human
First time, dearie? Ben nodded in misery.
gpt
Ho, never mind! You're very young.
human
God damn, I'm seventeen.
gpt
Hey! No cursing and swearing, boy!--I can't abide it.... Did something happen maybe? You know--spill salt at supper? Something? She was serious, lightly worried. Ben shook his head.
human
Why, there! She pointed at his jacket tossed on a chair, a bit of his kerchief dangling from a pocket.
gpt
Swoonds, that's bad luck as ever was, she said, and rolled off the bed to push the kerchief out of sight.
human
No bloody wonder!
gpt
I'm sorry,
human
Hoo, it's a nothing, boy, happens all the time. Come again some day, she said, and could not resist a small parting cruelty:
gpt
When you're old enough.
human
Top of the evening, young man. I'm bloody mellow. Mistress Gundy patted her lips.
gpt
Going so soon? Parcel's yonder, needn't make out I'm keeping a den of thieves.
human
Thank you. Had no such thought.
gpt
No dallying with Venus? Up and off like a little bull? I'm bloody mellow or I wouldn't speak so free, but I say a bit of broad speech never hurt no one, la, besides, I lived on a farm when I was a little maid. Lord, the Surrey countryside, and I'll never see it again! She wept comfortably, and burped.
human
A'n't you waiting for your friend?
gpt
I must be going. Tell him I couldn't wait.
human
Tsha! She drank, her little finger thrust out for gentility.
gpt
Come again, do. I feel sorry for you. My weakness. She held up her free hand earnestly to detain him.
human
Understand? I feel like a mother to you, but you--you--you----
gpt
I must be going.
human
That's right, boy, turn away from an old whore. You--you--have--not--got the least notion wha's like to be old and lorn and forsaken, every man's bloo' hand raised against you. Have you? Colonial. _You_ never saw no earl, not in this Godforsaken land, marry you never. Why, one of the particular maids to 'is lady I was, and he got it in a linen-closet, now that's no lie as your nasty-spoken Irish friend would say. Understand?--the very self-same sheets 'er ladyship slep' on, the mere smell of lavender can still set me a-thinking of it, and her playing cards only two rooms away, if I'd so much as whimpered he might've been caught what they call flagrant delicious, and you think I'd do any such of a thing, loyal as I was? It shows your God-damned bloody ignorance, all the same there was a time you wouldn't've turned away.