Chapter 10 Part 4-1

I was surprised that he lived in such a remote place. He replied flatly, "It's just right for me!" This answer increased my lack of fear.Suffering people are always sensitive to everything: every word, deed, or even thought of those to whom we are attached can stifle or ignite our hopes.But at present I have no way out, so I have to restrain myself.After turning left and right, this ancient ruin suddenly appeared before us-in fact, we had to walk, a quarter of a mile away.Laurent got down from his mule, told me to come down too, returned the two animals to the servant, gave him money, and told him to go back.I feel even more uncomfortable with such a move.Roland found out.

"What's the matter with you, Therese?" he said to me, walking towards his residence, "you haven't left France, this castle is still on the border of the Dauphiné region, belonging to Grenoble. Jurisdiction of Bull City." "Well, sir," I answered, "but how did you come up with the idea of ​​living in such a dangerous place?" Laurent said: "Because the people who live here are not good people. Most likely, you can't adapt to their behavior." 'what!Sir," I said tremblingly to him, "you make me tremble; where are you taking me? "

He grabbed me by the arm and said, "I'm taking it to the counterfeit factory." As he spoke, he dragged me across a suspension bridge.The suspension bridge was down when we arrived and went up as soon as we entered.As soon as we entered the castle, he pointed to a large and deep cave in the courtyard, and said to me, "Have you seen that well?" The chain is on and a turntable is being turned. "That's your mates, that's your job, you've got to work ten hours a day to turn the wheel, and be like these women to do whatever I want you to do. I'll give you six taels of black every day Bread and a plate of fava beans. As for freedom, don't think about it, you'll never be free! If you die of exhaustion, throw you into that hole by the well you see, where there are already seventy or eighty A whore like you is waiting for you, and then, then we'll find another to replace you."

"Oh, my God," I exclaimed, falling on my knees at Roland's feet, "please think, Monsieur, that I have saved your life. Out of gratitude, you promised me happiness just now." Is this how you repay me, now that you have driven me into the abyss of eternal misery? Are you doing it justly? Do you not feel remorse in your heart, and does not this remorse avenge me?" But Roland said, "Excuse me, what do you think I have ever thought of thanking you? Think about it, you wretched woman! Between the two possibilities of continuing to go your own way and following me , Didn’t you choose the latter out of an inner impulse? Then, didn’t you just enjoy the pleasure? Since you are already happy, what the hell do you want me to make up for you? How can you With this kind of thought, how can a rich man like me demean himself and owe something to a poor man like you? As long as the purpose of your actions is for yourself, even if you save my life, I will Nothing is owed to you. Work, slave girl! Work! You must understand that civilization, though overthrowing the laws of nature, has not deprived nature of its rights. When nature created the strong and the weak, it was her intention to The latter will always be subordinate to the former. Human skill and ingenuity can change the status of a person. Physical strength no longer determines the level of a person, but the power of money. The richest person becomes the most powerful person, and the poorest person becomes The weakest man. That is pretty much why dominion is established. It has always been the law of nature that the strong prevail. It does not matter to nature whether the chains that hold the weak are in the hands of the rich or the strong, and whether they crush the weak or the poor. Yes. But, Teresa, of course I do not understand these chains of gratitude with which you intend to bind me hand and foot, whose laws are never written only: that one's pleasure in doing favors becomes Reasonable reason for the beneficiary to get rid of the favor owed to this person. Let's take animals as an example. Do you see the emotions you ask for in animals? When I dominate you with wealth or power, whether you feel because you have helped me Happiness, or because you are unlucky, you think that you can win something through this method, and I will give you my power. Is this in line with the law of nature? Even if the service is equal, repaying repayment, the noble heart is due to Pride does not bow the knees out of gratitude. Is not the beneficiary always in a position of humiliation? The humiliation he feels is not sufficient to repay the kindness of the benefactor, and the benefactor is not for this reason And always feel superior to the other? Is this not a pleasure to the proud man who loves to rise above his kind? Does the man who bestows favors need other pleasures? If a favor humiliates the recipient, and thus become a heavy burden to him, and by what right do I have to compel him to maintain this burden? Why must I consent to be insulted whenever the eyes of the one who has done me favors look at me? So, ingratitude is not a sin , but a virtue of a proud man, just as gratitude is a virtue of a cowardly heart. Do me as much as anyone pleases, as long as he takes pleasure in it, but ask of me nothing else."

Before I could answer, when he said this, two servants immediately obeyed his orders and grabbed me, stripped me naked, and locked me with my companions.I was compelled to work with them at once, without allowing me any respite after the long journey I had just made.Then Roland came up to me and savagely touched all the parts of my body that I could not express because of shame.He laughed at me, abused me head and face, made fun of the brand Roden had put on me, and then, taking a tendon whip which always stood there, he gave me twenty blows on the hip. He said to me, "Bitch, if you don't work hard in the future, you will be treated like this. It is not because you have made any mistakes, it is just to show you how I am. Treat people who have made mistakes."

I struggled desperately in my chains, yelling and screaming at the same time.My convulsions, my screams, my tears, and my anguished, wretched expression only added to the joy of the executioner... Roland said again: "Bitch, I'll show you the most powerful things in the future! Your suffering is not over yet, I want to let you know the most unfortunate and barbaric subtle means." So, he left me.This large well is in a cave, and there are six dark secret rooms around it. After closing the door, it is a prison cell, and that is where we rest at night.Not long after I was chained, when it was dark, someone came to untie me and my companions, gave us water, broad beans, and bread, as Roland had said, and shut us up.

Once I was able to be alone, I began to ponder painfully the danger of my situation.How, I thought, could someone with such a hard heart have stifled gratitude in his own heart? If a man of integrity could give me the opportunity to experience it, I would love to do so!Are some people really ignorant of this virtue?What are those who are not devils who kill this feeling inhumanely? I was lost in these thoughts, when suddenly I heard the door of the cell opened—it was Roland.This obscene demon is here to further abuse me and force me to satisfy all his whimsical desires.You can imagine, madame, that his whims must have been as cruel as his methods.For such a man, his lecherousness must be tainted with the characteristics of an evil character.But how can I abuse your patience and repeat those ugly scenes? Haven't I already desecrated your hearing with all the immorality I have described? How can I defile it?"

Mr. Coweller said: "It's all right, Tyrese, it's all right, all we want is your details. You've put a thin veil on your decency to cover up the ugly truth, leaving only those who want to understand people. Useful things for people. It never occurs to people that these pictures are of great use to the development of their souls, and to this discipline we might not be where we are now if it were not for the foolish obscurity of those who write about this aspect of the subject. They are at a loss and ignorant. They are tied up by inexplicable worries, and they just say childish words that even a fool knows, and they dare not boldly put their hands into people's hearts, and dare not let us see the great loss in people's hearts."

"Well, sir, I'll listen to you," went on the excited Teresa, "I'm still doing what I used to do, but I'm going to try to reduce the disgusting color as much as possible." First of all, I should tell you about Laurent.This is a thirty-five-year-old dumpy man, incredibly energetic, hairy, bear-like, with a gloomy face, fierce eyes, extremely black hair, a strong face, a long nose, a beard reaching to the eyes, and thick black eyebrows.The part of him that distinguishes male from female is longer and larger than normal.Not only was Roland anomalous in constitution, but he possessed all the vices that a man with a fiery disposition and a rich imagination can possess.Life is always too rich, which also makes him indulge in various crimes.Roland's father began to accumulate wealth and left him a large inheritance, and he added more money to the top, and because of this, he was full of experience at a young age.He has grown weary of ordinary entertainment, and seeks only shameless brutality.Only in this way can he fully vent his sexual desire from excessive indulgence.

Roland came in almost naked.His face was flushed, which showed that he had just eaten and drank, and betrayed that he was burning with desire and burning all over him.He looked at me for a moment, and that look made me shudder. "Take off your clothes!" He ordered me, and then, by himself, tore off all the few clothes I used to cover my body at night, and then said, "Yes, take off all your clothes, come with me! I will immediately Let you know the dangers of laziness. If you intend to betray us, the crime is even more heinous, and the punishment will be the most severe. Come and see what punishment you will get!"

So I fell into an indescribable state, but before my soul could break down, Roland grabbed my arm and dragged me away.He is holding me with his right hand, and holding a small lantern in his left hand, which illuminates slightly.After turning several corners, we came to the door of a cellar.He opened the door, let me walk in the head, told me to go down, and he came and closed the door.I did as he said.After going down a hundred steps, we came across the second door, which he opened and closed by himself. After passing through this door, there were no stairs, only a path cut out of the rock.Turns and turns, and is extremely steep.Roland did not say a word, and this silence made my hair stand still further.He lit a lantern, and we walked like this for nearly a quarter of an hour.The situation I was in made me feel that the tunnel was terribly damp.Finally, we reached a very, very deep place. It is no exaggeration to say that the place we reached must have penetrated more than 800 feet deep into the earth's interior.On the right and left of the path were niches, in which I saw coffins containing the villain's gold and silver.The last bronze door finally appeared, and Roland opened it.I nearly fell backwards at the sight of the horrible place this shameless man led me into.Seeing that I was about to fall, he gave me such a violent push that I fell involuntarily into the middle of the miserable, gloomy tomb.Picture, madam, a circular catacomb twenty-five feet in diameter, with black tapestries hanging on all four walls: skulls of various sizes, crossed bones, Dead heads, bundles of thorns, whips, sabers, daggers, pistols.Our little lantern hung in a corner under the canopy, illuminating the walls with these ghastly objects.In the middle of the dungeon, a rope dropped from the arch, eight or ten feet above the ground.As you will soon see, this rope is going to be used in a very dire way.There is a coffin on the right side. The god of death holds a scary sickle and slightly opens the lid of the coffin from the inside.Next to it is a kneeling stool for prayer, and above it is a crucifix placed between two black candles. On the left side of it is a wax figure of a naked woman, life-sized and very realistic. It took me a long time to see it before I realized it.The woman was tied to a cross-shaped wooden frame, and her posture was lying on her stomach, so everything on her lower body could be seen clearly. Blood seemed to flow from several wounds and flow down her two thighs.She has the most beautiful hair in the world, and her beautiful head is turned towards us, as if begging for forgiveness.One can clearly see the distortion and convulsion caused by pain on her pretty face, and there are even criss-crossing tears.Seeing this tragic situation, I almost fainted again.There is a large black couch in the innermost part of the crypt, from which one can witness the whole process of the development of various atrocities in this hell. Roland warned me: "If you have the slightest idea of ​​escaping from my house, this is where you will be buried! By the way, I will execute you here, and I will make you taste everything I can imagine. The cruelest pain." Roland was burning with lust as he made this threat.His turmoil and confusion made him resemble a tiger about to devour its prey.That's when he revealed the dreaded thing he had.He ordered me to touch it and asked if I had ever seen one this big. "Come on," he said to me, pulling me up by the hair, "Come on! Get ready, I'm going to kill you..." "Oh, sir!" "No, no, you must die! I don't want to hear you blame me for your so-called kindness anymore. I don't like to be in debt to anyone. I only like people to be grateful to me. I tell you, you must die, Lie down in the coffin, and let me see if it holds you." He carried me in, put the lid on the coffin, and walked away, as if he meant to keep me in it.I've never felt death approaching as I do now, my God! Death is coming over me, and his face is so hideous.Suddenly Roland returned and dragged me out of the coffin. "You're fine in there," he said to me. "It's as if this coffin was made just for you. But it's too cheap for you to die peacefully in it. I've got to make you feel." , you will not be so comfortable. Come on! Beg your God, bitch, ask him to avenge you, if he really has the power..." I flung myself on the kneeling stool, and as I opened my heart to God and cried out in prayer, Roland rubbed my buttocks, which were exposed to him, more brutally and more quickly.He lashed the place with all his might with the steel-barbed whip, and with each blow my blood spattered onto the roof. "See?" he went on, cursing, "your God doesn't come to save you, he makes your wretched virtue suffer like this, he's willing to let virtue be abused by vice. Ha, Teres, what? God, what is that god of yours! Come here, bitch, your prayers should be over." He said, throwing me face down on the edge of the innermost couch, and then said: "I love you I said it, Tyrese, you must die!" He grabbed my arms and tied them behind my back. Then, he tied a black silk rope around my neck. They can suffocate me and kill me. He said to me: "Terris, this way of dying is more comfortable than you can imagine, and you will only feel unspeakable joy when you die. The compression of your nervous system by this rope will make your sexual organs feel like they are going to die." The effect of being scorched like a fire is certain. If those who are sentenced to this punishment know that it can cause people to die in such a state of ecstasy, they will not fear such punishment for crimes. , they will definitely commit crimes more often and with more confidence. Tyrese, this wonderful operation also oppresses the place I want to enter, and then I can be so happy." The words did not say After finishing, he pressed up. I screamed, cried and yelled, but this only irritated the fierce Roland more, he wanted me to yell louder, as if he didn't think I yelled enough, and he was sure he could stop me at any time roar.Hearing this ear-piercing voice, his lust burned like fire, almost to the point of being intoxicated. At the same time, the rope tightened and tightened, and I was about to lose consciousness. Know if you are still alive.Finally, my eyes were opened and I saw the light again. I was free and loosened, and all the organs were alive again. "There, Tyrese," said the executioner to me, "I promise you, if you're telling the truth, you'll tell me that you felt so good just now, didn't you?" "Only fear, disgust, pain, despair, sir." "You're wrong, Tyrese, I don't care how much you feel just now, no matter how uncomfortable! I think you know me well enough that you know perfectly well that in the course of my actions against you, I have nothing to do with Your pleasure means nothing to me compared to mine. And the pleasure I get is so intense that I have to try it again and again. Tyrese, it's all up to you now, can you How long you live is up to you." At this time, he wrapped the rope hanging from the roof around my neck. After fastening the rope firmly, he tied a thinner rope to the bench on which I stood on my feet. in his hands.Then he sat down in the armchair opposite me.He also left me with a chopping knife in my hand with which I was going to cut the rope over my head when he pulled hard on the rope and brought down the bench. "You see, Tyrese," he said to me, "even if you didn't cut the rope that moment, I would definitely fall the stool if I pulled it, so I say how long you live is entirely up to you , that's right." As he spoke, he became excited.In his ecstasy, he would pull over the bench and hang me from the roof.He put on a show, pretending to delay the arrival of this moment.Once I was caught off guard, he was extremely happy.However, no matter what he did, I could see through his eyes. I had seen through his excited expression. As soon as he pulled the rope, before the bench fell down, I cut the rope around his neck and fell on the ground. On the ground, I was completely relieved.Though twelve feet from him, would you believe it?Ma'am, I still feel the evidence of his ecstasy and madness splashed all over me. If it were another person, since he had a weapon in his hand, it would be very possible to jump up and stab the obscene demon to death, but even if I had the courage to strike, what would be the use? I don't have the keys to these basements, and I don't understand I am afraid that the passage with seven turns and eight turns will be killed before running out.Besides, Roland himself carried a weapon.So, I stood up and threw the hatchet on the ground, in order not to let him have the slightest suspicion of me.He had no doubts, he was savoring the pleasure to his heart's content, he was satisfied with my meekness and patience, he didn't express anything about my dexterity in escaping the threat of death, he just waved his hand to let me go out.Then, the two of us climbed up. The next day, I observed my companions more closely.The ages of the four women ranged from twenty-five to thirty, and although their wretched lives had dulled them, and their bodies had been disfigured by overwork, there were still vestiges of their original beauty, and their figures were still very fine. Beauty, especially the youngest one named Susan.She has lovely eyes, and her hair is still very pretty.Roland had abducted her at Lyons, had first plucked her buds, and, swearing to marry her, had kidnapped her from her house and brought her into this dreadful castle.It has been three years since she came here, and she has been more abused than her companions, and the demon has been more cruel to her than other women.Her ass was constantly being whipped by the tendon.Over time, calluses formed, as hard as sunburnt. Dry cowhide.The left breast had a tumor, the uterus had abscess, and the pain was unbearable. These were all caused by Laurent's torture, and they were all the result of his adultery. She told me that Laurent was about to go to Venice if the huge sums that Laurent had recently transferred to Spain could be transferred to Italy to collect them.He does not want to carry cash out of the mountain, and he never takes cash out of the mountain, he only transfers counterfeit money to countries where he does not intend to live, in this way, he only shows his wealth with the money of another country where he settles, In this way, his counterfeiting activities will never be exposed.However, everything he owns could be ruined overnight, and his retreat depends entirely on this final deal, in which most of his property has been invested.Had Cádiz accepted his counterfeit Piastres, Siquins, and Louises, and had thus paid him the bills of Venice, Laurent would have spent the rest of his life in riches and splendor.But if the counterfeiting was revealed, it would take less than a day for his entire edifice to fall apart. "Oh!" I said after learning such a specific situation, "God will be just this time. He will not allow such a devil to succeed. He will avenge us all..." ①The currency of ancient Egypt and other countries. —— Annotation ② Ancient Venetian gold coins. —— Annotation ③ French old gold coins. —— Annotation Great God! I've been through so much to still see this! Near noon, we had a two-hour break, which we always used to go to our respective rooms to catch our breath and have some food.At two o'clock we were again tied up, and forced to work till midnight, without ever allowing us to enter the castle.We are naked not only because of the hot weather, but mainly because the evil master can whip us with the tendon whip at any time.In winter, we were only given a pair of trousers and a vest, but we were still barely clothed, so that most of our skin and flesh were exposed to the whip of this villain.His only pleasure is to beat us. I haven't seen Roland for eight days.On the ninth day, he showed up while we were working.He claimed that Suzanne and I had given each of us thirty lashes, from the waist down to the fleshy part of the thigh, for not turning the wheel very hard. This vile man came to me in my cell at midnight that day, and his own tyrannical deeds, inflamed with lust, threw me down at once to see the remains of his day's whipping.After his lust is satisfied, I want to take this opportunity to beg him to be kind to me a little bit.Alas, how did I know that in such souls, when intoxicated, their cruel tendencies are more active, so that tranquility does not bring them back to the gentle virtues of the righteous.It is like a fire, depending on how much fuel is added to it, it will burn more or less, but even if it is covered by ashes, it will never go out. "Why do you ask me to lighten your chains?" Roland answered me. "Is it because I play you in a different way? So I have to kneel down and beg you to give your consent, and you can use your consent in exchange for your approval." Some kind of compensation, is that so? No! I tell you, I don't ask you for anything, I own you, and I don't think I can't use mine again after I've used it on you once. There is no love in my actions, which is a chivalrous feeling that I utterly despise, and my heart is never stained by it. I use women from necessity as from another. , People use that kind of hollow oblate pot. I never say any respect to the woman who obeys me because I am rich and powerful, and give me tenderness and consideration. It's just obedience, so I don't have to owe her any gratitude at all, Dade. I'm going to ask those who intend to force me to do this: If a robber took his wallet in the forest because he beat someone, would it be necessary? Is the robber grateful to that person for the damage done? The same goes for the insult to a woman, for whom it can be a sign that the insult continues, but is never sufficient reason to compensate her." "Oh, sir," I said to him, "how can you be so wicked?" Laurent replied: "In the final analysis, there is no evil in the world that I cannot commit. There is no crime that I have not committed, and there is no person whom my principles exclude and which I consider reasonable. I am constantly Feeling that bad things have a charm that is always in favor of my passions. Crimes kindled my desires, and the more terrible the crime, the more it stimulated me. I enjoyed in crime what ordinary people only taste in sensuality. The same pleasure. The state I'm in when I think about crime a thousand times and commit it is the same as sleeping next to a beautiful naked woman. It's the same thrill to my senses. I commit crimes to arouse lust , just as others approach a beautiful person for lust." "Oh, sir, what you say is terrible, but I have seen many instances of it." "More than thousands, Therese! Do not think that the beauty of a woman stimulates the thoughts of a harlot more than the crime associated with possessing her. The proof is that the more the possession It is a sin, the more lust is aroused. A man who enjoys a woman stolen from his husband and a girl snatched from his parents is undoubtedly more happy than a man who only enjoys his wife, and the severed ligaments are worth more If it is his mother, his sisters, his daughters, the more joyous new charms will appear. Has anyone tried all this? People want the dikes to be higher, so that in the I feel more difficulty and charm when passing the embankment. I know, Tyrese, this theory can continue to be deduced, maybe I will continue to prove it to you later. However, as long as you get the pleasure, what other things matter Is there, for example, my dear girl, anything simpler and more natural than seeing me take pleasure in you? But you object to it and beg me not to do it, as if I owe you I have to agree to your request. However, I will never give in, I will not listen to anything, I will cut off all the shackles that bind a fool, I just want you to obey my desire, I will make the simplest, The most monotonous enjoyment turns into a truly joyful pleasure. So, you have to be obedient, Tyrese, and you must obey! Suppose you become a strong person after being reborn, you can also use your rights as you like, and you can also enjoy the most intense , the most exciting joy." Having said these words, Roland went out, leaving me alone in thought.Of course, madam, you understand that what you think is extremely unfavorable to him. I've been here for six months now, and now and again I'm serving this villain's outrageous wantonness.One night I saw him walk into my cell with Suzanne. "Come on, Therese," he said to me, "I don't think I've taken you to the catacombs that frighten you for a long time. Come with me, you two, into the cave Go, but don't even try to come up again, you must be left alone, it depends on who is lucky." Standing up, I turned my terrified gaze to my companion, and I saw tears rolling in her eyes... We had to follow him. No sooner had we been locked in the crypt than Roland looked at us both fiercely.He deliberately repeated the sentence to make us firmly believe that one of the two must remain. He sat down and said, "Come on, one of you two." He pointed at his crotch, "Whoever revitalizes it first and hardens it, it will be bad luck!" "It's not fair," Suzanne said, "the person who irritates you most should be the person most deserving of forgiveness." But Roland said: "It's not true at all. It turns out that whoever can ignite my desire the most will always be the death of this woman who can give me the greatest pleasure. What I want is happiness. Besides, if I forgive first lusty man, then you two would fight so hard to be the first that you would have thrown me into a state of ecstasy before perhaps the killing was complete. This must be avoided." "It's evil for evil's sake, monsieur," I said to Roland, "the only thing you need is to spice up your pleasure, and if you can achieve this orgasm without committing a crime, why do you have to commit it?" ?” "That's because I wouldn't be able to have an extremely delicious orgasm otherwise, and also because I've come down to this crypt to commit a crime. I know full well that I could have otherwise, but I'm willing to commit a crime to do it." During the conversation, I was chosen to play first, while he rubbed all the parts of my naked body that were presented to him. You can't imagine, Madame, that this threat calms me down.Roland probably didn't expect that his threat made me feel relaxed all over. Isn't that clear?Since he intends to use new cruel methods to treat me, it means that he does not want to sacrifice me yet.I have already told you, Madame, that people in misfortune are sensitive to everything, so I am relieved.Even more fortunately, my actions had no effect.So Suzanne took over for me. He threw himself into Suzanne's arms, mocking in the insult: "cute little thing, we are united for the first time, I still think about it, and I am still very happy. Never has a woman given me more intense pleasure, and I have never loved you like Loved other women like this! . . . let us embrace, Suzanne, we are parting, and may never see each other again." "Devil," said my companion, pushing him away in terror, "go away, and don't make me suffer and make me despair at hearing such horrible words as yours. You cruel tiger, satisfy your mad desire Lust, but at least respect my misfortune." Roland caught her and laid her down on the couch. "My old temple of pleasure!" cried the shameless man, "you made me so comfortable when I plucked your first roses! Now I bid you farewell." "Come on, Tyrese," he said to me, "come on, darling girl, darling girl, let's cut the rope and end this." This eerie game of cutting the rope was described to you when I first spoke to you of Laurent's catacombs.I stood on a three-legged stool, and the obscene demon put a rope around my neck, and he sat in front of me.Although Susanna was terrified, she had to stimulate him with both hands; after a while, he yanked the stool under my feet, but I had a knife in my hand, and the rope was cut immediately, and I fell to the ground without injury. "Very well, very well," said Roland. "Susanne, it's your turn. I've finished talking. If you can get out of this predicament so flexibly, I will spare you." Now Suzanne is in my place.oh!Madam, please allow me to omit the details of this horrible scene, since the unfortunate girl is gone forever. "Let us go out," said Roland to me, "and you will only come to this place again when it is your turn." "Whenever you like, sir, when you like," I replied, "I would rather die than live such a dreadful life as you have forced me to. For women, is life worth cherishing?..." Roland put me back in the cell.The next day, my girlfriends asked me how Suzanne was doing, and I told them.They were not surprised, since they were all bound to the same fate, and, like me, thought that would end their misery, and all looked forward to it eagerly. In this way, another two years passed.Roland was immersed in his usual sensuality, and I was in a terrible prospect of a cruel death.At this time, word finally spread in the castle that our master's wish was about to be fulfilled, not only that he would receive in Venice the huge transfer he desired, but also that he was asked to allocate another 6 million counterfeit coins. Will be transferred to Italy in accordance with his wishes.This demon is really the icing on the cake, a great luck.And he just started with two million annual interest, and there is no possibility of greater expectations.Here is a new instance that God has prepared for me to convince me once again that luck is crime and misfortune is morality. This being the case, Roland came to me and asked me to go down to the tomb for the third time.I thought of the threats he had made to me the last time we went down, and I trembled with terror. “放心吧，”他对我说，“你什么也不用害怕，只是我有点自己的事情。我想玩一种新奇的游戏，你不会有什么危险的。” 我跟着他。所有的门都关上之后，他立刻说： “泰瑞丝，在整座城堡里我只敢对你一个人说，我需要一个非常诚实的女人，……我承认，我就看中了你，与妹妹相比，我甚至更信任你……” 我大惑不解，请他解释。 他对我说，“你听我说，我已经有万贯家产了，但是，尽管命运对我颇为关照，但是它也随时都可能抛弃我。我可能已被监视，在即将转移财富的过程中有可能被逮捕，如果我遭遇这种不幸，等待我的，泰瑞丝，就是绞架。也就是我当作惩罚用的、我高兴让女人们品尝的同一种快乐。我深信，只要可能，这种死法温馨的成分比残酷的成分多得多，不过，那些初步感受死亡痛苦的女人们从来不对我讲实话，所以，我想自己来试试这种滋味。我要从自己的体验中知道，这种抽紧压迫感是否确实能对男人的神经发挥作用。一旦确信这种死亡只不过是一场游戏，我就会更勇敢地面对它，因为生命的终止并不使我感到害怕。在这方面，我的原则早已确定了，我深信物质永远只能重新变成物质，因此，我不会害怕会堕入地狱，就像我并不指望上天堂一样。但是，我害怕残忍死去时的痛苦，我不想在死的时候受苦。所以，咱们来试一试。你按照我从前对你做的那样来对待我，我要脱光衣服，站在板凳上，你来系上绳子，我自我刺激一会儿，然后，一旦你看到那个东西变得硬起来了，你就立即拉倒板凳，让我吊在那里。你就让我这样吊着，直到你或者看见我射出精液，或者看见我有疼痛的迹象。如果是第二种情况，你就立即把我解下来；如果是前一种情况，你就听任自然起作用，然后才把我放下来。泰瑞丝，你看，我把性命交到你手里了，你干得好的话，就给你自由，还让你发财。” “啊！先生，”我回答说，“你这个建议有些荒唐。” “没有，泰瑞丝，我要求你这样做，”他一面脱衣服，一面回答，“但是，你要好好地照我的话去做。你看，这证明我对你是多么信任、多么尊重啊！” 不照他的意思办对我有什么好处呢？他不是我的主人吗？况且，我觉得自己要干的这件坏事立即就会因为我即将为保住他的性命竭尽努力而得到补偿。他的性命掌握在我的手中，不管他对我是怎样的意图，反正我一定要保全他的性命。 当下准备起来。罗朗像往常一样一再玩我，使自己欲火炽热起来，然后站到板凳上，我把绳索套在他的脖子上。在此期间，他让我骂他、斥责他一生中犯下的种种罪恶。我这样做了，很快，他的神器就直指天空，他便招招手，示意要我抽掉板凳，我照办了。夫人，您相信吗?罗朗说的再对也不过了：他的脸上只有快活的表情，几乎就在同一时刻，种子迅速喷射出来。我便跑过去把他解下来，他摔倒在地上，晕了过去。不过，在我的精心照顾下，他很快就清醒过来了。 “噢！泰瑞丝，”他睁开眼睛时对我说，“这样的感觉是根本无法想象的，是无法用语言来表达的。现在要拿我怎么办都行，我不怕特弥斯①的长剑了。” 接着，罗朗把我的双手绑在背后，对我说：“你又要说我恩将仇报，罪恶透顶了。可是，亲爱的，你要怎样呢?到了我这种年龄，人就改变不了自己了……亲爱的女人，你刚刚救了我的性命，但是我也从来没有像现在这样强烈地渴望要谋害你的性命。你曾经为苏珊娜的命运感到惋惜，好吧，我现在让你去与她会合，我要把你活活地扔进她断气的那个地穴里去。” ①希腊神话中掌握法律和正义的女神，一手执天平，一手执长剑，双眼被布蒙住，象征公正无私和执法如山。 —— Annotation 夫人，我不向您描述我的状况了，这对您来说是可想而知的。不管我怎样哭泣，怎样呻吟，他根本不听。他打开那要命的墓室，坠下一盏灯，让我看清楚那里面成堆的尸体。然后，他在我腋下穿过一根绳索，我刚才就对您说过了，我的双臂是绑在背后的。接着，他就用这根绳子把我放下去，吊在距墓室的底部二十法尺，距他所在的地方约三十法尺的空中。这样吊着，我疼痛难忍，我的双臂简直要扯断了。我惊恐万状，眼前只见死亡的惨状。我即将在块块腐尸中了此一生，那股恶臭已经浸透了我的全身！罗朗把绳子系在横在洞口的一根木棍上，然后他拿起一把刀，这时我已经听见他已兴奋不已。 “来吧，泰瑞丝，”他对我说，“将你的灵魂托付给上帝吧，我迷醉的时候就是把你扔进这座坟墓、这个等待着你的永久的深渊之时。啊！……啊……泰瑞丝，啊！……” 我感到头部被他情不自禁地喷射出来的液体浇灌了个够，幸运的是他并没有割断绳索，反而把我拉了上去。 “那么！”他对我说，“告诉我，你害怕了吧？” “啊，先生！” “你将来就是这样死去的，泰瑞丝，你要相信。让你养成习惯，我很高兴。” 我们又上去了，……我应该抱怨，还是应该感到满意？我再一次救了他的命，却是这样的回报!不过，这恶魔不是可以更进一步的吗?不是可以断送我的性命的吗?唉，真是莫名其妙! 罗朗终于准备出发了。出发前一天的午夜，他来到我的囚室，我投身于他的脚下，极其强烈地哀求他还我自由，再随他高兴给几个钱，使我能到格勒诺布尔去。 “去格勒诺布尔！当然不行，泰瑞丝，你在那里会揭发我们的。” “那么！先生，”我对他说，同时将泪水洒满他的膝盖，“我向您发誓永远不到格勒诺布尔去了，为了让您放心，请您把我带到威尼斯去，也许在那里我不会碰见和祖国遇到的一样狠心的人。只要您发善心，把我带到那儿去，我就以最神圣的一切发誓，永远不再找您的麻烦。” 卑鄙的淫棍恶狠狠地回答：“我什么帮助也不会给你，也不会给你一文钱。什么怜悯、慈悲、感恩图报之类，我的心绝对感受不到，就算我比现在富有三倍，我也不会给穷人一个埃居。不幸的场面刺激我、令我开心，当我自己不能干坏事的时候，我就极其开心地享受命运造成苦难的乐趣。泰瑞丝，在这方面我有原则，我一点也不会偏离这些原则。贫穷是自然安排的秩序，自然在创造力量不同的人，这使我相信，即使我们的文明给它的规律带来变化，它还是要把这种不平等保持下去的。帮助穷人就是消灭已经建立起来的秩序，就是反对自然的秩序，就是打破作为自然的至高无上的安排的基础的平衡，是企图制造危害社会的一种平等的，是唆使人们懒惰、游手好闲，就是教唆穷人在富人不愿帮助他时偷盗富人，富人们不愿意帮助穷人是因为这些帮助会使穷人习惯于不劳而获。” “噢！先生，您的这些原则多么狠毒啊！如果您不是一直都很富有的话，您还会这样说吗？” “大概吧，泰瑞丝。每个人都有自己的观察方式，这就是我的方式，我不会改变这种方式。在法国，人们都可怜乞丐；其实，如果大家愿意的话，乞丐很快就会绝迹，用不着吊死七八千个，这些无耻的败类马上就会消失了。政治机制在这方面也应该依据物质机制规律一样行事。一个人被害虫吞噬，他会出于慈悲心肠让它们继续在他身上存活吗?寄生植物在我们的花园里危害有用的植物，难道我们不能把它们根除吗?那么，为什么在对待乞丐时就要采取另外的行动方式呢?”