OU_214051 UNIVERSA - Osmania University

158 MAINLY MAIGRET
It might have been accidental; it might have been instinctive.
In any case, it wasn't done on purpose. But the fact remains that
Maigret's footsteps crunching on the cinder path were exactly in
step with the other's.
Maigret tripped over something, and for the fraction of a second
the unison was lost. It was only then that he became aware of the
fact that he was dogging Cor's footsteps like a sleuth-hound. He
had no idea where he was being led. When the boy quickened his
pace he quickened his too. He was getting worked up to it. A sort
of giddy passion of pursuit.
At first the stride had been long and regular. Little by little the
steps had shortened and quickened. Just as Cornelius passed the
timber-yard a whole orchestra of frogs struck up, and he stopped
dead.
Was he frightened?
On again. But the steps were now more irregular than ever.
Sometimes one foot seemed to hesitate in die air. At other moments
Cor took two or three steps so rapidly that it looked as though he
was going to break into a run.
The silence was now definitely over, for the frogs never stopped
their croaking, with which they filled all the night.
The pace was getting still hotter. By marching in step with the
boy, Maigret even became conscious of his frame of mind.
Yes, Cornelius was afraid. He was hurrying because he was
afraid. He was itching to be back on board, or wherever it was he
was going to. But each time he passed the shadow of a bush, a
dead tree, or a pile of timber, there was a slight vacillation in his
step.
There was a bend in the canal. A hundred yards further on
towards Liewens's farm was the little space that was lit up by the
lighthouse. And it seemed to make the young man vacillate still
more. He cast a glance over his shoulder, then ran past the place,
after which he looked back once again. *
He was now well beyond it, and it was Maigret's turn to enter
the lighted area. Cornelius looked back a third time.
This time it was impossible for him not to notice the inspector,
who marched through the intermittent beams of light with all
his stature, with all his breadth, with all his weight. Cornelius
stopped, but only just long enough to take a breath. Then he was
off again.
The light was behind them. In front, a lighted window, one of