Picrate et Siméon

The story erupts on a bustling Parisian boulevard near the Saint‑Lazare station, where a rattling carriage careens down the sidewalk, its driver a limping, one‑legged figure desperate to stay upright. Passersby shout for help, a pastry chef is knocked over, a dog barks furiously, and a crowd gathers like a flock of startled sheep. The chaos is both comic and frightening as the man—later identified as Picrate—fights to keep control of his runaway vehicle, crashing into a newspaper stand and scattering the day’s headlines.

Amid the turmoil, a municipal sergeant steps forward, his calm demeanor contrasting sharply with Picrate’s raging tirade. The two exchange sharp words, the sergeant demanding order while Picrate threatens to bring the law to heel, even invoking the name of his notorious rival Siméon. Their tense dialogue hints at deeper rivalries and a world of street‑level power games that will shape the rest of the tale.