Page:Edward Prime-Stevenson - The Intersexes.djvu/507

 the young rascal's charge. The circumstances had not been "public,"—to say nothing of the impossibility of the prostitute's proving a case in a court. "But the Villa is a public place, any part of it!"—insisted the other, who knew the text of Italian law better than his victim. "Pay me fifty lire, or I will also accuse you of having attempted me—forced me—though I resisted"—and so on. The Englishman, now very nervous (as several passers were in earshot and a sicnrezza not far) took advantage of a tram coming by him. He escaped to it, though his adversary sent a volley of abuse after him that made the passengers look at him. But the end was not there. In course of a week, he received a threatening visit from the young man, who had found out his name and address. The Englishman unwillingly went to a legal friend and stated enough of the facts to receive advice. He learned that although the.Villa gardens, like many others were indeed "public" places, just as is some lonely impasse, or a spot in the Campagna—nevertheless the fact of his having met his tormentor in the Villa on a day when, as was the fact, the same was not open to the public (as on other days) would be a sufficient defence, in any well-disposed court. The other charge was absurd. Fortified with this advice, he met his adversary scornfully on his second call, and so put him out of countenance, that the scamp went away silenced. The Englishman never had a word from him again, though he often saw him.

In Milan, Rome, Florence, Naples, Paris, Brussels, Geneva, many hotels of low grade, but clean enough, are used for homosexual appointments; or for ending-up the adventure of an evening. Any rented hotel-room is a legally "a private place". If no open scandal occur in it, the guests in it have a right to do what they please, so long as they are by themselves. Nevertheless, Italian courts have questioned if a