We had no language to express ourselves, but one of our
own. We were absolutely innocent, and sweetly sympathetic with
every beast. I don't think we ever connected their affairs with
those of human beings, but as I do not remember the time when I
did not know all about the actual facts of sex and reproduction,
I presume I learned it all in that way, and life never had any
surprises for me in that direction. Though I saw many sights that
a child should not have seen, while running about wild, I never
gave them a thought; all animals great and small from rabbits to
men had the same customs, all natural and right. My initiation
here was, in my eyes, as nearly perfect as a child's should be. I
never asked grown people questions. I thought all those in charge
of me coarse and untruthful and I disliked all ugly things and
suggestions.
"Every half-holiday I went out with the boys from my brothers'
school. They always liked me to play with them, and, though not
pleasant-tongued boys, were always civil and polite to me. I
organized games and fortifications that they would never have
imagined for themselves, led storming parties, and instituted
some rather dangerous games of a fighting kind.
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