Read Online Julius by Daphne du Maurier - Free Book Online Page A

if he swung himself against the wall and held on to the ladder with one hand, he would be able to peer through the grating and shout to Mère how unkind she was. Perhaps she would let him come in then. He climbed up the ladder and clinging to the ledge below the grating and hoisting himself up into position with his elbow, he managed to catch a glimpse of the room. He gazed below him in astonishment.Why, Mère was lying on the mattress with Jacques Tripet, she was not resting at all. She should not do that, it was Père’s thing, it had nothing to do with Jacques Tripet. It was horrible of Mère. She must know it was wrong of her, otherwise she would never have locked the door. She was afraid Julius would come in and see, and she would have been ashamed. She was beastly. He hated her. He hated to see her with Jacques Tripet. He wanted to break through into the room and beat her, and beat her. She deserved to be beaten, she deserved to be whipped. To see her lying there with Jacques Tripet made him feel hot and furious for Père. He shouted to them through the grating: ‘I can see you - I can see you. You weren’t resting at all, you told me a lie. I’m going to tell Père and he will beat you.’
    They stared up at him in terror. Jacques Tripet leapt away from Mère and she tried to cover herself with the blanket.
    ‘I see you, I see you - you can’t pretend to me,’ shouted Julius. He jumped down from the grating, his heart nearly bursting he threw open the window of the passage and leant out, peering down into the street.Yes - there was Père two steps away from the door. He could see his tall figure in the dim lamp-light, drooping, weary, dragging one foot after the other. He could scarcely walk, he was so tired. Poor Père, how angry he was going to be. Julius trembled with rage, he leant far out of the window and called down into the street.
    ‘Père, Père,’ he shouted. ‘Come up at once, run, quickly, quickly. Mère is lying with Jacques Tripet on the mattress.’
    He saw Père lift his head, he saw the white face gaze up at him, bewildered, not understanding.
    ‘Be quick, be quick,’ Julius screamed, kicking his legs in a fever of impatience, ‘they are lying together on the mattress. I’ve seen them through the grating.’
    A hand was laid on his hair, pulling him back from the window. It was Jacques Tripet, his face red and podgy.
    ‘Be quiet, you little fool, be quiet, can’t you?’ he whispered, shaking him backwards and forwards like a rat. ‘I’ll give you a hundred sous. I’ll give you anything . . .’Then he dropped Julius, he turned in alarm and peered over the banisters. There was a sound of feet, running, running, there were footsteps climbing the stairs, someone was shaking the rail of the banister.
    ‘It’s Père,’ yelled Julius, ‘it’s Père. I’ve told him I saw you and Mère. He’s going to beat you.’
    Jacques Tripet crouched against the corner of the wall. There was not any colour in his face now. He looked queer. Père came into view at the foot of the staircase. His uniform was streaked with mud and rain, wherever he trod on the stairs he left splashes of dirt.There was sweat pouring down his face.There was nothing to see in his face but the sweat and his blazing eyes. He pushed past Jacques Tripet, he did not look at him at all. He went straight into the room and Julius followed him.Then he locked the door. Julius heard Jacques Tripet give a funny sort of sob, he heard him clatter down the stairs as though he were afraid, as though he were going to run through the streets and lose himself. Mère was bending over the mattress, she was doing something to the blanket, pulling it straight. Her hair was untidy and her face blotched. She looked like Grandpère used to look when he had been drinking.
    ‘She can’t pretend,’ said Julius, clutching at his father’s hand; ‘she was lying there with him. I know, I saw.’
    Père pushed him away. He went over to Mère