And now, a segue!

“I didn’t cause any trouble or break anything,” Marie protested. “But listen!”

And Asmodeus did. He raised the bottle to his lips and took a long draught of the dark rum. This was shaping up to be one of Marie’s typical stories and would certainly require a little more alcohol. He was only half-listening and enjoying a deliciously burning mouthful of distilled molasses, imagining soft fabric remnants and softer flesh, when he heard Marie grind out what must certainly be the German word for assassination. And circus. But assassination! He very nearly choked on his spirits. It could be that Marie misread the missive, or perhaps it’s absolutely none of their business, but the mention of a circus seemed to hint otherwise. Theirs was the only circus in town of which Asmodeus was aware. However his last few brilliant ideas seemed to grate on Asmodeus’ decisiveness, and he did not trust things to go as he saw them in his head. Better he should leave circus business to a higher power. With another swig and a deadpan expression, Asmodeus stared down at Marie. “Well now, I do know what it means and I can assure you it has nothing to do with dung, though it reeks as bad. I believe you should tell your story to Colette.” Marie made face and pranced from one foot to the other as if to protest, but Asmodeus immediately set her at her ease. “Not to worry, Marie. You’re in no trouble; perhaps just the opposite. Come along, then.” Bare-chested and suspendered, he grabbed his coat and hat and made for the ringmaster’s cabin, Marie at his side.

Without so much as a knock, Asmodeus threw open the door and strode the breadth of the room, passing through long shafts of light thrown upon the posh, carpeted floors by the dawn sun, making a beeline for the ornately decorated cabinet wherein bottles of amber-hued liquids would reside. Peering inside he called over his shoulder, “Good morning illustrious leader. Fancy a finger or two of rum, put some color into those cheeks? By the bye, our little Marie has something singular you may wish to hear. Go ahead and tell her what you told me.” And Marie related her tale anew.