OU_214051 UNIVERSA - Osmania University

236 MAINLY MAIGRET
"A doctor Quick! ..."
Madame Popinga, no doubt, with a heart attack. . ..
•
Early next morning Maigret took the 5.5 from the little station
at DelfzijL He was alone. Nobody had thanked him. Nobody had
come to see him off. Duclos had even deferred his departure till
the next train, so as to avoid travelling with him.
The day broke as they came to a bridge over a canal. Boats were
waiting with their sails limp. A man in uniform stood watching
the train pass. As soon as it was over he would turn the bridge on
its pivot, and the traffic on the canal would be resumed.
It was nearly three years later that Maigret came across Beetje
in Paris, where she was living with her husband, who dealt in
electric-lamp bulbs of Dutch manufacture. She had grown stouter.
Though she reddened at the sight of the inspector, she was soon
talking about herself and her two children. Maigret gathered their
situation, though comfortable, was by no means brilliant.
" And Any? . .." he asked.
" Didn't you hear about it? . . . The papers were full of it. She
killed herself with a fork only a few minutes before she was due to
appear in court."
And Beetje added:
" You'll come and see us, won't you? . . . Avenue Victor Hugo,
No. 28. . . . Only don't leave it too long or you won't find us.
We're going to Switzerland for a fortnight's winter sports. . . ."
That day, at the Police Judiciaire , Maigret's subordinates found
him unbearable.