'And did he?'
'The poor gentleman looked very shamefaced, but I held his hands behind him and made him stand before her seated on that very couch and she had a good look; examined him carefully I promise you.'
'Did she touch him?'
'No. Now, Miss-, now young gentleman, if you do not want more flogging, strip yourself, Miss-will help you; and as soon as you have taken your things off you shall have this nice chemise over your head.'
Miss-did help me. In fact she stripped me and I stood naked before these four women.
'Whatever has he to be ashamed of? A back and thighs like a woman's, I declare; and such a smooth face. He will make a capital girl!'
A silk vest had been slipped on under the chemise, then long stockings, silk, next the corset.
Mademoiselle finally fixed on what was technically described as an Ideal Sylph-Corset with a very small long waist. It was very high under the arms and inconveniently long in front, and it was laced with great severity, Miss- holding me, while her fellow conspirator tugged at the laces and made it meet.
'Drawers,' Mademoiselle explained. She would not have combinations.
'We always advise wide old-fashioned drawers for young gentlemen who are to be unsexed. They can be easily removed for purposes of punishment and combinations cannot be.' At the sight of the flannel petticoat I rebelled again. I was not a girl, I would not wear the thing.
'Bring him here,' cried Mademoiselle, exasperated. 'Give me the busk. Across my knee this instant, Julian.'
Miss-pushed me over. Whack, whack, whack.
'Oh, Mademoiselle! Oh, Mademoiselle! Oh, you hurt!'
Sobbing and trembling, the white flannel petticoat was then tied on.
'Now, Miss, your dress-'
When I was fully equipped, a cab was called and we were driven to a lady's coiffeur.
'No, I will not have my head shaved.'
'You must,' said Delilah with a stamp.
'It is not necessary, Mademoiselle,' remarked the hairdresser.
'Mais je le veux,' exclaimed Mademoiselle, with another stamp of her little foot.
So my head was shaved, and I was furnished with a woman's head of hair. Several wigs were chosen. Another cheque. Then to Rathbone Place, to a bootmaker's.
'This young lady requires boots and shoes very tight, very high heels. Two pairs to lace halfway up her legs, halfway to the knees,' ordered Mademoiselle.
My feet were then forced into girl's tight boots, which were laced up, the five-and-a-half-inch heels feeling like mountains under me.
When we reached Oxford Circus, Mademoiselle would look in at a shop in Regent Street where she saw some marvelous corsets with horrid belts below the waist, more like instruments of torture, more like strait-waistcoats than any I had seen before. I was willy-nilly taken in; the assistants were very much more hoity-toity here than nearer Leicester Square. They could hardly find a corset large enough for me and plainly regarded me as a hoyden. Of course they found out that I was a boy. They entirely ignored the fact although their winks to each other seriously embarrassed and discomforted me.
But when the belt below came to be laced, there was something in the way. Their discovery of my sex had already cost me several sly pushes and touches, which, with feminine spitefulness, they gave me at every opportunity in the most promiscuous manner. One of them then whispered to Mademoiselle.
And as a result a principal was consulted.
'Yes,' said the haughty and stately personage, 'a young lady of abnormal development and construction, in fact a hermaphrodite. I quite understand. We have met with several cases of it. The abnormal organ had better be turned under the belt, Miss-'
This was ruthlessly done.
I recollected Lord Alfred Ridlington's observation in the conservatory, that he had met several young ladies with that thing in front. Oh! Would they-would they after all believe me to be really a girl? Walking was now more troublesome but Mademoiselle insisted on it and we went down Regent Street, along Conduit Street and Bond Street, and so back to the hotel.
Luncheon, alas! I could scarcely eat, so tightly cased up was I.
Gertrude had to leave that afternoon. I bade her adieu with tears. And then I was suddenly revived, for Mademoiselle reminded her of the theatre and induced her to stay until the next day, when Mademoiselle purposed returning to Suffolk.
CHAPTER 17
After luncheon Mademoiselle and I drove to a lady-doctor's.
Horror! I cannot dwell upon it.
First my ears were pierced, and I was forced to wear gold earrings. The doctor and her assistant held me during the operation-a painful one!
Then I was placed on a table, on which were several cushions, and fastened down on my back.
My petticoats were turned over my head, my legs well separated and fixed to the corners of the table. Some chloroform was given me to smell which threw me into a dreamy, relaxed condition.
My corset was unfastened, and Dr. Mrs.-stood at my side, an arm over me.
'What a fine one!' I heard her exclaim, in a far-off way, her hand aggressively upon my generative organs. 'Now, young gentleman, you will be punished for seducing your cousin, punished by your governess' order, this lady here.' And she caught my testicles and slipped her fingers on to the penis, which she, with firm pressure, pushed under the skin, then gathered the prepuce well forward, and pinched it between her finger and thumb.
I could have offered no resistance even if I had not been too drowsy. The lady-doctor held me very rigidly with her left hand, and with a sharp instrument in her right, snipped off the proper portion of the prepuce.
A styptic soon stopped the bleeding. The wound was bandaged scientifically. I was unfastened, told to rest on the sofa, and presently given a small glass of dry sherry.
'I have had occasion,' I heard the doctor say to Mademoiselle, as she slipped the fee into her hand preparatory to departure, 'lately to punish a surprising number of young gentlemen in this way. You will find it of great service, especially as you tell me he is being educated as a young lady with others; besides it will be of great benefit to him hereafter and improve the character of his offspring. He will be all right in a week and not so prone by a long way to transgress in the mode of which I hear he has been guilty.'
I felt very sore, in some pain, and so queer from the chloroform, that I could not walk.
'Take him home in a cab, put him to bed for a few hours in a well-ventilated and airy room; let the window be open; it is a warm afternoon. Oh, yes! I should think he would be well able to go out with you tonight, but do not let him have any stimulants stronger than claret and not much of that; not eating, if you please. Thank you. Good afternoon.'
And so we were bowed out and we drove home.
Mademoiselle was extremely kind, really tender to me.
'Now, Julia,' she said, tucking me in her own bed, 'I trust in future you will be a very good girl,' and she gave me a delicious kiss and bade me sleep.
Gertrude was out when we got back.
I awoke very much refreshed about seven o'clock.
Gertrude came in to see me and she and Mademoiselle helped to dress me.
My wardrobe had come from the shop and it included a low dress. I was dressed in all respects like a girl, with opera-cloak, flowers, and ornaments in my hair. My ears were too sore to be touched; the plain gold earrings, Mademoiselle declared, were the only false note about my otherwise chic and smart toilette. Both Mademoiselle
