OU_214051 UNIVERSA - Osmania University

76 MAINLY MAIGRET
But she let it go at that. What was the point of trying to explain
things to this guileless youth? She was cocking her ear towards the
clubroom, though she knew it was quite impossible to hear what
was being said there.
Jacqueline, who was wearing a mauve silk frock^ had chosen a
seat beside the band, and had already danced twice. The young man
said timidly:
" I hope you're not offended, I shouldn't have asked you that."
"Offended? Not a bit."
Her one desire was for him to keep his mouth shut, for her nerves
were on the stretch. At any moment the manager's portly form
would show up in the doorway. At last she could bear the suspense
no longer.
" Excuse me for a moment."
She jumped up and hurried to the bar.
" Give me another cocktail. Quick! "
No sooner had she drunk it than she saw die manager at the door,
beckoning to her.
She stole a quick glance at her reflection, sandwiched between
two bottles, in the mirror behind the bar, settled her hair, and
whispered to the barman:
" Tell Jacqueline there's nothing to worry about."
The manager watched her coming towards him.
" There's a man here ..." he began.
" I know."
She opened the door of the clubroom, and as she closed it again
she saw a man of about forty in an overcoat with a velvet collar,
pretending to be looking at the pictures in the magazines.
" You're Sylvie Baron, eh? Sit down, please."
He showed her a card with " Detective-Inspector " under his
name.
" Know why I've come, Mademoiselle Baron? "
"Of course."
She saw that he was taken aback by her prompt " Of course."
" Good. I'm glad to hear you say that. It'll make things easier.
I need hardly tell you that I shall be questioning your friend
Jacqueline presently—and that I know a good deal more than you
suspect."
" Really? "
The room was as bare as the parents' waiting-room in a
small school, or a dispensary. Indeed, the only difference was