Traditional Greetings
‘Kiss my foot, slave.’
‘Yes, pretty mistress. At once, pretty mistress. May the pain of a thousand lashes rain down upon my bare back should I fail to please you, mistress!’
It’s the traditional greeting of a mistress to a slave, and an equally traditional response on the part of the slave – going back centuries!
Afterwards, when she turns to leave him, there are no words of greeting for the slave. The mere absence of any admonishment on the part of the mistress is taken as a sign that the slave has at least satisfied her with his obedience and humility. The pain of a thousand lashes will not, it seems, rain down upon him on this occasion!
But, then again, who knows what a mistress is thinking?