OU_214051 UNIVERSA - Osmania University
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OU_214051 UNIVERSA - Osmania University

OU_214051 UNIVERSA - Osmania University OU_214051 UNIVERSA - Osmania University

oudl.osmania.ac.in
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26.12.2012 Views

90 MAINLY MAIGRET " Monsieur Valesco! Monsieur Moise! Antoinette! Lunch! " To divert attention from her reddened eyes, she tried to put on a more smiling face than usual. It was only when she heard the footsteps of her young folk on the stairs that it struck her she'd forgotten someone. " Monsieur Elie! Come to lunch." Some tense moments followed, while the others took their seats round the table. At last Madame Baron, who was listening intently, heard a key turn in a lock and the creak of an opening door. While she busied herself putting coal on the fire and stirring it with the poker, she heard the kitchen door open and shut and *' Good mornings " being exchanged. At last she turned and saw Elie at his usual place, his cheeks only a shade paler than usual, only a hint of discomposure in his eyes. He had shaved, his hair was smoothly brushed, and, as he took the plate that was handed him, he said to Antoinette in a low but steady voice: " May I trouble you for the bread, Mademoiselle? " Was it because today he was wearing a collar and a tie? For some reason Antoinette's gaze settled on his neck. Then with startling suddenness she jumped up from her chair and, before anyone could say a word, ran out, slamming the door behind her. Madame Baron started to follow, but thought better of it. " She's not feeling very well today," she explained. Moise, who didn't take the same meal as the others—it cost five francs—extracted from his biscuit-tin a loaf and a pat of butter, and put them on the table. Like an orchestra tuning up, there began a confused, steadily increasing noise, the rattle of knives and forks on plates, a chink of glasses, and when at last a voice made itself heard above these sounds, it was Elie's. " It's terribly cold out of doors, isn't it? " It was his ordinary voice, a trifle thickened perhaps by the food he had in his mouth. No one answered.

THE LODGER 91 IX THE water -jug in Moise's attic-room had burst, and for several days thereafter the block of ice that had done the mischief could be seen glimmering, like a translucent cannon-ball, in a corner of the yard. At every moment voices, plaintive or indignant, could be heard protesting: " The door's open again! For heaven's sake shut it! " The temperature was far below freezing-point, but the sky was cloudless, the air crystal-clear; indeed, there were four consecutive days of brilliant sunshine. " Do please shut the door! " wailed Madame Baron. For the kitchen was the only warm place in the house, and everyone made use of it from early morning on. The lodgers came there, one after the other, to get hot water, and, as it was impossible to heat enough water for all at once, hung round the range in their pyjamas, waiting their turn. The first thing Madame Baron did each day was to strew sea-salt on the doorstep and the pavement in front, where ice had formed overnight, and when she came back to the kitchen her fingers were numb with cold, her nose was scarlet. There was always a scuffle for the place nearest the fire, though as a matter of fact the cold seemed more productive of goodhumour than otherwise. Even the children running past the house on their way to school, their faces wrapped in Balaclavas, were hoping that the frost would last, the mercury fall still lower. The next-door neighbour, whose pipes had burst, kept dropping in at all hours for water, a pail in each hand. " It seems the Zuider Zee is beginning to freeze over." Everyone was thrilled—Elie no less than the others. He was the first each morning to go out to read the thermometer which they had hung up in the yard. On his return to the kitchen he would announce the latest figure with an air of triumph. " Twenty degrees of frost. But of course we register far lower temperatures than that in Anatolia, almost every winter/' His eyes roved round the table from one face to another. Domb never responded, but Elie made a point of feigning not to notice this. Valesco now and then gave a polite smile, to show that he was listening; Moise, in any case, never took part in conversations " One year I started off from Trebtzond in my car to go to Persia, where my father had business interests.... I suppose you know

90 MAINLY MAIGRET<br />

" Monsieur Valesco! Monsieur Moise! Antoinette! Lunch! "<br />

To divert attention from her reddened eyes, she tried to put on<br />

a more smiling face than usual. It was only when she heard the<br />

footsteps of her young folk on the stairs that it struck her she'd<br />

forgotten someone.<br />

" Monsieur Elie! Come to lunch."<br />

Some tense moments followed, while the others took their seats<br />

round the table. At last Madame Baron, who was listening intently,<br />

heard a key turn in a lock and the creak of an opening door.<br />

While she busied herself putting coal on the fire and stirring it<br />

with the poker, she heard the kitchen door open and shut and<br />

*' Good mornings " being exchanged.<br />

At last she turned and saw Elie at his usual place, his cheeks only<br />

a shade paler than usual, only a hint of discomposure in his eyes.<br />

He had shaved, his hair was smoothly brushed, and, as he took the<br />

plate that was handed him, he said to Antoinette in a low but steady<br />

voice:<br />

" May I trouble you for the bread, Mademoiselle? "<br />

Was it because today he was wearing a collar and a tie? For some<br />

reason Antoinette's gaze settled on his neck. Then with startling<br />

suddenness she jumped up from her chair and, before anyone could<br />

say a word, ran out, slamming the door behind her.<br />

Madame Baron started to follow, but thought better of it.<br />

" She's not feeling very well today," she explained.<br />

Moise, who didn't take the same meal as the others—it cost five<br />

francs—extracted from his biscuit-tin a loaf and a pat of butter,<br />

and put them on the table. Like an orchestra tuning up, there began<br />

a confused, steadily increasing noise, the rattle of knives and forks<br />

on plates, a chink of glasses, and when at last a voice made itself<br />

heard above these sounds, it was Elie's.<br />

" It's terribly cold out of doors, isn't it? "<br />

It was his ordinary voice, a trifle thickened perhaps by the food<br />

he had in his mouth.<br />

No one answered.

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