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"Bon-Bon" is a comedic short story by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in December 1832 in the ''Philadelphia Saturday Courier''. Originally called "The Bargain Lost", the story follows a man named Pierre Bon-Bon, who believes himself a profound philosopher, and his encounter with the Devil. The humor of the story is based on the verbal interchange between the two, which satirizes classical philosophers including Plato and Aristotle. The Devil reveals that he has eaten the souls of many of these philosophers. The story, which received moderate praise, was originally submitted by Poe as "The Bargain Lost", and was his entry to a writing contest. Though none of the five stories he submitted won the prize, the ''Courier'' printed them all, possibly without paying Poe for them. This early version of the story has many differences from later versions, which Poe first published as "Bon-Bon" in 1835. ==Plot summary== Pierre Bon-Bon is a well-known French restaurant owner and chef, known both for his omelettes and for his metaphysical philosophies. The narrator describes him as profound and a man of genius, as even the man's cat knew. Bon-Bon, who has "an inclination for the bottle", is drinking around midnight on a snowy winter night when he hears a voice. He recognizes it as that of the Devil himself, who then appears in a black suit in the style of the previous century, though it is a bit too small for him. He wears green spectacles, and has a stylus behind one ear and a large black book in his breast pocket. The two engage in conversation, Bon-Bon pressing the Devil for a philosophical exchange. He hopes to "elicit some important ethical ideas" that he can publish to make himself famous. Bon-Bon learns that the Devil has never had eyes, but is convinced his vision is better and "more penetrating" than Bon-Bon's. The Devil can see the thoughts of others and, as he puts it, "my vision is the soul." The two share several bottles of wine until Bon-Bon cannot speak without hiccuping. The Devil explains how he eats souls and gives a long list of famous philosophers he has eaten as well as his assessment of how each tasted. Bon-Bon suggests that his own soul is qualified for a stew or soufflé and offers it to his visitor. The Devil refuses, saying that he cannot take advantage of the man's "disgusting and ungentlemanly" drunken state. As the Devil leaves, Bon-Bon tries to throw a bottle at him, but the lamp above his head comes loose and hits him on the head, knocking him out. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Bon-Bon (short story)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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