Page:Des Grieux, The Prelude to Teleny.djvu/123

 one day, as a great secret, that girls had no birdie as we had.

"No, of course they haven't" quoth I, proud to show my own knowledge, "they have a pussy instead."

"A what?" asked he, astonished.

"Why, a pussy with lots of hair."

He burst out in a loud fit of laughter, tickled at that peculiar idea of mine.

I felt hurt to see him laugh so foolishly and remonstrated with him, but all I said was in vain.

"No, no," said he, "you are wrong, you can call their little hole a pussy if you like, still you maybe sure that they have no hair."

I looked at him superciliously, and was about to walk away.

"What they have," continued he, "is a big bum behind, and another little one in front, but no fur."

I would not vouchsafe any explanation as to where I had got my knowledge, for although I had never seen what women have between their legs, still I had felt the bushy hair, and that was enough for me.