Elise (The Last Seance)

In the short story The Last Seance, Elise is the servant of a famous Parisien medium Simone. Elise is devoted to her mistress, having served her for twenty years. She does not approve of Simone's seances. She has observed how her mistress has grown whiter and thinner and has had frequent headaches. As a good Catholic, Elise also thinks her activities are tantamount to trafficking with the devil and this makes her fearful. She had always thought that mediums were cheats and tricksters but with Simone, she has observed that "things happen". For Elise, it is not natural and "somebody will have to pay."