The Flemish House by Georges Simenon, Georges Simenon; Translated by Shaun Whiteside Read Free Book Online

and
     show the child to the Peeters. A terrible scene, because they wouldn’t let her
     in, and the old woman treated her as a loose woman … In the end things settled down
     … Joseph still promised to get married … But first he wanted to finish his studies
     …’
    â€˜And what about you?’
    â€˜Me?’
    He began by pretending not to
     understand. But almost immediately he changed his mind and assumed a smile that was
     both vain and ironic.
    â€˜Have they told you
     something?’
    Maigret, while walking along the quay,
     took the little portrait from his pocket and showed it to his companion.
    â€˜Good heavens! I had no idea that
     still existed!’
    He tried to take it, but Maigret put it
     back in his wallet.
    â€˜Was she the one who …? No!
     It’s not possible. She’s too proud for that. At least she is
     now!’
    And throughout the entire conversation
     Maigret didn’t take his eyes off his companion. Was he tubercular, like his
     sister and probably like Joseph’s son? It wasn’t certain! But he had the
     charm of certain consumptives: fine features, transparent skin, lips that were
     sensual and mocking at the same time.
    His elegance was that of an office
     clerk, and he had thought it necessary to put a crêpe armband on his beige
     overcoat.
    â€˜Did you woo her?’
    â€˜It was a long time ago … It goes
     back to the time when my sister didn’t yet have a child. At least four
     years.’
    â€˜Go on.’
    â€˜My father’s just taken a
     look at the corner of the street …’
    â€˜Go on anyway.’
    â€˜It was Sunday. Germaine was
     supposed to be going to visit the Rochefort caves with Joseph Peeters. At the last
     moment they asked me to go, because one of his sisters was coming along. The caves
     are twenty-five kilometres from here. We had a picnic. I was in very high spirits.
     Afterwards the two couples parted to go walking the woods …’
    Maigret’s eyes were still on him,
     without expressing his thoughts in any way.
    â€˜And then?’
    â€˜Well? Yes …’
    And Gérard gave a fatuous, sly
     smile.
    â€˜I couldn’t even tell you
     how it went. I don’t tend to drag things out. She didn’t expect it and
     …’
    Maigret put a hand on his shoulder and
     asked him slowly:
    â€˜Is this true?’
    And he knew that it was. Anna, at that
     moment then, had been twenty-one …
    â€˜Afterwards?’
    â€˜Nothing! She’s too ugly.
     Coming back on the train, she stared into my eyes, and I worked out that the best
     thing to do was to dump her …’
    â€˜She didn’t try
     …?’
    â€˜Nothing at all! I made sure to
     avoid her. She felt that there was no point insisting. Except when we pass in the
     street I have a sense that if looks could kill …’
    They walked towards Piedboeuf senior,
     who, without a false collar and with his feet in cloth slippers, was waiting for the
     two men.
    â€˜They tell me you came to see us
     this morning. Please come in … Have you told the inspector, Gérard?’
    Maigret went up the narrow staircase,
     whose white wooden steps didn’t look very solid. The same room acted as
     kitchen, dining room and drawing room. It was poor and ugly. The table was covered
     by a waxed cloth with a blue pattern.
    â€˜Who would have killed her?’
     said Piedboeuf abruptly; he seemed to be a man of mediocre intelligence. ‘She
     left that evening, telling me that she hadn’t had her monthly, or even any
     news from Joseph.’
    â€˜Her monthly?’
    â€˜Yes! He paid a hundred francs a
     month for the care of the child … That’s the least he could do and
     …’
    Gérard, who felt that his father was about
     to launch off on a familiar jeremiad, interrupted him.
    â€˜The inspector isn’t
     interested in that! What he wants are facts, proof!