SARAH: We're still here at Cormeilles en Parisis station, but the scenery has changed slightly!

PAUL: Indeed! But do you hear all that noise? It sounds like a celebration... Let's go and see.

As soon as they leave the station, the two creditors are confronted with an astonishing sight. The whole of Paris seems to be in the streets, waving flags, kissing, smiling, laughing, crying...

Sarah catches a passer-by.

SARAH: Excuse me, my good man, we've just arrived. What's all this?

MAN: But it's the end of the war! We've won! Our sons are coming home.

PAUL: War? But with whom?

MAN: With the Germans, at last! What era are you from?

SARAH: Forgive my friend, he's a bit confused! Long live the end of the war!

The man walks away, all euphoric.

PAUL: Come on, we can't hear each other talk anymore. Let's go into that bar and think about how we can find Balzac.

SARAH: Good idea.

The two creditors enter the town bar. What a surprise to see their man sitting there playing cards!

BALZAC: That, gentlemen, is how you play poker!

PLAYER 1: I don't believe it! How does he always win?

PLAYER 2: I'm sure he's cheating!

BALZAC: Not at all!

PLAYER 3: Really? In that case, let's see your sleeves!

The three men stand up, ready to do battle. Balzac rises to his feet, very uncomfortable. He catches sight of the creditors out of the corner of his eye, which unsettles him even more. So he quickly grabs the machine and disappears!

PLAYER 2: How? What's happened?

SARAH: Don't worry, my friends! This man's a magician, but he's also a crafty one! He owes us money and we've been chasing him ever since.

PLAYER 1: What a crook! Cheating like that!

PLAYER 3: Even the government didn't try to cheat like that!

The three men burst out laughing.

PAUL: What are you talking about?

PLAYER 1: Haven't you heard of the government's strategy to protect itself from the bombings?

SARAH: No...

PLAYER 3: Look, I've still got the plan!

He shows the two men a piece of paper. The man awkwardly lets the paper slip as the creditors lean over it. Paul bends down to pick it up and realizes that Balzac has forgotten his briefcase! He grabs it, determined to track down any clues to the famous author's whereabouts. On the table, he also picks up the empty deck of cards, from which a note is protruding.

I'm donating this deck of cards that belonged to Honoré de Balzac to the Musée de la Carte à Jouer of Issy les Moulineaux, 2018.

PAUL: Look! Balzac still had his deck of cards in his hand. Maybe he went to give it to this museum.

SARAH: Musée de la carte à jouer, Issy les Moulineaux, 2018...

A flash of light illuminates the bar again. The disappearance of the two figures leaves their three interlocutors speechless.

Photo credits: ville-cormeilles95.fr