Anonymous - Gynecocracy

"He seems a big boy for it," said the new arrival, scanning me curiously. "He must be eighteen, I should think. And pray how was she punishing him? I wish I had been here to see. I thought he looked very conscious and shamefaced, when I came to the door; and then when I heard you speak sharply to him, I at once guessed that, notwithstanding his great size, he was kept in strict subjection."

"Yes, he is," responded Mademoiselle, "and he requires it. And as for his size and age, petticoat-discipline is more salutary at his time of life, than if he were still a hobbledehoy. A youth of just eighteen, which, as you observed, he really quite looks, is particularly susceptible to women's influence; in fact, I think it would be a capital thing for all youths, when they leave school, to be in a young lady's hands, as he has been, to be kept in subjection until at marriage the yoke is forced upon them once for all. There would be fewer young fools silly with conceit in the world if this plan were followed. There is nothing like subjugation to a girl for taking the conceit and nonsense out of a young man."

"I quite agree with you; but is he not going to college?"

"No; he has been entrusted to me instead; he so misbehaved himself at home that he is to be deprived of that privilege."

Now this was the first intimation I had received of this decision, and it came as a revelation and disappointment; for at times when my thraldom felt most bitter, I had found some consolation in the reflection that before long I must go to the university. Besides, it was my right-it would affect my whole position in life.

"Oh, Mademoiselle," I burst out, "of course I shall go to college, of course I shall go and take a degree. I must have one."

"I shall not permit you to go-my petticoats are your university; how dare you interrupt and speak to me in that tone?"

"Indeed, I should not allow it. I am quite shocked. He evidently needs a most severe regime," said, with pious horror, the pretty light-golden-haired damsel in closely fitting brown frock which set off her plump figure to perfection.

"And has he not been to school?"

"Oh, yes, but they could not keep him there."

"Oh, Mademoiselle, indeed this is not fair. It's not true," said I in desperation, "I was not strong enough for school. That was the reason I was sent home and you know it."

An exclamation of fresh horror on the part of the young lady, in which Elise seemed to join, greeted this audacious outburst of mine. A very angry look appeared on Mademoiselle's face.

"I certainly should not permit such-such impudence to pass," said the stranger, drawing herself up, and sitting back on the seat. "I understand he was being punished when I got in. I see he richly deserved it. Pray, do not let my being here prevent his receiving the treatment he merits," and she covered me with a look of serious and solemn displeasure.

"Thank you," calmly said Mademoiselle. And then to me: "How dare you, Julian, contradict me? How dare you insinuate that my statement was untrue? Kneel down there this instant!"

The train was rushing on and the carriage oscillating very much; but, astounded at my own boldness, it never occurred to me to refuse. I sighed deeply because I knew what was coming, and knelt down. My hands remained all the time fixed together at my back.

As soon as I was in position, Mademoiselle gave me several stinging slaps on the cheeks with her gloved hands. At the pain and the humiliation I nearly burst into tears. "Beg my pardon," she ordered. I did so.

"If he were my pupil, I should weal his bottom for him with my lady's riding whip until it looked like a latticed window with the setting sun shining through."

"You hear, Julian," said Mademoiselle. "That shall be the penalty of your naughtiness. And now apologize to that young lady for behaving so before her."

Her little mouth looked very stern and there was a curious light in her eyes, as I addressed myself as gracefully as I could to this task. There was a delicious perfume and atmosphere about her and she told me she thought she too should inflict some chastisement on me.

"Pray, do," cried Mademoiselle, only too pleased. "I will do something to him," she said flushing a lovely colour, the more remarkable because of her clear fair complexion, "that my young brother, who has to wait and attend upon me, particularly hates. It has the advantage that it can be done anywhere, and it punishes severely." Proceeding to unglove her dainty hand: "Sit down!" I sat down.

"Why does he wriggle about on his seat like that? Is there anything wrong with him?"

"The fact is," answered Mademoiselle, "the young rascal has been making too free with a cousin and is being taken to town for the express purpose of being unsexed.

I thought, when he tried to make light of the matter, it would be well to remind him he was no longer to be a boy, by directing my maid to insert an ivory instrument-"

"Into him? Capital!" cried the girl, clapping her hands. "Into him? Behind, you mean. Oh, do take down his trousers and show me. There is plenty of time; we are not near town yet."

"No, no, no," I cried, I prayed. What an exhibition they proposed making of me to that strange girl! It was bad enough with them alone.

But Elise, with a smile, had already placed her arm about me, again unfastened my trousers, and had thrown me over her lap and uncovered my bottom.

"What a nice one," said the girl, for whose benefit this had been done, giving it a few slaps with her hand, off which she had taken the glove, and stroking it as well.

"Put your legs apart. There, you can see the silver plate."

"Take it out and show it to her, Elise. He may as well have the employment of having it taken out and replaced."

"Oh, please, Mademoiselle! Oh, please, Elise! Oh, oh, don't! Oh, no, Miss-Miss-"

"Gertrude Stormont, if you mean me, you bad boy."

The thought flashed through my mind. I recollected that women named Gertrude, Aline, Laura, are always inexorable and fond of using the birch without that voluptuous mercifulness which characterizes the discipline of an Ellen, a Julia, or a Mary. Names are a certain index to disposition amongst ladies in society anyhow. A Violet is strict, but always by coldness, never by active infliction. It is true my governess was Hortense and her maid, Elise. Anyhow, the moment I heard the name Gertrude, I felt my fate was sealed.

"If you were in my hands," she went on, "I would take it in and out with you over my lap for perhaps an hour for my own private amusement."

Elise slipped her thumb and finger underneath the plate, and regardless of my exclamations and cries, pulled the thing out, holding me down as she handed it to Miss Stormont for her to examine.

"Capital," she said. "And I see there is a hole through it into which a tube can be screwed. I hope he will find you make use of it."

"Undoubtedly," observed Mademoiselle.

The implement was then handed to Elise who set about replacing it.

"Keep still-don't wriggle so, lie still, will you?" and she pushed, and puffed and poked me. Her efforts were useless until she slipped her left hand down my front. The counter irritation deprived my resistance of all force. The thing was reinstated.

"Now," said Miss Gertrude, "before his trousers are buttoned up again, please, let him come to me. I was about to punish him, you will remember, when I asked to be shown that thing; and I should still like to be allowed to do so, if I may. I will give him a peculiarly feminine infliction," she added, with a pretty menacing gesture.

"By all means," said Mademoiselle.

"I should have done it without taking his trousers down," she coolly continued as she drew me towards her with a firmness I could not withstand, especially on the part of a girl: "but, as they are down, so much the better. Come here, close to me. So. Now lie backwards. Yes, backwards, across my knee. Sit on my knee and lie back across the arm of the seat. Now, no nonsense," she went on, with charming peremptoriness putting her left arm across the front of my chest and firmly pushing me backwards into the position she had described. It gave me the oddest and most disagreeable sensations to find myself thus face upwards in the arms of a strange girl, my middle, with its disarranged clothing, all exposed to her, her plump round arm pressing me down. Bending across me, with a flushed face and flaming eyes, she made me stretch my legs well apart, pressing the knees alternately to separate them.