Chapter Four
After he had taken her virginity with such violence, Olric untied Gretel from the tree and threw her once more across his saddle. They rode on. Despite her discomfort, Gretel dozed from time to time. Towards evening they came to a large house on the edge of a wood. Olric dismounted and pulled Gretel down from his horse. Picking her up, he carried her into the house, setting her down on the wooden floor of a large, bare room. Gretel was too tired and stiff to move.
Olric went to a cupboard in the corner and came back with a long thin chain and a steel collar. He put the collar round Gretel’s neck and locked it with a key. In his hand were two small padlocks. With one he attached the collar to the chain. The other end of the chain was padlocked to a steel ring set in the stone
