OU_214051 UNIVERSA - Osmania University

i7o MAINLY MAIGRET
subject to the extent of wanting to prove my theory in practice.
On the other hand, you will perhaps appreciate the fact that, had
I committed a perfect crime and gone unsuspected, I should have
proved my point to no one but myself. And youil admit when you
know me better that I'm not the man to do anything so foolish. . . ."
" Here's luck," said Maigret, lifting his glass, at the same time
watching the bull-necked brewer's men as they rolled their casks
across the flbor.
" On the other hand, supposing I didn't commit the crime, but
that it was committed—as everything seems to indicate—by another
member of the household.... In that case, one must come to the
conclusion that everybody in the house is implicated.
" That surprises you, no doubt. But look at this plan. And there
are various psychological considerations which I must explain to
you, and which I hope you will be able to follow."
Maigret smiled more blandly than ever at the professor's patronizing
tone.
" I expect you have heard of Madame Popinga's family. The
Van Elsts belong to the most austere sect of the Protestant church.
In Amsterdam her father passes for an extreme conservative, and
her sister Any, though she is only twenty-fiVe, is already taking
up politics and following in his footsteps.
" You've not yet been here twenty-four hours, and one can
hardly expect you to understand the manners and customs of the
place. There are many things that would surprise you. You would
hardly guess, for instance, that an officer on the staff of the trainingship
would be severely reprimanded if he were seen to enter a cafe
—even a respectable place like this. One of them was dismissed
because he persisted in taking in a newspaper which is considered
rather advanced. . . .
" I only saw Popinga that one evening. But it was enough,
particularly after what I'd heard about him. ... A good fellow,
you'd call him, no doubt. That's the'expression that's invariably
used for people of his type. I don't say he hadn't his qualities. Of
course he had. Suppose we put it this way. . . .
" He'd been a sailor, he'd been all over the world. Then he'd
come to roost here, and they'd put him in a strait jacket. Only it was
bursting at every seam.
" Do you understand? I expect you'll smile at what is to follow.
A Frenchman's smile!... A fortnight ago he went to the weekly
meeting of his club. Those who can't go to a cafe get round it by