Gynecocracy

"Yes! He had to; in her presence he was laced up and she chose the drawers and took away his own with her; he had half a dozen pairs, richly trimmed with lace; and then he begged as a sign of goodwill on his part, to be allowed to wear ladies' stockings too-she clapped her hands, and was delighted-she gave him a kiss as a reward, and made him show her what she should possess after they were married."

"And did he?"

"The poor gentleman looked very shamefaced, but I held his hands behind him and made him stand before her seated on that very couch and she had a good look; examined him carefully I promise you."

"Did she touch him?"

"No. Now, Miss-, now young gentleman, if you do not want more flogging, strip yourself, Miss-will help you; and as soon as you have taken your things off you shall have this nice chemise over your head."

Miss-did help me. In fact she stripped me and I stood naked before these four women.

"Whatever has he to be ashamed of? A back and thighs like a woman's, I declare; and such a smooth face. He will make a capital girl!"

A silk vest had been slipped on under the chemise, then long stockings, silk, next the corset.

Mademoiselle finally fixed on what was technically described as an Ideal Sylph-Corset with a very small long waist. It was very high under the arms and inconveniently long in front, and it was laced with great severity, Miss-holding me, while her fellow conspirator tugged at the laces and made it meet.

"Drawers," Mademoiselle explained. She would not have combinations.

"We always advise wide old-fashioned drawers for young gentlemen who are to be unsexed. They can be easily removed for purposes of punishment and combinations cannot be." At the sight of the flannel petticoat I rebelled again. I was not a girl, I would not wear the thing.

"Bring him here," cried Mademoiselle, exasperated. "Give me the busk. Across my knee this instant, Julian."

Miss-pushed me over. Whack, whack, whack.

"Oh, Mademoiselle! Oh, Mademoiselle! Oh, you hurt!"

Sobbing and trembling, the white flannel petticoat was then tied on.

"Now, Miss, your dress-"

When I was fully equipped, a cab was called and we were driven to a lady's coiffeur.

"No, I will not have my head shaved."

"You must," said Delilah with a stamp.

"It is not necessary, Mademoiselle," remarked the hairdresser.

"Mais je le veux," exclaimed Mademoiselle, with another stamp of her little foot.

So my head was shaved, and I was furnished with a woman's head of hair. Several wigs were chosen. Another cheque. Then to Rathbone Place, to a bootmaker's.

"This young lady requires boots and shoes very tight, very high heels. Two pairs to lace halfway up her legs, halfway to the knees," ordered Mademoiselle.

My feet were then forced into girl's tight boots, which were laced up, the five-and-a-half-inch heels feeling like mountains under me.

When we reached Oxford Circus, Mademoiselle would look in at a shop in Regent Street where she saw some marvelous corsets with horrid belts below the waist, more like instruments of torture, more like strait-waistcoats than any I had seen before. I was willy-nilly taken in; the assistants were very much more hoity-toity here than nearer Leicester Square. They could hardly find a corset large enough for me and plainly regarded me as a hoyden. Of course they found out that I was a boy. They entirely ignored the fact although their winks to each other seriously embarrassed and discomforted me.

But when the belt below came to be laced, there was something in the way. Their discovery of my sex had already cost me several sly pushes and touches, which, with feminine spitefulness, they gave me at every opportunity in the most promiscuous manner. One of them then whispered to Mademoiselle.

And as a result a principal was consulted.

"Yes," said the haughty and stately personage, "a young lady of abnormal development and construction, in fact a hermaphrodite. I quite understand. We have met with several cases of it. The abnormal organ had better be turned under the belt, Miss-"

This was ruthlessly done.

I recollected Lord Alfred Ridlington's observation in the conservatory, that he had met several young ladies with that thing in front. Oh! Would they-would they after all believe me to be really a girl? Walking was now more troublesome but Mademoiselle insisted on it and we went down Regent Street, along Conduit Street and Bond Street, and so back to the hotel.

Luncheon, alas! I could scarcely eat, so tightly cased up was I.

Gertrude had to leave that afternoon. I bade her adieu with tears. And then I was suddenly revived, for Mademoiselle reminded her of the theatre and induced her to stay until the next day, when Mademoiselle purposed returning to Suffolk.

CHAPTER 17

A Lady Doctor

After luncheon Mademoiselle and I drove to a lady-doctor's.

Horror! I cannot dwell upon it.

First my ears were pierced, and I was forced to wear gold earrings. The doctor and her assistant held me during the operation-a painful one!