Tucked away in an out of the way corner of Gluttony is a little door into a the curious world of charismatic creatures, pretentious portents and enchanting entities.

I did not see her at first, this exotic mermaid reclining atop a vintage chaise longue. When I did she emerged fully formed in my mind the way a leafy seadragon emerges from its camouflage of weed and algae.

To my surprise I found her engrossed in a story written more than 200 year ago about a Swiss family bound for Australia only to be marooned on an uninhabited tropical island.

Do mermaids read Wyss? Well this exotic beauty seems as engrossed in the story of us as was Disney’s Little Mermaid with her Prince Eric. I hope she finds happiness in this curious and whimsical place.