"But this Hemingway stuff is what really has me down." "A gag," I said. "An old, old gag." "Who is this Hemingway person at all?" "A guy that keeps s… - Raymond Chandler

“Who is this Hemingway person at all?”
“A guy that keeps saying the same thing over and over until you begin to believe it must be good.”
“That must take a hell of a long time,” the big man said.

The living room was still dark, because of the heavy growth of the shrubbery the owner had allowed to mask the windows. I put a lamp on and mooched a cigarette. I lit it. I stared down at him. I rumpled my hair which was already rumpled. I put the old tired grin on my face.

She was a cute as a washtub.

You can have a hangover from other things than alcohol. I had one from women. Women made me sick.