there were many times when exhausted by the pleasures of the marriage bed, perhaps directly after a fierce combat that would leave him shrunken and flaccid in his sexual parts, he had only to abuse me or hurt me and instantly his tool would rise and he would be ready for more pleasure. I never knew of a time when this practice would not revive him.”
“I wonder,” mused the lord, as though talking to himself. “I have heard of this peculiar action from other sources besides yourself, Marie. Was your husband capable of having intercourse with you in the marriage bed in the normal manner? I mean, was he able to perform the act normally without recourse to cruelty to excite him?”
“Oh, yes, sir,” replied Marie. “He was always very, very passionate. I have never known the time he did not want to tumble me over, no matter where it might be-in the lane, in the cellar, in the carriage, in the field, at home, or anywhere. But it seemed to please him more when he was hurting me. Many a time he has battered me alongside the head and flung me suddenly upon my back, then mounted me in a jiffy. Why, many a time he has almost knocked me unconscious; I would come to and find he was on top of me with his thing inside of me. He always said it was so much better if it hurt me. He was a devil if there ever was one.”
“From what you say, it seems to bear out the theories propounded by certain philosophers, that cruelty and humiliation of girls stimulated the passions of a certain type of male. It sounds unique and novel, to say the least. The idea is somewhat intriguing. I wonder if there might be some truth in the assertions. Would you mind, my dear, if I hurt you, just a little, in order to prove to myself how I would react?” said he, kissing her tenderly while he toyed with her breasts.
“Oh, my lord, I love you so much, I would love to have you hurt me, if you didn't hurt too much!” she confessed, hiding her blushing head on his bosom.
“Why, you little minx,” cried Lord Roxboro, his eyes glowing with excitement, “I believe you would derive pleasure from these sadistic actions. Come, 'fess up, little one! Haven't you ever-the truth now-felt what you might term a pleasure at some of the times when you have been hurt so dreadfully? Answer me, now!”
“Only-only when I like a person,” murmured the flaming faced girl in a low voice. “You know, women frequently admire masterful men, and if I liked a man mightily, I would want him to be my master and protector, so if he weren't too cruel, I would like to be hurt, just a little bit, if he loved me.
Then fearing she had said too much, the girl buried her flaming face in his bosom once more.
“Aha, Miss Demureness,” cried the lord, and catching her chin in the palm of his hand and turning her pretty face up, he gazed directly into her beautiful eyes. “Only when you like a person. So there have been others who practiced this strange art whom you did not like. Others! A number of them, I suppose? This would make extremely interesting material for a story, I'll be bound! Come, tell it to me, I command you.”
The girl remained silent a moment. “Well, sir, this is somewhat embarrassing.”
“Fiddlesticks!” cried his lordship, “Out with it! You are not a child; come, come, tell me your experiences. You have had to do with others besides your husband, haven't you now?”
“Well, yes, sir,” she whispered in a low voice, her head averted. “Yes, sir, there were others!”
“So,” exulted the lord, kissing her, “I knew I was right in my guess! Come, now, Marie, tell me about it. Don't leave out a thing. Don't be bothered with false modesty; we understand each other, my pretty doll, and can speak plainly. Come now, tell me about it.” He gazed at her with interest. “Don't leave out anything. Were they lovers? Some stable-boy of your acquaintance, perhaps; that you are ashamed of?”
“Oh, no, no, sir!” she answered, “nothing like that. What I am about to tell you, sir, is something that I have held in my heart since the incidents occurred. I have never told anyone and after I tell you about it, you will see why it was necessary for me to remain silent.
“You see,” she started, straightening herself on the couch and gently disengaging Roxboro's hands from her breasts, which she tucked back into her waist and rebuttoned, “it is a long story.”
“Proceed,” said the lord. “I am anxious to hear it.”
“Well, when first I ran away from Jim, I proceeded to Manchester. I had spent all of the money, which you accused me of stealing, in various forms of amusement and in traveling, also in the purchase of food and shelter, and finding myself without a farthing, I looked about for employment in order to support myself.
“I had walked about all day and was tired out and quite weak, not having eaten all day. After making a round of the places where I might find work, I was wretched and despondent at my lack of success. Noticing a placard on a building stating that an employment bureau was conducted therein, new hope arose in me and I mounted the steps and rang the bell.
“The door was opened by an elderly female, who ushered me into the front room, which was fitted up as an office. We were alone, but upon seating myself at the command of the elderly woman, she left the room and there presently entered the room a striking brunette lady, somewhat advanced in years, but stylishly dressed, who stepped behind the desk and inquired as to my mission.
“I informed her that I was in search of a situation, and after a few questions as to my experience, references, etc., regarding which I was obliged to tell her quite a few falsehoods, she requested me to doff my wraps and to enter the adjoining room.
“The weather was cold and I was wearing a heavy coat, a fur piece, and my gloves and hat. Doffing my outer apparel and hanging it upon a hook, I entered the back room. In those places it is sometimes customary for servants to wait in the back room, where they are inspected by prospective employers.
“As I was hanging up my clothes, I noted a peculiar action on the part of the lady, who, taking a roll of bank notes from her reticule, placed them upon the desk in a disordered manner. She then motioned me to follow her and I entered the back room. This action of hers meant nothing to me, I being concerned only with the location of the position that would clothe and feed me and save me becoming a public charge or a streetwalker.
“Proceeding into the next room, which was sumptuously furnished, I seated myself at a desk and, at her direction, busied myself at filling out a sheet, which is required from all applicants for positions.
“For obvious reasons I gave an assumed name and my brain was taxed to manufacture enough false answers to fill the numerous spaces on the sheet. But necessity drives and I finally succeeded in answering all the questions propounded.
“At the conclusion of this task, I looked about for my companion but found she had absented herself. Presently she returned, however, accompanied by the elderly lady who had met me upon my entrance. Oh, better had I never entered that den, which was to be my abode for some time to come!
“But I am getting ahead of my story. Upon their entrance, both the ladies seemed quite flustered and excited about something and were shouting in loud tones.
“After they had entered, I noticed they were accompanied by a uniformed officer. Upon entering, the women shouted, 'There she is! There she is! The little thief!' I sat dumbfounded, knowing not the meaning of this dreadful accusation. The elderly woman turned to him, demanded my arrest, and he advanced to my side and seized me firmly by the arm.
“I strove to free myself, but in vain. I thought my wretched husband had followed and found me, and that I was to be brought back to Middleboro. 'Come, woman,' said the officer, 'come with me to the magistrate.' My face must have blanched with terror and I nearly fainted in his grasp.
“'What-what is the matter?' I stammered, and at this the stylishly dressed woman laughed callously. 'What is the matter, indeed! You stole my money, you little hussy!' she shouted, shaking her finger in my face. 'You stole my money off the desk, there.'
“'Oh, it's a lie!' I shouted, thinking how easily I could remove this false charge. I had not stolen her money; I had not even been in its vicinity. I shouted forth my innocence. By this time we were all in the outer room and the elderly woman, stepping to where my jacket hung on the hook, drew forth from the outer pocket the roll of money I had seen the other woman place on the desk!
“I was confounded at this apparently indisputable sign of my guilt and stood, my mouth open, unable to say a word in my own defense. The old harridan then ransacked my pockets, at length bringing forth certain personal papers of mine setting forth my identity in Middleboro and I knew that comparison of these papers with the false application I had signed would bring about my conviction! I was doomed!
“What a cruel chain of circumstance. Entrapped by my own lying pen, I was about to suffer for a crime not of my doing. 'A bad example,' said the officer, starting to drag me toward the door. 'Come, you, to the magistrate.'
“'Madame!' I cried, turning to the woman that had accused me; 'You know well that this charge is unfounded.
