OU_214051 UNIVERSA - Osmania University

THE LODGER 47
He had sweated copiously all night and his cold was much better.
Only his stiff neck was still giving trouble; he had to be careful
how he moved his head.
" Did you pay my mother in advance? "
"Of course."
She shot a keen glance at him, then rose and opened the souptureen
on the dresser. It was never used for soup, and served as
a receptacle for odds and ends. In it now were some old letters, a
tax receipt, a little silver bell with a blue tassel. There was also
Madame Baron's purse, and in it Sylvie found the diousand-franc
note.
" Well, what are you going to do about it? "
From now on it was clear that they no longer understood each
odier. Indeed there were moments when Elie seemed to have no
idea to what she was referring. After a pause he answered gloomily:
" Surely it's obvious there's nothing to be done."
She replaced the lid on the soup-tureen.
" Anyhow, you've got to put another note instead of that one
in Mother's purse.... Do you hear? "
She was talking much too loud; losing her head, in fact. Elie
put a warning finger to his lips and, to keep himself in countenance,
fell to poking the fire, as he'd seen Moise doing earlier in the
morning.
" I've brought your luggage. It's at die Station Caf£."
Elie poured himself out another cup of coffee; then looked at
Sylvie, as if to ask, " Would you like some too? "
Just then she noticed the brown felt slippers he was wearing—
her father's slippers.
" Listen! You can't stay here. One of the railway staff has told
the police he saw you coming back to Belgium. They're hunting for
you in Brussels."
" Are you still at the Palace? "
" Don't be a damned fdbl! " she snapped.
She went to the door and, opening it, saw her mother washing
the tiles in the hall.
" What! Saturday already! " she exclaimed; then closed die door,
and said to Elie: " If you must know, I'm sharing a room with
another girl, one of the Merryland crowd. And I've told her everything.
She's a pal of mine."
He was standing in front of the range, toasting his back, his eyes
fixed on the window and die dreary little back-yard.