Ruby

[Terrance]

jbor wrote:
> 
> ----------
> >From: Terrance <lycidas2 at earthlink.net>
> 
> > So now, Paola works as a prostitute under the assumed name,
> > Ruby.
> 
> Well, no, she threatens to leave McLintic and work as a prostitute (291.23
> and 300.6), but apparently her "telepathic flashes" that his
> near-unfaithfulness with Eunice at the party went unconsummated keep her
> there for him. 

Well, I'm not so sure I disagree, although I think  the
wife/whore/virgin/woman/girl theme requires this in a sense,
remember that the novel opens with *certain* sailor's wives
turned barmaid hookers and Paola is working there, but your
explanation doesn't seem right either.  

She is in a friendly rooming (and in a sense cat) house run
by one one Matilda Winthrop..." 

In any sense I know of,  a cat house is house of
prostitution. 

What does "(in a sense) mean? 

An important question is, why has she left the Rachel and
the sick crew? 

I think she says she is considering street walking, that
would be a prostitute also, but she would not be cooped up
in the cat house, like a fairy tale virgin. This girls likes
change and odyssey.  

McClintic thinks, "now nobody goes and falls in love with a
prostitute..." 

So he seems to think she is a prostitute and he shouldn't
fall in love with her. 

Later, it seems clear that Matilda is running a cat house,
she is  a madam, managing a brothel, but I guess she could
also be running a flop house for girls.