VOLUME 6 CHAPTER 16

Gertrude’s history. • Birthplace and parentage. • Her seduction. • Sister Margaretta. • Antonio’s farm near Solferino. • Soldiers quartered on the farm. • The women hear and fear. • Before the battle. • Officers leave. • The soldiers lust. • The sisters ravished. • Twelve fucks in an hour. • The spend outside. • Gertrude’s pleasure. • The gift of the watch. • The flight. • The battle. • Farm burnt. • The refugees in town.

Now I will tell the story, the incidents of which I talked over and over with her for a few months, in fact until our liason came to an end. — All the details were not got at once. — She was incapable of telling it as I shall tell it — but tho there may be omissions I swear that nothing shall be invented by me, nor my imagination be allowed to supply any hiatus. — That I have kept to faithfully in writing all my secret life. — This which I shall now tell it is a narrative of wholesale violation.

She was one of a family living not far from Strasbourg, her father a very small farmer of his own land. Her sister had married an Italian who had a farm in Lombardy, not far from Solferino, and had two children. — Her husband’s father (an old man) lived with them. — Gertrude (her name) had a lover at Strasbourg and she let him have her — but about her third or fourth poke, her father who had suspected some-thing, caught him on the top of her in a barn. — He pulled him off her, and he never finished his poke. — She was watched as a cat does a mouse, and care-fully kept from him after the event, till the young man was conscripted for a soldier, and she after a time never heard of, or from him, and believed he died. Her father to get her away, sent her to live with her married sister in Lombardy. He was not sure about the death of the lover.

The Italian and her sister, seem to have been comfortably off for peasants. The man, his father, and another man farmed — the two women, Gertrude and her sister, did dairy work. They had a house far larger than was of any use to them, but it had been bought with the land, and there it was. — They couldn’t help that, but that big farm house, brought perhaps the things to pass I tell of. — Gertrude soon spoke Italian, and had just heard that her lover had been killed in Algeria, when the Franco-Austrian war broke out.

The Austrians retired gradually, being driven back by the French and Piedmontese, but made a stand at Solferino — most of the peasants on the line had left their cottages, taking their goods with them to the nearest large towns, fearing naturally that in war their cottages would be burnt, and they perhaps killed in the battles. This family had delayed moving, but were about to do so, when all at once about fifty Austrian soldiers were quartered on them, with two or three officers. They would let nothing go, not even the husband (Gertrude’s brother in law), but they promised they should not be harmed, and be paid for everything by Government notes. They made them wait upon them, used up all they found in the way of food, made the husband (whom I will call Antonio) take his cart backwards and forwards to the nearest towns for things all day long, and soldiers went with him to ensure his not running away, tho they were but seven miles from the town. — The officers took their beds from them for their own use, and the family were compelled to sleep all in one room, on mattresses, or straw laid on the floor, as well as they could. — Soldiers occupied the rest of the premises, including barns. Most soldiers went off in the day leaving sentries, but came back in the evening or the night. — They said they would let Antonio’s family go in time to take refuge in the town, before they would be in any danger, and that a battle must take place in a few days. — The women they said might go at once if they pleased, but they would not go without Antonio. Indeed they did not seem to know when to go, where, or what to do.

The officers and a few soldiers spoke Italian, which was the language together with French that Antonio, Gertrude, and the others, used to speak to them in, but they had very little to say to them. The soldiers’ language was German, and they didn’t guess that the two women spoke German. — So the women heard every-thing that was said by them, and from morning to night it was talk in the baudiest language about the two women. They joked about which of the two had the most hair on her cunt, wondered if Gertrude had been fucked. — One said he was sure she had — another thought not, a third believed that Antonio fucked them both, another that the old father licked Gertrude’s cunt, to keep her from wanting men. — One officer said to another (the officers were not so coarse) he’d give the price of his horse to have her for a week, the other thought she would be a splendid bedfellow. It seemed to have struck one officer that they might possibly understand German, and he asked them if they did. — They said no. — So for four days, all the baudy talk, all the lubricious suggestions and desires, that a lot of strong men, hot with lust at being near two fine women, gave utterances to, these two women heard. — Lewed the soldiers were I guess, for it transpired that they had been in tents for a month, and not near a woman to speak to. — This lustful talk amused the women, it was so complimentary to their charms, that they couldn’t help it. — Margaretta (the married one) said it made her want fucking, and Gertrude admitted to me, that it made her frig herself. — They however resolved not to tell Antonio, for he was a jealous man. Sometimes he asked them what the soldiers talked about. They told him much, but never told him if it was about their desires for the two women.

On the fourth morning, a mounted soldier galloped in. — There was instantly a great bustle, a general muster, and the officers and most of the soldiers went off, telling the women they had best get to the nearest town (Brescia) without a minute’s delay. But Antonio had then gone with the cart accompanied by two soldiers, to get things for the soldiery, so they resolved they would wait his return.

The manners of the soldiers who remained changed at once, when the detachment was well away with the officers. They looked at the women in a rude lewed way. Gertrude heard one man say he’d have a fuck if he were shot for it. — A presentiment of harm came over the two women and they felt in very great dread. — Gertrude was in the kitchen, her sister with her children in the little room above, where all the family had been sleeping, when some men whispered together, and looked at Gertrude. — Something told her she was going to be attacked, and she walked to the door to go up stairs. — A soldier stopped her, kissed her, and asked her to go to the bed with him. She resisted. Four men laid hold of her, and pushed her into a room in which the officers had slept, — she kicking and screaming, begging and praying to be left alone. They had hitherto spoken to her in broken Italian. They kissed her as they pulled her along, two kissed her at once. “Let’s fuck her, no one can hear,” said one. She then begged and entreated them not, and in German. — “Hell, she speaks German,” said one. — “Margaretta — Margaretta help me,” she screamed. — “It’s no use screaming — none can hear — no one help you,” they said. — “We won’t hurt you, but we will fuck you. — Come now, let’s do it, mein lieben,” and they tried kindness when they had her in the bedroom. — She struggled violently. “Look, you,” said one, putting a sword to her, — “if you make a row no one can hear you, but if you’re not quiet, we’ll fuck you and your sister too, then kill you both, and set fire to the house — they’ll think the French did it.” — They then got her to the bed. One of them, and she thought two, had their pricks out even before they were in the bedroom. — They placed her on the bed side, two men held her arms, two pulled up her clothes and held her legs wide apart, and another soldier who pushed one away to get at her first, then fucked her. — In terror and confusion she struggled, and screamed till she became feeble or faint. “Never mind, mein lieben, said one, you need not tell. No one will know and you’ll never see us again.” — “A cunt cannot speak,” said another, at which they laughed. — A few more things were said like it, and exhaustion now made her resist less. Besides, they kept saying they would not hurt her on any account, but fuck her they would, and they evidently meant to do their baudy work kindly. — Except at intervals, the soldiers were very quiet, they were absorbed in the sight, silent with expectation of their turn up her.

As they first pulled up her clothes, they broke out into wild exclamations of delight, directly they saw her thighs and cunt, and one of those holding her arms undid her dress in front and pulled out her breasts. Then he kissed them whilst one was fucking her, and all spoke endearingly. From faintness and fear, she now became quiet, ceased resistance, and she closed her eyes. — A third man fucked her, and she seemed then to recover herself in a degree, for now she was surprized at the quickness with which they finished up her. Then she thought it was the fourth, perhaps the fifth man was in her, when she heard a scream and knew it was her sister’s.

“You’re murdering my sister,” she cried, and with a sudden violent effort of fear, she got half disengaged, and uncunted the soldier, who threw himself brutally upon her and hurt her thighs and bum. The bruises afterwards showed. One or two soldiers said, “Don’t fear, its nothing, they are only doing to her what we are doing to you — they won’t hurt her — and you know you like it.” — Then was a squabble. One of the men holding her arm, his prick was out, and near her head, said it was his turn, and went round and fucked her. Then she got into a half stupid state. She felt it was hopeless to struggle more even if she could, and it passed through her mind that they would do nothing else to her. — They hurt her arms. She said so, and they let them go. —A man was then up her, and when she got her hands free, she tried to push her petticoats down. Then they pulled her arms back again, and hurt her worse. On her crying, they let them go again, but she made no more efforts.

Now she felt that she could do nothing more, and must let them do anything, submit to anything. She only moaned, and begged them to let her go directly each finished his fuck. “No more. — Oh, don’t any more do it. — Oh, you’ll kill me,” said she. Meanwhile a voluptuous sensation crept thro her cunt, and thro her whole body, the continued friction of the pricks was stimulating her senses. Then lewed wants came which she tried to stop, but couldn’t, just then another man was about to fuck her, when as he laid hold of his prick to put it in, his sperm spurted out. She told me that some fell on her breasts. The soldiers laughed. — “Come away,” said one, “you’ve done without cunt.” But he put his prick still stiff up her, and had her tho he was a long time fucking. Then spite of herself she spent with him. “She’s ill, she’s fainting,” said one. — “Hell to you, leave her alone, it’s brutally bad, — curse it you shan’t, it’s a thundering shame,” said an-other. — “You go to Hell,” said others to those two. — “We don’t frig as you do.” — “Make haste,” said one, “the captain said half an hour.” — “I’ll have her before I go if I’m shot,” said another. – She now looked on at the operators, she was less alarmed, and could not help looking. At first she had often closed her eyes she felt so horrified. — At one time two men had their pricks out ready. — Other soldiers came in, one said it was a shame and he would have nothing to do with it, and he left the room. — It did not stop the others. On they went fucking till all had had her, and two or three she thought had her twice. — “I’ll have it again,” said one.

Now she shut her eyes, feeling again faint. — “Look at Fritz’ prick,” said a man. “Frig it, Fritz.” — She opened her eyes and saw what looked a larger prick than the others. She cried out. “Oh don’t, for God sake, let me get up.” But the larger prick did not hurt her, and again she spent. She now had long lost count of the men and the fucks. — “Lock the door,” said some one, “or, **** (naming some man) will come in.” — Her legs now felt painfully weary. — “Oh my legs,” said she. “Get on to the bed my love.” That she resisted, but they lifted her on it, and the next man laid on the top of her. He took off some of his accoutrements, to enable him to do so. As she moved she felt the wet spunk under her — it was in all directions about her thighs, belly, and chemise, eight or nine men she thought had now fucked in each other’s sperm, but about numbers she was getting confused.

A bugle sounded, and some soldiers pulled at the door furiously. — “It’s locked,” said one. — Then all left her quickly, one putting his prick in his trowsers in great haste. She sat up by the bedside. One soldier came hurriedly back. — “Let me, mein lieben.” — “No, no.” — But he pushed her back, it was no use resisting, she was well nigh strengthless, and he fucked her. — Two others came back. — Said one, “If you say a word, mind, we’ll shoot you, and all of you on the first chance.” — “She won’t tell, will you lieben?” said the other, — “she likes it. She’s been fucked before — haven’t you?” — The first speaker pulled out his prick. — “Have me again — here maiden,” saying so he put a handful of money in her hand. — She threw it on the floor, — “You shan’t, I don’t want your money.” — He pushed her back and put his prick in her. — “Oh, you’re killing me,” she cried, “I wish I was dead.” — “You’ll have a lot more of it before you die love,” and he finished fucking — he had done her before, she now recollected. — He was fucking her when a bugle sounded again. —”Bugger the hell of a bugle,” said the other, and he buttoned up his cock which he was preparing to use directly the other had done and the two left in a hurry.

Alone. She sat up terrified with the threats, so feeble she could scarcely stand. — She went to both doors, they were locked. She was frightened to call out, went to the window, and saw the remainder of the soldiers as she thought marching off quickly. But the lock turned and a soldier came in by himself. — “Let me have you — pray do,” — said he. “I’m a gentleman born, tho I’m a common soldier — take my watch and let me.” — “I won’t touch it,” she said. “I’m not a prostitute.” — “Do, for God sake, I don’t want to force you like the other brutes, but I must, I will, I will have a woman before I die.” She tried to get away. He pulled her gently on to the bed, unbuttoned, and knelt between her thighs, feeling her cunt, covered as it and her thighs were with sperm. — “See you let me, — do.” She did not attempt to interrupt him, or reply, and he fucked her. He spent directly he had put it into her. Then with endearing terms he went on shoving, saying he’d not had a woman for weeks, and finally so stirred up her senses that she spent with him, for he fucked her twice without uncunting. Then he stood by her side for a minute, and said in kind voice, “How lovely you are. — I wish you had let me do you of your own free will, instead of my forcing you.” She laid still, exhausted, not having even strength to pull her clothes down, but he did over her cunt. “Here,” said he hurriedly, taking out a gold watch and chain and a purse. — “I shall never have a woman again. There will be a battle tomorrow, we are in the front, and I shall be shot. I meant these for my mother, and ought to have sent them to her a week ago, now it’s too late. When I’m dead they will rob my pockets, and if I give them to a comrade the chances are he’ll keep them — it’s too late — it’s too late — you may as well have them. I give them to you, good bye,” — and he left. She rose and went to the window, and saw him with three other soldiers march quickly off. He seemed in command of them, but he was not an officer.

She waited a time. “Yes, I did feel my cunt, and there was blood on my fingers.” At length she went up stairs, found her sister speechless with fear, and the door locked. — But she was not hurt. Four men had fucked her with similar threats, but kindly. The women looked at the clock. It was something over an hour since the detachment with the officers had gone off. All the fucking had been done in about an hour. Gertrude never could tell exactly how many men had her, sometimes she thought eight, sometimes ten, — or how many fucks she had. Certainly she had been fucked twelve times, but she thought it might have been fifteen counting each uncunting as two.

The women told all to each other then and there, listening and dreading lest soldiers should come back, but all was silent. In the sitting room lay the watch, chain, and a good deal of money in the purse. — Gertrude took it up, it was hers, and they agreed to say nothing about the whole affair to Antonio. — He was jealous and might not believe the story quite, especially on account of the purse and watch. — No, keep it to ourselves, never tell any one. They found the old man bolted in a stable, he did not know who bolted him in, or why. — He was there when they took out the officers’ horses, and supposed they shut the bolt by accident. He had hollowed but in vain, and evidently suspected nothing. Two of four men had done Margaretta twice, and she had not spent she told Gertrude, who doubted that.

Then was the sound of cannon in the distance — what were they to do? — The soldiers had told Margaretta to leave within an hour, or they would regret it, for certainly the French would shell all the cottages to drive out the Austrians, if there. — For days they had packed up the little valuables they could not bear leaving, and would have moved to the town, only the soldiers had used their cart and horse and Antonio. — One soldier who had tailed Margaretta had said, “If the French catch you, they will bugger, as well as fuck you, and certainly cut your throats afterwards.” — The women and old man sat cowering for fear about their husband and selves. At length off they all trudged, and met Antonio and cart returning. They loaded it (re-turning for a little time) with what few goods they could, and got to the town of Brescia, where with hundreds of peasants and farmers driven out like themselves from their homes by fear, they got a miserable shelter.