OU_214051 UNIVERSA - Osmania University

i6o MAINLY MAIGRET
" He's upset.... He thinks ..."
" What does he think? "
" That he's going to be accused of..."
The young man kept his distance. He was drying his eyes. Was
he on the point of taking to his heels? His attitude certainly
suggested it.
" I haven't yet accused anybody," said Maigret, for the sake of
saying something.
" Exactly "
And turning towards the boy she said something in Dutch, the
purport of which Maigret could only guess.
" You see! ... The inspector's not accusing you. For heaven's
sake calm down. It's childish to go on like that.. . ."
She broke off abruptly, standing still with her ears pricked.
Maigret had heard nothing, but a few seconds later he thought he
could make out the faintest of footfalls in the direction of the farm.
It was enough to bring Cornelius to his senses. He looked about
him, his face haggard, his faculties keyed up.
No one spoke.
" Did you hear? " asked Beetje, under her breath.
The young man was on the point of advancing to the spot from
which the sound seemed to come. All at once he was game as a
fighting-cock. He was breathing deeply.
He was too late, however. The enemy was much closer than
anyone had supposed. Only a few yards off, a figure emerged from
the darkness, a figure that was immediately recognizable as the
farmer Liewens. He was shod in nothing but his socks.
"Beetje! "he called.
She did not dare answer at once. But when he repeated the name
she tamely answered:
" Ya. . . ."
Liewens came closer. First of all he passed Cornelius, whom he
ignored. Perhaps he had not yet noticed Maigret.
Nevertheless, it was in front of the latter that he finally halted,
his eye hard, his nostrils quivering with rage. He held himself in,
however, standing perfectly still. When he spoke he turned towards
his daughter. His voice, though subdued, was none the less rasping.
Two or three phrases, while she stood before him hanging her
head. Then several times he repeated the same word in a tone of
command, till finally Beetje said in French:
" He wants me to tell you ..."