only a mere slave," she said, "I could not possibly begin to understand the words of Master."
She cried out as I, half spinning her about, tore the cloth from her hips.
"It seems your master forgot to brand you," I said.
She snatched back the cloth and, angrily, tearing it and pulling it, refastened it about her hips.
"Take me to a pleasure rack," she said.
"You are a free woman, " I said. "Go yourself."
"Never, never!" she said. "You know I cannot do that!"
"Master," said a voice. "I am a slave. Take me to a pleasure rack!"
I looked down. Kneeling on the tiles of the piazza at my feet was a naked slave.
"I have not forgotten your kiss," she said. "Take me to a pleasure rack, I beg you!"
I remembered her. She was the naked, collared slave who, a few moments ago, had seized me and kissed me. I had returned her kiss, in the fashion of a master.
page 47
"I have sought you in the crowds," she said.
The free woman cried out in fury.
I reached down and drew the slave to her feet and then, holding her by the arm, turned away from the free woman.
The free woman gasped, rejected, scorned, of less interest than a slave.
The slave now held my arm, I permitting it, closely, that she not be pulled away from me in the crowds.
"This is not the way to the pleasure racks," she said.
"You must be patient," I said.
"Yes, Master," she moaned, pressing more closely against me. She would be patient. She had no choice in the matter. she was a slave.
I looked back and saw the free woman, turned away, forlorn, her arms clutched about herself, half crouched over. Her body shook with sobs. She trembled with need. I saw that she had strong drives. I smiled. Such drives would bring her, sooner or later, to a man's feet, the only place they can be satisfied.
I paused to watch a portion of a farce. I would let the girl clinging to me increase in her heat.
The girl playing the part of the Golden Courtesan was not unlike Rowena, whom I remembered from three nights ago in the holding of Samos. She had something of the same beauty, the same figure, the same long, golden tresses. The role of the Golden Courtesan, incidentally, when it occurs in more sophisticated Gorean comedy is usually played, like the other roles in such comedies, and in most forms of serious drama, masked. One possible reason for this, though I think tradition probably has much more to do with it, is the such roles in more sophisticated comedy, like roles in more serious drams, are generally played by men. In the major dramatic forms Goreans generally, mistakenly, in my opinion, keep women off the stage. Some feel this practice is a result of the fact that women's voices carry less well than men's voice in the open-air theaters. Given the superb acoustics of many of these theaters, however, in which a coin dropped on the stage is clearly audible in the upper tiers, I feel the practice is more closely connected with tradition, or jealousy, than acoustics. Too, it might be noted that many dramatic masks have megaphonic devices built into them which tend to amplify the actors' voices. If women are generally precluded from participation in the major dramatic forms, they are, however, more than adequately represented in the great variety of minor forms which exist on Gor, such as low comedy, burlesque, mime, farce and story dance. To be sure, these women are usually
page 48
slaves. Free women, on the whole, affect to find the professional stage, particularly in its manifestations in the minor forms, unspeakably disgusting and indecent; they feign horror at the very thought of themselves going on the stage; it would be much the same thing, surely, as being displayed publicly on a slave platform or slave block. They usually attend performances incognito.
I have mentioned that masks are commonly worn in serious drama and sophisticated comedy, such as it is; I might also mention that they are not worn in most of the minor forms, such as mime or story dance, unless called for
She cried out as I, half spinning her about, tore the cloth from her hips.
"It seems your master forgot to brand you," I said.
She snatched back the cloth and, angrily, tearing it and pulling it, refastened it about her hips.
"Take me to a pleasure rack," she said.
"You are a free woman, " I said. "Go yourself."
"Never, never!" she said. "You know I cannot do that!"
"Master," said a voice. "I am a slave. Take me to a pleasure rack!"
I looked down. Kneeling on the tiles of the piazza at my feet was a naked slave.
"I have not forgotten your kiss," she said. "Take me to a pleasure rack, I beg you!"
I remembered her. She was the naked, collared slave who, a few moments ago, had seized me and kissed me. I had returned her kiss, in the fashion of a master.
page 47
"I have sought you in the crowds," she said.
The free woman cried out in fury.
I reached down and drew the slave to her feet and then, holding her by the arm, turned away from the free woman.
The free woman gasped, rejected, scorned, of less interest than a slave.
The slave now held my arm, I permitting it, closely, that she not be pulled away from me in the crowds.
"This is not the way to the pleasure racks," she said.
"You must be patient," I said.
"Yes, Master," she moaned, pressing more closely against me. She would be patient. She had no choice in the matter. she was a slave.
I looked back and saw the free woman, turned away, forlorn, her arms clutched about herself, half crouched over. Her body shook with sobs. She trembled with need. I saw that she had strong drives. I smiled. Such drives would bring her, sooner or later, to a man's feet, the only place they can be satisfied.
I paused to watch a portion of a farce. I would let the girl clinging to me increase in her heat.
The girl playing the part of the Golden Courtesan was not unlike Rowena, whom I remembered from three nights ago in the holding of Samos. She had something of the same beauty, the same figure, the same long, golden tresses. The role of the Golden Courtesan, incidentally, when it occurs in more sophisticated Gorean comedy is usually played, like the other roles in such comedies, and in most forms of serious drama, masked. One possible reason for this, though I think tradition probably has much more to do with it, is the such roles in more sophisticated comedy, like roles in more serious drams, are generally played by men. In the major dramatic forms Goreans generally, mistakenly, in my opinion, keep women off the stage. Some feel this practice is a result of the fact that women's voices carry less well than men's voice in the open-air theaters. Given the superb acoustics of many of these theaters, however, in which a coin dropped on the stage is clearly audible in the upper tiers, I feel the practice is more closely connected with tradition, or jealousy, than acoustics. Too, it might be noted that many dramatic masks have megaphonic devices built into them which tend to amplify the actors' voices. If women are generally precluded from participation in the major dramatic forms, they are, however, more than adequately represented in the great variety of minor forms which exist on Gor, such as low comedy, burlesque, mime, farce and story dance. To be sure, these women are usually
page 48
slaves. Free women, on the whole, affect to find the professional stage, particularly in its manifestations in the minor forms, unspeakably disgusting and indecent; they feign horror at the very thought of themselves going on the stage; it would be much the same thing, surely, as being displayed publicly on a slave platform or slave block. They usually attend performances incognito.
I have mentioned that masks are commonly worn in serious drama and sophisticated comedy, such as it is; I might also mention that they are not worn in most of the minor forms, such as mime or story dance, unless called for
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