leave when a knock is heard at the door. On the threshold stands a sleek shifty faced individual. He glances at a card in his hand and inquires whether this is the domicile of Mademoiselle Eva Thibault. The object of his inquiry, listening to the conversation from behind the door, hurries to drape her naked limbs, and when this is accomplished the visitor is invited to enter.
He is pleased, oh, very pleased, to announce that Mademoiselle Eva has been selected to play a small part in a musical revue, which is to open within a week at Bordeaux. She must prepare to accompany him immediately as some days will be necessary for the young lady to familiarize herself with her part. They are to take the train this very morning and she will greatly oblige him by making immediate preparations.
The modest habitation is thrown into a fever of excitement by the news of this good fortune and the two girls throw things right and left as they hurriedly pack a small grip with articles of appeal and toilet for Eva's use, while the gentleman obligingly waits outside.
In a very short space of time Eva is dressed and packed and ready to accompany the agent. An embrace and exchange of kisses, an affectionate farewell, and the sisters part.
Eva, accompanied by the agent, enters a waiting cab.
When we see them again, they are leaving the train, presumably at Bordeaux. Another taxi is called and an address given. Now we are taken to an edifice of gloomy aspect, located in what was probably in days gone by a part of the city's residential section, for the house, grey, weather beaten, dilapidated, is crowded in between a warehouse and a brewery. The windows are closely shuttered and at first glance it seems to be an unoccupied building.
The taxi bearing Eva and the agent now appears and stops in front of this structure.
As they alight Eva glances wonderingly about her but still in the eager enthusiasm of her prospective rise to fame and wealth behind the footlights she suspects nothing and lends herself docily to the machinations of the widely procurer.
They ascend the steps, the man explaining that this a boarding house in which arrangements have been made to house the members of the cast during their stay in the city. He rings a bell, and after a long wait the door opens sufficiently to permit their entry, and closes behind them.
Eva is in the trap.
They are confronted by a heavy faced woman of curiously masculine aspect. She is stoutly built and extremely dark and heavy eyebrows give her an ominously sinister appearance. If it were not for her ponderous breasts and enormous hips, we would suspect this personage of being a man dressed in female apparel. Eva is presented to her as one of the "new girls" and acknowledges the introduction timidly. The woman pi aces an arm about her with exaggerated familiarity and assures her that she will like the place, and that they are going to be great friends, both of which statements we doubt very much.
The agent and the woman now withdraw a few steps, and converse in whispers. A roll of bills changes hands. The man, with a cynical smile on his wolfish features, tell Eva that the "madame" will take care of her from now on, bows and retires. His work is finished.
From this point on the tragedy unrolls with precise and startling realism.
We see Eva, looking curiously about her confused and timid in the strange surroundings, conducted to an interior room in which are lounging half a dozen other girls in intimate dishabille. Several of these are probably no older than Eva but they do not resemble her in appearance. They are heavily rouged and painted, their faces denote hardened sophistication, their
eyes are bold and hard. In fact, they look like typical prostitutes of the cheaper class. A brief pause in this room while Eva is presented to these young ladies. They watch her silently, with much the attitude of a feline watching a mouse as it ventures out of its hiding place. She is hurried into another apartment. Here the madame invites her to remove her cloak and hat, and informs her that a lunch will be served her.
A table is prepared, and a slovenly servant appears with food and drink. Eva eats a few mouth-fuls and is urged to take a glass of wine to refresh herself from the journey. Within a few minutes after taking a portion of the liquor offered, her head begins to droop. She tries to straighten up, an expression of fright crosses her face, but the drug she has unknowingly consumed renders her powerless and she falls sidewise in her chair. Like a hawk, the madame is upon her and seizes her just in time to prevent her from falling to the floor. Lifting her as easily as though she were an infant, she carries the unconscious girl from the room, up two flights of stairs and into a small alcove, windowless except for a glass skylight overhead.
Eva is now in drugged stupor, her eyes are closed, her form limp and yielding. Her hair, which has become unloosened, falls in a golden cascade over her shoulders. The madame lays
her upon a bed. She stands for a moment looking down on the unconscious child. What thoughts are passing through her mind, as she gazes upon that innocent face? Does she feel a pang of remorse for the pure beauty which is to be offered up on the altar of lust ? Or is she simply calculating the probable profits which will accrue to her, through the defilment of that lovely body? Most likely the latter, for her face betrays no indication of pity, but rather gloating satisfaction, as she proceeds to disrobe the girl. First she removes the little high heeled slippers, then the filmy silk stockings which on being withdrawn disclose a pair of white symetrical legs upon which we have previously gazed. Now, lifting the girl to a sitting posture, she draws up and removes her outer garment. Then follows a short underskirt, a chemise, a dainty brassiere, a pair of little silk panties, and Eva is disclosed to us in all her virginal nudity.
With the last article of clothing removed the madame pauses again to examine the prostrate form. leaning over it she feels the diminutive but plump little breasts, as though to prove their firmness. Her hands descend, she seizes the child's knees and pulls her legs apart. The next instant her finger is inserted within the sexual cleft. The expression on her face indicates that she is pleased with the result of this profane exploration. Eva's maidenhead is intact and will bring a lucrative return in cash. She gathers up the girl's clothing, and taking it with her leaves the room, locking the door behind her.
Outside the door she stops, slides back a small panel, and stands for an interval peering through this aperture at the girl, still lying motionless and unconscious upon the bed. She closes the panel and proceeds downstairs.
Now we see two persons engaged in telephonic conversation. One of these is the madame. The other is a man of middle age whose face bears the stamp of dissipation and cruelty. The printed text in French tells client, of a new acquisition, of superlative charm, and virginal integrity. The gentleman is being offered Eva's maidenhead. An appointment is made, and the picture disr solves from our view.
A sign is flashed upon the screen announcing a five minute intermission and the lights are turned on. During the course of the picture which I have briefly outlined, and which consumed possibly some thirty minutes in the showing, the Russian girl had remained silent. Now she turned to me with a smile, and inquired as to how I was enjoying the picture. I replied that it was very impressive, more so as it was the first film of this nature I had ever seen. She seemed surprised and began to question me as