OU_214051 UNIVERSA - Osmania University

4* MAINLY MAIGRET
when he was thirty-five! Thirty-five—that must be about Madame
Van der Cruyssen's age.. •.
Moise got up, muttering a vague " Good night," and went off
to his room. Madame Baron listened to the receding footsteps, then
quietly closed the door.
" He's another," she sighed. " Just now I told him to finish off
the cutlet you didn't eat. But he was too proud. And all the poor
boy has to eat is an egg a day, and some bread and butter."
" Why couldn't he have stayed in his country," Valesco said
rather peevishly, " instead of coming here to study? "
"What about you?"
" That's quite different. My people can afford to see I have
enough."
" One wouldn't think so—not at die end of the month, anyhow.
You're always just as short of cash as he, the last ten days."
She went on washing up as she talked, saying the first thing that
came into her head, with a sort of rough good-humour. Meanwhile
Baron had started a new page of his newspaper. Antoinette, who
was putting back the cups and plates in a cupboard behind her
father, gave a push to his armchair.
" Want me to move? " he grunted.
" Don't bother. I've almost done."
Madame Baron tipped the dirty water out into the sink, and
wrung out the dishcloth with a brisk turn of her wrists. Valesco
rose, stretched himself and yawned.
" Surdy you're not going out at this hour? " Madame Baron
exclaimed.
" Got to, I'm afraid."
" Now look here, if you make any noise coming in, or forget
the key again, I warn you straight, you shan't stay here another
hour. I've no use for men who're always running after . . . after
women who're no better than they should be."
Valesco winked at Elie, who was lighting another cigarette.
Now that the room was quieter, the ticking of the alarm-clock standing
on the mantelpiece between two brass candlesticks could be
heard now and again.
" Good night, Antoinette. Good night, everyone."
And Valesco retired to his room to powder his face, brush his
hair and spray some more scent on it before going out.
" They're only youngsters," Madame Baron confided to Elie,
" and if I didn't scold them now and then, there'd be no peace in