The Wedding of Mephistopheles

IV

The next day the customer came into the store. She apologized as much as she could, and I decided to continue working with her only out of the kindness of my heart.

"Yesterday I had so many preparations ..." she explained to me watching the materials. I became convinced that it was in fact a funeral.

"But you know that if... you need that outfit in a few days..."

"Oh, no." She turned her round eyes on me suddenly. Then she dropped them back onto the fabrics. "He's not dead yet."

She had never spoken so directly about it before. I nodded stiffly and got to work.

Her body was proportionate and delicate. If anyone ever decided to take a picture of my clothes, I'd ask her to pose.

Today she seemed no longer chagrined or nervous, but genuinely excited. That was... strange.

We made an appointment for the next meeting. I took the materials and designs home with the intention of forcing myself to work.

As I entered, I noticed a beige note on the kitchen counter. Enfer's business card from yesterday. I shook my head slightly and went straight to the bedroom, the atelier. I've decided not to make myself dinner until I've done at least some of my scheduled work. I could forgot about reading.

A few days later, on Sunday, an article appeared in the newspaper about the death of La Monnaie, the owner of the Credit Mutuel bank. I knew it meant trouble, because that's where I put my savings. La Monnaie managed the bank efficiently, but it was not clear who his successor was.

As predicted, my finances were partially absorbed during the turmoil at Credit Mutuel's positions. It was a big scandal, of course, but there wasn't much a common man like me could do about it. It was a hard time for all his clients.

Although I owned a shop, I had no intention of selling it.

The next week I decided to go to the casino. Well.

My luck with gambling has been varied. I haven't played much since buying the store, but my situation called for desperate measures.

I dressed smartly as if I was going to the opera. The casino was nearby. It was not appropriate to go on foot, but I didn't care. Up the granite steps, through the open oak door and the red curtain pushed aside...

At the table to the right sat none other than Émile Enfer. Anna Morue was resting on his knee, embracing him by the neck.
Nothing could surprise me at this point. Nothing at all. I walked over to the table and said good morning.

When he saw me, Enfer's face lit up with a smile.

"Mr. Aiguille! Please, sit down."

I sat down, resigned.

"Anna, didn't you tell this gentleman that we knew each other?" He looked at her tilting his head up.

"I don't think so." She kept looking at me. "I thought you'd tell him."

"Oh, you see" his blue, half-closed and seemingly sleepy eyes pierced me through. "Miss Morue is an actress in my play"

"Is she?" Nothing could surpsrise me.

"Yeah. I've heard of Credit Mutuel." He shook his head disapprovingly and smacked his lips. "Customers apparently don't matter to them"

"Apparently yes." I already knew what he was up to.

"Do you remember my business card?"

"I do."

"What would you say to an additional source of income?"

"I'd love to... take it." I mumbled.

"So I thought! Oh, and by the way-" He leaned across the table and motioned for me to do the same. "-If you started the game today, you'd lose all your money," he winked at me.

"How do you know?"

Enfer leaned back in his chair with satisfaction written all over his face.

"I just know things like that."