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A Parisian Friendship Ben looked outside his Parisian townhouse and noted the refined woman standing by the doorway, the very one who had made his dinner party the other evening such a tremendous success. With all her riches she was plainly dressed, and unattended. He opened the door, and gave her his most engaging smile that made a conquest of most woman. Come in my dear Countess, please do sit down. he said. She ignored his confusion with her title, as she was one of the most titled woman in France, that was common. Dear Ben, you may call me by my second birth name which is Genevieve. In fact my closest friends call me Jenny, it is a name like the simple life that I try to lead. What honor then dear Jenny, brings you back to my humble house today? My dear friend, as you are one of the most intelligent men that I have had the pleasure to meet I wish to share my secret with you, and ask for some advice. I also wish to warn you that my network of spies have informed me that they are publishing an account of your kissing me last night at your dinner party and begging me to spend the night with you, when you called me your Goddess. I will admit to serving too much of your countries outstanding vintage, we were all a little drunk. Who then is this traitor, for surly it was me that they were attacking, your reputation remains unblemished my dear Countess. I have an idea who the bug was, in fact they wrote from the viewpoint of a louse on my dress, as indeed journalists often take that opinion of themselves. Well, since I could ascertain that you knew the truth concerning me, as you are a gentleman of science, I wish to take you into my confidence. An privilege my great Lady. Dear Ben, I am neither male nor female but I see myself as a third sex, a eunuch. Honi soit qui mal y pense. (Shame to him who thinks evil of it) I am moved that you would share that with me. Even with your glasses off, you knew. Yes, I suppose that I did, although anatomy is not one of my principle interests. If only I could find a surgeon here in Paris I would have the castration rendered tomorrow but as I am such a public figure, there is not only the medical risk, but my reputation as well. Yes, I can see where it might scar you. Perhaps in your city of Philadelphia there exists such a surgeon? No, dear Jenny off hand I cant recall of any, conceivably there is one such doctor, but for you to risk crossing the Atlantic, and you would still be an enormous celebrity in Philadelphia. You are the talk of the world here in Europe, and we are not such a back water as you might think. No matter, in my collection of books there are several about the herbs that crush mens desires. I use them as I continue to tell the tale that I was a girl who raised as a boy because of my fathers aspirations for me. And such a distinguished career as a man you had Jenny, officer, diplomat, and spy. I hope like you that history will make note of my accomplishments, and not my sexuality. I am sure that it will, Ben. Now I dress simply as a woman because it allows me to get closer to God and to continue to preserve my virginity, not many men are interested in a 50 year old virgin, yet woman have always flirted with me when I presented myself as a man. I wish just to live an unhampered life full of scholarship and religious devotion, unfettered by sex. I never believed that you took any of the gossip about yourself too seriously. Of course not, my true desire is my castration, and spending the rest of my life as a eunuch. As I mentioned before there are other ways. I have books from the Persians on such concerns. I have heard that you have one of the finest collections in France. Yes, that is correct. I would love to borrow anything you might have about a special interest of mine. What is that, my dear friend? Oh a project that I have been working on for a long time. It could help you perhaps as well, if I can perfect it, ah but it would be very dangerous at this time, when I return to America I will work on my idea. What is it Ben? I have been speculating about using string and metal as a conductor to perform surgery, the problem is obtaining the electricity. I do possess a book with reference to the Persians using electrical batteries to carry out electroplating, I would gladly lend it to you, and any additional treatise that you would care to borrow. I would not feel right about borrowing your books unless you accept my drawing card in exchange, so you retain an account of the valuable works that I have borrowed from your collection. If you insist, although I have trusted you with my secret which I hope to take to my death bed, so I will gladly lend you any book you wish. Perhaps I will take the liberty to borrow several books then. In fact that is a splendid inspiration, a lending liberty for the public, no that sounds too French for my friends in Philadelphia. Perhaps I should call it a lending library. Ben, you have so many commendable ideas. Well, let me labor on the notion of electrical surgery. I think its the key to your predicament. I must go now, or there may truly be talk that we are having an affair, I will have a servant send over the books you desire. Goodbye my dear Chevalier d Eon, its been a pleasure. Au revoir, Monsieur Benjamin Franklin. I consider you now one of my most trusted friends. Note: Although this conversation is fiction, much of the rest of the story is not.