Page:Edward Prime-Stevenson - The Intersexes.djvu/508

 hotel is ever a really "private" place. Clearly in other premises of it than the particular room hired what goes on is "under public circumstances." The prostitute sometimes uses this idea in blackmail against a stranger with whom he has gone to some hotel; he even changes the room. A knowledge of such devices and of law-codes would save homosexual men anxiety and many a skirmish: as would also would be useful the remembrance that the Italian law, like the French, in trying a blackmailer and in punishing him, does not concern itself much with questions of the relations that the parties have had. The matter to be decided is the blackmailing. The victim is not a criminal in consequence of his conduct—relatively construed.

Impudent "terrorizing" by leverage of social opinion, can be continued when wide of the place where the incidents basing it may have occurred. Here is an example. A few years ago, a young Hew York banker of homosexual tastes, when in Venice entered into relations with a young Venetian. For some weeks such intimacy subsisted; the Italian being a passivist. The American then continued his journey. The parting was perfectly friendly; and, by the by, no great pecuniary douceurs passed between them, the young ephebus not demanding them. The American went to Sorrento—which pleasant resort sometimes offers much venal homosexualism, like Amalfi and Capri. His Venetian friend was kind enough to give him a line of introduction to another pleasant-mannered prostitute in Sorrento. The American utilized this acquaintance also. After this, he returned to New York. Within a few weeks, he received a visit from a third (unknown) Italian, residing in Hew York. He made a demand on the banker for a "loan" of fifty dollars. This favour was urged, indicating that the banker's social well-being lay in compliance; as otherwise his relationships with Vasco G— in Venice,