October 1900. Newspaper: “Daily day by anonymous gossiper”
In our small city Gertique (France), gossips are the main source of entertainment, but some of our stories are terrifying and breathtaking.
Today, Lady Misfortune paid a visit to poor Madame Marie (widow of the dentist Albert, who tragically passed away two years ago due to a mysterious and dreadful illness). An anonymous neighbour (most likely Gabriella, who lives next door in the Yellow Blossoms) reported seeing Marie, who’s allegedly living a very modest life, wearing a new dress (silk dress!!) in the daylight. Elizabeth (wife of Heinrich, the pastor) said that such dresses are worn only by ladies of the night. As a result, I did a research, and it turns out that poor Marie is, in fact, a courtesan woman who sleeps with married men. One of those men confessed at the bar to bartender Barry, who confirmed everything. The gentlemen said that Marie eagerly seduces married men to get them in the drama with their wives, blackmail them and take their money. She walks by arrogantly through our neighbourhood, and just yesterday morning, she was terribly rude to butcher Roger, accusing him of shorting her a few grams of meat. Roger said Marie was acting strange and the smell of alcohol was going out here mouth. Chances are, this “poor widow” is an alcoholic who spends all her money on booze. Moreover, she has a suspiciously rounded belly. She is definitely pregnant, carrying someone else’s baby. Most likely Jake’s, since eyewitnesses saw them together late at night, whispering under the green arch in the Ruby Quarter.
Just a reminder, dear readers: Jake’s wife Irene is about to give birth to their third child — while this soulless woman goes around turning men’s heads. We, the citizens, have decided to cut all contact with Marie. All the women have forbidden their husbands from even looking in her direction. She now walks by the neighbourhood crying. She is so desperate that she’s even started talking to the local homeless man, Tom! Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised that no one wants to know here.
October 1900. Marie's diary.
Dear diary,
since my beloved husband Albert passed away from a terrible decease, I don’t know how to breathe. I am afraid, that I have the same symptoms that he had…. My stomach is bloated, my eyes are red, I am dizzy, emotional and my voice is going away. As Albert was in the war and some of his friends had seen the same symptoms in soldiers- I wanted to ask them to about the medicine, or have they seen how to treat it. However, each time I talked to them, they were discussed… One kind doctor Mr. Jake Queril recommended using the silk fabric in everyday life, so my skin would not be that damaged and gave me the nastiest drug, that smells like an alcoholic drink (when my poor dad passed away due to drinking problems- I had never even thought about vine or something like that) I think that the whole town knows about my decease, they are trying to avoid me and don’t even greeds me. I feel so lonely and empty, I see how my life is fading away and not even a soul could tell me what to do.
Last night, I was sitting at home and looking at my window. It was pouring rain and homeless man Tom was shaking from the cold, thought I take some bread and my husband's old jacket and gave it to him. He thanked me, and we had a long talk, I was glad to be heard at least by someone. I am so miserable…..
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