They hauled him to his feet and retied his hands  pulling them roughly above his head and lifting him a little so that he hung from an old iron hook. His tip toes barely able to touch the ground.  He tried not to look at Josephine so she wouldn't see the pain when they struck him that he knew would come.  The guard  had a cat o' nine tails.  A leather whip with nine ends each one fixed with a blade to slice and rip flesh.  The guard unfurled it and lashed him hard across the back.  He tried to keep from screaming but a muffled groan escaped his lips