The gods are business-like. They sell; they do not give. And for what they sell they demand a heavy price. We may buy life of them in many ways; with our honour, our health, our independence, our happiness; with our brains or with our hands. But somehow or other, in whatever currency we may choose to pay it, the price must be paid.
The passage from P.G. Wodehouse's "The Prince and Betty" explores the transactional nature of existence as seen through a metaphor involving gods who operate like businessmen. They provide life and opportunities, but always at a significant cost. This suggests that nothing in life is freely given, reflecting the idea that every blessing comes with its own sacrifices or prices.