Beauty Encompassed

There she was. As a lusting satyr grabbed at a feminine figure, Dona was now the sleeping Hermaphrodite artwork. Approaching her from the rear, Harry thought she represented Venus, but, the front side revealed something unexpected.

Why had she been represented as Aphrodite's son and not Aphrodite herself? She was stark naked, posing like a doll with no expression. He wanted to touch her, to stroke her cheek and feel the urgency of the scene in front of him. His chest was caving in, and he found it hard to breathe. The tears streamlined down his face, and he staggered towards her.

She was pale, with deep cheekbones and dry lips. Her hand almost dangled over the decorative work she was laying on. He held her hand, without looking at her; he knocked his forehead gently onto her palm while grasping it with closed eyes. He was calmer now, he could think clearly until the panic set in.

"Are you satisfied?"

The serene voice of a woman petaled with a French accent startled him.