difficult. Drink this bumper, Julian, to your mistress' health. I must take care of your health, too. You had better sleep for a couple of hours.
Here is my own nightdress," said Mademoiselle, taking it out of its scented case. "Put it on" (she threw it over my head). "Jump into my bed. You won't try to persuade me to follow you into it just now, I am sure."
I was glad to get into bed. Both Alice and Mademoiselle kissed me, and before I could recollect anything more, I had fallen asleep.
CHAPTER 6
It was almost luncheon time when I awoke in the darkened room and I had not been awake many minutes before Mademoiselle and Alice came in. Alice was dressed in a suit of pyjamas, and Mademoiselle looked rosy and flushed, love sick like a bride, but without the calm satisfied look in her eyes which your properly used bride may be always supposed to possess. Indeed, her eyes were restless and wandered, but she bore other indescribable symptoms of having lately experienced the greatest possible physical and sensual enjoyment without, however, any psychological gratification. Of course, I could not tell how they had spent the morning. I guessed they had not been to the schoolroom, and indeed afterwards discovered that to be the fact. They had been in Mademoiselle's boudoir, and Alice, with her masculine artificial implement, had been playing the lover to Mademoiselle's heart's content.
"Now, Alfred," said Mademoiselle to Alice, "just dress yourself in trousers again. Julia is in the secret, and I have a shrewd suspicion that Beatrice is too. But even if they all were you should be compelled to wear trousers to punish your pruriency; just as Julia must wear petticoats."
Alice put on the underskirt and linen one, and was fumbling with the drawers, when Mademoiselle declared she must indulge in another look at her pretty bottom.
"Come," she said, seating herself in her great armchair and gathering up her skirts, making a lap between her shapely legs, "lie down here a moment in my lap." Alice, becoming red, walked over to Mademoiselle, and she proceeded to play with her as a cat does with a mouse. She turned up her skirt, examined and stroked her, and then, as if some sudden impulse carried her away, gave her with her arm tight about her waist a sound spanking.
"You have had your punishment for wearing trousers this morning and I have just reminded you of the birching I felt it my duty to give you. This afternoon you shall have your fun."
"You have amusement all day long, Mademoiselle. Have you ever been birched?" she asked, looking into her face with a delightfully saucy air. "If not, I propose that Julia and I give you a licking just to show you what it is like."
Mademoiselle certainly changed colour.
The idea of birching her asphyxiated me.
"Ah, ha!" shouted Alice. "I believe you would like it. I believe you would agree with me that after all, the birch is the next best thing to the masculine rod itself!"
"Alfred," answered Mademoiselle, now really rosy, "behave yourself."
I could see she had touched her; but if she was annoyed, amusement at Alice's triumphant air and tones afforded her a ready cover for its concealment.
Mademoiselle got up in a moment or two.
"I will not be tantalised for nothing," she said. "Lie on your back on the bench, as Julia did. I shall make you kiss my bottom, for your impudence."
Alice demurred, but quite uselessly. Mademoiselle was aroused and inexorable. She had to put herself in position, and I envied the squeezing she got, evidently only from her back.
Her countenance had changed when she got up.
"I do not like kissing you behind."
"Then hold your impudent tongue, or, next time this occurs you will not be allowed to get up until you have inserted it where it will indeed be punished!"
I was glad to see Alice taken down a peg or two, and to find Mademoiselle able to hold her own, as indeed, at all times and in all places she always did with a wit and self-possession peculiarly French.
In the afternoon, Maud, Beatrice, and Agnes were in the schoolroom where I went from luncheon which Mademoiselle had had served to herself, Alice, and me in a private room. Agnes instantly hailed questions upon me.
"What did she do to you, Julia? We thought we should never see you again. Where were you whipped? Let me look. What were you made to undergo and is Lord Alfred really a man? We waited and waited and waited and when Mademoiselle did not appear and twelve o'clock came, Elise took Bee away, and locked her up in some black hole. She is blinking like an owl at the light-that's why; but how tired you look, Julia? And I am sure Beatrice has had no lunch."
"Indeed I had, Agnes!"
"Oh, only the potato parings, and what was left on the servants' plates!"
Beatrice flew at Agnes, who, with a burst of laughter, made off.
"I wish you two would not play the fool," said Maud deprecatingly. "You will only let us all in for it if you do."
Beatrice did look queer in her youth's clothes-an Eton jacket and trousers. What a bottom she had!
She carefully averted her eyes from mine which she was determined not to meet. Her hair had been rolled up and she looked shamefaced to the last degree.
"Isn't she a great, big, rollicking tomboy?" enquired Agnes with intense glee and stealing up behind her.
Agnes, in the excess of her spirits, brought her hand smack down upon the redundant hemisphere which protruded at the base of Beatrice's jacket.
Beatrice turned round furious and Agnes would have received condign punishment from her had she not seen Mademoiselle standing stern and silent at the door. They were nicely caught in the very act.
"Upon my word," remarked Mademoiselle. "Lord Alfred, the very moment we open the schoolroom door the need of a tutor becomes apparent. I will leave you to deal with this."
"Certainly, Mademoiselle; only too happy."
Agnes had seated herself at the table and looked very crestfallen.
There was a rocking horse in the room-a great big one.
"Master Beatrice," ordered Alice, "mount that horse. We will deal with you presently, Agnes."
"Oh, I can't-I won't!"
"Have you a cane, Mademoiselle?"
"To be sure."
"Now, Master Beatrice, consider this little fellow. He will sting more"-swishing it through the air-"than your sister's hand."
The saddle was an old one, with a big knob in front and it was high at the place Beatrice would be wedged in between, and I knew where she would feel the pressure, especially if anyone was so ill-natured as to rock the animal.
Mademoiselle had seated herself comfortably in her armchair, and calmly awaited the progress of events.
The sight and swish of the cane appeared quite sufficient motive to Beatrice.
She mounted reluctantly and immediately put one hand on the saddle to relieve the pressure on the sensitive regions of her body.
"Julia," said Alice, "take her handkerchief and tie her hands behind her."
"Oh, no!" exclaimed Beatrice piteously, becoming white, red, blue, and green all at once. "Oh! The saddle hurts me."
"You do not suppose I desired you to get up there for your own amusement, do you? Do as I tell you, Julia."
So I was compelled to tie her hands as directed. She was almost in tears. When I had tied her hands Alice put her foot on the rocker and set the animal in violent motion.
Beatrice exclaimed loudly, turned very red, expostulated, threatened, and implored by turns. She was compelled to make the most ridiculous efforts to avoid falling off. That necessity made her squeeze the beast with her legs.
The rough usage they met with and which the nerves and regions between encountered made her positively glow with shame.
The combat in her countenance between shame, vexation, and sensuality was ludicrous to behold.