Claude had become a different person. It had been six months since he saw any of the gypsy. He was secluded most of the time, he was kinder, and most of all dismal. He had lost his edge since the gypsy had gone, all of Paris was different. He hadn't seen her or heard of her. But he thought of her, every time he could he tried to picture her soft face, her seductive body, and her angelic voice. He had been trying to change the sinners with compassion, rejecting violence.
He left his room to get some fresh air. He walked among the average citizens, he was finally at peace, no obsessions reeling through his mind. He passed shops and people all merrily enjoying their lives. Then he heard the sound of an animal. He looked down to his feet to find a small black cat. It purred and rubbed against his leg. He took it in his arms "Your sweet aren't you?" he caressed the soft animal and walked on. He heard a voice singing, it was strikingly familiar, but it was drenched in sadness and pain. The cat jumped out of his hands. He followed it and the voice became stronger, it felt so surreal to him. The world around him disappeared at this melancholy song. He turned a corner and his heart stopped.
There stood the angel, he hadn't seen in what seemed to be a lifetime. She had changed greatly. She was once a strong, happy woman, now she seemed nothing but a ghost of her former self. Her clothes were thin, torn, and revealing. Her face was cover in sadness that burned deep into her soul. "My God above, what has happened to this angel?" were the only words Claude to conjure up. He stepped closer she had no tambourine, no jingling charms, and almost no cloth covering her massive poitrine.
Claude stepped back as a man took her by the wrist "Singing? What the hell do you think your doing, that's not going to attract customers!" A rather ragged man stood before her peering at her with cold eyes. "I, I'm sorry Monsieur Dubois, I was just…" she was viscously cut off. "You were trying to get out of working you filthy whore!" He snarled clamping down on her wrist. "Please Maitre, your hurting me, I, I don't like doing this job please!" She squeaked. "That's not the only thing that's going to be hurting if you don't start making money! Tonight at the brothel, you'll be the star of the show!" he said placing a slobbering kiss on her cheek. Claude's head went reeling "Customers? Whore? Brothel? How could Esmeralda be a…" he watched the man walk away. He went over to her.
"I thought your song was beautiful." Claude said kneeling down to her level. "Thank you Monsieur, but that wont get me out of trouble with Maitre." She said. Claude was amazed, she had no idea who he was. "If you want to come to the brothel, I-it's down that street. Good day Monsieur." she said stuttering and running off. Claude was heartbroken, how could this have happened to such an angel. He was back, dragged into his thirst for her, it had a choke hold on him. The sights the sounds and the feelings of Esmeralda flooded back into him like a mighty river. He knew this passion was never going to leave him and nothing would douse the flames of his lust and love.
It was night all was calm. Claude sat in his study driven mad. All that was on his mind was the gypsy. He tried to resist but he had to go to the brothel, he had to see her again. He walked out of his study and into the smoldering June night. He walked through the streets to find the brothel, and he saw another familiar face. Capitan Phoebus was in the street with a whore, probably without his wife's knowledge. Fleur-de-Lys had also changed. She was now pregnant, she had calmed down since the news of her baby and was more trusting of Phoebus. He came upon the establishment. The thick smell of perfume, alcohol and sin filled the air.
He walked in and sat down at a table. "Why hello there, why don't you say you come to the back with me. There's nothing special out here" a whore said pulling his hair. "I am fine thank you." he said snuffing her off. The man from before entered the stage with a ghastly grin on his face. "Good evening gents! Tonight I will present to you a delicate rose from a far away land! If you stare to long the Gods will steal your eyes!" he walked of the stage. "May I present to you…La Esmeralda!" her pulled her out, dressed in a sheer and red Bedlah. He untied the cloth he used to cover her eyes. "Dance my beauty!" he yelled. She fell to the ground shaking. "Do you see the breasts on that one!' a man said the back. "They're huge and those lovely hips! Wouldn't mind banging her!" another man jeered.
Esmeralda was paralyzed with fear. "What's the matter you damn whore! Get up and dance!" he shouted at her. "I, I can't I'm sorry!" she cried. He pulled her up by the hair. "You wouldn't want to spend another night in the cellar would you? Where no one can hear you!" he threatened. "No please anything but that!" she yelped. He ripped off her top to show all the men her colossal chest. She gripped herself and cried in shame. He went to rip her skirt off. All of Claude's body was an inferno, he could not prevent himself from gaping at her. He was in pure agony watching her pain but he could not breath, the pressure he felt was enormous but then he stood up and yelled "I'll take her!" all fell silent, all but Esmeralda's pleas. "Mighty fine then Monsieur You can have her!" he said smiling.
He picked Esmeralda up by the hair and spoke to her "Now you show this man a good time or else it's the cellar for you!" he threw her to him she fell at his feet. She grabbed a robe to pull over herself. "Come with me." Claude said leading her out of the brothel. He guided her through the streets and brought her up into his study. She fell to her knees "Please I don't like to do this! I'm forced to! Please Monsieur! I do not want to be a whore!" she begged. "I know your not a whore, you never were." he said softly to her. He picked her up and embraced her. It had been so long since he felt such emotions, the softness of her body against his was almost to much. He threw her on the bed 'Oh my God no please! I beg of you Monsieur!" he cried her eye's shut tight. He reached for her breasts and he could not hurt her.
"I cannot harm you, angel." he said looming over her. She stared into his eyes and her eye's widened, her heart raced and all emotion in her ran cold. "It's you…" she wasn't sure how to react. She was panicked and assured. She was afraid and grateful. He forced himself away from her and pulled her emerald from his pocket and handed it to her. "My necklace, I was so lost…" she almost cried. "How did you end up here? How did an angel get ensnared by the devil?"