Gynecocracy

CHAPTER 20

I was driven to distraction, my eyes were full of tears, my hands trembling. I could not sew; and Elise had jumped up to practise some newly invented torture upon me when steps sounded outside. This awakened a faint hope of rescue, to be extinguished almost as soon as alive, for who would interfere to protect me? Who could it be, on that day, at that time? For it was Saturday, a half-holiday.

Maud came into the room, and to my great surprise, calmly begged Elise to lend me to her, telling her that she wanted to birch me, to pull me about, to have me at her mercy, and to make me obey her during the afternoon. Elise at first was obdurate, said she feared Mademoiselle, and dared not take the risk, as she would lose her place. At last, however, she sold me. Maud offered her three pounds. Elise would not hear of it. "Four!" — Nonsense, she would take nothing; it was not a question of money. — "Five!"

"Well, really, Miss Maud, you are too importunate; but five pounds are not to be gained every day, and-and- Mademoiselle is out and she need not know anything about it-and if you give them me now-"

Whereupon Maud took out her purse and told down five golden sovereigns, which Elise greedily snatched up.

"Now listen to me," she said, addressing me, and smacking my face and head till my ears sang, "one word of this to Mademoiselle and I shall hang you up for three hours tomorrow. That will be Sunday and there will be nothing to prevent me doing so. Three hours whether you die of it or not."

Maud had already got me by the ear.

"There he is, Miss Maud. He is yours till teatime, anyhow. Take him."

"Come along," said Maud, giving my ear an unpleasant jerk.

Maud was the eldest of the three sisters and was the very proper and faultless one. I believe she would have expired of spleen, had she been convicted of a fault, so implacable did she regard herself, and so thoroughly was she convinced of the fact that whatever she did must necessarily be right. She was cold, hard, proud, and formal; she spoke in measured phrases, never on any occasion betraying the slightest agitation; thoroughly wrapped in herself and her own perfections, her selfishness was astonishing.

As soon as we were outside the workroom door she let go my ear and stared coldly at me from head to foot.

"You look like a girl," she said in a disappointed tone. "I wonder whether after all you are really one. Follow me to my room anyhow." And she led the way to the back stairs, which, holding her skirts up daintily in front, she slowly ascended. As she did so immediately before me I could not help seeing what a nice girl she was. Her skin was white, her hair a delicious brown, wavy, and thick. Her form was elegant and with a girlish promise of development about it that was exciting; all her movements characterised by a graceful ease that gave her swing a decided charm.

She had two rooms on the third floor opening into each other and overlooking an Italian garden. One was furnished as a bedroom and the other as a studio. It was in elegant and artistic disorder with all an artist's litter about. Maud's forte was painting, drawing, and modelling in clay.

She took me through into her bedroom and locked both the outer doors; each room having a door opening upon the landing.

The bedroom was girlish in its simplicity. Maud's own precocious corporeal development was no doubt attributable to her habit, originally compulsory, afterwards persisted in from pleasure, of tight lacing; her mental precocity or pruriency was attributable both to Mademoiselle and to nature. I noticed several clever pictures in her bedroom; all studies of the nude.

Turning to me she said: "I want an Adonis or an Apollo. Strip and let me see whether you can fill the part. Besides, I want to-to-to analyse you. I need knowledge of anatomy for executing the drawings I love. Besides which I love the study of male anatomy for itself. I shall therefore study you. So far as I am concerned you shall always remain masculine. I admire virility. If I punished you it would be for effeminacy. How disgraceful to allow yourself to be treated as you are. How degrading! Mean creature that you must be. But while Agnes was flogging you yesterday, I saw enough of your legs and back to make me wish to see more. Undress!"

She then sat down at her ease in a low armchair, calmly waiting to have her order carried out.

I leant against the bed, half sitting upon it. I had naturally expected by this time to have become hardened and indifferent to the ordeal of being divested of all my garments by a girl and compelled to expose my nakedness to her. But, to my surprise and consternation, I found I experienced quite as much trouble and confusion upon each repetition as upon the first occasion. Shame did not wear off.

The idea of undressing before this elegant girl, alone with her in her own room, caused me the greatest perturbation and confusion.

Steadfastly gazing at me she noticed my hesitation and reluctance. A queer light came into her eyes, and she moved her body in her low chair in a certain manner which I recognized and knew to portend mischief. She was resting her cheek on her hand, and her skirts, never too long, had worked halfway up to her knees. Her ankles were delicate and pretty. When she saw me looking at them, with a becoming consciousness, she tried to shake the garments down.

I wondered how much she knew.

I commenced a calculation of how far she would go. What it would be worth my while to do.

She was evidently in a flutter herself, and without that self-possession and repose so characteristic of Mademoiselle.

She was nervous plainly and sensible of the want of that impelling magic or mesmeric power which compelled obedience to Mademoiselle's orders however shocking and outrageous they might be.

So, feeling my advantage I began to sulk.

"Julian," she said, "do as I desire. I shall whip you if you don't." I twinged, and considered whether she could. "Undress yourself directly. Come, I have no time to lose; besides, I will not pay five pounds for nothing! Undress, I want to see you."

I still hesitated and only looked at her mutely.

"You are wasting all the time," she said, angrily. "If you do not undress at once I declare I shall call Elise and make her bind you, and will lash you without mercy myself. Come!" she said, half rising. "Must I, or will you do what I wish?"

Now the appearance of Elise on the scene would have spoilt all. I much preferred a quiet tete-a-tete with my cousin uninterrupted by Elise and her brutalities. But Maud made a great mistake in invoking another power instead of relying upon her own. I said so.

"I might do for you, Maud, what force and Elise could not make me do." I hazarded a gentle emphasis on the pronoun.

"Very well, then, be a good boy, and please me. I do not like force; I think its employment inelegant. I wish to conquer by my-by my- what Mademoiselle would call — charms," she said, with a most winning air of pretty embarrassment, coyly looking down as if frightened by her own temerity and uncertain of the response.

She had touched my weak point. "Indeed," I instantly answered, with a look freely expressing the admiration I felt, "they are sufficient." And my frank tone conveyed the sincerity of my conviction. The effect was magical.

"You nice boy," she said, rushing at me with girlish abandon and kissing me.

And then, with her hand upon my shoulder she said, looking into my eyes: "Undress! I wish you to do so. Now, we shall both enjoy it. I will help you."

Affairs had taken a very pleasant turn. It had become a task of love to obey her and the sacrifices involved were sweet and thrilling. We were both in a flutter of pleasant excitement as I yielded to her wishes. She threw the feminine garments one by one from me with disdain. My blushes were materially increased by the loss of my petticoats and the exposure of my bare arms and neck, while my nether limbs were covered by dainty shoes, long stockings, and wide heavily frilled drawers. She laughed gaily at the picture I presented and asked me how I appreciated the ignominy of being condemned to wear a lady's things.

Then followed two or three thrilling moments, while her fingers were busy with the strings about my waist, her arms often round it as she fumbled with the fastening of my drawers. Her taking them off, caused us both an infinity of delightful confusion. I felt the air against my bare legs and made a vain attempt to catch the mischievous pair of hands that were so ruthlessly invading my privacy with the undisguised intention of entirely depriving me of it.

She slipped down on the floor in front of me to pull off my stocking. Again a thrill and a gasp, as she petulantly pulled away the chemise and finally pushed her hands under it to get at the end of the stocking which was halfway up my thigh. I felt her soft cool hands on my bare leg and for an instant they went up higher than necessary. The next instant the stocking was jerked off without compunction and one long limb became as naked as my arms. She paused to look at it with approval and satisfaction before she attacked the other leg. With a pretty pout and an amused air she forcibly took hold of the other leg and its stocking and rapidly drew off the delicate silk thing. I felt worse than naked. Without a word she loosened and unfastened my corset and there was but the chemise left.

"Now," she cried, "I shall punish your ridiculous attempt at concealment," and, not waiting to take the chemise off, she slipped her left arm round my back and with her disengaged hand lifted it right up to my breasts and gazed at me intently with a very rosy face. I was forced to acquiesce although blushing from head to foot and hanging my head. Resting her shoulder against me to prevent the garment falling down again, she touched me. I could resist no longer. I threw my arms round her and kissed her cheeks and neck. She gave me some coy slaps, and, turning her head, placed one burning kiss full on my mouth.

We lost ourselves for some seconds in the sweetness of the embrace.

"Now," she said at length, "we must take this off, too." And gathering the chemise up with both hands she slipped it off my arms over my head.

There I stood before her absolutely and entirely naked without the slightest possibility of the least concealment and she gazed at me steadfastly from head to foot. I felt embarrassed and awkward. I did not know what to do. Partial concealment, I felt, would but emphasize the rest of my nudity. She passed her hands over my legs and thighs and between them, and played with that male thing in a most tantalising fashion, observing that she was glad to make the acquaintance of so handsome a gentleman.

"How it grows when I play with it!" she said quizzically; adding, "He looks much nicer now than when I saw him last in the schoolroom."

She next made me lie back on the bed and knelt between my legs. Her heavily drooping lids, her swimming eyes, her quickly heaving bosom, and her voluptuous movements, gave a promising and encouraging account of her own condition. I suggested that I should undress her and then we could have a reciprocal lesson in practical anatomy. She laughed, but not heeding my suggestion, wanted to know as she handled it, whether this bag contained babies, and how many.

"Oh, Maud," I said, electrified, "lie down on the bed and it shall tell you."

I remembered the conversation with Mademoiselle and the knowledge I had derived from it. Maud was not Mademoiselle, neither was she Beatrice, but in the height of my transport this was a mere detail which did not affect me, and indeed of which I never thought.

She stood up over me occasionally stroking me and passing her hands over and along my arms and shoulders which she said were admirable. By a dexterous movement I slipped my hand under her petticoats while she was thus interested in studying me. She started, grew fiery red, made a pretence of resistance, which was, even to my inexperienced eyes, plainly unreal-instinctive not intentional.

It is at this juncture that a man loses if he is fainthearted. But I was far too much excited to be fainthearted. I insisted. I touched her. A complete change came over her instantly and it seemed to me miraculously.

"Oh, Julian, Julian," she ejaculated, "you mustn't. What will Mademoiselle say? Oh, you mustn't!" After a few moment's pause: "How would it tell me?"

"It would tell you there," I said, placing my finger on the spot.

"There! Oh-oh-should you put it there?" she asked, awaiting the answer with evident anxiety.

"Yes, there!" I answered. I had got hold of her completely; her legs were well separated, and she moved lasciviously backwards and forwards, rubbing herself against my hand. As I repeated the words I pressed my middle finger well into the lips of that feminine mouth with a moustache to which Mademoiselle had first introduced me.

"Oh-oh-oh, Julian! What would it do?"

"It would throb-throb-throb," I replied, poking her with my finger each time I said the word and gazing laughingly at her, "and make his way right-into-you!"

"Would it-it-this long thing?" (holding it). "Just fancy! And these-this too inside me!" (with a delicious blush and exquisite confusion; and as she moved lasciviously, I felt my hand being moistened). "Oh how dreadful — but how nice it would be-but wouldn't it be awfully naughty? Have you," as a thought struck her, "ever done it to anyone, to any girl? I mean, are you sure it is right — the right way I mean?" with a look of arch simplicity, covering her head and endeavouring to conceal her rosy face against my breast as she knelt over me.

I could not but smile; I felt triumphant. There was a friend within the citadel who would hand the fortress over to me. So, for all answer, I moved my hand again. It was a most potent and convincing argument. After some inarticulate sounds, and one or two passionate movements, she cried, as I followed up my advantage and pressed the matter home:

"You must-you must-you must! How shall I lie?"

Now I was a novice, but I guessed.

"Lie down on your back on the bed, Maud, dear," and I withdrew my hand and made room for her.

"So?" enquired the charming girl as in pretty disorder she abandoned herself helpless and absolutely to the divine impulse of nature and cast herself down-her legs wide apart, her petticoats up to her knees.

I gazed enraptured at her lovely uncovered limbs in their stockings and lace drawers, at her heaving bosom, at her beautiful features.

"Get between them, you naughty boy, directly. Lie down upon me this instant," extending herself to clasp me. "How dare you stay looking at me like that! Come, you naughty boy, at once-you naughty naked boy!" grasping me and drawing me on to her. Before I had time to throw myself into the Elysium beneath me she had twined her arms and legs about me and clasped me in a close and rigid embrace.

The voluptuousness of the position was most intoxicating.

My naked thighs pressed against hers underneath her skirts, ruthlessly encroaching upon the sanctuary of the feminine divinity. My breast oppressed her palpitating bosom, her throbbing form lay vanquished and confined beneath mine. No maidenly coyness, no ladylike reserve could avail her to the smallest extent now. Her face was a sweet and close prisoner which I could kiss at pleasure. I myself was a close captive between her legs, two warm round soft cushions, two wilful and unrelenting jailers grasping me with arch feminine severity.

There was a delicious scent of summer flowers emanating from her, and her violent and unembarrassed movements as she adjusted herself to her satisfaction, thrilled my sense of touch. She settled herself without the slightest hesitation or awkwardness and with a bewitchingly 119

careless disregard of me, retaining her tight grasp of my body all the while. Her magnetic power gradually stole over me and possessed me. Her touch thrilled me through and through.

"There," she ejaculated in a transport, speaking with the clear distinctness of one who knows her own mind exactly and is determined to fulfil it at all hazards, "pull my petticoats out of the way-come up closer-now, Julian — so," wriggle, wriggle, "now put it in there-at once- directly in, as you said, or-or-or-I shall squeeze you to death!"

All my fatigue, all the exhaustion caused by the discipline I had undergone vanished as if by magic. I was carried away by the realisation of my fondest dreams before me and the intensity of the physical happiness of my situation. I knew instinctively that I was on the brink of tasting the fullest earthly bliss and of draining the cup. It could not be dashed from my lips now.

It was not with the person with whom I desired it, I confess. But love is wayward and capricious, seldom giving exactly what one wishes. One must often content oneself with the good the Gods provide without insisting upon choosing for oneself. And I was so excited and Maud so lovely that this never struck me, and I do not think I should have regarded it for one moment if it had as I lay quivering in her arms.

"Oh, Julian," gasped the lovely girl as I obeyed her orders and sank into her embrace.

We blundered considerably, but perhaps this was fortunate, stimulating our ardours the more and working us up into a yet higher pitch of excitement with its continually recurrent thrills of exquisite sensation.

At last to my astonishment and alarm she cried that I was hurting her and the tone of her inarticulate expressions of pleasure changed. Her eyes were suffused with tears. I began to have misgivings as to whether 120

I was right after all. She was courageous, however, and insisted. There appeared to be some obstacle. She complained of being sore, that I was tearing her. She bit me as my mouth sought hers to silence her protests with kisses. She asked me to draw back for a moment and even tried to push me away. But my transport was such that, even had I wished, I could not have complied. Carried away by my feelings I only pressed onwards the more. I felt the climax had come and I forcibly overcame her resistance.

In a paroxysm of passion I threw myself upon her with fresh vigour and forced myself well into her despite her opposition. I felt mad, furious, like an animal which has tasted blood. The obstacle soon vanished; I burst through it; and not heeding her screams, I thrust forward inside her, holding her with my arms about her neck as in a vice, pressing her down against the bed so that she could not retreat. Throb-throb-throb, I sank onto her breast and she seemed to faint in a delirium of joy, her pain gone with the sound of her screams.

At that instant she was stamped upon my mind with such strange and astonishing vividness that I still recall it with awe and wonder.

At the moment of consummation when her response and my convulsion satisfied the hunger I had not until then known how to allay, there was a perfect picture of her impressed upon my sensorium. And as our flesh mingled it was as though I fed upon her beauty and tasted the loveliness of her ankles, her thighs, her bosom, her features, her whole form-drank it in, absorbed it, lived upon it.

This then is love I reflected, as we reposed in ecstasy in each other's arms and I gazed upon her as she lay with her head resting on my shoulder and a leg still thrown across me as if to signify that she had not yet done with me.

Would it be a boy or a girl?

Would it resemble its mother? Her swimming eyes were closed, her cherry-coloured lips open, her fragrant breath fanned my cheek. Maud, who had brought me upstairs to study anatomy objectively, with a view to moulding inanimate figures, had had a subjective lesson of the most thorough nature which would doubtless result in a perfect and living study in clay.

The Apollo Belvedere or Venus! Which would it be? Could Beatrice have intended more than her words conveyed when she had issued her prohibition?

A tap at the door. Maud, who was in a light slumber, half-awaking moved and giving me a cooing caress, again slept.

Another knock; this time louder. The sun was sinking towards the west, already faintly gilding the attendant clouds with his evening greeting.

A third knock, and a voice in alarmed, hushed tones called: "Miss Maud! Miss Maud!"

I recognised the voice. It was that of my tormentor, Elise. How I hated her. Would Maud be able to save me?

"Maud," I said gently, putting my hand on her shoulder. "There is Elise. Let me send her away."

"Who-what-eh?" murmured Maud, startled. "Elise- oh, Julian!" and overcome with love, she gave me a hug.

"Miss Maud! Miss Maud!" again cried Elise. "Whatever are you about? Make haste and let me in at once. Mademoiselle has just returned."

"Goodness gracious!" exclaimed Maud, startled and thoroughly awake now, and thoroughly frightened also. "Whatever shall I do, Julian?" she asked, starting up. And then she shouted: "All right, Elise; in one moment," adding to me: "Jump up, Julian; jump up and let me put myself straight."

I had knelt up.

"Great heavens!" I exclaimed, terrified and in horror. "Look there, Maud."

Could I have been right after all? Her chemise and the coverlet of the bed were drenched with blood. Whatever should we do? Maud turned white, but her presence of mind did not desert her.

"Let Elise in at once; it is the only thing we can do. She will know."

I trembled, but flew to the door and unlocked it. Elise rushed in, angry at having been kept waiting, and in a wild state of apprehension lest Mademoiselle should discover her having allowed me to go to Maud's bedroom with her.

She at once began railing at her, abusing her for her folly and carelessness. Maud was calmly arranging her hair at the glass.

Elise's eyes soon felt on the bed. She screamed as she noticed the deep carnation stains on the counterpane and flying at Maud, she shook her violently.

"Whatever have you done? Whatever have you done? You are ruined. You have ruined me. I shall lose my place; my character is gone," she shouted, beside herself with fright. "Mademoiselle will kill you; she will flay him alive. Fool that I was! I might have known what you were up to. She will turn me out of the house the instant she discovers this."

And Elise flew to the bed, swept the quilt in a bundle on to the floor and kicked it underneath the valance.

"I know what you have been about. I might have guessed what would happen. You are ruined, Miss Maud; ruined! You have been prostituted by-by-that beast," she exclaimed in a tone of deep anger, red with fury, and pointing to me with scorn and indignation.

So I was right after all.

Maud gave a little cry. The language certainly profaned our loves.

"You must not use such words, Elise," she said. "Be sensible; he is my cousin. What is to be done?" and, looking at me, she added: "Never mind her, Julian."

"Never mind me! No, I dare say not; but you will mind Mademoiselle. Your cousin, indeed. Your husband, I think. It cannot be concealed. Impossible! You will have a baby. You will," she shrieked. "You will be disgraced. Where will it end? Mademoiselle to save herself will throw all the blame on me. However, I will have my revenge.

"Come along, Master Julian," rushing at me and seizing my wrists. "Come along to my room. I will hang you up and lash you till you are insensible."

"Oh, Maud!"

"Julian, Julian," said the dear girl throwing her arms about me; "no, no, she shan't take you; I will not have you cruelly used."

"Don't interfere, Miss Maud. He must come; he must not be found here. Put on that peignoir, and come along instantly."

I was paralysed with fright. I felt Maud was powerless.

At that moment the door opened and Mademoiselle appeared.

Elise stood speechless. Maud looked confused. I stood naked and did not know how to hide myself.

Mademoiselle had just returned from riding. She looked admirable in her riding costume which set off her superb figure to perfection. She stood holding up her habit with both hands, disclosing her dainty boots, and she looked round with an amused expression trying to take in the situation.

She gazed at Elise, at Maud, and then at me.

She was evidently in a good humour and in high spirits. She had been riding a young half-broken colt, and carried a heavy training whip-by no means the delicate little weapon she had made me acquainted with in her dressing room.

"Well, Elise," she said at length in her calm, clear voice, "what is Miss Julia doing here naked in Miss Maud's room? Come, I can see from your face there is something wrong; do not try to deceive me. You will not succeed and it will only be the worse for you!".

"If you please, Mademoiselle," began Elise, trying woefully to look as collected and unconcerned as possible, "Miss Maud required a model for a statue and came and begged me to allow Miss Julia to go to her studio for an hour. As Miss Julia had been well disciplined I thought there could be no objection."

"Her studio indeed; this is her bedroom. How came you to bring him in here, Maud?"

"Oh, he only came in here to undress," replied Maud, with a readiness which astonished me, but which unfortunately did not impose on Mademoiselle.

"His undressing seems to have caused you a vast amount of confusion," she rejoined in a dry tone, flourishing her whip. "However, we won't waste time," she ominously continued, gathering her skirts into her left hand: "I will teach him that he cannot be found in a young lady's bedroom naked-absolutely naked-with impunity, and I will teach you next, Miss Maud, that you should have had more modesty. Come," disengaging her right hand and arm. "You are just in the condition for being flogged, and I am in the mood, too."

"Oh, Mademoiselle-indeed-oh, pray-" cried I, frantic at the sight of the whip.

Mademoiselle's eyes flashed. Walking firmly up to the bed she directed Elise to put me across it.

"Oh, Mademoiselle, please, please," cried Maud, throwing herself at the governess's feet and clasping and wringing her own hands, "please do not punish Julian; it was not his fault-I brought him here-"

"Hold your tongue, Miss. You won't escape, I can promise you; now, Elise!"

Elise dragged me, struggling, to the side of the bed at which Mademoiselle was standing and tried to push me over it, face downwards. I sobbed and resisted frantically. "Hallo!" said Mademoiselle, her attention directed to the couch. "Where is the coverlet-and the bed is disarranged, too! However, one thing at a time."

Elise, without answering, redoubled her efforts. To cover the condition of the bed, by making it worse, was, I believe, her real intention; but, ostensibly for the purpose of getting me into position, she scrambled on to the top of me and slipped off at the other side, leaning heavily over my shoulders and holding my arms with all her strength.

"Put his head between your knees, Elise," ordered Mademoiselle, striking me with the whip.

Elise tried to catch my head between them, outside her petticoats. "No," reiterated Mademoiselle, "underneath your skirts."

Elise dived with one hand for the ends of her garments, slipped my head under them, and soon had it fast between her warm legs higher up than her knees.

As I have before had occasion to remark, a woman's whole strength lies in her thighs. Elise needed all hers to hold me as probably Mademoiselle knew.

"Now for being found naked in a young lady's bedroom you shall receive twenty-five lashes, Miss Julia."

"Yah, yah, yell, yell!" I turned and twisted. I writhed and tried to bite Elise. Like red hot iron over my bottom, my legs, and my back, Mademoiselle rained the blows with slow even regularity and merciless force.

"Keep your seat, Elise," she cried, as mad with pain I almost struggled free, and Elise then sat close, holding on like grim death, my head well down under her bottom. My struggles must have given her extreme pleasure.

I heard Mademoiselle say to Elise towards the end, "Outside your petticoats, indeed-you idiot. You would not have had the enjoyment."

I became almost senseless from agony.

"Twenty-five," at last exclaimed Mademoiselle. "There he is well waled. Let him go. He won't sit comfortable for a week or more."

I rolled on the floor, sobbing and writhing with agony.

"Now, Maud," said Mademoiselle, "it will do Miss Julia good to see you whipped. I warrant she will forget her pangs and ridiculous contortions, which are quite indecent, in order to see you catch it. Take off your drawers, Miss. Where is the coverlet, Elise?" asked Mademoiselle, tapping the blanket with her whip; but noticing Maud standing still, she did not wait for the answer, Maud's obstinacy attracting her attention.

"Take off your drawers, I tell you," she repeated in a higher tone for the third time-on this occasion with a cut of the cruel whip across her shoulders, at which Maud screamed.

"Oh, I can't, I can't; oh, let me off this once!" said Maud in despair.

When Elise seconded this appeal, Mademoiselle began to smell a rat.

"Why can't you?" she asked suspiciously and sharply. Maud did not reply but trembling like an aspen leaf began to fumble about her dress. Mademoiselle watched her narrowly.

"Why, what have you got on your drawers and on your chemise, too? Tumble her over the bed." Maud, sobbing and terrified, was powerless. "Blood, I declare!" screamed Mademoiselle as Maud was thrown over and her petticoats turned up to her waist. "Where is the coverlet?" she demanded at the top of her voice.

Elise raked it out. Mademoiselle eagerly spread it open and examined it with a horror-struck look. Elise mournfully shook her head. "It is evident what has happened. He has seduced her. Mon Dieu! How long have they been alone? I have been in twenty minutes-these stains are not dry. Run, Elise, I will settle with you another time-run for a syringe."

Mademoiselle threw down her whip and tore Maud's clothes off. Elise rushed off and speedily returned. They held Maud down and squirted into her with warm water and alum violently for ten minutes. They

turned her over and lashed her until she bled. More dead than alive, they strapped us back to back on the floor.

"What's done cannot be undone. You will remain so until I consider what is to be done with you. In the meantime, Elise, come with me," said Mademoiselle, leaving the room and banging the door behind her.

With this catastrophe, a turning point in my career, I will close my first volume.