OU_214051 UNIVERSA - Osmania University

280 MAINLY MAIGRET
" You'll lock up this lady and gentleman until the magistrate
decides what is to be done."
" Swine! " cried Adele, and spat on the floor. " Catch me telling
the truth again. And first of all, everything that I said I just made
up—so there. And I won't sign any statement. Carry on with your
scheme.... So that's what it was! "
Then, turning to her lover, she went on:
" Don't worry, Gaston! It'll be all right. And you'll see that in
the end we'll come out on top! Only, of course, once a woman's
had her name put on the register, she's only fit for locking up. . . .
But wasn't it me, perhaps, who killed the captain? . . ."
Maigret went out without listening to any more. Outside he
breathed down gulps of sea air and knocked the ashes out of his
pipe. Before he'd gone ten steps he heard Ad&le's voice in the police
station hurling all the foulest words in her vocabulary at the
policemen.
It was two in the morning. The night was calm and unreal. The
tide was high and the masts of the fishing-boats swayed above the
roofs of the houses.
Over all was a rhythmic murmur, wave after wave breaking on
the shore.
There were glaring lights round the Ocdan. Day and night the
unloading went on and porters pushed the full trucks, bending their
backs under the weight.
The Rendei-Vous des Terre-Neuvas was closed. At the Hotelde la
Plage the porter, a pair of trousers over his night-shirt, opened the
door to the inspector.
A single light was burning in the hall. That was why Maigret did
not at first see the figure of a woman in a cane-chair.
It was Marie Leonnec. She was asleep with her head on her
shoulder.
" I think she's waiting for you ..." whispered the porter.
She was pale, one might almost say anaemic. Her lips were colourless
and dark circles round her eyes betrayed her fatigue. She
slept with her mouth a little open, as if she couldn't get enough
air.
Maigret touched her gently on the shoulder. She jumped up,
pulled herself together and looked at him confusedly.
" I was asleep ... oh !"
" Why didn't you go to bed? Didn't my wife take you to your
room? "