dragged by a horse, 1246

“Well then -- what -- what is that now? Is she struggling in her bonds?”

“I urge you to watch closely. See how the grass exacts its tribute from her seats of pleasure. See how she gasps and moans, her face down so that she is almost taking in the grass, breathing in what is opposite of Heaven. Yes, it does look like she is struggling.”

“Henry! Was that -- did we just behold --”

“Yes, Guillaume. She was experiencing the Sacred Moment.”

“May Christ Jesus save us! I never did see such a thing!”

“Yes, for a man it is necessary, to propagate the race. For a female it is sinful -- but an Anglish creature knows little of that.”

“She is crying in pain now.”

“Yes, God’s punishment for succumbing to sinful temptations. As she is drawn along by Gaspar’s unceasing pacing.”

“This is very unsettling, cousin.”

“Fear not. We are only seeing wild creation at work. Anglish females make little attempt to defend themselves against such perfidy. This was demonstrated to me by Cnary. He took me to the Place of Witches.”

“You should tread carefully. You are our King.”

“It was for instruction only. A King must know what forces stand against him.”

“One hopes your visit was instructive.”

“It was. The girl being always in her natural state quickened my visit. She was tied on a table with arms and legs extended and the witches did their work with tongues and fingers and -- candles. She made a show of resistance but before long revealed her true nature. The incense was thick but at length the foul scent of her ardor defeated it. A good Christian woman would have survived such a trial with her soul unblemished. She did not.”

“And so -- Good God! Is that what I see again??”

“Yes, it is true! Cnary says that a woman, once she has fallen, can experience the Sacred Moment many times, past what we men can scarcely imagine. Though in doing so she only thrusts herself further into perdition.”

“She cries more loudly this time! The very woods throw back her voice!”

“Yes, many times I was wont to have Gaspar whip her for such impertinence, and she was able to strangle her cries, but nowadays I find the free song of Jezebel most enlightening.”

“And now her travail is more prolonged.”

“Yes, the greater the measure of illicit pleasure, the greater the punishment. Sometimes the Lord’s justice is stern and swift.”