OU_214051 UNIVERSA - Osmania University

276 MAINLY MAIGRET
while I was away. Eh? What about the litde thing at die Villa des
Fleurs? And that photo I found in your pocket. .. ."
Maigret remained impassive as a graven image.
"I asked you whether you became the radio operator's mistress.
•. •
" And I say go to blazes! "
She was being provocative, with her moist smile. She knew she
was desirable. She was reckoning on her full lips, her inviting body.
" The chief engineer saw you too? "
" What has he been telling you? "
" Nothing! I will sum up. The captain kept you hidden in his
cabin. In turn Pierre Le Clinche and the chief engineer came secretly
to see you. ... Did Fallut find out? "
"No!"
" All the same, he must have had his suspicions, for he kept
prowling round you, only leaving you when it was strictly
necessary...."
" How do you know? "
" Did he still talk of marrying you? "
" I don't know "
And Maigret saw the ship, the stokers isolated in their hold, the
kTien packed together in the fo'c's'le, the operator's cabin and the
captain's aft, with the raised bed.
,And the trip had lasted three months!
And all this time three men had been prowling round the cabin
where the woman was shut up.
" A damn silly thing I did! " she exclaimed. " I swear that if I
could begin all over again . . . One should always mistrust those
timid men who talk of marriage. .. ."
" If you'd listened to me . . ." interrupted Gaston Buzier.
" You shut up! If Td listened to you, I know what kind of house,
I'd be in at this time of day! . . . I don't want to speak ill of Fallut
now that he's dead. But he was touchy, all the same. He got ideas
about things . *. he would have thought himself dishonoured just
because he'd broken the regulations. And it went from bad to worse.
... After a week he never opened his mouth except to make scenes
—or else to ask whether anyone had been into the cabin! He was
particularly jealous of Le Clinche and he used to say:' That would
please you, eh I A young man!... Confess that if he came in while
I was away you wouldn't repulse him I'
" And he'd sneer until you felt quite ill. ..."