While we were arguing thus, Dubois' four companions were drinking with the poacher, and as wine disposes the malefactor's heart to new crimes and causes him to forget his old, our bandits no sooner learned of my resolution than, unable to make me their accomplice1, they decided2 to make me their victim; their principles, their manners, the dark retreat we were in, the security they thought they enjoyed, their drunkenness, my age, my innocence3 everything encouraged them. They get up from table, they confer in whispers, they consult Dubois, doings whose lugubrious4 mystery makes me shiver with horror, and at last there comes an order to me then and there to satisfy the desires of each of the four; if I go to it cheerfully, each will give me a crown to help me along my way; if they must employ violence, the thing will be done all the same; but the better to guard their secret, once finished with me they will stab me, and will bury me at the foot of yonder tree.
I need not paint the effect this cruel proposition had upon me, Madame, you will have no difficulty understanding that I sank to my knees before Dubois, I besought6 her a second time to be my protectress: the low creature did but laugh at my tears:
"Oh by God !" quoth she, "here's an unhappy little one. What! you shudder7 before the obligation to serve four fine big boys one after another? Listen to me," she added, after some reflection, "my sway over these dear lads is sufficiently8 great for me to obtain a reprieve9 for you upon condition you render yourself worthy10 of it."
"Alas11 ! Madame, what must I do ?" I cried through my tears; "command me; I am ready."
"Join us, throw in your lot with us, and commit the same deeds, without show of the least repugnance12; either that, or I cannot save you from the rest." I did not think myself in a position to hesitate; by accepting this cruel condition I exposed myself to further dangers, to be sure, but they were the less immediate13; perhaps I might be able to avoid them, whereas nothing could save me from those with which I was actually menaced.
"I will go everywhere with you, Madame," was my prompt answer to Dubois, "everywhere, I promise you; shield me from the fury of these men and I shall never leave your side while I live."
"Children," Dubois said to the four bandits, "this girl is one of the company, I am taking her into it; I ask you to do her no ill, don't put her stomach off the mtier during her first days in it; you see how useful her age and face can be to us; let's employ them to our advantage rather than sacrifice them to our pleasures."
But such is the degree of energy in man's passions nothing can subdue14 them. The persons I was dealing15 with were in no state to heed16 reason: all four surrounded me, devoured17 me with their fiery18 glances, menaced me in a still more terrible manner; they were about to lay hands on me, I was about to become their victim.
"She has got to go through with it," one of them declared, "it's too late for discussion: was she not told she must give proof of virtues20 in order to be admitted into a band of thieves ? and once a little used, won't she be quite as serviceable as she is while a virgin21 ?"
I am softening22 their expressions, you understand, Madame, I am sweetening the scene itself; alas! their obscenities were such that your modesty23 might suffer at least as much from beholding24 them unadorned as did my shyness.
A defenseless and trembling victim, I shuddered25; I had barely strength to breathe; kneeling before the quartet, I raised my feeble arms as much to supplicate26 the men as to melt Dubois' heart....
"An instant," said one who went by the name of Coeur-de-fer and appeared to be the band's chief, a man of thirty-six years, of a bull's strength and bearing the face of a satyr; "one moment, friends: it may be possible to satisfy everyone concerned; since this little girl's virtue19 is so precious to her and since, as Dubois states it very well, this quality otherwise put into action could become worth something to us, let's leave it to her; but we have got to be appeased27; our mood is warm, Dubois, and in the state we are in, d'ye know, we might perhaps cut your own throat if you were to stand between us and our pleasures; let's have Therese instantly strip as naked as the day she came into the world, and next let's have her adopt one after the other all the positions we are pleased to call for, and meanwhile Dubois will sate28 our hungers, we'll burn our incense29 upon the altars' entrance to which this creature refuses us."
"Strip naked!" I exclaimed, "Oh Heaven, what is it thou doth require of me? When I shall have delivered myself thus to your eyes, who will be able to answer for me?..."
But Coeur-de-fer, who seemed in no humor either to grant me more or to suspend his desires, burst out with an oath and struck me in a manner so brutal30 that I saw full well compliance31 was my last resort. He put himself in Dubois' hands, she having been put by his in a disorder32 more or less the equivalent of mine and, as soon as I was as he desired me to be, having made me crouch33 down upon all fours so that I resembled a beast, Dubois took in hand a very monstrous34 object and led it to the peristyles of first one and then the other of Nature's altars, and under her guidance the blows it delivered to me here and there were like those of a battering35 ram36 thundering at the gates of a besieged37 town in olden days. The shock of the initial assault drove me back; enraged38, Coeur-de-fer threatened me with harsher treatments were I to retreat from these; Dubois is instructed to redouble her efforts, one of the libertines39 grasps my shoulders and prevents me from staggering before the concussions40: they become so fierce I am in blood and am able to avoid not a one.
"Indeed," stammers41 Coeur-de-fer, "in her place I'd prefer to open the doors rather than see them ruined this way, but she won't have it, and we're not far from the capitulation.... Vigorously ... vigorously, Dubois...."
And the explosive eruption42 of this debauchee's flames, almost as violent as a stroke of lightning, flickers43 and dies upon ramparts ravaged44 without being breached45.
The second had me kneel between his legs and while Dubois administered to him as she had to the other, two enterprises absorbed his entire attention: sometimes he slapped, powerfully but in a very nervous manner, either my cheeks or my breasts; sometimes his impure46 mouth fell to sucking mine. In an instant my face turned purple, my chest red.... I was in pain, I begged him to spare me, tears leapt from my eyes; they roused him, he accelerated his activities; he bit my tongue, and the two strawberries on my breasts were so bruised47 that I slipped backward, but was kept from falling. They thrust me toward him, I was everywhere more furiously harassed48, and his ecstasy49 supervened....
The third bade me mount upon and straddle two somewhat separated chairs and, seating himself betwixt them, excited by Dubois, lying in his arms, he had me bend until his mouth was directly below the temple of Nature; never will you imagine, Madame, what this obscene mortal took it into his head to do; willy-nilly, I was obliged to satisfy his every need.... Just Heaven! what man, no matter how depraved, can taste an instant of pleasure in such things.... I did what he wished, inundated50 him, and my complete submission51 procured52 this foul53 man an intoxication54 of which he was incapable55 without this infamy56.
The fourth attached strings57 to all parts of me to which it was possible to tie them, he held the ends in his hands and sat down seven or eight feet from my body; Dubois' touches and kisses excited him prodigiously58; I was standing5 erect59: 'twas by sharp tugs60 now on this string, now on some other that the savage61 irritated his pleasures; I swayed, I lost balance again and again, he flew into an ecstasy each time tottered62; finally, he pulled all the cords at once, I fell to the floor in front of him: such was his design: and my fore-head, my breast, my cheeks received the proofs of a delirium63 he owed to none but this mania64. That is what I suffered, Madame, but at least my honor was respected even though my modesty assuredly was not. Their calm restored, the bandits spoke65 of regaining66 the road, and that same night we reached Tremblai with the intention of approaching the woods of Chantilly, where it was thought a few good prizes might be awaiting us. Nothing equaled my despair at being obliged to accompany such persons, and I was determined67 to part with them as soon as I could do so without risk. The following day we fell hard by Louvres, sleeping under haystacks; I felt in need of Dubois' support and wanted to pass the night by her side; but it seemed she had planned to employ it otherwise than protecting my virtue from the attacks I dreaded68; three of the thieves surrounded her and before my very eyes the abominable69 creature gave herself to all three simultaneously70. The fourth approached me; it was the captain. "Lovely Therese," said he, "I hope you shall not refuse me at least the pleasure of spending the night with you?" and as he perceive my extreme unwillingness71, "fear not," he went on; "we'll have a chat together, and I will attempt nothing without your consent. "O Therese," cried he, folding me in his arms, " 'tis all foolishness, don't you know, to be so pretentious72 with us. Why are you concerned to guard your purity in our midst? Even were we to agree to respect it, could it be compatible with the interests of the band? No need to hide it from you, my dear; for when we settle down in cities, we count on you to snare73 us some dupes."
"Why, Monsieur," I replied, "since it is certain I should prefer death to these horrors, of what use can I be to you, and why do you oppose my flight?"
"We certainly do oppose it, my girl," Coeur-de-fer rejoined, "you must serve either our pleasures or our interests; your poverty imposes the yoke74 upon you, and you have got to adapt to it. But, Therese, and well you know it, there is nothing in this world that cannot be somehow arranged: so listen to me, and accept the management of your own fate: agree to live with me, dear girl, consent to belong to me and be properly my own, and I will spare you the baneful75 role for which you are destined76."
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1
accomplice
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| n.从犯，帮凶，同谋 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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lugubrious
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| adj.悲哀的，忧郁的 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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besought
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| v.恳求，乞求（某事物）( beseech的过去式和过去分词 )；(beseech的过去式与过去分词) | |
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shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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reprieve
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| n.暂缓执行（死刑）；v.缓期执行；给…带来缓解 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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repugnance
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| n.嫌恶 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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subdue
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| vt.制服，使顺从，征服；抑制，克制 | |
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dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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devoured
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| 吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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virgin
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| n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的 | |
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softening
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| 变软，软化 | |
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modesty
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| n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素 | |
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beholding
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| v.看，注视( behold的现在分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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supplicate
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| v.恳求；adv.祈求地，哀求地，恳求地 | |
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appeased
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| 安抚，抚慰( appease的过去式和过去分词 )； 绥靖（满足另一国的要求以避免战争） | |
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sate
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| v.使充分满足 | |
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incense
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| v.激怒；n.香，焚香时的烟，香气 | |
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brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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compliance
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| n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从 | |
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disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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crouch
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| v.蹲伏，蜷缩，低头弯腰；n.蹲伏 | |
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monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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battering
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| n.用坏，损坏v.连续猛击( batter的现在分词 ) | |
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ram
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| (random access memory)随机存取存储器 | |
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besieged
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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enraged
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| 使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤 | |
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libertines
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| n.放荡不羁的人，淫荡的人( libertine的名词复数 ) | |
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concussions
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| n.震荡( concussion的名词复数 )；脑震荡；冲击；震动 | |
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41
stammers
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| n.口吃，结巴( stammer的名词复数 )v.结巴地说出( stammer的第三人称单数 ) | |
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eruption
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| n.火山爆发；（战争等）爆发；（疾病等）发作 | |
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flickers
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| 电影制片业； （通常指灯光）闪烁，摇曳( flicker的名词复数 ) | |
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ravaged
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| 毁坏( ravage的过去式和过去分词 )； 蹂躏； 劫掠； 抢劫 | |
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45
breached
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| 攻破( breach的现在分词 )； 破坏，违反 | |
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impure
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| adj.不纯净的，不洁的；不道德的，下流的 | |
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bruised
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| [医]青肿的，瘀紫的 | |
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harassed
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| adj. 疲倦的，厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词 | |
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49
ecstasy
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| n.狂喜，心醉神怡，入迷 | |
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50
inundated
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| v.淹没( inundate的过去式和过去分词 )；（洪水般地）涌来；充满；给予或交予（太多事物）使难以应付 | |
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submission
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| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
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procured
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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53
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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intoxication
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| n.wild excitement;drunkenness；poisoning | |
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incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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infamy
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| n.声名狼藉，出丑，恶行 | |
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strings
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| n.弦 | |
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prodigiously
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| adv.异常地，惊人地，巨大地 | |
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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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tugs
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| n.猛拉( tug的名词复数 )；猛拖；拖船v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的第三人称单数 ) | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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tottered
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| v.走得或动得不稳( totter的过去式和过去分词 )；踉跄；蹒跚；摇摇欲坠 | |
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delirium
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| n. 神智昏迷,说胡话;极度兴奋 | |
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mania
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| n.疯狂；躁狂症，狂热，癖好 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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regaining
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| 复得( regain的现在分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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abominable
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| adj.可厌的，令人憎恶的 | |
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simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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unwillingness
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| n. 不愿意，不情愿 | |
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pretentious
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| adj.自命不凡的，自负的，炫耀的 | |
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snare
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| n.陷阱，诱惑，圈套；（去除息肉或者肿瘤的）勒除器；响弦，小军鼓；vt.以陷阱捕获，诱惑 | |
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yoke
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| n.轭；支配；v.给...上轭，连接，使成配偶 | |
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baneful
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| adj.有害的 | |
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destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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