OU_214051 UNIVERSA - Osmania University

292 MAINLY MAIGRET
He was looking at Le Clinche. He guessed he was die fiance,
and he probably took the Maigrets for the parents of the girl!
Two or three times the operator made the same gesture as he
had made that morning during the identification, a rapid movement
of his hand across his forehead. A feeble, weary gesture,
" What shall we do? "
The room was emptying. The four of them were standing on the
terrace.
" Shall we sit down a little? " Madame Maigret proposed.
Their beach-chairs were still on the sand. The Maigrets sat down.
The young people stood for a moment, rather embarrassed.
" Shall we go for a walk? " Marie Leonnec risked the suggestion
with a vague smile in Madame Maigret's direction.
Left alone with his wife, the inspector lit a pipe and growled:
" I look for all the world like a prospective father-in-law! "
" They don't know what to do. It's a delicate situation ..." his
wife remarked, following them with her eyes. " Look at them.
They're embarrassed. ... I may be wrong, but I think Marie has
more character than her fiance\ ..."
It certainly was a pitiful sight to see that skinny figure walking
listlessly along, taking no notice of his surroundings and, as one
could guess from far off, saying nothing at all.
And yet one could see that Marie was making great efforts,
chatting away to make him forget his troubles, even trying to
appear gay.
There were other groups on the beach. But Le Clinche was the
only man without white trousers. He was dressed for town, and
that made him look more melancholy still.
" How old is he? " asked Madame Maigret.
And her husband, lying back in his deck-chair, his eyes halfclosed,
answered:
" Nineteen. He's only a boy. . .. But I'm very much afraid that
from now on he's a doomed man...."
" Why? Isn't he innocent? "
" He probably didn't do the murder. No! I'd swear to that. But
I'm afraid that he's lost, all the same.... Look at him. Just look! "
" Nonsense! Once they're alone and have kissed each other...."
" Perhaps "
Maigret was pessimistic.
" She's not much older than him. She's very fond of him. She's
prepared to be a nice little wife. . . ."