One street flowed into another, there were more and more passers-by: thickly made-up girls walking in small groups and giggling nervously, imposingly flanking young people with gold watches on chains in the latest fashion, well-worn gentlemen with impressive bellies and young charmers hanging on their elbows fit for a daughter.

There were screams and laughter from the bars. Barkers invited to "great mystical performances that chill the blood" and smiled broadly with mouths with crooked protruding artificial fangs.

I have never seen such a city, in splendor and crazy lights. We dove a couple of short alleys, and as we stepped out into the light of a lantern, we heard...