‘Stop, dog!’ cried Ozman. ‘I forbid the marriage in the name of the prophet.’
‘It is too late,’ replied the old priest, meekly.
‘Be silent, Christian dog! or I will stop thy howlings,’ Ozman cried. ‘But what is this I smell—wine? You have been carousing, you swine! You have been swilling of that accursed beverage abhorred by Allah, and denounced by his Prophet. It is enough; seize the virgin and trample into dust all that oppose us.’
During the whole of the fateful proceedings my poor father supported himself against the side of the smouldering altar in speechless horror. I could not speak, but my eyes were fixed on Demetrius, whose inflexible silence I but too well understood. The youth was too indignant to speak, but the clenched hands, quivering lips and blazing eye spoke a prologue to opposition and vengeance.
‘Seize the virgin!’ repeated Ozman, ‘she will be only too honoured and happy to escape the pollution of this blaspheming wine bibber.’ Ozman advanced as he uttered these insulting words. At that instant Demetrius sprang like lightning upon the foremost of the ravishers, and wrenched the scimitar from his hand before he was aware of his purpose. He rushed on Ozman: the first blow made his scimitar fly ringing into the air, the second was arrested by one of the guards, which saved the life of the tyrant, who exclaimed, almost choking with passion, ‘He has struck a Mussulman; he has outraged the law of the Prophet; he has polluted the person of the representative of the Commander of the Faithful. Hew him to the earth! cut him into atoms! scatter his flesh to the beasts of the field! let the dogs feed on the Christian reptile!’ The crisis was come; my poor father took courage from despair, and seizing upon Ozman’s scimitar, which still lay upon the ground, placed himself besides Demetrius, determined to share his fate and the with him. Guess my indescribable anguish. I was seized by several of the guards, whilst others attacked my father and lover. A desperate conflict ensued. My father fought bravely, but soon fell dead by the side of Demetrius, who had rushed towards the tyrant thinking he had him within his power, but a scimitar from behind had cleaved open his head. He sank on the ground never more to rise. At this dreadful sight my senses forsook me, and I do not know how long I continued insensible, for when I was brought back to life I was in a state of raving delirium, in which I have been informed I continued for many weeks.
When I finally recovered, I found myself the property of a slave merchant on board a Turkish vessel which was sailing for Tunis. On arriving there I was sold to the dey. It was at Tunis I learned how I escaped the brutish lust of the villain Ozman. After the slaughter of my father and lover he had me conveyed to his harem, no doubt for the purpose of sacrificing my chastity to his abominable desires; but from the state I was in it became necessary for a doctor to be sent for, and he, after administering such medicines as brought me to myself, instantly declared me to be in a state of complete insanity. By the laws of Mahomet no one, under penalty of death, can abuse or take any liberty with the person of one of unsound mind. Thus for the moment I escaped ravishment. Shortly afterwards, in consequence of some act of peculation the wretch committed, the Sultan caused him to be strangled and his effects to be sold; being found among his slaves I became the property of the slave merchant, who quickly conveyed me from my country, home and friends, well knowing where my person would find a good market.
It appears such as I am I did not exactly strike the taste of the dey, for he shortly afterwards sent me as a gift to our present master, who it seems it was decreed should enjoy the virgin treasures which the wicked Ozman dared not deprive me of and the Dey of Tunis neglected or did not think worth his time to take from me. After my first interview with the dey I clearly saw that my chastity was in considerably more danger than it had been while I was in the power of Ozman, and that I was now without the protection I then enjoyed. After my recovery from the dreadful malady with which I was seized at the cruel butchery of my lover and father, a fixed melancholy settled on me in the place of the disorder. This the dey on seeing me perceived, and he became anxious to know the cause why one so young and beautiful (as he was pleased to describe me) should be afflicted with such a determined lowness of spirits. In compliance with his urgent wishes, I related the history of my misfortunes. During my narrative he sat by my side and took one of my hands in his. I could clearly feel and see by his agitation how much my story affected him; The tear of sensibility stood trembling in his eye at the relation of my sufferings.
When I had finished he drew me trembling to his bosom, and tenderly kissing my forehead, said he blushed that such a villain as Ozman should disgrace the name of Mussulman. ‘Have you no relations that I can return you to?’ he demanded. I told him I knew of no relation but my father, and he and Demetrius were dead. ‘No wonder,’ he continued, your beauties are clouded; the misfortunes felt by one so young have been enough to sink you to the very earth. But cheer up, sweet maid, here you shall be free from all importunity. It is true you are my slave, and by our laws I can, if I think fit, violate your beauties; but no. As yet you have experienced nothing but oppression at our hands. I will try by kindness to deserve the enjoyment of your charms.’
Again he pressed me fondly to his bosom, but instead of kissing me as before, my lips received his pressures until their fierceness threw me into a confusion indescribable; but on seeing me in tears he immediately desisted, assuring me that my modesty had nothing to fear from him. But young and inexperienced as I was, nature assured me I had more to fear from the soft pity and seeming sensibility of the amorous Ali than the villainous proceedings of the ferocious Ozman. Ozman might have debauched me by force it is true, but with Ali I had more than force to guard against—I mean nature, which the persuasive Ali, even on my first interview, had contrived to alarm by his kisses, which (I know not why) I scarcely dared to refuse him, particularly as he always desisted when the fervency of his proceedings gave my modesty reason to complain. But I soon became conscious that at each new interview the liberties he took became more daring, so much so that I had determined to request he would send me home to my native isle as he had offered to do.
The very evening I had come to this resolution he sent word by one of his eunuchs that he would take his coffee with me. He came accordingly. After coffee was served (as was his usual custom) he reclined on the sofa, directing me to place myself by his side. I obeyed, as he never had refused to permit my rising when the fear of his proceedings had alarmed me. This evening I though he seemed particularly tender, but somewhat thoughtful. As usual, my lips became his prey. Without my knowledge he contrived to unbutton my bodice at the bosom, and ere I could oppose it his burning hand had invaded and was moulding one of my breasts. This new proceeding threw me into considerable agitation. I requested him to desist; to take his hand away. He immediately complied, merely demanding whether his caresses gave me uneasiness. Indeed so very kind did he appear that evening, I at last summoned up courage to make my request of being sent home. His kindness I confessed I should never forget I supported my petition with all the artless sophistry I was capable of. Ah, I little knew the value of the favour I was soliciting.
At first he seemed much astonished, and I thought affected, but with pleasure I saw the frown fade from his brow. He called me unkind, ungenerous, to wish to desert him at the very moment he had nearly persuaded himself that his attention and forbearance had created a sentiment in my bosom favourable to his hopes. ‘Say, sweet maid,’ he cried, fondly kissing me, ‘you cannot, will not abandon me.’ I hardly know how I resisted his pressure and importunities, but I did, and at last received the joyful assurance from him that I should return to my country-home I had none. But his promise was all deception, for even at the very moment he made it, his plans for my ruin were taking effect. Determined on my enjoyment, he had caused to be infused in the coffee which had been handed to me, a strong sleeping draught. Thus at the very moment I was soliciting for the safety of my virtue, my virgin hour was rapidly expiring, an
d my eyes were growing heavy with the effect of the opium. In fact, sleep overtook me in his arms, and I did not recover from the stupefying quality of the narcotic drug before my virginity and all hopes of escape were destroyed. I was no sooner asleep than the dey had me undressed and conveyed to bed, whereupon he quickly followed. I became his unresisting prey. The acuteness of the painful sensations which I am told always accompany the transformation of the maid into the finished woman are unknown to me, for so powerful was the medicine that I continued buried all the night in the most profound insensibility—in fact, during all the time the dey was in uncontrolled possession of my person; indeed so thoroughly had he prepared me to meet his pleasures when I should recover my senses, that during his first enjoyment of me, when perfectly awake, I felt not the least sensation that could be possibly called painful.
You may guess my astonishment and sorrow, on awakening from my deathlike stupor, to find myself naked in the arms of the dey, who was fast asleep, his head reclining on my bosom. From a certain stiffness I felt in a particular part, the truth crashed upon my mind instantly. I could not refrain from crying aloud, which awoke the dey. He was not slow in pleading an excuse for what he had done, stating that, burning for my enjoyment, and plainly seeing my invincible modesty would oppose the most strenuous resistance to the completion of his desires, he determined, by rendering me insensible to my seduction, to spare my feelings and blushes.
‘How could you suppose, lovely creature,’ he cried, passionately, ‘that it was possible I could part with charms like yours? Where would you fly to? no one to protect you—no home! your beauties are too great to suffer you long to escape the snares which some brutal renegade like Ozman would set to trap you. Then, sweet slave, pardon my offence; in me you will always find a kind and faithful protector. Come, dry those lovely eyes,’ he continued; ‘no longer rend my heart with those agonizing looks.’ In this manner, joined with the softest caresses, did Ali strive to soothe me after giving my first burst of passion its free vent. What he said was very true. I had no home or friend. Where was I to fly to? My state of wretchedness was too apparent. It required very little reflection to convince me the grand ordeal was past, my virginity being his. In short, he soothed me with the soft asseverations of the tenderest love, giving his persuasions with the liveliest caresses, until at last by degrees he stemmed the tide of sorrow that flowed over my feelings. Seeing my grief was somewhat pacified, he considered this a fit opportunity to begin to prepare me to submit to his desires. I was entirely unconscious of his intentions. He suddenly turned me on my back, forcibly extended my thighs with one of his knees and in an instant was secure between them; without further ceremony he fixed himself in me, and vigorously making play, his quick thrusts soon sent him in fierce erection to his utmost length into me; indeed, I felt him up to the very quick; I was literally gorged by him. You may suppose my astonishment at finding the insertion of his instrument unaccompanied by the least particle of pain. [I interrupted her by enquiring if she felt not the least suffering.] None whatever, and I can only attribute it to the number of times he must have enjoyed me while I was under the influence of the opiate, for I assure you the pains accompanying the loss of virginity are entirely unknown to me. Nay, on the contrary, I felt not the least inconvenience. So you may guess my emotions at the awful moment when he had driven himself into me, joining as it were our bodies into one by the close junction of the parts. My hands were clenched—my whole body immovable—my teeth, fixed. I was lost to everything but the wonderful instrument that was sheathed within me. I call it wonderful, and I think not improperly; for wonderful must that thing be that in the midst of the most poignant grief can so rapidly dissolve our senses with the softest sensations, spite of inclination, so quickly cause us to forget our early impressions, our first affections, and in the most forlorn and wretched moments of our existence make us taste such voluptuous delight and lustful pleasure!
This was my case. At the very moment I thought myself the most wretched of all human beings did the dey, by his luxurious movements, cause me to experience the most sensual of all enjoyments, which every instant became more and more poignant and dissolving, until I was completely ravished with unutterable delight. I unconsciously grasped him in my arms, unable to conceal the joys I was convulsed with; and soon in my agony of bliss, amounting to little less than delirium, did I feel spouting from him the milk of life, which rushed in delicious streams into my womb, and quickly drew down from me with shuddering ecstasy my maiden tribute of the melting essence. After the first ecstasy, as he lay in my arms, whilst I was still languishing from the joy I had experienced, did he extract from me an unqualified kiss of forgiveness for his deceit and treachery, and on my lips did he seal an oath to Allah never to desert me. I now became passive if not resigned to my fate. Drawing his shaft out of me, and removing himself from between my thighs, he informed me that in the evening when his strength was sufficiently recruited, it was his intention to give me my finishing instructions in love’s mysteries; for as yet, though it was evident to him I had enjoyed the pleasure, yet I had much to learn and to do ere (as he said) I could enjoy the ecstasy properly. He then left me. I shall not tire you with an account of how I passed the day; it is sufficient to say that towards evening the female slaves, after having conducted me to the bath, and properly ornamented my hair, and every way prepared me, helped me into bed to await the dey’s coming. He came covered only by a robe, which thrown off left him entirely naked, and he came to bed to me. If I had any repugnance left, this might certainly have removed it entirely. Directly he was laid by my side he first threw off the bedclothes, then untying the ribbons which closed my dress in front, he threw it open, leaving my person naked to his view. He then examined every part of me, covering me as he did so with numberless kisses. Having satisfied his curiosity as to my person, he drew me to his bosom, and desired me to place my lips to his. He then taught me several ways of kissing. The first was merely drawing my lips softly across his, which he called dove-kissing. The second was keeping my lips glued to his, returning his suction until he withdrew his lips: this he called the kiss of enjoyment; and the third was the same with the difference of thrusting his tongue into my mouth—this was described by him as the kiss of desire.
When he thought he had sufficiently taught me the manner of kissing which pleased him, he desired me particularly to remember that whenever he got between my thighs I must immediately extend them to their utmost width, and when I found he had completely entered me, then, and not till then, I was to embrace his body with my arms, and pass my lips softly over his when I felt him beginning to thrust; as he withdrew out of me, I was also to withdraw from him, but not so much as to throw him out; and as he thrust home again, I was also to meet him with all my force, my arms all the time encircling him firmly—all my kisses to be entirely governed by his manner of kissing, and immediately I felt him beginning to discharge himself within me, I was instantly to throw my legs over his back and keep myself immovably fixed in the closest junction with him, until the very last drop was ejected from him; but, above all, he particularly pressed upon me to obey him in everything he directed implicitly, assuring me I should find my reward in obedience. With blushes I promised to obey his desires in every particular. He then got between my thighs, which I extended to his wishes; this I saw gratified him; then, on his knees between them, he desired me to take hold of his instrument, and pass my hand up and down it two or three times. I did as he directed, but could not look him in the face. Ah, I could scarcely grasp the stately pillar! As my hand slipped up and down it, I felt it throb and leap freely. I was struck with astonishment at how I could have entertained so superb and magnificent a shaft! I was not given long to consider about it. He laid himself down on me; with his left hand he unclosed the luscious lips of the mouth of nature, while with the right he bent his mighty instrument—so stiff was its erection that he appeared with difficulty to force it down to the opening—and presently I f
elt its broad shelving head entering between the lips which the fingers kept extended. When he got in, as if he meant to spin out his pleasure and give it more play, he passed his instrument up so slowly that it appeared an age to me until I had fairly received it into the soft laboratory of love. At last our mossy mounts fairly rubbed against each other. But ah! how silly were the directions he had given me as to not embracing him until this moment! it was out of my power to resist the impulse I felt. If my life had depended upon it I could not have forborne from grasping him to my breast. As to his other directions, I believe I gave him perfect satisfaction.
At first I was passive by force, but as he made play, the in-and-out friction soon awakened, touched and roused me to the quick, so that, unable to contain myself, I could not but comply with his motions as quickly as the delicacy of my make and my inexperience would admit of, until the pleasure rose to such a height that it made me wild with ravishing sensations, in fact I threw my legs about at random, entirely lost in the sweet agitation. As to the dey, his ecstasy declared itself by the increasing quickness and fierceness of his thrusts, his rough grasping of my body, his burning kisses and eyes darting humid fires. As the last moment, the critical moment came, I had barely sufficient recollection to follow my instructions. I instantly entwined my legs over his loins, every part of us was strictly joined, and, oh God! he distilled into me a flood of rapture which was met by me, I scarcely know how, for the transport was so great that I actually fainted in his arms.
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