The World of Courtesans c11.111

c11.111

A strumpet was telling her mother that one of her lovers was inside the house, the second waited outside and the third had just arrived. She wanted to know what she ought to do in such a case. The night was long, and the lusty young men visiting her were quite new to the game. What was she to do? A girl unable to find a client was ashamed of herself and told the rest that she did not accept fees (*bhati*) for fear of the Muslim singers (*Mlechchha gayanah*) who wandered the streets. Some of the women feigned headache and stomachache to avoid the lovers they did not want to meet. Bawds sang the praises of those generous clients from whom they expected permanent benefit, so the clients had to increase their gifts tenfold to match the wealth of new visitors.