to discourage others who may want to decorate him-he would dispose of them in the morning. He sauntered, observing and noting the vulgar behavior around him. There were more women who were only half dressed; even many men were dressed in revealing costumes that exaggerated the bulges at their crotches. Adam realized that carnival was not for him.
As he stopped and stood watching a group of Creole women shimmying to a banjo and a horn, he noticed a group of about six people, half men and half women who wore elegant costumes and elaborate masks, walking toward him. There was one woman whom he noticed in particular-something about her seemed familiar but due to the peacock feather mask she wore, the feathers starting at the tip of her nose and flowing over the top of her head and arching backwards, only her chin and her full and ripe mouth exposed, he couldn't place her. She had an elegant neck and the bodice of her dress was lace, sheer, green lace and he could see the rosy tips of her full breasts through the revealing material, and the waist of the top went to a "V" so that he could also see her navel; the lace stopped right above her pubic mound and then went into a full skirt of green, watered silk. Adam caught his breath and felt himself begin to rise in excitement.
The woman in green glanced over at him and gave a knowing smile-she knew that this tall man in the dark, somber suit was willing-she could see it not only because he was straining against the fabric of his pants, but his eyes were transfixed and his mouth was slightly open. She also knew that she was the reason for his condition. She said something to her friends who all looked his way and then she broke off from them and went over to him while her friends walked on.
Adam could barely breathe but she walked over and ran the nails of one hand over his privates. He jumped slightly and she gave a low laugh. He, for once in his life when it came to women, had no idea what to do. But he looked at her breasts, fully visible the tatted lace. He reached and took the tip of one between his fingers and squeezed it and she sank slightly, her knees becoming weak, and moaned in pleasure. Being encouraged, Adam pulled her to him and bending her back slightly, kissed her deeply and fully. She pulled away, gasping for air. "Now," she whispered to him. "Here."
Adam looked around. There were people everywhere. She couldn't possibly mean for him to take her against the shop front, to push her against the wall and fuck her but that was just what she meant. She reached out and fumbled with the buttons of his dress trousers, her fingers awkward in her excitement and her desire for this man who wore no mask to hide his handsome face, who had no shame for what he did.
So Adam stood, his back to the people who were celebrating in the street, and Adam was reminded of the Romans and their orgies and he knew that this was the closest he would ever come to abandoning all the morals he applied to his life every other day. Tonight he could be unrestrained and indulge in sin and debauchery-just tonight. So he allowed the woman in green to finish unbuttoning his trousers and then reach inside and pull him out and he realized that her hands were more than merely talented—they were close to professional and he wondered who she was. He watched her closely, that is what he could see through her half mask, how her lips were swollen with excitement and how the expression in her dark eyes that glistened in the light of the multi-colored lanterns was the look of a woman who was entranced—almost drunk with desire.
Adam pulled up her skirt up and cupping her surprisingly bare buttocks, he lifted her and pushed her against the wall. She wrapped her legs around his waist and crouching slightly, Adam straightened back up almost gasping at the sudden heat. She cried out, her hands on his shoulders, her legs, ankles locked, tightly around him; she wasn't going to let him go. "We're like two dogs copulating in the street," Adam thought. The woman twisted her head back and forth while she made moan. Again and again he moved inside her, pounding into her as the people passed and encouraged him on. One man clapped him on the back and in a slurred voice said, "Aller ˋa elle, jeune home! Jouir! Va bien! Va bien!"
But Adam kept on, almost in a frenzy, holding himself back until he felt her shake slightly against him. When he felt that, he let himself go and released his spend. He kissed her neck, murmuring how wonderful she was. Adam opened his eyes and the woman in green had her face turned away from him and dropped her legs from around his waist. He released her and she smoothed her skirts down and Adam began to button himself back up, checking to see if there was any stain on his trousers.
She started to leave him but Adam held on to her arm. Their eyes met and Adam was stunned at the expression in them-it was akin to hate. He quietly asked her to go back to his hotel room with him-he would be able to do her justice there. But she shook her head no and wrenched her arm away. Adam watched as she hurried off, more than likely to meet up with her friends-if that's what they were.
Adam stood and watched the band that was coming down the street and then he turned and went back to the hotel and after he climbed between the starched, fragrant, linen sheets, the music still rising from the streets below, the calls of people, one to another floating up to the their third floor room, Adam couldn't help but think of the woman in the peacock mask. He slept very little so when Hoss finally came stumbling in at an ungodly hour, Adam was still half awake. Hoss wanted to talk about his time at carnival but Adam told him to shut up and go to sleep. Hoss fell on his back and proceeded to tell Adam about the women and the wine and the food. The food he had enjoyed even more than the women, he said. And Adam had to chuckle and they both eventually drifted off to an uneasy sleep.
The next morning, Hoss and Adam walked in the morning heat to M. Robard's grand house with the iron work balconies across the front. The outer gate was opened for them and they were escorted into the parlor to continue the discussion of the disputed property. Hoss basically sat back and enjoyed the coffee that had a rich, pleasant taste that he was told was chicory, and admired Adam and how he could take anything and work it around to benefit his argument. So it was finally agreed that Marie's inherited property would be put in trust to Joseph Francis Cartwright who, when he came of age, could dispose of the property how he saw fit. Then both copies of the papers were signed, witnessed, and Adam was given one copy while the bank would keep the other one.
They said their proper goodbyes, handshakes sealing the whole process, and Adam and Hoss were being walked out when the front door the led into the foyer opened and Mlle Robard walked in. She wore a green watered-silk cape clasped at the neck and covering the bodice of her matching green dress. She held a peacock-feathered mask in one elegant hand. Mlle Robard saw Adam and a look of shock came over her face; she obviously had not intended to see him this early in the morning the day after Mardis Gras. Adam now knew; the haughty Mlle Robard was the woman in the peacock mask, the woman he had openly taken against the brick wall on the streets of New Orleans as he would have a common whore. Adam grinned with delight and gave a deep, throaty laugh. Mlle Robard flushed deeply and quickly scooted by them, almost pressing herself against the wall as she moved past, ducking her head. Adam turned to watch her go, smiling the whole time.
"What was that about, Adam?" Hoss asked as they walked down the front steps of the Robard house.
"A masquerade, Hoss. It is always about a masquerade. So many people always want to hide who they really are."
"I guess so," Hoss said, clapping Adam on the shoulder. "One good thing about you, brother, you're always who you are. Not that that's always a good thing…" And Hoss and Adam enjoyed a laugh with each other. They were Cartwrights, no one else, and always would be.
~Finis~