ow, they could not by looking down see us, through the
half cleaned windows; or notice round clean spots on the glass, through
which two pairs of young eyes almost devoured the limbs of those who
stood over them.

As our only way lay through the work-shop and we did not wish it known
that we were there (there was no business done there, unless arms were
being stored or taken out), we went back before the workmen returned
from their meals; but for several days did we go into the place,
gloating over such of the women's charms as we could discern; legs we
saw by the hundreds, garters and parts of the thighs we saw by scores:
quite enough to make young blood randy to madness, but the shadowy mass
between the thighs we could not get a glimpse of.

"There are vaults," said I, "if there, we could see right up, and be
at the back of the women." We tried unused keys to find one to open
the door, and at length to our intense delight it unclosed. We stepped
across the little open space under the gratings into the empty vaults,
and there arranging to take our turns of looking up at the most likely
spots, we put out our heads and took our fill at gazing. We were right
under the women, who as they looked into the shop windows, jutting out
their bums in stooping, tilted their petticoats exactly over our heads.
If there was no carriage passing, we could at times hear what they said,
but that was rarely the case.

In those days even ladies wore no drawers. Their dresses rarely came
below their ankles, they wore bustles, and standing over a grating,
anyone below them, saw much more, and more easily, than they can in
these days of draggling dresses, and cunt swabbing breeches, which
the commonest girl wears round her rump. For all that, so close to the
thighs, do chemise and petticoats cling, that it was difficult to see
the hairy slits, which it was our great desire to look at. Garters and
thighs well above the knees, we saw by scores. Every now and then either
by reason of scanty clothing, or short dresses, or by a woman's stooping
and opening her legs to look more easily low down at the window, we had
a glimpse of the cunt; and great was our randiness and delight when we
did. On the whole we were well rewarded. Many as the legs and thighs
are, that I have since seen, I doubt whether I have seen so many pairs
of legs half-way up the thighs, and all but to the split, as I saw in
the times we stood under that big linendraper's shop win