We rapidly dismissed the subject from our minds, however, and turned to pleasanter themes.
"Are we to have another yarn tonight, Blackie?" asked Bob, when we had got to bed.
"You chaps are playing me up pretty thick," said de Beaupre. "Well, I don't mind obliging you; but I'm not going to make it a long one this time. Let me see! What shall it be about? You know I was telling you of that Russian woman who was so fond of birching! Suppose I relate what I saw when I went to her place?"
"Yes, go on!" I said. "That will do fine!"
"Well, one day my mother was going out; and I had her permission to call and see Cecile. I felt sure I should find her at home, as I knew that her general habit was not to go out until rather late in the afternoon. To my surprise, however, I found the carriage at the door, and she was fully dressed when I got to her room. 'I had no idea you would be here, Gaston!' she said, after giving me a kiss; 'I was going to call on Princess Gourkasoff this afternoon. Would you like to come, too?' Of course, I said yes and we started off immediately.
"Princess Gourkasoff lives close to the Champs Elysees and we weren't long in getting there. She's got a very big place, as she is awfully rich, you know, and the hall regularly swarmed with servants in wonderfully showy uniforms. A magnificent footman conducted us upstairs and handed us over to another one, who led us along a corridor and through an ante-room into the presence of the princess. She was a rather short woman, with dark hair, blazing, black eyes, and a nose slightly hooked; altogether, she had a very haughty and fierce appearance, and I could quite believe that she was a terror when she got into a rage. She had on a yellow velvet dress, and wore some splendid jewelry-in fact, she looked exactly like one of those half-civilised queens that you see pictures of sometimes.
"The room was a very large one, and furnished with great display, but what struck me most was the number of people in attendance. As we entered, the curtains of the doorway were held aside by two good-looking girls-Russians, I expect-in very handsome costumes, embroidered with beads and spangles. Two or three others were about the room, doing various things; and, besides these, there were four or five pages, who looked rather pretty in suits of pale-blue velvet worked with pearls and silver thread. One of these was engaged in fanning the princess, for although it was not at all a cold day the room was like a hot-house.
"Cecile introduced me to the princess, who smiled graciously but took no further notice of me for a time, occupying herself in close conversation with Cecile on some political questions, in which she appeared to take a great interest. While she talked, she smoked incessantly, a page doing nothing else beyond attending to her wants in this direction. She begged Cecile to have a cigarette also, but she smilingly refused, whereupon the princess merely gave a little shrug of her shoulders, and said, 'Just as you like, my dear! Smoking is such a habit with me that I could not give it up; but I quite understand that it is not the same with everybody.' I also noticed a little lapdog of the toy Pomeranian breed which lay in a satin-lined basket, and seemed to be a great pet, as the princess continually put her hand down to fondle it.
"I had little to do beyond eating some bonbons which the princess had caused to be brought for me, and felt rather neglected; but after our stay had lasted about three-quarters of an hour, the princess rose and said, 'The usual parade is to take place now. Come, dear Cecile! I know you like to be present at the proceedings.' She did not extend her invitation to me, but Cecile motioned to me to follow, and I accompanied them to a large room, thickly carpeted, but devoid of furniture, with the exception of a few chairs. On one of these the princess took her place, and we sat by her side, while all the attendants ranged themselves in regular order at the side of the apartment opposite to us. After a short delay, the princess called forward one of the girls, and said, 'Katusha, you were guilty this morning of disobedience and carelessness, and must receive punishment accordingly. Olga and Xenia, will you please assist in preparing her!' Two of the other girls advanced, and the three bowed solemnly, which done, the pair last-named, in a slow and methodical manner, undressed Katusha, denuding her of every article of her attire. She was a splendidly fashioned girl, with full breasts and big limbs, and I felt my cock raise itself up against my thigh as I looked at her. She did not display any concern at being thus exposed before strangers, and gazed straight in front of her without flinching, careless of the fact that my eyes were dwelling with great interest on the white mound of her belly and her scarlet-lipped cunt with its Surrounding bush of black hair, 'Nadege!' said the princess to another girl; 'bring me the rod.' This was a long, slender instrument of whalebone, with a gold mount at the end, and Nadege went on one knee as she presented it to her mistress. At a sign from the princess, Katusha now stepped up and, kneeling down, repeated some formally framed sentences in which she expressed great sorrow for her misconduct, beseeching forgiveness and begging her mistress to chastise her for her fault. At the finish the princess held forth the rod, which Katusha kissed, and then, having bent over and touched the floor with her forehead, rose up and placed herself between Olga and Xenia again. They led her to an article of furniture fashioned something like a praying-desk that you find in churches, and supplied with cushions. On this she placed herself in a kneeling attitude, while Olga and Xenia each retained a hold on one of her hands. Having thus arranged themselves, Olga, who was the nearest to us, looked round to signify that all was ready and the princess got up and strode towards them. First taking a brief survey of the culprit's body, she raised the rod on high, and brought it down with a sweeping stroke on Katusha's buttocks, leaving a long, red mark on the whiteness of the skin. After a slight pause, a second blow followed, succeeded by others, a few moments being allowed to elapse between each, so as to increase the impressiveness of the ceremony. Cecile had told me that the princess was not cruel or excessive in her chastisements, but as I watched her I found it hard to believe this, and the crisscross of livid lines that formed itself on the unfortunate girl's posterior gave me a distinctly uncomfortable feeling as I noted it. Katusha herself, however, made no cry or sign of distress, at which I wondered; her sole evidence of suffering any bodily pangs was a little tremor and twitch at each application of the rod. How many blows were administered I cannot say, but they must have mounted up to a tolerable number, and I was beginning to have quite an uneasy sensation at the length or the punishment, especially on the recipient giving vent to one or two little cries and exclamations, when at last the princess threw down her weapon and returned to her seat with a frown of weariness. Olga and Xenia raised Katusha up, and as she faced us I saw a trickle of liquid on her thighs. I fixed my glance more attentively on this, and the following instant I realised to my astonishment that she had discharged. I cannot tell you how amazed I was! It appeared that the rod was productive of pleasure as well as of pain, then! and the cries which Katusha had uttered had been extracted from her by her sensual feelings in the act of spending, and not by the stinging effects of the rod on her delicate cuticle. After she had risen she picked up the instrument of punishment from where her mistress had thrown it, and brought it to her, and as she came closer to us the traces of her emission were still more apparent to me, her distended slit being wet with spunk, which clung to the hair around it and meandered down her legs, while her eyes glowed with a sombre light as though she had not yet recovered from her voluptuous sensations. She made no gesture, however, which would in any way draw attention to the palpable fact of her condition, and the princess totally ignored it, merely holding out her hand to receive the rod, while Katusha knelt with unconscious grace and kissed the weapon, at the same time thanking her mistress in another set phrase for correcting her; having done which, she retired to the further side of the room, where she unostentatiously wiped herself and took her place among the others, but did not resume her clothes.
"Having been thus reassured as to the character of the punishment, I experienced only a sense of curiosity when the princess called Nadege up for correction on account of some trivial offence-I forget what-which she had been guilty of. She underwent the same treatment as Katusha, and Olga and Xenia again acted their part in assisting while the sentence was carried out. She was also a finely-proportioned girl-as were, indeed, all the maids, no doubt having been specially selected on this account by the princess from among the numerous vassals on her Russian estates. She appeared, however, to be of a more volatile temperament than Katusha, and took her birching with much less composure, writhing and uttering sharp screams, which only aroused the princess to a greater show of energy, so that Nadege's large, rounded bottom presented a mass of pink weals, crossing and re- crossing one another, ere the Gourkasoff had finished. After witnessing the result on Katusha, I was prepared for something similar in the case of this girl, and I was not, therefore, again surprised to find that her orifice had given down its liquor; but I had hardly expected it to be so quite to the extent that it was, for indeed, such a flow had outpoured itself that her thighs were literally bathed, and drops of the thick essence fell on to the carpet as she finally came towards us. This bodily state that she was in forced itself into too much prominence to be overlooked, and even the princess deigned to notice it, commanding the lass sternly to cleanse herself and prepare to receive a further dose of the rod for her importunity. This time, however, the castigation did not take long, the princess quickly tiring, while Nadege, when she advanced for the second time in order to give back the rod to her mistress and take her dismissal, did not on this occasion display the same want of physical control that she had before exhibited.
"The princess now called forward one of the pages, saying, "I am sorry, Ivan, to have to display great severity towards you, but after the warning you have repeatedly had, it cannot be avoided, and you must take the consequences! I trust it will have the good effect of curing your evil habits of laziness and sloth." The words sounded ominous, and I fell to wondering what form the lad's chastisement was to take. Two of the other pages, whom the princess addressed as Vasili and Feodor, were called upon to assist, and between them they quickly stripped Ivan of his bravery of velvet and silver. He was a handsome boy of about thirteen, and his figure was equally well made in its way as those of the girls, for all these Russians seemed to be of exceptionally fine physique. He had a fairly good-sized cock, and the hairs were just commencing to grow round it. It was not stiff, although I expected it would have been after the foregoing scenes, which had exerted a considerable effect on my own, but no doubt custom had used him to these spectacles. He kissed the rod, just as Katusha and Nadege had done, and besought the princess to punish him. Then he was taken to the middle of the room and stood upon a stool. I had noticed there, two long chains, with swivel hooks at the end, hanging from the ceiling, and had been at a loss to understand the reason of their presence. The riddle was soon solved, however, for a strap was buckled round each of Ivan's wrists, and the chains were then fastened to these. The stool being removed from under him, he swung in mid-air, suspended by the hands; and in this position awaited the ministrations of the princess. Her previous exertion had in no way impaired her energy, and she wielded her instrument with no light hand, as it seemed to me. The unhappy Ivan cried and groaned, kicking with his legs until he swayed backwards arid forwards like a gymnast, while the pliant rod, hurtling through the air, fell on his unprotected buttocks and legs in a smarting shower, his skin glowing crimson under the rapid circulation of the blood this set up, while his cock swelled and stood out at right angles to his body. Towards the close, the princess shifted her stand, going to the other side, and applying some effective and well-directed blows of his belly and thighs, making him cry out with redoubled force, while his preternaturally-swollen member fairly curled upwards, describing the arc of a circle, in the stress of his anguish. At last the princess's righteous sentiments were satisfied, and he was set free-after he had made his act of submission and dutifully kissed the rod, being allowed to stand back in his place and do his best to calm his ruffled feelings.
"Next on the princess' list came two of the other pages, Vladimir and Dimitri. These were not made to go through the same course as Ivan, their offence being ostensibly more trivial, but, after they had undressed, and the usual preliminaries had been conducted, Vladimir was made to get on Dimitri's back, holding him round the neck, while the other grasped him round the legs, and in this way receive his castigation. This was certainly a much better method, I thought, than that of Ivan's punishment, and there was no doubt some amount of pleasure, it struck me, for Vladimir, as he wriggled against Dimitri's warm back under the princess' strokes; and I fancy the latter were not so severe, either, as in the case of Ivan. Neither did Vladimir let any cries escape him, but only betrayed his perturbation of body by pantings and writhings. Once again, nevertheless, I was not prepared for eventualities, and it was with a corresponding wonder that I observed, when the princess had ceased and Vladimir got down, streaks of moisture on the lower part of Dimitri's back. I at first thought that this was only perspiration, but a closer inspection, on moving a little nearer, showed me that it was semen, and I obtained a further and final proof by a glance at Vladimir's member, which was very much inflamed, while a drop of the white liquid exuded from the top, putting me greatly in mind of a lozenge-shaped pearl. I can tell you that on seeing this I a1most envied Vladimir, so much did I crave to satisfy the longings of my own cock.
"It now came to Dimitri's turn, and he next proceeded to mount upon Vladimir's back. His chastisement was even less severe than Vladimir's, but he bore it not nearly so stoically, nor did it have the same effect, for, although his cock was very stiff at the conclusion, he had not spent, which was perhaps due to his being a little younger and less developed than his comrade.
"This finished the series of floggings. All those who had felt the rod were called up and examined by the princess to see that no serious injury had been done to their epidermis, and when she had satisfied herself as to this, she delivered them into the hands of Olga and Xenia, who rubbed them well with soothing ointment. The princess herself superintended the operation, and while it was going on I had an opportunity to speak to Cecile in private. I told her that I had been very much interested in what I had seen, with one exception, and I said that I thought Ivan had been very cruelly treated. 'I think so, too!' she agreed; 'but it would be useless to say anything to the princess, she is so arrogant-and it appears that he misbehaved himself very much, otherwise the princess would not have used the form of punishment which she did. She only has recourse to it in exceptional cases, I know, and I have only seen an instance once before. It is not an original invention at all: the ancient Romans used to flog their slaves in similar manner-only in their case it was much worse, as a heavy weight, which they called the centupondium, was attached to the poor creature's feet. But, as you have seen, there is as much pleasure as anything else in the punishments which take place here.'
"The princess now returned to us, and we went back to the salon. She regarded me intently, apparently waking up to the fact of my presence for the first time, and more than once she seemed to be on the point of addressing me, but some little time elapsed before at length she beckoned me to her. Taking my hands in hers, she looked at me with a glance of approval, and, turning to Cecile, said, 'Gaston is such a nice boy! I quite envy you your intimacy with him. I should love to whip him! Nothing gives me so much pleasure as to practise on a young and tender body like his.' I was not at all anxious for the princess to display her prowess in the art of chastisement on me, and cast a warning look at Cecile, who replied, 'I am afraid, Vera, that you must forgo your wish. I do not think our young friend is pleased at the idea. And I would not have you hurt him for worlds.' 'I should not think of hurting him, indeed!' answered the princess; 'I had no intention to use anything but my bare hand. Really! I have set my mind on it, and must have my way. It is not much to ask!' I was of a different opinion, however, and as I saw the princess' meshes folding close around me, I felt minded to draw away and hurl defiance at her. The words of point-blank refusal came to my lips, but ere I could speak them the princess had fixed on me her eyes, and their imperiousness and daring shattered my force of will as with a blow. She was one of those individuals whose strength of character enforces obedience and enables them to carry out their desires against any odds. A desperate struggle took place within me to try and give vent to the powerful objections I had to her proposal, but the effort to express them altogether failed, and, conscious of crushing defeat, I was unable to offer the least resistance as the princess drew me closer to her and unloosed my trousers, her face keenly displaying her delight in anticipation of what was to follow. Even Cecile, whom I had hitherto regarded as my ally, failed me in this hour of need, and spoke no word of protest, but remained a silent and interested spectator of the scene. With an impatience of action, the princess soon had me over her lap, my shirt turned up, and my bottom exposed to her enraptured vision. 'You cannot imagine, dear Cecile!' she exclaimed, 'what a joy it is to such as I to have a virgin form thus laid at my mercy.' Her happiness was my ignominy, and I felt wroth indeed with Cecile at not joining forces with me and so preventing the princess from carrying out her design. But my reflections were cut short by the shock of my persecutor's flat hand descending heavily on my buttocks. The blows made me tingle and smart all over, and I cried out and endeavoured to free myself. But the princess held me firmly, and even Cecile, traitor that she was! came to her aid, and kept my legs still. The princess continued her slaps, each one seeming more hurtful than the last, and I writhed beneath the exquisite pain. At length however, a numbness set in, which served to counteract the stinging sensations I had first experienced at each impact of the Russian woman's palm; and presently a delicious glow began to make itself felt, and gradually spread all over me. I don't know whether you have read the Confessions of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, but if so, you will recollect the pleasure he felt in being birched by his governess. I had read of this, and thought it childish in the extreme at the time; but I now realised that there was more truth in it than I had imagined, for my own emotions were by now decidedly tinged with pleasure. My cock was at its stiffest and added greatly to the sensuality which had come upon me, as it rubbed against the princess' leg, while the shock it received at every stroke of her hand sent a fresh shiver of delight through me. All notion of painfulness had departed; the spirit of lubricity alone reigned. I no longer pined for the moment of release, but submitted to my penance- martyrdom no longer-with a sigh of content. My lasciviousness knew no bounds when Cecile very slyly put her hand underneath my body, and closed her fist on my overheated cock. My member worked in this as in a natural sheath, and she aided by sundry judicious little pressures and well-calculated movements to increase my joy. All idea of her treachery was dissolved, and I thanked her in my heart for not allowing me to miss the good fortune I had encountered. As the princess' arm rose and fell, I rose and fell with it, at each downward motion striving to force my cock further into the warm nest offered it by Cecile's shut hand. My breath came and went quickly, and my jaws tightened under the ardour I felt. At last the human frame could stand no more; my spirit was moved to its innermost depths and I emitted an expiring cry as I melted into a delightful ecstasy. My member leaped about like a live thing as it threw off its charge of sperm, while Cecile tightened her grasp on it as the sudden wetness imparted to her the knowledge that I had discharged. My energy was taken away, and I now made no response to the princess' slappings. She no doubt gathered from this that her projects had been accomplished, for after another moment or two she stopped, declaring that she was overcome by fatigue. She and Cecile lifted me up between them, and the latter turned aside to wipe her moistened palm with her handkerchief, while my shirt, falling down as I stood on my feet, concealed the traces of my recent sensual agitation from view. 'I thank you so greatly, Gaston, for yielding to me,' said the princess, imprinting a kiss on both of my cheeks; 'I owe you much for your patience and forbearance.' I made some polite rejoinder, and then proceeded to refasten my attire, while the princess turned to Cecile. 'This has been too much for me, my dear!' she said; 'I must go to seek relief. Will you not come, too?' Cecile expressed her willingness, and immediately rose. 'Gaston can amuse himself here while we are away,' exclaimed the princess, but my friend took her aside and began to talk in a low voice. She was evidently using her persuasion on my behalf, for the princess finally replied, 'very well, my dear! he can accompany us. I should never have suggested such a thing myself, as it seems scarcely proper, but it cannot matter much, from what you say.'
"Accordingly, I went with them to the princess' bedroom, where Cecile and I took our seats on a couch, while our companion started to undress herself. 'I get all the pleasure I want in this way from my little Fifine,' she said, looking down at the tiny Pomeranian, which I now observed had followed us; 'she is a perfect treasure! always ready to oblige me, never sulky nor moping, and does not requite to be coaxed into caressing me,' 'I am sure that she is all that you say, Vera!' replied Cecile; 'but I have never had recourse to a similar expedient myself. Still, chacun a son gout! If you have a preference for it, I would not dissuade you for the world. Each person has a particular means for gaining pleasure, and "Unity in Diversity" is an excellent motto.' The princess had by this time let her petticoats fall to the ground, and, without betraying any hesitation on account of my presence, lay on the bed, pulling up her chemise as she did so. Fifine was apparently no stranger to the proceedings, for she immediately sprang up and, settling down between her mistress' legs, started licking between her thighs, wagging her tail with a pleased rapidity the while. The princess smiled with the greatest display of complacence, closing her legs on the black, furry body of the little animal as it nestled down to its work with a wonderful zest. 'You have no conception of the power that a well-trained creature like Fifine can exert in arousing one's deepest emotions. Its tongue has a length and slimness and a capacity of penetration that is unknown to the human member. I can assure you, my dear Cecile! that if you once put my words to the proof, you would readily agree with me. Oh, Fifine! you are too eager, my pet. Oh, oh, Cecile! I declare I am spending already.' She twisted and tossed in her access of lust, while Fifine buried her nose still further into the recesses of her mistress's body, licking up with seemingly great enjoyment the emanations that issued therefrom. We advanced to have a closer view, but the princess was oblivious of our proximity, her hands clasped tightly on her breast, and her eyes turned upwards with a rapt look. The sight proved too much for Cecile, and after a brief gaze she dragged me back to the sofa, laying herself thereon with upturned skirts and imploring me with a glance to ease her agitation. I could not refuse such an appeal, and applied my fingers to the burning slit, but this did not suffice, and she besought me by a gesture to put my lips to it. I gave in to her implied entreaty, and brought my mouth to her orifice. She gave a long sigh of satisfaction, and pressed her thighs against my cheeks with deep fervour. It needed very little persuasion by my tongue to draw forth a copious discharge from her impatient fount of love, but this by no means gave her effectual solace, and she would not let me rise until I had assuaged her fierce passions by calling up further supplies from the inexhaustible wells other being.
"When at length she permitted me to get up, I found the princess sitting on the edge of the bed and watching us intently. 'I see you have a most devoted courtier in Gaston!' she said; 'I must crave your pardon for extolling the virtues of Fifine before him. I should not have dreamed of doing so, had I known that you were so excellently served already. I begin to take a greater interest than ever in him. Will you not bring him to see me again, one day? It will afford me the highest happiness if you will!' Cecile replied that she would certainly bring me again when an opportunity arose, and I also told the princess on my part that I should be most pleased to take advantage of her kind invitation.
"Our stay was brought to a termination shortly after this, and, having taken leave of the princess, we drove back to the Avenue Hoche."
"There! My tale has taken rather longer than I expected, so you ought to feel correspondingly grateful to me. The meeting now adjourns, Good-night!"
Our attempts to engage de Beaupre in further conversation were unsuccessful and only elicited exaggerated snores from him, so, as he seemed intent upon keeping to his resolution not to talk anymore, we took the broad hint given by him and composed ourselves for slumber.