▁early ▁version ▁of ▁the ▁story ▁has ▁many ▁differences ▁from ▁later ▁versions , ▁which ▁Po e ▁first ▁published ▁as ▁" B on - B on " ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 5 . ▁ ▁Plot ▁summary ▁ ▁Pierre ▁Bon - B on ▁is ▁a ▁well - known ▁French ▁restaurant ▁owner ▁and ▁chef , ▁known ▁both ▁for ▁his ▁o me lett es ▁and ▁his ▁met aph ys ical ▁philosoph ies . ▁The ▁narr ator ▁describes ▁him ▁as ▁prof ound ▁and ▁a ▁man ▁of ▁genius , ▁as ▁even ▁the ▁man ' s ▁cat ▁knew . ▁Bon - B on , ▁who ▁has ▁" an ▁incl ination ▁for ▁the ▁bott le ", ▁is ▁drink ing ▁around ▁mid night ▁on ▁a ▁snow y ▁winter ▁night ▁when ▁he ▁he ars ▁a ▁voice . ▁He ▁recogn izes ▁it ▁as ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁Dev il ▁himself , ▁who ▁then ▁appears ▁in ▁a ▁black ▁suit ▁in ▁the ▁style ▁of ▁the ▁previous ▁century , ▁and ▁which ▁is ▁a ▁bit ▁too ▁small ▁for ▁him . ▁He ▁we ars ▁green ▁spect acles , ▁and ▁has ▁a ▁st yl us ▁behind ▁one ▁ear ▁and ▁a ▁large ▁black ▁book ▁in ▁his ▁breast ▁pocket . ▁ ▁The ▁two ▁eng age ▁in ▁conversation , ▁Bon - B on ▁pressing ▁the ▁Dev il ▁for ▁a ▁philosoph ical ▁exchange . ▁He ▁hopes ▁to ▁" el ic it ▁some ▁important ▁eth ical ▁ideas " ▁that ▁he ▁can ▁publish ▁to ▁make ▁himself ▁famous . ▁Bon - B on ▁lear ns ▁that ▁the ▁Dev il ▁has ▁never ▁had ▁eyes , ▁but ▁is ▁convinced ▁his