to look
so white by contrast. The street-door was close to a street-lamp, which
shed a strong light on her face as it was turned upwards, and with
her hand and arms folded behind her she lolled, her back against the
doorpost. She was a full-sized woman, but young, and exactly what
pleased me then; black and white, young and full of flesh. I stopped,
and gazed at her. She fixed her eyes vacantly on me, but neither moved
nor spoke to me.

There were gay women standing at doors not far off, common men also at
some stood smoking. They understood the habits of the neighbourhood, and
never took any notice when a strange man and woman talked together at
a door. I did not like to speak to a woman if others, or men were near,
and would at times walk about till the coast was clearer. But this girl
struck me with strong lust suddenly. "I'll give you a shilling to feel,"
said I. No answer, but she kept staring at me. "Half-acrown then,"
thinking my offer too small, and stepping inside the passage to get
out of sight. "Come in," I said. She made no reply, never took her back
quite from the wall; but turning herself round, continued looking at me,
her head slightly moving about as if she did not understand.

Staggered at this behaviour I was coming out again to leave, but her
lovely look fixed me. "I'll give you five shillings," said I, "to have
you." "Have me," said she, "have me what?" Her voice was thick and
broken. She turned into the passage. "Will you let me have you?" "Come
and fuck," said the husky, thick voice. She passed me, stepped heavily
into the room, staggered to the bed, and then I saw she was drunk. I
had not noticed it before, being absorbed in her fleshy beauty, and the
desire to see her cunt, and all of her, and join my body to hers.

There was a single candle in the room, fluttering, and needing snuffing,
but no snuffers. I snuffed it with my fingers. The room was in disorder,
the pot full, water in the basin, the bed unmade, the whole place the
picture of disorderly, drunken, harlotry. A nightgown was, lying on the
floor, clean linen on a little table. It looked so miserable, that I
thought I would go away at once, so took out five shillings, and laid
it down. "There is the money," I said, "I shant stop." "Come and fuck,"
said she in reply, rolling on to the bed, and pulling up her clothes.
She had but a gown on, nothing else. Thighs and legs as white and fat
as her neck came into sight, and a thicket of hair