RANSVESTIA

dance floor in open invitation. She gave a sensuous little twitch now and then and I could see several guys at the bar watching Ray and ready to punce if he passed it up. With an effort, he did and she disappeared promptly with a young Teuton, all blonde hair, blue eyes and erect posture.

"Romy Pohlman was here with Arthur Bellamy," Ray yelled into my ear. I was leaning forward to catch his words. "And she's here two or three times a week. We'll just have to wait until she shows."

I'd already agreed to that which was why I didn't want to dance. I didn't want to be caught out on the boisterous dance floor if or when Romy Pohlman decided to put in an appearance. The "boite" was becoming more crowded by the moment, too, and the booth that Ray and I had had to ourselves was invaded by a crowd of young people. They all wore heavy eyemakeup, both the men and the women, and they spoke affected English in which every other expression seemed to be, "How divinely decadent, darling!"

I looked to Gerhard. He was put out, by and large, but not overly shocked. While I, of course, was unshockable. I turned on my bored act with the little group, and they soon ignored us, too, lapsing into Parisian French, spoken with the veracity of a native to the city.

I was about to suggest to Ray that we call it a day since it was over an hour past midnight when he suddenly poked me in the ribs with a sharp elbow. I looked towards the bar but the smoke haze had become so intense that I could hardly see a thing.

"That's Romy's crowd!" Gerhard yelled in my ear. "Arthur Bellamy and the Countess von Lister!"

I got up and pushed my way out from the booth. When I stand and draw myself up to my full height, people usually clear out of the way. They did it this time, too. One look at my grim face seemed to be enough for most. Ray's blonde friend gave me a little smile and whispered something in my direction but I didn't catch it.

Arthur Bellamy was half-standing by the bar, his frizzy Afro resting on the shoulder of the Countess who was nearly as tall as me. She gave me a sardonic, little smile from her precisely outlined, red