Once upon a time, there was a sculptor who made a deal with the devil. He had not meant to do so. Indeed, he had no idea that the devil was anything other than an ordinary customer, come to his workshop to admire his work and his models, and haggle… Read more »
It was a damp, chilly day, just after Christmas, and those who were unfortunate enough still to be out in it were walking briskly, heads down and hands huddled into their coat pockets, eager to return to their homes. A few people were still out and about near the… Read more »
Paris can be terribly humid in June. The temperatures are not so very high, but there are days when the air itself becomes oppressive, sucking energy from one’s body with every step. Inevitably, it is always on such days when the rubbish collectors choose to go on strike, rendering… Read more »
Neither of the LeBruns have ever been particularly artistically inclined. Madame’s mémère did fine embroidery, and had tried to teach her granddaughter, but Madame had never had the patience to learn. Nor did she have a gift for painting, though she quite liked pottery, the one time she tried… Read more »
Paris is all apartments, really. Very nice apartments, in some cases – positively luxurious, if you live in the wealthier arondissements, the 16th, say, or the 8th. And there are some lovely places in the Latin Quarter or the Marais, or the up near the Canal Saint Martin in… Read more »
It was a sunny Friday in late summer, and Elaine had taken the day off work so that she could spend the afternoon at the zoo with her nephew while her sister rested. Nadine was in the late stages of pregnancy, and was finding it increasingly difficult to keep up… Read more »
There is another city under Paris. No, I’m not speaking of the Metro, with its trains, slow and fast, ferrying thousands of people across the city to work or play. (The residents of this city rarely take the Metro.) Nor am I speaking of the famous city of the… Read more »
Please don’t be afraid. I’m not actually a monster. Well, perhaps I am a monster. I know that princesses are not supposed to look like this. But you’re quite safe. Do I look like I have eaten any children today? Exactly. You’d know if I had. Listen, you applied for… Read more »
The first time Elaine saw the carved wooden door, she thought it was an ad. Glimpsed from the corner of her eye as she hurried down yet another set of stairs at République on her way to work, it looked like one of the ubiquitous posters on the walls of… Read more »
July, 1847 “I’m saying that it doesn’t matter what a man has stolen. The fact of the matter is that in choosing to steal, he is deciding that his desires are more important than another man’s rights. And this makes him dangerous.” “But my dear Inspector, surely that is taking… Read more »