OU_214051 UNIVERSA - Osmania University

114 MAINLY MAIGRET
Obediently, Antoinette went to the door, and tiptoed up the
stairs,
• " Are you sure there isn't anything we can do ... ? " Madame
Baron began tentatively, but refrained from looking at her daughter.
"No," said Sylvie peremptorily. "It's no use looking for
trouble."
" If it wasn't for that policeman at the back," Valesco murmured.
" But they're taking no risks."
Sometimes a faint sound from Elie's room made them cast
nervous looks at each other.
" I know what I'd do in his place," Valesco added.
Madame Baron looked him in the eyes.
" Yes? And what would you do? "
Valesco made the gesture of a man pointing a revolver at his
forehead. Madame Baron shuddered, and poured herself out some
rum. None of them was conscious of drinking—but the bottle was
half empty already. Antoinette came back.
" Pa asked me what the time was. I told him it was only eight,
and he went to sleep again."
Like her mother, she refrained from looking at Sylvie, who was
the only one to seem quite unperturbed. Moise, however, kept
stealing glances at her, after each of which he promptly turned
away.
"Ssh! He's coming!"
A door creaked. Sunlight was pouring in through the narrow
window over the front door, filling the hall with a luminous haze,
through which Elie's spare form showed in dark relief. They saw
him linger for a moment outside his door, then walk quietly towards
the kitchen.
The only sound was a choking sob from Madame Baron.
They could hardly recognize the man who halted in the doorway,
so changed he seemed. There was something terrifying in the preternatural
calm that had descended on him. But the red-rimmed eyes
were dark with scorn and hatred as they roved from one face to
the other, and there was a bitter twist to his lips.
" Well? Are you satisfied—now? " he asked with a harsh laugh,
and reached towards the bottle.
Never had the little kitchen seemed so cramped. They were
huddled up together, afraid to meet each other's eyes. The sun
had reached the block of ice in the yard, and Antoinette, who was
nearest the window, could see it sparkling with broken lights.