We both intimated that we should be delighted to make the acquaintance of the young ladies. She rose from her seat, and going to the end of the apartment, touched the button of an electric bed three times; and in about five minutes, no less than eight young women and girls came trooping into the room from behind the curtains. They were all introduced to us, their names being Alice,’ Kate, Edith, Fanny, Rose, Helen, Ethel, and Clara, They were beautifully dressed, and they were of various ages: two of them, Clara and Ethel, who were wearing short petticoats, and who had their hair flowing loosely over their shoulders, were not more than fourteen or fifteen years old. But these two, I afterwards found out, were not available for poking.
The other young ladies ranged in age from eighteen to twenty-five years; some were slim, and some were plump; some were dark, and some were fair; some were tall, and some were short; but all of them were more or less pretty, and one or two were rather handsome.
We ordered plenty of champagne, and sat down on the comfortable couches surrounded by the pretty girls with whom we intended to have a regular bit of sport-though personally I did not intend to poke one of them.
They were full of fun, and by no means shy, so we all soon got very merry, and there was a great deal of laughter, and no end of chaff; a little broad sometimes, but nothing indecent was said or done by any of us, just then. I began to enjoy myself thoroughly, as it was a long time since I had gone in for a spree of that sort. Ford also appeared to be very jolly. After a time, Mrs. Leslie beckoned us aside, and taking us to the end of the room out of earshot of the girls, said: “Now gentlemen; what would you like to do?
Have either of you any particular fancy? We can give you plenty of variety in this house. You can go to bed with one or more girls if it pleases you to do so. If either of you is fond of the rod, I have a room fitted up with everything necessary, where you can tie up and strip any girl you fancy and give her a little birching; or if you like it better, you can see a girl birched by another. Or would you prefer to see some Tableaux Vivants? I pride myself especially upon them.
“I can show you tableaux with scenery, and with the girls dressed in character; and I can show you some tableaux of statuary, with the girls naked; and I can also show you some very naughty tableaux.”
Ford and I consulted together for a moment, then I said: “We should like to see a selection of tableaux: some of all sorts.”
“So you shall. Are either of you fond of seeing the rod used?”
We both admitted that we had a liking for such a sight.
“Well then,” she said, “I will show you two tableaux of whipping; then a couple of tableaux from mythological subjects; and finish up with two naughty tableaux.”
Both of us were perfectly satisfied with the programme she offered, and we said so.
She then told us to take our seats on two easy-chairs which were placed a few feet distant from the curtains, and she added that we should have to wait a short time, as the scenery had to be set, and the girls dressed for the first two tableaux.
Then she made a sign to the girls, and went behind the curtains, followed by the whole troop of laughing damsels.
As we sat waiting for the entertainment to commence, we could hear the girls bustling about, chattering to each other in low tones, and occasionally laughing as they dressed themselves.
At the end of about ten minutes, Mrs. Leslie called out
In a clear voice: “The first tableau will represent, ‘The Birching of a Nihilist in a Russian Prison.’”
Immediately the curtains separated in the middle, drawn aside by unseen agency, and the tableau appeared, brilliantly lighted from above, so that we could see the smallest details.
The scene showed a large, bare, prison cell, with whitewashed walls, stone floor, and grated window. In it were six figures, five “men” and one woman, all attired in costume, and personating, respectively: the governor of the prison; the surgeon; a prison warder; two soldiers; and the Nihilist lady. In the middle of the cell there was a long, curved wooden structure, upon which the “Nihilist lady” was bound in a bent position, her feet resting on the floor. Her arms were stretched out one on each side of the “horse,” her wrists being secured to rings: and her ankles were strapped together, and fastened to a bar at the lower part of the structure.
She was dressed in prison costume, consisting of a loose, blue serge frock, the skirt of which, as well as her petticoats and chemise, being rolled up to the middle of her back, and she had been divested of her stays and drawers. The “Nihilist lady,”-whom I recognized at Edith, — was a plump, shapely damsel, with a fine big bottom, large thighs, and good legs cased in black stockings, which contrasted well with her white skin. At the left side of the “culprit” stood the “warder” who was inflicting the punishment; a bearded “man,” wearing a uniform consisting of a’ dark green tunic, with trousers of the same colour tucked into long boots reaching to “his” knees; and a round flat cap with a peak. “He” held high in the air a thick, bristly birch rod, which seemed just about to fall on the “culprit’s” bare bottom. At the other side stood the “surgeon,” a whiskered, mustachioed “man,” in a plain, dark blue uniform, and beside him was the “governor,” with a fierce moustache, dressed in an imposing uniform, with medals on “his” breast. A little in rear of the horse stood the two “soldiers,” with cross-belts and side-arms. The “culprit’s” bottom had been most skilfully “made-up,” so that the whole surface of the skin, from the loins to the upper part of the thighs, appeared crimson, and striped all over with long livid weals, and spotted with blood, which also appeared to be trickling down the “victim’s” white thighs. She had her head turned to one side, and she was glaring with eyes full of intense horror at the uplifted rod; her face was scarlet and distorted with pain; her mouth was wide open, with the lips drawn back from the teeth, as if she were screaming loudly; and the tears appeared to be streaming down her cheeks. The whole scene appeared so intensely real, that I actually waited, with a feeling of suspense, to see the rod fall on the bleeding bottom, and to hear the victim’s shriek. Since that time I have seen many “Living Pictures,” but I have never seen one better done.
In another moment the curtains were drawn, shutting out the scene. Ford and I applauded vigorously, clapping our hands and crying out: “Brava! Brava! Well done! Very we!] done!” Then, turning to me, my companion whispered: “It was splendid! The illusion was perfect I have never seen anything to equal it, in Paris or Vienna.”
After a rather long interval, Mrs. Leslie announced: “The next tableau will represent punishment as inflicted in a boarding-school for young ladies.” The curtains were parted, and we saw that the recess was now fitted up as a schoolroom, with desks, benches, a blackboard, globes, and maps on the walls. In this tableau there were ten figures; seven of them, dressed as schoolgirls, in short frocks, and with their long hair flowing loose over their shoulders, were sitting on high forms, so that we could see their pretty legs, cased in silk stockings of various colours; and in two or three cases where the petticoats happened to be very short, we caught glimpses of the lace frills on the girls’ drawers.
In the middle of the “schoolroom,” stood a stalwart young woman, who was evidently one of the servants of the establishment, in her ordinary attire, consisting of a black frock, with white apron, cap, collar, and cuffs.
She was bending forward, “horsing” in the orthodox position the girl named Ethel, who was certainly not more than fourteen years of age. The skirt of her short frock, and her dainty little white petticoats were pinned up to her shoulders, and her pretty lace-trimmed drawers were hanging down about her knees. She had a most lovely little bottom with round, firm-looking, plump cheeks; and her delicate skin was as white as snow, except where it had been artificially marked with pink streaks, and small red dots, representing the ravages made by the rod.