The Boarding SchoolThis is a story of life in Brazil many years ago, far from the city,where the customs of strict Catholicism still prevailed. Boys ofgood birth were sent to boarding schools run by the Jesuits, whocontinued the severe habits of the Middle Ages. The boys slepton beds of wood, rose at dawn, attended mass without break-fast, confessed every day and were constantly watched and spiedupon. The atmosphere was austere and inhibiting. The priestsate their meals apart and created an aura of sainthood aroundthemselves. They were stylized in their gestures and speech.Among them was a very dark-skinned Jesuit who had someIndian blood, the face of a satyr, large ears glued to his head,piercing eyes, a loose-lipped mouth that was always watering,thick hair and the smell of an animal. Under his long brown robethe boys had often noticed a bulge which the younger boyscould not explain and which older boys laughed at behind hisback. This bulge would appear unexpectedly at any hourwhilethe class read Don Quixote or Rabelais, or sometimes while hemerely watched the boys, and one boy in particular, the only fair-haired one in all the school, with the eyes and skin of a girl.He liked to get this boy off by himself and show him booksfrom his private collection. These contained reproductions ofInca pottery on which there were often depictions of men stand-ing against each other. The boy would ask questions which theold priest had to answer elusively. Other times the prints werequite clear; a long member came out of the middle of one manand penetrated the other from behind.At confession this priest plied the boys with questions. Themore innocent they appeared to be, the closer he questionedthem in the darkness of the little confessional box. The kneelingboys were unable to see the priest, who was sitting inside. Hislow voice came through a small grilled window, asking, "Haveyou ever had sensual fantasies? Have you thought aboutwomen? Have you tried to imagine a woman naked? How doyou behave at night in bed? Have you ever touched yourself?Have you ever fondled yourself? What do you do in the morn-ing upon rising? Do you have an erection? Have you ever triedto look at other boys while they dress? Or at the bath?"The boy who did not know anything would soon learnwhat was expected of him and be tutored by these questions.The boy who knew took pleasure in confessing in detail hisemotions and dreams. One boy dreamed every night. He did notknow what a woman looked like, how she was made. But he hadseen the Indians making love to the vicuna, which resembled adelicate deer. And he dreamed about making love to vicunas andawakened all wet every morning. The old priest encouragedthese confessions. He listened with endless patience. He imposedstrange punishments. A boy who masturbated continuously wasordered to go into the Chapel with him when no one wasaround, dip his penis in the holy water, and thus be purified.This ceremony was carried out in great secrecy at night.There was one very wild boy who looked like a little Moor-ish prince, black-faced, with noble features, a royal carriage, anda beautiful body so smooth that no bones ever showed, lean andpolished as a statue. This boy rebelled against the customarywearing of nightgowns. He was used to sleeping naked and thenightgown choked him, stifled him. So every night he put it onlike the other boys, and then he would secretly take it off underhis covers, and finally fall asleep without it.Every night the old Jesuit would make his rounds, watchingthat no boy visited another in his bed, or masturbated, or talkedin the dark to his neighbor. When he reached the bed of theundisciplined one, he would slowly and cautiously lift the coverand look at his naked body. If the boy awakened he would scoldhim. "I came to see if you were sleeping without a nightgownagain!" But if the boy did not awaken he was content with along lingering glance at the youthful body asleep.Once during anatomy class when he stood on the teacher'splatform, and the girlish blond boy sat staring at him, theprominence under his priest's robe became obvious to everyone.He asked the blond boy, "How many bones does man havein his body?"The blond boy answered meekly, "Two hundred and eight."Another boy's voice came from the back of the classroom,'But Father Dobo has two hundred and nine!"It was soon after this incident that the boys were taken ona botanical excursion. Ten of them lost their way. Among themwas the delicate blond boy. They found themselves in a forest,far from the teachers and the rest of the school. They sat downto rest and decide upon a course of action. They began eatingberries. How it began, no one knew, but after a while the blondboy was thrown on the grass, undressed, turned on his stomachand the other nine boys all passed over him, taking him as theywould a prostitute, brutally. The experienced boys penetratedhis anus to satisfy their desire, while the less experienced usedfriction between the legs of the boy, whose skin was as tender asa woman's. They spat on their hands and rubbed saliva overtheir penises. The blond boy screamed and kicked and wept, butthey all held him and used him until they were satiated.