Read Online The Dedalus Book of German Decadence by Ray Furness - Free Book Online Page B

the better,’ she said, ‘and you’ll find all the more pleasure in that which is about to happen to you.’
    ‘What is wrong?’ I asked. ‘I don’t understand you, there really seems to be a cruel gleam in your eyes, and you are strangely beautiful, like Venus in Furs  …’
    Without answering she put her arms about my neck and kissed me. At this moment I was seized again with the full madness of my passion.
    ‘Well, where is the whip?’ I asked.
    Wanda took two steps backward, and laughed.
    ‘You really want to be beaten?’ she cried, tossing her head back proudly
    ‘Yes!’
    Suddenly Wanda’s face changed, twisted in anger, and for a second she seemed almost ugly.
    ‘Beat him, Alexis!’ she screamed.
    At that moment the handsome Greek thrust his head between the curtains of the four-poster bed. I was struck dumb, rigid. The situation was extremely comical and I would have laughed aloud if it had not been at the same time so desperately sad and shameful for me. And my blood ran cold when my rival stepped forth in his riding boots, his tight white trousers, his close-fitting velvet coat, and my glance fell on his athletic body.
    ‘You are cruel, indeed,’ he said, turning to Wanda.
    ‘I am only a hedonist’ she replied with a wild sense of humour. ‘Only pleasure makes life worthwhile; only the one who enjoys life departs unwillingly from it; he who suffers and pines greets death as a friend. He who wishes to enjoy life must accept it serenely, as the ancients did: he must not fear to enjoy life at others’ expense, he must never show pity and must yoke others like animals before his carriage, his plough, others who feel, who would fain enjoy life – he must make them his slaves, he must exploit them for his own ends, his own pleasure, without remorse; he must not ask whether they are suffering, or whether they will perish. He must always remember this: if I were in their hands they would do the same, and I would have to pay with my sweat, my blood, for their souls delight. That was the world of the Ancients; pleasure and cruelty, freedom and bondage went hand in hand. Those who wished to live as Olympian gods had to have slaves whom they could fling into their fishponds and gladiators who would fight whilst they themselves ate opulent meals and never worried if they were sprayed with spurting blood.’
    Her words brought me fully to my senses. ‘Let me loose!’ I screamed angrily.
    ‘Are you not my slave, my property?’ Wanda retorted. ‘Shall I show you our agreement?’
    ‘Let me free!’ I threatened, ‘otherwise –’ I tore at the bonds.
    ‘Can he break free?’ she asked. ‘He’s threatened to kill me.’
    ‘Don’t worry,’ the Greek replied, inspecting the knots.
    ‘I’ll scream for help,’ I continued.
    ‘Nobody will hear you,’ said Wanda, ‘and nobody will stop me from abusing your noblest feelings and playing a frivolous game with you  …’ She continued to speak with a diabolical contempt, repeating the phrases of my letter. ‘Do you now find me simply cruel and merciless, or am I about to become common ’? Tell me, do you still love me, or are you starting to hate me, to despise me? Take the whip  …’ and she gave it to the Greek who quickly stepped up to me.
    ‘Don’t you dare!’ I yelled, trembling with rage, ‘I won’t take anything from you !’
    ‘You’re only saying that because I’m not wearing fur,’ the Greek replies, smiling frivolously, and picking his short sable jacket from the bed.
    ‘You are divine!’ Wanda cried, kissing him and helping him into the fur.
    ‘May I really whip him?’ he asked.
    ‘Do whatever you want with him.’
    ‘You beast!’ I shouted.
    The Greek fixed me with his cold eyes, like a tiger and tried out the whip; his muscles rippled as he cracked it, whilst I was tied there like Marsyas and was forced to watch Apollo preparing to skin me.
    I looked around the room and fixed my gaze on the ceiling where Samson