51 He took off his belt and beat us. He beat us
until we couldn't stand, until we lay on the floor, begging him to
stop, until the servants beat on the door and pleaded with him to be
merciful.
52 And when he stopped, he said, "This is how the poor feel when some
rich person makes them do some awful thing to amuse them; like a
beaten, helpless animal. I never want you to forget how that feels. You've never
known what it is to be hungry, to be without shelter or, alone. You
have always had everything. Now at least you know what it feels like to
be used, to be abused.
53 You will make amends for what you have done. Until you have done so,
you will stay in this room and tend to each other. I will sleep in the
other room. Do not come to me until what I have said has been
fulfilled.'
54 Then he went into my sister's room, bolted the door, and wept. After
he had sent the servants away, we did as he commanded as best we could.
We undid that what we had done, until we were forgiven, then we went to
him and he took us to the altar in the house, and he made us kneel down
with him and swear before The Lords that we would never do anything
shameful again. Then again he treated us as ladies, and we never again
did anything evil."
55 "Why?" inquired Red Cat.
56 "Because," the woman answered, "we would never make him weep again."
57 "If you had given me any other answer," praised Red Cat, "I would
have been disappointed. Tell me, what was it you and your sister did
that so angered him?"
58 "That, Lord," the woman announced, "I would never tell. Beat me,
take my life, I wouldn't speak."
59 "Why?" demanded Red Cat.