'Don't use such fine phrases!'
'Know this!' continued Virginia whit diffi culty, for she was almost too short of breath to speak. 'For all these outrages, my father will wreak terrible vengeance. You will have an account to pay to the law, my lady, for your acts of violence which are not permitted by the laws of this country to its citizens.'
'When women have political rights, Miss, you will be a most suitable person to head the list of the candidates for an election to Parliament. You speak with great facility and were it not that my servants are holding you most tightly, you would speak even more effectively. In a meeting you would gain great and deserved success. But until that time arrives we must exercise patience, and while awaiting it, prepare to be whipped.'
'What? What? You persist in your execrable plan? You would dare to lay the whip 135
upon the descendant of one of the noblest families of England? You think of imposing upon me, Miss Virginia Malville, a punishment which would brand me with disgrace! Do you mean me? it
'Yes, you! Punishment will begin immediately.'
'I repeat that you have reason to fear my father. His vengeance will be implacable.'
'Thank you for the care you evidently take of my interests. But I am able to reassure you. Listen while I read this.'
While the servants held the haughty young lady by her wrists and shoulders, the direct ress, standing in front of her, unfolded a sheet of paper and read out and authorisation duly delivered to her by Lord Malville. The nobleman declared in this document 'that he was weary of the headstrong will and capriciousness of his daughter, and that not only he himself but the young lady's governesses and professors were also out of patience. That, for these reasons, he, the noble lord, handed over his daughter to the good keeping of Lady Flayskin. That he empowered the said Lady Flayskin to take entire control of his daughter and to employ all such means and methods of discipline and coercion as she the said Lady Flayskin, should judge suitable with a view to the attainment of the ends pro posed. '
Signed: Lord Reginald Malville.
'Do you recognize the signature of the noble lord, you father?' said the directress, placing the paper under the eyes of Virginia who remained imprisoned between her two, custodians.
It was impossible to deny the signature, and this it was which clearly put the young-girl completely out of countenance. She reddened with shame; pallor succeeded her blushes, caused by chagrin. She angrily stamped her foot and Lady Flayskin continued:
'You see for yourself your father approves of what I am doing. You… shall… be… whipped!' she concluded, accentuating every word.
'No! No! I will not!' cried the girl, struggling desperately to escape from the clutch of the two strong wenches.
But the latter did not allow themselves to be taken by surprise. They held Miss Virginia as in a vice. And in spite of her menaces and resistance they dragged her to the table and laid her upon it. They held her in position by her shoulders, while Mrs. Stuart and Mrs. Eagle tied a handkerchief round each wrist of the noble young lady. The handkerchiefs, drawn tight, were of great use in rendering the girl powerless.
Nevertheless, like a lioness caught in a snare, Miss Virginia continued her objurgations.
'Do not touch me! Take care not to be so foolhardy!'
The directress did not condescend to make reply again and occupied herself in raising the victim's petticoats. Miss Virginia kicked with such force that she would certainly have broken something had not Lady Flayskin, against whom the kicking was directed, been upon her guard.
The directress continued her occupation in an unconcerned manner. She raised the petticoats and fixed them by means of safety pins to the shoulders of the haughty young 138
person. She gave terrible upheavals to the table and did her utmost to reach her enemy with her kicking feet.
In the meantime, adroit and astute Stella had not been idle. She had been in search of two straps with buckles, and she now held in her hands two long, leather thongs such as are employed for doing up rolled travelling rugs. At a moment when Miss Virginia, lashing out like a mare, was again executing one of her vain efforts to kick the directress, ingenious and dexterous Stella caught a leg in one of her straps. As it terminated in a slip-knot, it was only necessary to give a pull in order to complete the abasement of the dignity of the young lady of noble descent, who fell forwards with her head on the table. Stella swiftly buckled the strap, which she had slipped down to the girl's ankle, to the leg of the table. It was then a very simple matter to get possession of the other ankle and quickly perform a like operation.
Lady Flayskin continued her preparations. The young lady was now exposing to the view of the whole school the most lovely pair 139
of legs imaginable. The calves were robust, showing a graceful line, while the ankles were of real distinction and the feet small and slender. Their possessor wore silk open-work stockings which allowed the pink skin to show through. Her little, bronze buckled shoes were adorned with a large satin bow. Her position obliged her to thrust out her posterior and its curves were plainly revealed beneath the be-ribboned cambric drawers frilled with rich Irish point lace.
The directress vainly tried to make this garment slip down. She had to resort to the pair of scissors she always carried. It cut its way through obstructing bands and tapes until the garment slipped down between the young lady's legs, now rendered motionless.
What a superb hinder globe! How volum inous it was! The moon was not paler nor rounder. How majestic were its hemispheres in their amplitude and pearly pallor!
So august was the spectacle that this mocking assembly of scholars, accustomed to laugh at such sights, and throw ridicule on such nudity, held its breath. All the pupils, girls and boys
alike, wept when it was their own turn to be flogged, and laughed when it was the turn of others, although their laughter as they watched a whipping was soon to be hysterical. But now, in presence of this aristocratic posterior, casting around its rays, so to speak, of pure glory, it was the muteness of adoration which reigned; religious silence compounded of pity and humble admiration.
In what condition were the onlookers des tined soon to behold those imposing hindquar ters when the ferocity of Lady Flayskin should have exercised itself on their incomparable charms?
The directress herself appeared not unmoved, but her emotion was of a curious and complex order. Her agitation comprised neither pity nor fear, qualities to which her heart had long been a stranger. Her hands, however, trembled slightly; her complexion usually so pale became ashy white, while lightning seem to shoot from beneath her half-closed eyelids. Doubtless she too was joining in the silent admiration in her own fashion, nevertheless not destined to prevent her laying a sacrilegious 141
hand upon those splendours. Meanwhile, as she brandished the whip, her hand had almost a caressing air. It was with extraordinary gentleness, an infinity of precautions, and incomparable lightness of touch that she caused the drawers to slip down those legs so widely spread-eagled by astute Stella.
During this operation, the chemise for a moment fell forward, and was the cause of a transient eclipse of the white, nervous thighs and magnificent fleshy moon from which the class found it impossible to remove so much as an eyelid.
Lady Flayskin was in no hurry and after having slipped down the drawers in leisurely fashion, raised the chemise again with equal deliberation and fixed it by pins, as in the case of the petticoats, she attached the chemise to the girl's waist instead of to her shoulders. Her task completed, she drew back a step in the manner of an artist who has outlined his picture and wishes to try and imagine the effect when finished.
By the proud smile lighting up the face of the directress, it was understood that she was well satisfied with her progress up to the present.
The young victim was in an ideal posture for receiving a whipping of any imaginable nature. Each wrist firmly held by the handkerchiefs grasped by the two under-mistresses, her bosom extended upon the table; her feet fastened tightly to the table by strong straps; her back parts absolutely devoid of covering and thrust well out from the edge of the table, the young lady could present no obstacle nor resistance to the fury of the whip. The flogging was about to take its course.
The unfortunate victim maintened rigid silence although she felt herself to be now completely in the power of her enemy, a woman who had never pardoned an affront and was not likely to do so to-day for the first time.
Nevertheless, Miss Virginia appeared still unwilling to acknowledge the full gravity of her position although her
