MISTER MYSTERY RESPONDS

It had already darkened in Paris at eight o'clock in the afternoon when I moved in the wings of imagination to the home of Madame de Villeparisis, who welcomed me with open arms and invited me to enter a private room where there was a man sitting in an armchair. She introduced him to me as Papus. And although I had never heard of him, it turned out that he was a well-known occultist and hypnotist who moved in the circles of Parisian high society. He was a big man, with a long square beard, lively eyes and a somewhat fierce expression on his face. Suddenly he got up and, as if he were a feline, he began to sniff at me wrinkling his nose. Then he opened my mouth wide and I'm not sure if he tried to put his head in it or just look inside. "Have you eaten gherkins?" he asked. And Mme de Villeparisis explained to me that he could not stand gherkins, especially if they were dressed in vinegar. Then the three of us took a seat and, at his request, I explained the problem I h...

Finally we are on Thursday! A little social life will lift my spirits. I’ve dressed up thoroughly to be presentable in the salon of Mme de Villeparisis. Then I have lain in bed and closed my eyes. Immediately, the imagination has transported me to the Boulevard Saint Michel, where I met Michel Legrand, another of the regulars in Mme de Villeparisis’ salon. Seeing me with a bouquet of daisies, he has felt the need to show up also with flowers at Mme de Villeparisis’ house and, not having any florist nearby, has gotten into a fight with me to snatch the bouquet. When finally we showed up in the salon, our appearance was shameful: our jackets were torn and dirty and sprinkled with crushed daisies and we were barefooted and with ruffled hair... The hostess has played down my disheveled appearance and has been happy that I had kept my word to attend the soiree. In the course of the evening, however, my dispute with M. Legrand has continued. That asshole has spent his time throwing canapés...