Bookseller at Bastille Stall Before Dawn

Pale moonlight washes the stone quay near Bastille, casting long shadows across wet cobblestones. A bookseller stands hunched beside a wooden stall laden with stacked books, wrapped in a heavy wool coat against the chill. Late autumn leaves skitter across the damp pavement, caught in sudden gusts that ripple the dark river surface beside them. Iron railings line the walkway, their rhythmic repetition drawing toward the fading gray of the predawn sky. The rough texture of book spines contrasts with the smooth, dark water. One dry leaf rests against the base of a book stack, marking the edge of the stall.