Before You Begin

Before you begin.

A loose horseshoe begins this compact episode from the imagined memoirs of Maximilien de Bethune, Duke of Sully. The road from Paris to Rosny passes through inns, villages and households whose small arrangements can reach unexpectedly into the affairs of a king.

As you read, notice the difference between what Sully sees, what he overhears and what he concludes. Rank and reputation lend authority to every clue, yet language can change meaning when it is separated from its setting. Weyman builds the story from that tension, balancing political danger with a dry comedy of pride, fear and quick invention.

This illustrated edition contains:

- The Fowl in the Pot

The progression plates unlock at semantic anchors in the prose. Each board gathers the people, places, objects and ideas already encountered without revealing events beyond the passage you have reached.