Le Bossu: Aventures de Cape et d'Épée. Volume 2

In a lively inn at Nevers, a parade of aristocrats, swash‑buckling friends, and curious onlookers gathers around an astonishing figure—a hunchback dressed in immaculate black, his clever eyes flashing beneath a flamboyant wig. The crowd’s chatter turns to admiration and bewilderment as he steps forward, his presence both theatrical and oddly commanding.

The mysterious man, known only as Ésope, produces a heavy purse of state notes and makes a swift, generous payment to the inn’s keeper, prompting gasps and whispered speculation. While some grin at the spectacle, others, like the thoughtful Gonzague, sense a deeper game afoot, as the hunchback’s boldness hints at a hidden agenda. The scene sets the stage for a tangled web of intrigue, daring schemes, and the sparkling camaraderie of Cape and Épée’s adventurous companions.