Chapter 3: "You are like a Japanese woodcut come to life!"

When journalist Edmund Molloy's intended, Agnes, breaks off their brief relationship, his friend, William Britten, takes him to the Babylon Exploration Society in King Street. A place where gentlemen, and some ladies, pay to be entertained by a selection of lovely foreign girls he, against his better judgement, agrees to a liaison with Hoshimi, a beautiful Japanese. Having finished supper, there is a knock on the door of their dining room.

“Come in!” called Britten. The door opened and Madame Nathalie swept into the room, a rather roguish grin, if you can say such a thing about so elegant a lady, on her lovely face.

“Gentlemen, it is time for you to move upstairs, if you should so wish.” Britten shot straight up from his chair and while I did the same I also eyed the half-finished bottle of claret in the decanter.  “We will leave zis for you for later and perhaps arrange a little Stilton!” said Madame, not quite laughing. “A gentleman who appreciates a fine Bordeaux as much as ze prospect of a lovely, passionate girl wrizing beneath him deserves to be properly accommodated! Jasmine will tidy up.” We had made something of a mess of the tablecloth as Britten had dropped a sausage coated in mustard on it and there were a lot of crumbs from the bread and pie crust.

Would Hoshimi writhe beneath me? Is that what girls did? I rather thought they lay their inanimate, like lovely pillows while the man thrust into them. I confess that lately I had been ravishing my pillow at night whilst imagining that it was Agnes. Even in my dreams I hadn’t imagined any writhing, just her smiling and saying that is was ‘rather enjoyable’ as I spent into my pillowcase once more, embarrassingly.

As I followed Madame and Britten towards the doorway I happened to glance at one of the oriental prints on the wall. It showed, an oriental  couple, in graphic detail, copulating. Their private parts were clearly depicted although the woman's were not how I imagined them to be. The artist had shown liquid seemingly emerging from her sex.. Is that what they really looked like, like the petals of some tropical flower? I had never seen such a thing. 

“Good heavens, they’re actually…” I stopped, aware of the lady present.

“Fucking, is your delightful English word for it,” said Madame Nathalie, shockingly. “Zey are eighteenth century from Japan. Such images were produced for newly-wed couples to stimulate zeir imaginations and ensure a good start to married life. The Orientals ‘ave a far ‘ealthier view of sexual relations compared wiz us!”

I wanted to look at the other pictures but we were ushered upstairs by Madame Nathalie. We stood in another long hallway with paintings of nude women adorning the red and cream striped wallpaper. These were not as you would see in the National Gallery, as all the women were clearly displaying hair between their legs. Some even had suggestions of pink parts emerging from their fur. I started to realise how little I knew of the female anatomy. I had, if I thought about it, imagined a hole, not unlike the back passage, tucked inside a neat slit but these lewd images suggested something else. I wondered, at this point, as a journalist, whether now was when I should make my excuses and leave. I thought I heard some sounds of what I took to be passion from further down the corridor. However, that investigative part of my mind wanted to explore. I realised that the club’s appellation as an exploration society was a humourous one.Britten went down the corridor and disappeared around the corner with the Swedish blonde, Anna, who was waiting for him there. 

“Enjoy yourself, old chap!” he said, giving me a cheery wave. I suddenly felt very nervous and alone.

“Nervous, Mr Edmund? Do not be! Nothing but ‘appiness awaits you! If I may ask, have you ever...” she began.

“No never!” I replied, rather too quickly. “I thought I would have to wait until marriage and that prospect now looks rather more distant than I had thought this morning!”

“Ah, I see! A disappointment in love, per’aps. Sometimes we women can be cruel!”

“That is true!” I said, resignedly.

“’ave you ever been intimate wiz a women in any way? There is no shame in saying no...”

“Well. Not the whole thing. But a woman has done intimate things to me!” An image of Agnes' bobbing head came into my mind.  It seemed so long ago but was only a few hours.

“I see! And did you enjoy zat?”

“It was just wonderful but...”

“Shh!” she said and put her soft fingertip on my lips. I found the contact quite thrilling. “Zere is no past ‘ere! Just an exciting future!”

“Well, that would be nice...” I said, rather lamely. Madame Nathalie took me along the corridor, in the other direction from where Britten had gone and opened a door for me. I stepped into a dimly lit room and my levels of excitement and anxiety leapt up. I could actually feel my heart pounding. There were other things in the room of course. Later I noticed a rose coloured chaise longue, a dressing table and chair, paintings of naked women in gold frames on the dark green wallpaper. However, at that moment all I saw was an enormous bed with an ornate brass bedstead. There were pillows but no bedclothes other than a white linen sheet. This was not a bed for sleeping in.

“And here is ze lovely ‘oshimi!” said Madame Nathalie. I was so intent on looking at the bed that I had almost missed the vision of oriental loveliness before me, now dressed in an oyster coloured silk negligee. Her nipples were patently erect beneath the fabric and I realised that she must be naked underneath. 

“Oh!” I said, dumbfounded. I stood and looked at the girl. Could I really go through with this? It must be an awful life for her, intimately servicing an endless stream of anonymous men. Afterwards, would all the girls congregate and discuss how awful their men had been, while the men all told their friends how grateful the girls had been.

“‘oshimi is quite shy but she has told me how pleased she is that you picked 'er,” said Madame Nathalie “She says you are a very attractive young man and I must say I 'ave to agree witz 'er. Most of our members are rather older than you, Mr Edmund, so for us to attend to a young man in his prime is a particular treat indeed!” Hoshimi stood with her head bowed and gave a little giggle, her fingers covering her lips. “Now, Mr Edmund, we ‘ave run a nice warm bas for you and ‘oshimi and I will wash you!” I saw that an old fashioned hip-bath was sat on the wooden floor where a rug had been rolled back to accommodate it.

“You will wash me, Madame?” I asked. I was still very much on the verge of making a run for it. I smiled to myself. The last time I had run from anyone French was in our London Irish game against Havre in France the previous year.

“Indeed. I will assist ‘oshimi. Zis is a very exclusive society Mr Edmund. We ‘ave a limited number of select members ‘oo may introduce one guest a year for a visit, as Mr William ‘as done for you zis evening. Many such guests go on to join ze society!”

“I think your membership fee may be too rich for my pocket!” I ventured. She shrugged in that peculiarly French way.

“Zat is a discussion for anozzere time. Today, Mr William ‘as organised everysing for you and you are our ‘onoured guest.”

“I am very grateful!” I said.

“Now, as it is your first visit I am ‘ere to reassure you about ze cleanliness and ‘ealth of our girls. We ‘ave weekly medical inspections, in ze Parisian manner, of course. I can reassure you that we have never, ever ‘ad a case of any unpleasant...incident... in this society!” she said.

At this point Hoshimi undid the tie at her waist and shrugged out of her silk negligee. I was presented with my first sight of a naked adult woman outside of the life class at art school. And what a sight Hoshimi was! She had pale skin but dark nipples with erect teats like thimbles. I looked at her flat stomach and prominent hip bones and then glanced down at the exiguous covering of black, straight hairs at her groin. My eyes drifted down her slender thighs and shins to her dainty feet. I swallowed. My heart rate must have increased by fifty per cent. 

“Goodness me, what a beauty you are Hoshimi!” I murmured at last, having taken in her charms. She beamed. “You are like a Japanese woodcut come to life!” I recalled the ones I had glimpsed briefly downstairs and some less explicit ones of Japanese beauties I had seen in a gallery in Mayfair the previous year.

“Mr Edmund, I can see that you will be very welcome in zis society! Now, as our girls are so clean we insist on our members being equally clean, ‘ence ze bath! I do not ‘abitually involve myself in such activity but in your case I am making an exception. Quite selfishly on my part!” she smiled. My nervousness returned. To be naked in front of one woman was one thing but in front of two? I was instantly concerned about becoming aroused. This I realised, was nonsensical with Hoshimi but I had only met Madame Nathalie socially, fully dressed. However, it was too late to do anything as the ladies began to remove my clothes with despatch. Madame efficiently removed my jacket, shirt and undershirt while Hoshimi removed my shoes, socks and then my trousers. I felt like a little boy with two nursemaids.  Except one of my nursemaids was naked. Soon I was standing there in just my drawers. Hoshimi and Madame looked at each other and grinned. They squatted down, either side of me, grasped the waist band of my drawers and pulled down simultaneously. Now, I am not a particularly boastful chap, which you may be surprised at, given the reputation of those in my profession but I have seen plenty of naked male bodies in the changing rooms and knew that I was far from deficient as regards my male equipment. Certainly, I could not compete with “Jumbo” Hogan but then any man who could must be part horse.

“Is rubbery!” said Hoshimi. Fortunately, I had managed to retain my composure and did so as I was guided to stand in the (rather small) bath.

“I would imagine some of your members might struggle to sit in such a vessel!” I joked, wondering whether I myself should sit.

“We do not ‘ave many large gentlemen as members. It is unfair on ze girls and offends my aesthetic sensibilities!” said Madame. “We prefer fit gentlemen, such as yourself. Now while anonymity is important ‘ere, I do sink I ‘ave seen you running down the wing at Rosslyn Park, Mr Edmund!” said Madame.

“That is very likely, Madame!” I replied, pleased with the way I was coping with a quite extraordinary, at least to me, situation.

“I do enjoy a good game of rugby. I am originally from Bordeaux where it is, as I am sure you know, very popular! Now, ‘oshimi, ‘elp me undress!” I watched as the Japanese assisted in disrobing her mistress. My composure was sorely tested by this process, especially given Madame Nathalie’s silk and lace underthings. She was wearing a red and black striped covered corset cover which Hoshimi unlaced with some despatch.. Eventually she stood before me in just her black stockings which were held up by scarlet garters. “Zere! I did not want to get soapy water on my silk clothes!”

“Quite right! Might leave a nasty mark!” I said. I was desperately thinking about unappealing things as I tried to distance myself from the enticing tableau before me and prevent any embarrassing tumescence.. Thinking about good old McAndless’s face assisted here, I can tell you. As did the thought of the boiled cabbage we were served at school, which was quite the most disgusting thing I had ever experienced in my life! Madame Nathalie’s body was a cornucopia of outrageous curves. In contrast to Hoshimi's slim frame, Madame Nathalie was just incredibly ripe. Her narrow waist flared to a pair of broad hips above long, full thighs. Her breasts were very large and as she knelt next to the bath to pick up a bar of soap they hung from her chest like delicious-looking, pendulous fruit. Her nipples had large areolae, perhaps two inches in diameter. Unlike Hoshimi, her intimate hair was thick and curly and, like the hair on her head, a mahogany brown. Only my previous experience of life classes enabled me to remain flaccid. That and the wine and Champagne I had consumed, I thought.

“Now, ‘oshimi, you sponge some water over Mr Edmund and I will soap him!” Hoshimi dunked the sponge in the water and promptly squeezed it over my head and shoulders, much to my surprise. I spluttered, much to the ladies’ amusement. I was then treated to the most sensual bath as four, delicate, feminine hands ran over my body. I realised that I was losing my mental battle with my manhood, as Madame soaped my thighs and cooed about my musculature. “Quelle cuisses!” she murmured. Nonetheless it was a shock when her fingers inadvertently brushed my swelling manhood. 

“Ah ‘ere you are, Mister Edmund! We must get to ze point!” she said. Embarrassed though I was, I reasoned that both she and Hoshimi would have seen many men in a tumescent state, so there was little point in being coy. I stood in the hip bath and my manhood continued to rise as I looked down at the two lovelies kneeling either side of me.

“Ladies I am sorry!” I mumbled. “The experience is all just too...”

“Mr Edmund! Do not apologise! What a very fine display! Such a strong upwards srust! And zat lovely curve! We will wash it!” Smilingly, Hoshimi sponged my now completely erect member and then, thrillingly, Madame pulled back my foreskin and after rubbing soap into her hands firmly lathered it into my manhood . She later told me that they were, in fact, looking for traces of disease on my manhood. Hoshimi joined in and I suddenly realised that they were the second and third women to caress me intimately that day. My initial nervousness was now past and I enjoyed the sensation of having my genitals, for Hoshimi had started on my ballocks, washed by these exquisite ladies, although I have to admit being surprised when I felt a fingertip soap my back passage and slip a half inch inside. “Zere!” said Madame after she had rinsed me off. She leant forward and kissed the folds below my knob. Hoshimi towelled me dry with a soft bath sheet. “Now, Mr Edmund, at zis point I would usually wizdraw and leave you to ze tender touch of Hoshimi,” said Madame. “owever I find myself wiz an unexpectedly free ‘our tonight. Now that you are nice and clean why don’t you get onto the bed and we will caress each ozzere!”

And that is precisely what happened, although to describe the somewhat athletic contortions that we adopted as we licked, kissed and stroked each other would take rather more pages and greater recollection than I have available. Very many memorable tableaux spring from the warm, dark parts of my memory of that night, however, popping into my consciousness like a naughty French magic lantern show. Madame thrusting her large breasts into my face and rubbing them against my cheeks. Madame fellating me in such a way that I realised what a rank amateur Agnes had been. Kneading and squeezing Hoshimi’s bottom. Hoshimi straddling my thigh, rubbing her sex against my skin and the surprising heat emanating from her intimate area. Most shocking, perhaps, was finding that both enthusiastically kissed me on the lips, something, I had been led to believe, that professional ladies such as these did not do.

Well, I have to confess that the attention of two, beautiful, naked women attending to my person was, perhaps, rather too exciting. As Madame knelt between my thighs, caressing my ballocks and Hoshimi massaged my member with her slim hand, much to my mortification I found myself spending into the air. Even more embarrassingly, my emissions comprehensively spattered both Madame Nathalie and Hoshimi. They both laughed, fortunately. 

“Ladies, I am so sorry!” I said blushing furiously.

“Mr Edmund ‘as it not occurred to you zat ze precise purpose of zis establishment is to ‘elp men spill zeir seed in as entertaining a fashion as we can contrive!” said Madam Nathalie, rubbing some of my emissions into her bosom.

“Oh! I suppose when you put it like that!” I said,still rather shamefaced about having committed such an intimate bodily function in front of two ladies.

“What a splendid pressure you are able to generate Mr Edmund,” said Madame Nathalie, “I do believe you may ‘ave achieved a full metre in altitude! Like the jet’deau in Genève!  'ave you seen it?"

"I have not travelled beyond Havre on the Continent," I admitted.

"It is a most impressive sight shooting into ze air!  I find it an arousing sight, indeed!"  Hoshimi was licking drops of my essence off my stomach and thighs so I stroked her head, tenderly. “Well that was a very nice hors d’ouevres!” said Madame, crawling up the bed as Hoshimi ensured that she had lapped up every drop of my essence. “Now what would you like to do, Mr Edmund? I am sure that you will recover quite quickly!”

“Well, I really don’t know. I am finding the unpredictability of this adventure particularly exciting!” I replied, smiling at Hoshimi, who was kneeling next to my hips, her face glistening with my liquefying spunk.

 “One of ze guiding principles for membership of zis society is zat it is for gentlemen who regard women as more than receptacles for base lust,” said Madame Nathalie as we lay companionably upon the crisp, linen sheet. She lay on her stomach, one lower leg waving girlishly in the air, her large bosom lodged softly between her arms and resting on the sheet, distractingly.  “Men who just want to stick their thing in somesing wet and ‘ot for a few minutes are not welcome ‘ere.  Zere are plenty of women along Piccadilly or the ‘aymarket who can help them with zeir needs. Not zat I do not acknowledge zat men have such needs. Far from it. Yet, ‘ere we like to entertain those gentlemen, and a few select ladies, ‘oo worship and appreciate ze female form.” She knelt up and leant across me, her large breasts hanging over my chest. She began to caress Hoshimi’s torso. The Japanese girl squirmed in pleasure. “Zese are ze lands which we explore ‘ere; the soft ‘ills, valleys and peaks. Ze fragrant forests...” She waved her hand at Hoshimi’s pale form. “Per’aps, now you might wish to explore Hoshimi’s body further, wiz your tongue and lips? Kiss ‘er! Lick ‘er! Taste ‘er!”

"I really think I will!" I said. I wasn’t about to object to such an appealing offer and thoroughly enjoyed myself as I kissed, stroked and licked the Japanese girl’s satin-soft skin. I hesitated as my mouth approached one small breast but she guided my head towards a splendid erect nipple and soon I was licking and suckling upon it like the happiest babe in arms. Madame lay next to us observing our antics with interest and an amused smile on her face. At first I found it very curious being watched by another but I soon became, not just used to it, but positively excited by it. I had always assumed that all sexual activity I might indulge in would be between just two people in private but this early experience saw me in good stead for the future.

“Mr Edmund, there is one part of ‘oshimi you have not attended to with your mouth!” said Madame.

“Is there?” I asked, puzzled. I had, after all, gently flipped her over and kissed her back, legs and bottom.

“There is prace you miss!” said Hoshimi. I frowned. I thought that I had covered pretty much every inch of her lovely skin.

“If it is not a forward question, Mr Edmund, what is your experience of cunt?” asked Madame, kneeling up, her breasts swaying distractingly as she did so.

“C-c-c-?” I stammered.

“Cunt, Mr Edmund. ‘ot, dripping, delicious cunt! Ze source of salty, liquid pleasure and, indeed, life itself.”

“Ah well, to be honest, until now, I have only experienced activity where the lady was fully dressed!” I admitted.

“Ah! Zen what pleasures are in store for you! ‘ave you seen one? At a close distance?” I shook my head, feeling inadequate.

“Now, kneel at the foot of the bed!” said Madame. I did so and both women sat up on the bed and spread their legs giving me my first sight of a woman’s sex. “Goodness!” I said, my eyes shifting between the two.

 “Full of goodness!” said Madame. “Now you believe, no doubt, as a man, that sex is all about thrust, thrust, thrust! I can tell you, ‘owever, that for most women ze skilful application of fingers and tongue can be just as satisfying, if not more so!”

“Oh!” I said. Something more to learn, I thought.

“I will demonstrate all the parts of a woman’s sex for you!” said Madame. I expected her to demonstrate on herself but instead she leant across and parted Hoshimi’s pink petals. She showed and named for me all the constituent parts of a woman’s sex all of which were new to me. It was all much more complex than I had imagined. .“And ‘ere... ‘ere is the entrance itself. See’ow pink and wet ‘oshimi is for you! Now I think you should touch one for yourself, Mr Edmund!” said Madame.

“Whose,” I asked.

“Bofe!” said Hoshimi.

Gingerly, I extended both of my forefingers and gently ran them up the women’s folds. I was surprised how wet they were. They looked, I realised, opened and exposed as they were, like oysters. Hoshimi had hardly any hair on her pubis; just a light covering of straight hairs, slightly thicker in the centre. Madame, however, had a thick bush which extended down the inside of her thighs and had a trail of fine hairs running up to her belly button. Her parts were larger than Hoshimi’s but were nestled deeply in her thick, brown curly hair. I gingerly penetrated both women simultaneously as they gave me encouraging smiles. This really was the best way to learn about sexual activity, I mused; having two lovely experts guiding you. No embarrassing fumbling with a woman who was probably your bride or, at least, bride to be. When I had proved myself to Agnes I would be able to satisfy, what were to me, previously unknown feminine needs. Madame constantly described those parts of a woman’s anatomy that could give her pleasure. How much better, to have an aroused and willing partner than to just slake one’s own personal lust on a diffident and uninvolved woman, she maintained. The logic seemed sound even though it went against what most of the chaps at the rugby club said.

 “And now! It is time to taste!” said Madame.

“T-t-taste?” I said, unable to take my eyes of Hoshimi’s glistening folds.

“’ave a good lick!” said Madame.

“Rick!” encouraged Hoshimi, spreading her legs even wider and thrusting her mound up, lasciviously. I leant forward until my face was just a few inches from my target. The musky scent coming from the Japanese girl’s sex was very strong. I gingerly extended my tongue and touched it against the pink parts. I started to become erect again as I began to gently caress her parts with the tip of my tongue. Hoshimi put her hands on my head and pulled me closer in. I started to taste her juices and understood Agnes’ comments about her parts getting moist. Hoshimi was rather more than moist, however. I was just flicking my tongue across the shaft of Hoshimi’s clitoris (I hoped I could remember the name!) at Madame’s suggestion and making her sigh and gasp when the ornate clock over the chimneypiece struck eleven.

“Mon Dieu! I must prepare myself for my guest as ‘e will be arriving soon!” said Madame, jumping up from the bed. “Or like Cendrillon I will find myself in trouble!” I pulled my face from Hoshimi’s groin and knelt up, conscious of her juices on my chin. “Now, Mister Edmund I see that you have now recovered yourself completely!” Madame Nathalie was looking at my groin. “So why don’t you now put it where it is designed to go?” Hoshimi raised her knees at this point. I gulped, nervously. Madame directed my position so that I was lying between Hoshimi’s thighs, my weight supported on my forearms which were next to her shoulders. She was so tiny I worried that I might crush her. “Just wriggle up a little,” advised Madame Nathalie. I did so and felt her hand on my shaft once more. “I will guide you!” I felt my tip placed against Hoshimi’s wetness. “Now, Mr Edmund! Srust!” I did so and slid up inside the Japanese beauty in one smooth motion. There was no resistance, as I thought there might be, just heat and a delightful sopping softness. Readers who are more experienced in carnal pleasures than I was may smile at my naivety but I had been anticipating this moment for many years without having any idea as to how it would feel. I had imagined some sort of tight dryness, like placing a finger in a soft kid glove, not this liquid warmth. I pulled out slightly. I pushed in again. I was doing it! It, it, it! It was marvellous!  I looked at Hoshimi's face and saw she had a big smile on her face.  She did not look unhappy. I pulled in and out of her once more.

“C'est ça! Exactement, Mr Edmund! You ‘ave it precisely! Now. alzough, of course sometimes a gentleman loses ‘imself inside ze girl it is easier for all if you would endeavour to release outside her. Zere are prophylactics in ze dressing table if you prefer but given it is your first time I suspect you will want nothing to come between you. Just ze pure contact of cock in cunt!” She then said something to Hoshimi in what I presumed was Japanese. Hoshimi smiled and said something back. “I shall bid you adieu!” Madame leant down and kissed my posterior, patted Hoshimi on the thigh, affectionately, and disappeared through an adjoining door with her clothes draped across one arm. She waved as she closed the door behind her and I turned all my attention to the Japanese girl. 

“Fastah!” said Hoshimi, clamping her legs around my back. “Hahdah!” I complied, delightedly.