<i><b>The Story So Far</b>

Marie Lambeau always had a voice to die for. People
called her "the Smoky Velvet." They said she was
born to sing jazz, that she had the magic touch-- and
maybe they were right.

Once, Marie heard of a man who could make the
dead dance when he played his trumpet. She never
could do that-- her voice wasn't magic that way. But
when people hear it, they like it, and they like her,
and that suits her just fine.

Marie's </i>grande-mère<i> just passed away. Why the old
dame moved from New Orleans to Arkham, Marie
never knew. Anyway, she never paid much attention
to the stories people told about the old woman. She
just figured they were jealous. But now, she's sitting
in Ma's Boarding House holding her grandmother's
knife, and she can hear it singing with a voice like
smoky velvet... </i>