17. This Russian Noblewoman Liked to Hear Her Serfs Scream in Pain
In the nearly consequence-free environment of Russian de facto slavery, in which landowners could abuse their serfs at will, Darya Saltykova was merciless. She tortured the young, the old, and even pregnant women, in a variety of fiendish ways. However, while she abused female serfs of all ages, her wrath fell heaviest on the younger ones. Especially if they happened to be both young and pretty, and thus reminded her of the young pretty girl her lover had chosen over her.
Some were flogged with the knout – a heavy Russian whip that tapered towards the end. Lashes delivered by the knout’s thin tip could slice the subject’s flesh open like a sharp knife, while a strong blow with the thicker part could break a serf’s back. She had others thrown outdoors naked in the dead of Russia’s terrible winters to freeze to death. Sometimes she went to the opposite extreme and poured boiling water on their bodies. A sadist through and through, Saltykova thoroughly enjoyed the sound of her serfs’ tortured screams – it was music to her ears.