Under the red robe

A bustling tavern in the shadow of St. Jacques sets the stage for a tense confrontation between a razor‑sharp gambler and a brash young Englishman. When accusations of marked cards erupt, the atmosphere crackles with sarcasm, pride, and the threat of a duel that the Cardinal has explicitly forbidden. The seasoned Frenchman, de Berault, navigates the crowd with a cold smile, while the Marquis watches, torn between honor and the law.

Outside, rain slicks the cobbled streets and the city’s undercurrents stir as the parties slip into a narrow alley behind the church. The night’s chill and the presence of a lurking guard hint at danger, while a strange tailor’s unexpected arrival adds a note of uneasy mystery. Listeners are drawn into a world of gambling, grudges, and the fragile balance between reputation and survival, all poised on the edge of a fateful encounter.