“Oh I Lord”, said she laughing spite of herself, “you are plain-spoken.” I was in the vein now, did not say an improper word, but gave baudy hints, smutty suggestions about the dullness of sleeping alone, of the results of wives being away from husbands, etc., till her eyes twinkled, and she laughed much. I had now broken down the barrier, had brought myself to her level, and she as every other woman would have done, took advantage of it, and began to return my chaffing and banter, every woman feels instinctively that when a man is chaffing her (be it ever so decently veiled), about fucking, that she may safely return it: both are at once on a common level. A washer-woman would banter a prince, if the subject was cunt, without the prince being offended. To talk of fucking with a woman is to remove all social distinctions, and I had done it without uttering at first a smutty word.
Jenny's sister went on chaffing, and drank ale freely. “Oh ! I dare say, but why don't you have children?” “I can't get any I tell you, but I try.” “Not much at home”, said she, “from all I have heard.” “No I try out as well, and get none, — I'm a safe man.” Then I found she knew a lot about me and my affairs; She had actually worked at my house on some curtains, had seen me once, and knew my voice, though for the moment she had not recollected my face with my hat on when I entered the door that afternoon. But I had never seen her at my house to my knowledge, though if I had I was not likely to have noticed a common upholstress. We went on chaffing, looking in each other's faces, each knowing we were talking about fucking. “Well Mrs playing at mother and father's a delicious amusement, is it not?” “I don't know.” “If you don't know we'd better try, — I'd give five pounds to be your husband for an hour, — and five pounds would buy you a new dress.” “It would buy me three”, said she with-out noticing the other part of my remark. “Three?” “Yes three, — I can't afford more than thirty shillings for a best dress.” “Really I—such a beautiful creature as you ought to have plenty of dress, for I have rarely seen a more lovely woman, and so well grown,-I'll bet you have fine limbs.” She was flattered, the praise upset her, her eyes tinkled. Yes she might have done better she knew, but it was to be. I went close to her, caught and kissed her. She made not too strong a resistance, but got away. “That's going a little too far.” “That's the beginning of a game at mother and father, and you are going to have the three dresses.” She laughed in a funny way. “I don't want to be a mother any more, so I don't want any games.” But she seemed to me to look as if she did.
What did she get for stopping at the house? Five shillings a week, and her supper and breakfast, — that was an object. “Five shillings? — why my kiss was worth that, — let me give you another, and I'll give you ten shillings for the two.” “You don't mean that”, said she with a low laugh. “On my soul yes, — but you must give me a kiss as well.” She shook her head. “It's going too far”, said she. “There it is, I'll trust you, — you won't take it without letting me.” She was then sitting. I put the half sovereign into her hand. “Thank you sir”, said she softly. I kissed her rapturously, she let me kiss half-a-dozen times, and whilst doing I so took hold of her hand, and pressed it as if by accident against my cock. She a married woman knew the hard line her hand pressed against, for she moved her hand away. “Now your promise, — kiss me.” “I didn't promise.” “You took the money.” “There then”, said she giving me a kiss, and jumping up sharply, “we are going too far, — we really are now, — we don't either of us know what we are about I think.” “I don't think I do”, said I, “for though I never saw you before, I've never been so struck with a woman in my life, I'd give ten pounds to be in bed with you an hour.”
I had been putting my cock straight in my trowsers, feeling and squeezing my balls whenever I saw her looking at me. I fancied she kept looking askant at that part of my person. She was getting red in face, hot, and confused in manner. Just then I observed a bed pillow on the sofa, she had I guessed been laying down after dinner. “Why here is a pillow, — you've been on the sofa with your husband, — you have been playing at mother and father here.” She burst out into laughter. “Why I've not seen him for a week.” “Then you've been tickling by yourself.” “Tickling?” (it was said quite innocently.) “Yes between your legs.” “Oh ! really now you are a going too far sir”, said she jumping up again, “you speak too freely, — I don't like it.” Then she laughed, and said, “Wellthis—really is, — oh !”
