Who said, "We have established your profession, now it is just a matter or price"? A French writer?

Question

I thought it was Churchill, but was corrected and was told it was a French writer, but can't find it online anywhere.

Anyone have any idea?

Sorry I meant, "just a matter OF price"!!!!

I thought it was Churchill, but was corrected and was told it was a French author, but can't find any reference online.

Anyone have any ideas??? Maybe a link to a reference?

Answer 1

Who corrected you? I've always thought it was Churchill - and I'm not alone:

"Churchill humor:

Churchill: "Madam, would you sleep with me for five million pounds?"
Socialite: "My goodness, Mr. Churchill… Well, I suppose… we would have to discuss terms, of course…"
Churchill: "Would you sleep with me for five pounds?"
Socialite: "Mr. Churchill, what kind of woman do you think I am?!"
Churchill: "Madam, we’ve already established that. Now we are haggling about the price."

But

"Anecdotal dialogue
Though some of these have been reported in many accounts of Churchill no definitive source has yet been provided for these anecdotes.
Lady Nancy Astor: Winston, if I were your wife, I'd poison your tea.
Churchill: Nancy, if I were your husband, I'd drink it.
Variant: Nancy Astor: If I were your wife, Winston, I'd poison your coffee.
Churchill: And if you were my wife, I'd drink it.
Bessie Braddock: Sir, you are drunk.
Churchill: And you, madam, are ugly. But in the morning, I shall be sober.
Variant: Winston Churchill: Madam, you are ugly
Elizabeth Braddock: Sir, you are drunk
Winston Churchill: Yes, but in the morning, I shall be sober.
Variant: Elizabeth Braddock: Mr. Churchill, you are drunk.
Churchill: And you madam, are ugly. As for my condition, it will pass by the morning. You, however, will still be ugly.
Variant: Elizabeth Braddock: Mr. Churchill, this is a disgrace. You are quite drunk.
Churchill: This may be well and true, but in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly.
Churchill: Madam, would you sleep with me for five million pounds?
Socialite: My goodness, Mr. Churchill... Well, I suppose... we would have to discuss terms, of course...
Churchill: Would you sleep with me for five pounds?
Socialite: Mr. Churchill, what kind of woman do you think I am?!
Churchill: Madam, we've already established that. Now we are haggling about the price.
(This is a very old joke where the participants vary dramatically from each telling. It's very unlikely though not impossible that the joke originated from Churchill.)

Or was it G.B. Shaw?

One of the oldest jokes in the book is about George Bernard Shaw (some say
Winston Churchill) who, during a cocktail party discussion about ethics and
integrity, asks a young socialite if she would sleep with him for a million pounds.
She thinks about it for a moment and says, “Yes,” she probably would. He says,
“Well then, would sleep with me for one pound?” Indignant, she asks, "What do
you think I am?" He replies, “We’ve already established what you are, madam.
Now we’re just haggling over the price.”

Answer 2

Certain quotes are like urban legends; they keep coming back and they get attributed to various people who are generally considered witty. Dorothy Parker admitted that many of the witty quotes attributed to her were not really hers. Yogi Berra said "I never said everything I said." This quote is one of those that is widely attributed but without certainty. The person I hear most often is Shaw. I have never heard of it being a French author, but why not? Personally I don't even think it's real.

Answer 3

I'm pretty darn sure that it was Shaw (though is has been attributed to Churchill and (!) Oscar Wilde [seeing as he was gay, I do not find it likely]). The following is the most common form of the quote.

"Madam, we have established that--now we are just haggling over the price."

Answer 4

Sorry I can't help, but it was a very good phrase.
Everybody has a price.
I'll do some searches and get back if I can.

Edit - I couldn't find anthing, but found Johnslat's answer very good. Have you tried quotationring.net ?

Answer 5

I think that was just an old joke. I've heard various versions of it, but I never heard it originated with anyone famous.

Answer 6

It sounds like something from 1984 or maybe even Anthem.

Answer 7

Two possible answers. Quel est? and Qu'est-ce que? What is your name? Quel est votre nom? (comment vous appelez-vous?). What time is it? Quelle heure est-il? What is it? Qu'est-ce que c'est? What is the meaning of...? Quelle est la signification de...? or Que signifie...? Qu'est-ce que ça veut dire...?