OU_214051 UNIVERSA - Osmania University
OU_214051 UNIVERSA - Osmania University OU_214051 UNIVERSA - Osmania University
24 MAINLY MAIGRET He felt sure that she was wearing her green silk dress, which was so tight round the hips that he had to help her into it. "Hullo?" He had to say something. ... " It's I," he whispered into the receiver. "What! You're back, Elie? And high time, too! Why haven't you come to the hotel? " " Ssh! Can't tell you now; I'll explain. I want you to come and meet me here. I'm at a cafe near the station. ... Just a moment." He ran out of the cabin and buttonholed a waiter. " What's the name of this place? " " € Au Bon Dipart: " Back at the 'phone he said: " Au Bon Depart. That's the name. You'll find it easily. But finish your dinner first." She gave a little grunt, then murmured sulkily: " All right, I'll come." And by now she must be crossing the lobby, wondering what on earth he had to tell. " Can I have something to eat? " he asked a man who seemed to be the owner of the cafe. " There's only ham and white pudding." He was too hungry to trouble what die food was like. After drinking off his beer at a gulp he wolfed what was set in front of him. If now and then he made a wry face, it was only because of twinges in his stiff neck. Not once in all the day had he given a thought to the late Van der Boomp. Ill SYLVIE drew back hastily. She had just paid the taximan, after an upward glance to make sure the name above the cafe* entrance was the right one: Au Bon Dipart. As she was stepping across a puddle on the pavement a dark form moved out of a patch of shadow beside the lighted doorway, and a voice whispered: " Sylvie! " The yellow greatcoat and the voice reassured her. It was Elie.
THE LODGER *? But, even before she saw his face, she had a feeling that in some way he was changed. Indeed, so impressed was she that she followed him in the rain, without a word of protest, and down a narrow side-street into a dismal and deserted part of the town where she had never been before. Under the first street-lamp she shot a keen glance at him, and noticed that he turned his head away. " You do look a sight!" she exclaimed. " Why haven't you shaved?" They moved out of the little pool of light and had another fifty yards to walk before coming to the next lamp. The lamps were spaced out at that distance all the way down the street; the only additional light came from a small confectioner's shop some way ahead. Sylvie wrapped her fur coat more tightly round her. Her high heels made walking difficult, and she could feel drops of muddy water splashing her stockings and oozing through the silk. " Have we far to go? " He looked back over his shoulder. There was no one about. A piano was tinkling in an upper room, a pink glow seeping through the curtains. " Let's go a bit farther," he said. He could hardly drag himself along. At one moment he linked his arm in Sylvie's, but it was no help. Perhaps they weren't walking in step, or Sylvie, hugging her fur coat to her, had her arm at the wrong angle. She kept watching him from the corner of an eye. She had guessed that it was something serious.. . . " Where have you been? " She realized he couldn't bring himself to speak first. " To Paris." He could not have explained why the rain seemed to make talking difficult, but so it was. Then he saw a dark porch some ten yards from a street-lamp, and drew her under its shelter. But he didn't kiss her, or take her in his arms. In any case, her furs were beaded with big drops of rain. After inspecting the street in both directions he drew a handful of notes from his pocket and showed them to the girl in gloomy silence. She didn't realize at once, and fingered the notes incredulously.
- Page 1: UNIVERSAL LIBRARY OU_214051 UNIVERS
- Page 5 and 6: Georges Simenon MAINLY MAIGRET The
- Page 7: The Lodger CONTENTS A NOTE FOR THE
- Page 10 and 11: xii A NOTE FOR THE READER times his
- Page 13 and 14: I " FOR heaven's sake shut the wind
- Page 15 and 16: THE LODGER 3 roll in. So the girls
- Page 17 and 18: THE LOGGER 5 peering at her made he
- Page 19 and 20: THE LODGER 7 in which a nondescript
- Page 21 and 22: THE LODGER 9 Beyond the window was
- Page 23 and 24: THE LODGER II perhaps because he ha
- Page 25 and 26: THE LODGER '3 « Lucky devil I" And
- Page 27 and 28: THE LODGER *5 fingers made the move
- Page 29 and 30: THE LODGER 17 to his mind. A sudden
- Page 31 and 32: THE LODGER *9 strength to raise it
- Page 33 and 34: THE LODGER 21 He took no thought, b
- Page 35: THE LODGER 23 It was dark by the ti
- Page 39 and 40: THE LODGER 27 and settled down behi
- Page 41 and 42: THE LODGER *9 His lips were blue. N
- Page 43 and 44: THE LODGER 3* The snow had melted.
- Page 45 and 46: THE LODGER 33 hips. Her stockings s
- Page 47 and 48: THE LODGER 35 " Monsieur Moise! We'
- Page 49 and 50: THE LODGER 37 some small pork pies;
- Page 51 and 52: THE LODGER 39 He had only employed
- Page 53 and 54: THE LODGER 4* notes were there, to
- Page 55 and 56: THE LODGER 43 the house. Of course
- Page 57 and 58: THE LODGER 45 " Are you in bed? " M
- Page 59 and 60: THE LODGER 47 He had sweated copiou
- Page 61 and 62: THE LODGER 49 " Hope I'm not intrud
- Page 63 and 64: THE LODGER 5* " By the way," he sai
- Page 65 and 66: THE LODGER 53 " What do you think o
- Page 67 and 68: THE LODGER 55 on the musician. Just
- Page 69 and 70: THE LODGER 57 that killed him. When
- Page 71 and 72: THE LODGER 59 But it fell flat. Nob
- Page 73 and 74: THE LODGER The only sound in the ro
- Page 75: THE LODGER 63 " That's better! I've
- Page 78 and 79: 66 MAINLY MAIGRET front of him. And
- Page 80 and 81: 68 MAINJLY MAIGRET thousand-franc n
- Page 82 and 83: 70 MAINLY MAIGRET hours, helping hi
- Page 84 and 85: 72 MAINLY MAIGRET and never notice
24 MAINLY MAIGRET<br />
He felt sure that she was wearing her green silk dress, which was<br />
so tight round the hips that he had to help her into it.<br />
"Hullo?"<br />
He had to say something. ...<br />
" It's I," he whispered into the receiver.<br />
"What! You're back, Elie? And high time, too! Why haven't<br />
you come to the hotel? "<br />
" Ssh! Can't tell you now; I'll explain. I want you to come and<br />
meet me here. I'm at a cafe near the station. ... Just a moment."<br />
He ran out of the cabin and buttonholed a waiter.<br />
" What's the name of this place? "<br />
" € Au Bon Dipart: "<br />
Back at the 'phone he said:<br />
" Au Bon Depart. That's the name. You'll find it easily. But<br />
finish your dinner first."<br />
She gave a little grunt, then murmured sulkily:<br />
" All right, I'll come."<br />
And by now she must be crossing the lobby, wondering what on<br />
earth he had to tell.<br />
" Can I have something to eat? " he asked a man who seemed<br />
to be the owner of the cafe.<br />
" There's only ham and white pudding."<br />
He was too hungry to trouble what die food was like. After<br />
drinking off his beer at a gulp he wolfed what was set in front of<br />
him. If now and then he made a wry face, it was only because of<br />
twinges in his stiff neck.<br />
Not once in all the day had he given a thought to the late Van der<br />
Boomp.<br />
Ill<br />
SYLVIE drew back hastily. She had just paid the taximan, after an<br />
upward glance to make sure the name above the cafe* entrance was<br />
the right one: Au Bon Dipart. As she was stepping across a puddle<br />
on the pavement a dark form moved out of a patch of shadow beside<br />
the lighted doorway, and a voice whispered: " Sylvie! "<br />
The yellow greatcoat and the voice reassured her. It was Elie.
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