“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!”
I didn’t say anything so he continued to meditate and think aloud, ending with a huge sigh and a fatalistic, “Well, we know what this Mademoiselle from Gay Paree is anyway! After hearin’ so much about her, it’s a surprise to find her livin’ up to expectations. She was a red hot cutie, alright alright.”
We spent an uncomfortable afternoon. Ben’s appetite had been aroused and he wanted to chase after every woman we met. Two or three accosted us openly, and Ben would try half-heartedly to make a trade, but knowing that I wouldn’t go with him, he didn’t work up much zeal over any of them. None were as pretty as the first, anyway.