The Paris Architect

Knocking at the door awakens Lucien and Celeste in the middle of the night. Terrified that the Gestapo have come for him, Lucien doesn’t know what to do: “He felt like an idiot for not having an escape plan, but then what about Celeste? He couldn’t leave her (77). Visibly shaking, he answers the door to see a Gestapo agent who orders Lucien to come with him at once. Lucien gets dressed, and the man tells him to bring his bag with him.

It soon becomes apparent that the officer has mistaken Lucien for his neighbor, Doctor Auteuil. When the mistake is explained, the Gestapo officer loses interest, darting to the doctor’s correct address. In his relief, Lucien realizes he has lost control of his bladder. He returns to his apartment and drinks cognac straight from the decanter.

Colonel Schlegal makes plans with Adele over the phone, eager to have the beautiful, French aristocrat on his arm for an upcoming military event. As he hangs up, he returns to torturing Monsieur Deligny—the captured man Manet mentioned earlier. Schlegal takes sadistic enjoyment in torturing Deligny by electrocuting the man’s genitals, even turning the circuitry on and off to produce screams in a familiar melody.