We proudly present the second part of the first in a series of unjustly neglected underground classics of erotica, revived and reinterpreted for your entertainment and pleasure by Tristan Trotsky, a noted dilettante of decadent literature.
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The earnest literary critic can but conjecture about the state of mind of the author of the sad and perverse litany of profanity that is
'The Random Rod'
. Who was the miserable pornographer masquerading behind the pseudonym 'Maximo Urge'? Did he write other forgotten works? Does it matter? Probably not.
It's notable that in this shoddy work every male character -- and there are few of any other gender, are all mightily well-hung, lusty, erect, rampant, and permanently ready for sex. Is that logical? Is that reasonable? Indeed, this fantastic tale flows with the lubrication of so much gushing sperm the reader almost expects the yellowing pages to be moistly sticky with its residue. Although there's a kind of rationalisation provided by the narrative later on, such justification is not strictly necessary. Although there are elements of Voltaire's great satirical work
'Candide'
-- in which another naΓ―ve innocent endures picaresque adventures through which he is debauched and abused by a corrupt world, this is not great literature, but cheap tawdry pornography. It needs no other excuse. And, after the wild adventures that befell poor Roderick Random in the first section, it's around this mid-point that this novel takes a stranger turn. From a kind of debauched Henry Fielding, into a darker more-Gothic realm, with De Sade overtones.
The narrator addresses his audience directly, commenting 'Gentle reader, I will not profane your sensitivities over-much with too many details of the hazards and indignities of Roderick's journeyings, for they are beyond imagining. Suffice it to say that, leaving 'Swift' Nick to his fate, he eventually finds himself stranded on the road to London, with gathering storm-clouds in the darkening sky. Our unfortunate hero finds himself following a sign down a long winding tree-lined lane towards a monastery, through lengthening evening-shadows. The building silhouetted black against the sky stands like a forbidding fortress. But 'Sanctuary' he thinks, 'they'll offer me sanctuary.' In the wall there's a heavy arched wooden door. At his firm knock a panel set into the oak slides opens and a monk's head protrudes. A tonsure of hair, with gold-rim spectacles perched upon a protuberant nose mapped with blood-vessels. The wanderer requests overnight sanctuary. The main door opens.
'I am Father Benevolence' announces the monk gravely, rubbing his chin while circling the newcomer critically, 'what is your age my child?'
'I am nineteen, gentle sir, almost twenty, if it pleases you.'
'It pleases me well, for only those over eighteen are ever allowed into this sacred place. So you are welcome to share our frugal hospitality, in full, in exchange for a simple obligation. Are you willing to enter and abide by our rules without coercion and according to your own free will?'
Roderick is hungry, he imagines maybe chopping wood or carrying water as the price. Yes, he could do that. 'I am, I freely accept.'
'Then you're welcome to partake of what our community has to offer.' He's ushered in through high locked double-gates, its eaves decorated with many strange symbols, and set into thick ivy-patterned fortress walls. Then across a courtyard through a lower arch into the cloisters beyond. He's surprised and a little disturbed to see naked shackled youths tending the herb-gardens, vineyard and stables. From what he can estimate, none of them are younger than his own nineteen years, but none older than mid-twenties either. All of them are slim and fit, and obviously at perfect ease with their nudity. He's even more surprised when a group of them break off their grimy labours to form a jostling circle of sweating male bodies to watch as two of them take turns to bugger a third. Watching as the 'victim' raises his bottom readily to take them, grunting with pleasure at each anal thrust, his own bouncing arousal equally apparent. The audience crushing together show similar physical evidence of agitated excitement, with down-hung organs quivering horizontal, then perpendicular, rubbing up against each other lasciviously.
Roderick feels a little unsettled, but also undeniably aroused, an answering stirring crawling in his loins. He glances uncertainly across at Father Benevolence, who merely smiles and shrugs in a 'boys-will-be-boys' way, and leads him further. He glances back wistfully at the entwined bodies moving together in erotic choreography. Feeling intrigued, fascinated and more than a little threatened by it all. What is the secret of this strange place?, before following his host through an enchanted garden of roses and hydrangea which line the walkway, and then up beneath high spires overshadowing them pleasantly, climbing a flight of narrow twisting stairs into the monastery building itself. Each step worn concave, as if by generations of pacing feet. There's a sense of great antiquity about the stone walls, hundreds of years old, while the deeper they penetrate its echoing passages there's evidence of even greater age. As though this edifice has existed since the very dawn of time.
But entering through an ornate doorway he finds himself in a large airy furnished suite, around the walls of which are disposed high mounds of embroidered cushions in many bright colours. There are mobiles hanging from the ceiling, jingling constructs of bells affixed to silver wire, and explicitly homo-erotic scroll-paintings in the manner of stained-glass church-windows skilfully executed unfurled across the walls. There are strategically placed fresh flowers and segments of fruit laid in tiny porcelain water-pots from which delicate scents waft. A chess-set laid out on a mosaic-inlaid table lit by the flickering light of a multi-stemmed candelabra. And coloured-glass vials of amber, sapphire, violet and peach liquids. He'd assumed life within these walls would be ascetic, dedicated only to prayer and contemplation. Perhaps he was wrong?
Barely taking in his lavish surroundings he's seated at a stout wooden table. The monk claps his hands sharply for Random to be served food, and two handsome naked young men appear, bringing it to him on a tray -- their ankles, wrists and throats circled by metal bands. The newcomer feels a little embarrassed, afraid to look, but incapable of looking away. Aware of the powerful sexuality of the tousle-haired youths, the heavy weight of the thick cocks which pendulum between their legs as they move. He rouses himself with an effort, tries to force his gaze away and focus his concentration on the food they've brought him. There are fist-sized rolls of bread, each of which when broken open reveals a filling of some kind of salty mushroom heavily seasoned with herbs. All delicious, served with shimmering richly full-bodied white wine.
The monk holds a shimmering glass of the wine up to the light, 'as rare as gold' he says in a tone of respectful reverence, 'and infinitely more precious.'