OU_214051 UNIVERSA - Osmania University

116 MAINLY MAIGRET
They could see Madame Baron and Antoinette watching from
the dimly lighted kitchen, and from their end the two women saw
the Superintendent take a revolver from his pocket and load it.
" You go in front." It was to Sylvie that the Superintendent
spoke, and without the least hesitation she started up the stairs.
On the landing she halted and opened the doors of the bedrooms
occupied by Domb and Valesco. Both were empty.
The little plain-clothes man in the street had approached the
house, and he too was clutching a revolver concealed in his
overcoat-pocket
" Don't be alarmed," Valesco murmured, looking at Madame
Baron.
She tried to smile, and went on stroking Antoinette's red hair.
In an agony of suspense the girl was listening to the sounds upstairs.
" Ssh! Don't speak! " she whispered.
By now Sylvie and the two men had reached the top floor.
Suddenly there was a scream, followed by a series of crashes as if
furniture were being thrown about, windows smashed.
A moment later came a sound of almost tranquil footsteps on
the stairs. It was Sylvie coming back. She was very pale, and on
entering the kitchen she walked straight to the window and pressed
her forehead to the pane, which grew misted with her breath.
" What are they doing? "
The thuds were continuing, and now there were shouts as well.
" The last thing I saw of him "—Sylvie got the words out with
an effort—" he was sitting on the edge of the roof. He seemed to go
quite crazy all of a sudden, and they had a dreadful fight, rolling
about on the floor. He broke loose and climbed out of the window.
They're trying to haul him back." She turned on the tap, soaked her
handkerchief in the ice-cold water and dabbed her face.
Suddenly Madame Baron screamed:
"Antoinette!"
Moise sprang forward just in time to catch the girl, who had
fainted.
" Lay her flat on the table."
In his haste Valesco upset the bottle of rum and knocked a
tumbler on to the floor. No one had an idea what to do next, until
Madame Baron said:
" Vinegar...."
But just then there was a noise on the stairs and she looked away
from her daughter towards the hall. She had a glimpse of Elie's