OU_214051 UNIVERSA - Osmania University
OU_214051 UNIVERSA - Osmania University OU_214051 UNIVERSA - Osmania University
218 MAINLY MAIGRET in his ordinary voice, talking about everyday matters, perhaps discussing the lecture...." " Yes." " And at the same time you were whispering reproaches ... !" " How do you know? " " Never mind. . . . And now for another question. Sitting next him during the lecture you wanted to hold his hand—and he repulsed you, didn't he? " " Yes, he did at first." " But you persisted? " " Yes. ... It was perfectly safe, and he never used to be so cautious. Even in his own house he used to kiss me as soon as we were alone. In fact, once we were talking to Madame Popinga from the drawing-room to the dining-room, where she was putting some things away—and all through the conversation he had me in his arms. But lately he was always telling me to be careful. . . ." " So, while you made a show of talking about the lecture, you were throwing him reproaches under your breath? And you tried once more to persuade him to run off with you. ..." The night was indeed still. Steps rang out clearly in front and behind, and Maigret could even hear an occasional snatch of what Duclos was saying. " I can assure you this has nothing whatever to do with any real police methods. ..." Behind him Madame Wienands was scolding a child in Dutch. . . . Suddenly the Popingas' house emerged from the darkness. There was no sign of any light. Madame Popinga stopped on the doorstep. " You stopped like that, didn't you, because your husband had the key? " " Yes." " Your servant was in bed? " " Yes.... The same as today." The successive couples had by this time been telescoped into a single group. " Open the door, will you? " said Maigret. She opened the door and switched on the light, which showed up the passage and the bamboo hat-stand on the left. " From now on, Popinga was in very high spirits, wasn't he? " " Very. But it didn't seem altogether natural. Just a trifle forced." Hats and coats were being removed and hung up in the hall.
A CRIME IN HOLLAND 219 " Just a moment! Did everybody take their things off here? " " All except Any and me," said Madame Popinga. " We went up to our rooms to tidy ourselves up a bit." " You went straight up? Who switched on the light in die drawing-room? " " It must have been Conrad." " Go upstairs then, will you? " He followed them up. " Any had to go through your room to get to hers. Did she stop on the way? " " No. I think she went straight through." " Take off your things, just as you did last time.. .. Leave your things in your own room, Mademoiselle Any, and the cap too. . .. What did you do next? " Madame Popinga's lower lip quivered. " A little dab of powder," she said. " And I hastily brushed my hair. . . . But... I . . . I can hardly stand it. . . . It's dreadful. . . . I have the feeling I can hear him now. Downstairs. Talking about the wireless. Trying to pick up Radio-Paris. ..." Madame Popinga threw her coat on to her bed. She was weeping, though without tears. Any stood stiffly, right in the middle of Conrad's study, which was still serving as her bedroom. " You went down together? " " Yes. ... Or rather no. ... I can't be quite sure. I think Any came down a little later. ... I hurried down to see to the guests." " In that case, will you please go down now? " He remained alone with Any. Without saying a word he took the cap out of her hand, looked round the room, and finally hid it under the divan. " Come. . . ." " Do you really think .. . ? " " No. Come. . . . Did you powder your face too? " "Never!" There were dark rings under her eyes. Maigret led her out of the room. The stairs creaked. Not a sound came from below. In fact, when they entered the drawing-room the whole scene looked quite unreal—more like an exhibition of waxworks. No one had dared sit down. Madame Wienands, who was fussing about the children's ruffled hair, was apparently the only one who dared to move at all. " Take your places, please. The same places.. •. Where's the wireless set? "
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- Page 187 and 188: A CRIME IN HOLLAND 173 " I didn't p
- Page 189 and 190: A CRIME IN HOLLAND *75 " Nothing at
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- Page 193 and 194: A CRIME IN HOLLAND 179 man to belie
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- Page 199 and 200: A CRIME IN HOLLAND 185j of impulsiv
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- Page 205 and 206: A CRIME IN HOLLAND I91 " At ten o'c
- Page 207 and 208: A CRIME IN HOLLAND I93 who was retu
- Page 209 and 210: A CRIME IN HOLLAND 195 Maigret was
- Page 211 and 212: A CRIME IN HOLLAND 197 " Did he fol
- Page 213 and 214: A CRIME IN HOLLAND I99 8. Beetje an
- Page 215 and 216: A CRIME IN HOLLAND 201 " Do you kno
- Page 217 and 218: A CRIME. IN HOLLAND 203 " I asked i
- Page 219 and 220: A CRIME IN HOLLAND 205 "You brute!"
- Page 221 and 222: A CRIME IN HOLLAND 207 questions. .
- Page 223 and 224: A CRIME IN HOLLAND 209 revolver wre
- Page 225 and 226: A CRIME IN HOLLAND 211 A few hours
- Page 227 and 228: A CRIME IN HOLLAND 213 The professo
- Page 229 and 230: A CRIME IN HOLLAND 215 " You can st
- Page 231: A CRIME IN HOLLAND 217 the deck, fr
- Page 235 and 236: A CRIME IN HOLLAND 221 10. The Even
- Page 237 and 238: A CRIME IN HOLLAND 223 " She's in b
- Page 239 and 240: A CRIME IN HOLLAND JU5 " Isn't that
- Page 241 and 242: A CRIME IN HOLLAND 227 and the prof
- Page 243 and 244: A CRIME IN HOLLAND 229 Maigret, his
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- Page 247 and 248: A CRIME IN HOLLAND 233 very much at
- Page 249 and 250: A CRIME IN HOLLAND *35 " For her pa
- Page 251: THE SAILORS' RENDEZVOUS Translated
- Page 254 and 255: 238 MAINLY MAIGRET " What shall I d
- Page 256 and 257: 240 MAINLY MAIGRET " We've been at
- Page 258 and 259: 242 MAINLY MAIGRET always like this
- Page 260 and 261: 244 MAINLY MAIGRET " Yes; they took
- Page 262 and 263: 246 MAINLY MAIGRET 2. The Yellow Sh
- Page 264 and 265: 248 MAINLY MAIGRET him. He fingered
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- Page 276 and 277: 260 MAINLY MAIGRET And Maigret held
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A CRIME IN HOLLAND 219<br />
" Just a moment! Did everybody take their things off here? "<br />
" All except Any and me," said Madame Popinga. " We went up<br />
to our rooms to tidy ourselves up a bit."<br />
" You went straight up? Who switched on the light in die<br />
drawing-room? "<br />
" It must have been Conrad."<br />
" Go upstairs then, will you? "<br />
He followed them up.<br />
" Any had to go through your room to get to hers. Did she stop<br />
on the way? "<br />
" No. I think she went straight through."<br />
" Take off your things, just as you did last time.. .. Leave your<br />
things in your own room, Mademoiselle Any, and the cap too. . ..<br />
What did you do next? "<br />
Madame Popinga's lower lip quivered.<br />
" A little dab of powder," she said. " And I hastily brushed my<br />
hair. . . . But... I . . . I can hardly stand it. . . . It's dreadful. . . .<br />
I have the feeling I can hear him now. Downstairs. Talking about<br />
the wireless. Trying to pick up Radio-Paris. ..."<br />
Madame Popinga threw her coat on to her bed. She was weeping,<br />
though without tears. Any stood stiffly, right in the middle of<br />
Conrad's study, which was still serving as her bedroom.<br />
" You went down together? "<br />
" Yes. ... Or rather no. ... I can't be quite sure. I think Any<br />
came down a little later. ... I hurried down to see to the guests."<br />
" In that case, will you please go down now? "<br />
He remained alone with Any. Without saying a word he took the<br />
cap out of her hand, looked round the room, and finally hid it under<br />
the divan.<br />
" Come. . . ."<br />
" Do you really think .. . ? "<br />
" No. Come. . . . Did you powder your face too? "<br />
"Never!"<br />
There were dark rings under her eyes. Maigret led her out of the<br />
room. The stairs creaked. Not a sound came from below. In fact,<br />
when they entered the drawing-room the whole scene looked quite<br />
unreal—more like an exhibition of waxworks. No one had dared<br />
sit down. Madame Wienands, who was fussing about the children's<br />
ruffled hair, was apparently the only one who dared to move at all.<br />
" Take your places, please. The same places.. •. Where's the<br />
wireless set? "