Dawn had started to creep over the looming buildings of Paris when
Christian returned to his home. He had walked around the city the night
before, thinking about what the next day would bring. With rings around his
eyes and the hands of his watch on the hour of 6, he sleepily climbed into
bed, hoping to catch a few hours of much needed sleep.
A few hours later, which only seemed like a few minutes to Christian, he awoke, got dressed, and made his way to the Bar Absinthe. He sat at a table close to table number 3, as not to appear too anxious. Slumped over a glass of absinthe, he listened to a nearby guitarist playing a sad and darkened version of "Children of the Revolution". It was about 12:30 in the afternoon, and Satine had not shown up yet. Taking a sip of his green beverage, he watched as people of many different ethnicities and appearances walk past. Many of them he had seen before when he ventured out to buy more alcohol. He also saw the tired and familiar faces of some of the Moulin Rouge dancers who were now unemployed. Finishing his drink, he noticed a change in the air, and he smelled a familiar perfume floating towards him. Setting some money on the table, Christian arose from his seat and looked in the direction where the perfume was coming from. Walking towards the bar was a tall, raven-haired woman dressed in a fashionable dark blue dress, carrying a parasol and a purse, with delicate pearl bracelets on her gloved hands and a dark blue hat on her head. She appeared to be a lady of breeding, and the people at the bar began to talk amongst themselves when she asked to be seated at table number 3.
Christian, filled with nervousness, slowly walked towards the woman, afraid of what would happen. "Excuse me Mademoiselle," said Christian as he stood in front of her, "But may I buy you a drink?" "You're very bold, Monsieur. But yes, you may." the woman replied without raising her head.
Christian signaled to the bartender and took a seat across from the woman. Something in her voice seemed very familiar. He was about to speak when the woman raised her head and looked him directly in the eye.
"I believe you were expecting me." she said with an intimate tone.
Christian's breath escaped him, and he tried to speak, but no words came to him. It was her! It was Satine in disguise! Soon, he shook off the shock and began to speak.
"Satine?!" he asked, hoping that he wasn't hallucinating. "Shhhhh! No one is to know who I am, Christian. No one. I had to see you again." Satine said, looking around cautiously. "My darling, I cannot believe that it is really you! I got your letter and at first I didn't want to believe it because I thought it was a trick and that you were really dead. I love you so much and now nothing can come between--" Christian blurted out, but Satine interrupted him. "Christian, you've got to help me. I need to start the next phase of my plan. But if you're going to help me, you must call me by my acting name, Honora Blanc." Satine said quickly as the bartender brought two glasses of absinthe.
Christian nodded, looking into Satine's eyes. He would do anything for her, and he was ready to help her with every challenge given to her. What lay ahead for the couple would test the strength of their love in more ways than one.
A few hours later, which only seemed like a few minutes to Christian, he awoke, got dressed, and made his way to the Bar Absinthe. He sat at a table close to table number 3, as not to appear too anxious. Slumped over a glass of absinthe, he listened to a nearby guitarist playing a sad and darkened version of "Children of the Revolution". It was about 12:30 in the afternoon, and Satine had not shown up yet. Taking a sip of his green beverage, he watched as people of many different ethnicities and appearances walk past. Many of them he had seen before when he ventured out to buy more alcohol. He also saw the tired and familiar faces of some of the Moulin Rouge dancers who were now unemployed. Finishing his drink, he noticed a change in the air, and he smelled a familiar perfume floating towards him. Setting some money on the table, Christian arose from his seat and looked in the direction where the perfume was coming from. Walking towards the bar was a tall, raven-haired woman dressed in a fashionable dark blue dress, carrying a parasol and a purse, with delicate pearl bracelets on her gloved hands and a dark blue hat on her head. She appeared to be a lady of breeding, and the people at the bar began to talk amongst themselves when she asked to be seated at table number 3.
Christian, filled with nervousness, slowly walked towards the woman, afraid of what would happen. "Excuse me Mademoiselle," said Christian as he stood in front of her, "But may I buy you a drink?" "You're very bold, Monsieur. But yes, you may." the woman replied without raising her head.
Christian signaled to the bartender and took a seat across from the woman. Something in her voice seemed very familiar. He was about to speak when the woman raised her head and looked him directly in the eye.
"I believe you were expecting me." she said with an intimate tone.
Christian's breath escaped him, and he tried to speak, but no words came to him. It was her! It was Satine in disguise! Soon, he shook off the shock and began to speak.
"Satine?!" he asked, hoping that he wasn't hallucinating. "Shhhhh! No one is to know who I am, Christian. No one. I had to see you again." Satine said, looking around cautiously. "My darling, I cannot believe that it is really you! I got your letter and at first I didn't want to believe it because I thought it was a trick and that you were really dead. I love you so much and now nothing can come between--" Christian blurted out, but Satine interrupted him. "Christian, you've got to help me. I need to start the next phase of my plan. But if you're going to help me, you must call me by my acting name, Honora Blanc." Satine said quickly as the bartender brought two glasses of absinthe.
Christian nodded, looking into Satine's eyes. He would do anything for her, and he was ready to help her with every challenge given to her. What lay ahead for the couple would test the strength of their love in more ways than one.