Gynecocracy

I was right after all. She was courageous, however, and insisted. There appeared to be some obstacle. She complained of being sore, that I was tearing her. She bit me as my mouth sought hers to silence her protests with kisses. She asked me to draw back for a moment and even tried to push me away. But my transport was such that, even had I wished, I could not have complied. Carried away by my feelings I only pressed onwards the more. I felt the climax had come and I forcibly overcame her resistance.

In a paroxysm of passion I threw myself upon her with fresh vigour and forced myself well into her despite her opposition. I felt mad, furious, like an animal which has tasted blood. The obstacle soon vanished; I burst through it; and not heeding her screams, I thrust forward inside her, holding her with my arms about her neck as in a vice, pressing her down against the bed so that she could not retreat. Throb-throb-throb, I sank onto her breast and she seemed to faint in a delirium of joy, her pain gone with the sound of her screams.

At that instant she was stamped upon my mind with such strange and astonishing vividness that I still recall it with awe and wonder.

At the moment of consummation when her response and my convulsion satisfied the hunger I had not until then known how to allay, there was a perfect picture of her impressed upon my sensorium. And as our flesh mingled it was as though I fed upon her beauty and tasted the loveliness of her ankles, her thighs, her bosom, her features, her whole form-drank it in, absorbed it, lived upon it.

This then is love I reflected, as we reposed in ecstasy in each other's arms and I gazed upon her as she lay with her head resting on my shoulder and a leg still thrown across me as if to signify that she had not yet done with me.

Would it be a boy or a girl?

Would it resemble its mother? Her swimming eyes were closed, her cherry-coloured lips open, her fragrant breath fanned my cheek. Maud, who had brought me upstairs to study anatomy objectively, with a view to moulding inanimate figures, had had a subjective lesson of the most thorough nature which would doubtless result in a perfect and living study in clay.

The Apollo Belvedere or Venus! Which would it be? Could Beatrice have intended more than her words conveyed when she had issued her prohibition?

A tap at the door. Maud, who was in a light slumber, half-awaking moved and giving me a cooing caress, again slept.

Another knock; this time louder. The sun was sinking towards the west, already faintly gilding the attendant clouds with his evening greeting.

A third knock, and a voice in alarmed, hushed tones called: "Miss Maud! Miss Maud!"

I recognised the voice. It was that of my tormentor, Elise. How I hated her. Would Maud be able to save me?

"Maud," I said gently, putting my hand on her shoulder. "There is Elise. Let me send her away."

"Who-what-eh?" murmured Maud, startled. "Elise- oh, Julian!" and overcome with love, she gave me a hug.

"Miss Maud! Miss Maud!" again cried Elise. "Whatever are you about? Make haste and let me in at once. Mademoiselle has just returned."

"Goodness gracious!" exclaimed Maud, startled and thoroughly awake now, and thoroughly frightened also. "Whatever shall I do, Julian?" she asked, starting up. And then she shouted: "All right, Elise; in one moment," adding to me: "Jump up, Julian; jump up and let me put myself straight."

I had knelt up.

"Great heavens!" I exclaimed, terrified and in horror. "Look there, Maud."

Could I have been right after all? Her chemise and the coverlet of the bed were drenched with blood. Whatever should we do? Maud turned white, but her presence of mind did not desert her.

"Let Elise in at once; it is the only thing we can do. She will know."

I trembled, but flew to the door and unlocked it. Elise rushed in, angry at having been kept waiting, and in a wild state of apprehension lest Mademoiselle should discover her having allowed me to go to Maud's bedroom with her.

She at once began railing at her, abusing her for her folly and carelessness. Maud was calmly arranging her hair at the glass.

Elise's eyes soon felt on the bed. She screamed as she noticed the deep carnation stains on the counterpane and flying at Maud, she shook her violently.

"Whatever have you done? Whatever have you done? You are ruined. You have ruined me. I shall lose my place; my character is gone," she shouted, beside herself with fright. "Mademoiselle will kill you; she will flay him alive. Fool that I was! I might have known what you were up to. She will turn me out of the house the instant she discovers this."

And Elise flew to the bed, swept the quilt in a bundle on to the floor and kicked it underneath the valance.

"I know what you have been about. I might have guessed what would happen. You are ruined, Miss Maud; ruined! You have been prostituted by-by-that beast," she exclaimed in a tone of deep anger, red with fury, and pointing to me with scorn and indignation.

So I was right after all.