OU_214051 UNIVERSA - Osmania University

104 MAINLY MAIGRET
"The best to Belgium!"
" Oh, dear! Pa's been drinking!" Antoinette whispered to her
mother.
They cleared the table while the two men continued their potations.
Elie was very flushed, and Baron in a state of noisy animation
that his wife knew only too well.
" How did you know I specially wanted a * Parker'? "
" Oh, a litde bird told me "
They roared with laughter. There was a constant clatter of plates
and dishes in the background, and presently Madame Baron poked
the fire for the last time, saying to Antoinette:
" Go to bed now. We'll finish washing-up tomorrow."
Planting herself in front of the range, her arms akimbo, she eyed
the two men disapprovingly.
" Another glass, Monsieur Elie? Yes, yes, I insist. It isn't my
birthday every day."
" What a good friend you are to me, Monsieur Baron! Do you
know, I took a liking to you the very first day we met. To your
wife too. But that's not the same thing. It's never quite the same
thing with women, is it—or isn't it? There's no friend like a man
friend, what? "
Vaguely conscious of Madame Baron's gaze intent on him, he
made an effort to sober up, but without avail.
" And when you vish't us in Turkey, old boy..." he began
thickly.
And Baron, who was almost getting to believe it, cut in cheerfully:
" Yes, yes. I dare say, one of these days...."
X
VALESCO had the habit of hanging his shaving-mirror on the hasp
of the window for his morning shave. On this particular morning
the sight of the diildren lining up at the school gate, and of an old
fellow, who daily caught the 8.5 tram, waiting at the stop, told him
the exact hour. Otherwise the street was almost empty, and the
few passers-by were preceded by little blobs of mist formed by
their breath.