“Holy Jemima!” exclaimed Ben. “Where the hell are we? Am I hearin’ things?” “Ten francs,” repeated the sister of the streets. “Now ye’re talking, baby,” Ben burst in again. “I wouldn’t give twenty-five francs to the Queen of Sheba, but ten francs ain’t so bad fer a queen like you.” “Too much money for me,” I reiterated. “What do you do with all your money, mam’selle?” “Oo la la ... must pay my room ... must eat, buy clothes.” “Huh—” observed Ben, “chargin’ prices like that you must sleep in the Tuileries, eat all the time an’ not wear nothing but diamond studded gold pants.” The mademoiselle didn’t like the sarcasm. “You make jokes wis me!” she told him. “You make jokes wis my business!” I think she began to suspect that she hadn’t made a trade. Anyway, Ben piped up promptly and told her, “Business? Say, you ain’t no business—you’re a whole damned industry!... Now, if ya got any business sense atall, which maybe you ain’t, you’ll take my small contribution to the cause and let the next man pay the rent.” “What zis?” “I said, why not take me and be satisfied for once in your life. You can’t go wrong, sister: fifty thousand women can’t be wrong!” She didn’t get him, but I did. What a boast! All she said was, “I don’t like beeg men! I like your frien’.” “Will ya take five francs and be happy?” Ben again. She looked at me. “Ooo la la—I like heem ... yes.” Ben was discouraged. “Go ahead, Leony. I’ll see you later.” “But, my frien’ weel like you ... she likes beeg mans!” “Combien?” “Cinq francs ... if I esplain to her.” Ben beamed again. “She better be good lookin’ an’ young, mam’selle, or I’ll take it outa yer hide!” Gee, the abuse these women stand! He was all ready to accompany the solicitous young thing, but I was panic-stricken and wouldn’t budge. “Come, Leony. That’s fair enough fer a good lookin’ girl like her.” “Naw—you go ahead, Ben. I wouldn’t spend even five francs for that!” I had to say something strong. That did the trick. She was really insulted now. “You piker!” she spit at me. “What you want ... I should pay you anyway?... Nevaire wis a woman in your life! Bah!” And she turned away, shook her head emphatically when Ben asked again, “How about me?” and flounced around the corner out of sight. Ben looked after her for a moment, shook his head sadly. Then he remembered what had happened and turned to glare and growl at me. “What the hell’s the matter with you, Leony? God almighty, ya can’t expect to get anythin’ decent fer nothin’ in a place like this!” “Aw, Ben, I don’t care anything about going with a woman like that,” I told him. “Well, I don’t know what kind of a woman you would go with, if you don’t like that!” “I don’t either,” I admitted frankly. “And she liked you, too.... Gosh, but you’re an awful damn fool sometimes!”