Gynecocracy

Gertrude with a merry smile. I opened the door; they passed through it. When they had gone some little way along the corridor, I shut it. Turning round I saw Gertrude reclining in an easy chair, watching me, and I was alone-alone with her.

CHAPTER 11

Mamma

"Well, Julian?" she said softly.

"Oh, Miss Stormont, Miss Stormont!" I exclaimed, flushing all manners of colours.

"Miss Stormont!" she repeated. "What do you mean? What did I say you were to call me?"

"Mamma," I exclaimed, kneeling by her side, and, catching her hand, I pressed it to my lips, while she moved in her chair in a way I immediately recognised, intoxicated with the knowledge that I could give her pleasure.

"Yes, Mamma," she repeated, stroking my hair with her hand. "And now, you bold boy, you seem to be very much in love. Pray with whom are you so taken?"

"Oh, Miss Stor-oh, Mamma! With you-whom else?"

"In love with your mamma!" she said with mock severity, but moving again. "Don't you know," flushing, "that is very improper, very wrong, very wicked. Pray, what do you want your mamma to do? I fear you would like to commit incest!"

She moved again. Her legs were uncrossed and wide apart. I could hardly believe my eyes. She was plainly love sick. I became vain and conceited on the instant.

"Yes," I said, flushing the colour of a crimson peony. "Yes, that is exactly-"

She put her "lady palm" across my mouth.

"Go into my bedroom, you bold boy, and I will come and talk to you there."

I went and leant against the pretty bed. The room was thickly carpeted, the window curtained.

Gertrude came in and locked the door.

"I must see," she said, coming up to me, "how you are. I do not think it is good for you to remain any longer in the condition in which I put you in the train."

She seemed to have quite forgotten my declaration.

"Besides," she went on, "you were left in the sitting room, while Mademoiselle and I were changing our things. You must want to wash your hands and face-and-and-to do something else, too," with a delightfully quizzical look, which embarrassed me extremely. "And there is some hot water here; and this-" as she opened a drawer and shew me a long tube with a bulbous thing in its centre. I knew what it was and turned pale. "And yet you want to love your mamma, you indecent boy!" with a pat on my face. I caught her hand and kissed it.

"Well, you must first obey her," as she unbuttoned my trousers.

Her soft and nimble fingers quickly undid and drew them down.

"Naughty boy! Its mamma must really take its little trousers off. Take off your jacket and waistcoat first, Julian. Now your shoes. Now slip off the trousers-yes, right off."

She next unfastened my corset and drawers, and I stood before her in chemise and stockings.

She turned me backwards over the bed, with my chemise over my breast; from the tops of my stockings to it, I was exposed to her searching gaze, and she gloated upon what she saw.

"Poor fellow!" she said, presently. "How swollen, how red, how inflamed he is! I must set him right."

Her soft hand was soon upon me, and a little very exciting determination effected her purpose. I gave a sigh of intense relief.

"Now you must turn over," she ordered, leaving me and going to the wash-hand-stand where she poured out some hot water into the basin and tempered it with cold. "Mademoiselle has told me how you behaved to your cousin Maud. I feel it my duty to make you feel something of what you did to her."

"Oh, please, Mamma! Oh, please, please, Miss Stormont!"

"Now," she said, lifting her finger, "you must obey. Remember, I have a little whip. I am not at all sure that I am not under an obligation-a promise-to wale your bottom for you, you great, big, naughty child! I advise you not to recall it to my recollection. I shall not hurt you, Julian," she added, as she observed my look of consternation.

As she uttered the word "bottom," she blushed divinely.

I turned over. She put a chair by the bed beside me, and an end of the tube into the basin of water, which she set upon it.

"Oh, Mamma," I said, "please! I do not know how to tell you, but there is something I want to do, must do, first."

"You must tell me!"

"I can't! Oh! Ever since lunch-all the way in the train, I could not get out; and here I have had no opportunity."

It was such a terrible thing to have to tell a woman, and my thoughts reverted to Beatrice, and to that night in the bedroom. I was glad that now it was not quite as bad as then.

"I can guess," said Gertrude slyly and sweetly. "It wants to be held out, the big baby!" What a womanly girl she looked.

"Yes," I said blushing.

"Well! Say, please, Mamma, may I pee before you punish me?"

"Oh, Gertrude!"

"Gertrude! Sir, how dare you!"

"Oh, please, Mamma!"

"Well go on-"

"Oh! I was going to ask, don't make me say that-"

"I daresay-you must say it, if you want to, or you shall not do it. Now, choose!"