had
been tortured with randiness about this great wench of his; so made some
excuse, and as soon as he was well off, sauntered towards the cottage,
which was about half a mile from the Hall.

It was one of a pair in a lane. Scarcely anyone passed them excepting
people on my aunt's lands. One was empty. The girl was sweeping in front
of the cottage, the door was wide open. I gave her a nod, she dropped a
respectful curtsey. Looking round and seeing no one, I said, "May I come
in and rest, for it is hot and I am tired?" "Yes sir," said she, and in
I went, she giving me a chair; then she finished her sweeping. Meanwhile
I had determined to try it on. "Father at home?" "No sir, he be
working in the Seven-Acre field." "Where is your sister?" "At mill,
sir"--meaning a paper mill. I thought of Fred. It was my first offer,
and scarcely knew how to make it, but chucking her under the chin said,
"I wish you would let me--" "What, sir?" "Do it to you," said I boldly,
"and I will give you five shillings," producing the money; I knew it was
what Fred gave her usually.

She looked at me and the five shillings, which was then more than her
wages for a week's work in the fields, burst into laughter and said,
"Why, who would have thought a gentleman from the Hall would say that
to a poor girl like me." "Let me do it," said I hurredly, "if you wont I
must go--I will give you seven and six pence." "You wont tell the young
squire?" said she--meaning Fred. "Of course not." She went to the door,
looked both ways, then at the clock, shut the door and bolted it without
another word.

The house consisted of a kitchen, a bed-room, leading out of it, and
a wash-house. She opened the bedroom door, there were two beds which
almost filled the room; at the foot of one was a window, by its side a
wash-stand. She got on to the largest bed saying, "Make haste." I pulled
up her clothes to her navel and looked. "Oh! make haste," said she.
But I could not, it was the third cunt I had seen, and I paused to
contemplate her. Before me lay a pair of thick, round thighs, a large
belly, and a cunt covered with thick brown hair, a dirty chemise round
her waist, coarse woolen blue stockings darned with black, and tied
below the knees with list, thick hob-nailed boots. The bed beneath was
white and clean, which made her things look dirtier; it was different
to what I had been accustomed to. I looked too long, "Better make haste,
for father will be home to dinne