give the
children something to eat about this time." "Come here, or I won't give
you the shillings." We resumed our positions. "Are you sure she has
never had a man?" "Never, she's such a _foule_,--she says she'd like to,
and she'd like the money, and yet she won't,--she is _such_ a _foule_."
"How long have _you_ done it?" "Only since we have lived this side of
the water, after father died." "How many men have you had?" "I shan't
say,--I don't recollect,--it arn't no business of yourn,--you don't
like me." "Yes I like you, but I won't tell,--no it isn't a dozen,--I
shan't say who first did it,--I shan't then,--it isn't a dozen,--yes I
am quite sure, I don't think it's ten, but it may be about that, I think
it's eight,--they didn't all do it to me, no they didn't,--one on em
only put his hands up my clothes, and went off in a minute; another
pulled up my clothes, and looked at me, and then he--" She stopped, and
I could not get her to say what, so promised her another shilling. "I
don't know what he did." "Frig himself?" "I don't know what you call
it,--yes he did that," said the girl bursting into a roar of laughter
when I showed her the operation. "I looked at him, and he went away
without speaking,--he only gave me half-a-crown; but an old gentleman
one day gave me a gold bit of ten shillings." She began counting on her
fingers. I thought she was reckoning her gains, she was a long time at
it, doing it over and over again; at length, "It's seven," said she.
"What?" "Gentlemen,--you make eight."

"Your little friend is too young," said I. "She is fourteen, but shorter
than me." "Has she any hair on her cunt?" "You can just see some coming,
and it's black." "She is dirty." "No she ain't, but she was till she
knew me,--she can't help her clothes being dirty, but she mends em,--how
I wish I had nice clothes like the gals about at night, and like
gentlefolks!" said Kitty in a sort of ecstacy, and then tossed up
half-a-crown, and caught it.

I began to long for the other girl, and told her she might bring her the
next day, that she should have three and sixpence, and her friend the
same, and more if I did it. Kitty went off agreeing to meet me with her
if their mothers were out, but if not, the day after, all depended on
their mothers' absence. She would listen to the church-clock, and as it
struck three she would leave; it was only by listening that she knew the
time. She would put by a penny for the bridge-toll; general