Read Online My Friend Maigret by Georges Simenon - Free Book Online Page A

glance, at once curious and anxious, at Mr. Pyke.
    â€œYou can talk in front of him. He’s a friend, an English colleague who’s come to stay a few days with me.”
    She gave the Scotland Yard man a very ladylike smile and sighed with a glance at the stout profile of the chief inspector:
    â€œI’ve changed, haven’t I?”

4
    It was strange to see her overcome with a feeling of modesty, and holding her dress tight against her because the stairway was steep and Maigret was coming up behind her.
    She had come into the Arche as she would into her own house, had said in the most natural way in the world:
    â€œHave you a room left for me, Paul?”
    â€œYou’ll have to put up with the little room beside the bathroom.”
    Then she had turned to Maigret.
    â€œWould you like to come up for a moment, inspector?”
    These words would have had a double meaning in the house she ran at Nice, but not here. Nonetheless she showed her scorn for Maigret’s hesitation, who was keeping up his game of hiding nothing of the case from Mr. Pyke. For a moment, her smile was almost professional.
    â€œI’m not dangerous, you know.”
    For some extraordinary reason, the Scotland Yard inspector spoke English, perhaps out of delicacy. He said only one word, to his French colleague.
    â€œ Please …”
    On the stairway Jojo went in front with the suitcase. She wore a very short dress and you could see the pink slip enveloping her little behind. No doubt that was what had given Ginette the idea of holding her dress tightly against her.
    Apart from the bed there was only a straw-bottomed chair to sit on, for it was the smallest of the rooms, poorly lighted by one attic window. Ginette took off her hat, sank onto the edge of the bed with a sigh of relief and immediately removed her extremely high-heeled shoes, and, through the silk of her stockings, caressed her aching toes.
    â€œAre you annoyed that I asked you to come upstairs? There’s no place to talk downstairs, and I hadn’t the energy to walk. Look at my ankles: they’re all swollen. You can smoke your pipe, inspector.”
    She was not completely at her ease. It was obvious that she was talking for the sake of talking, to gain time.
    â€œAre you very cross with me?”
    Although he understood, he gained time himself as well, by countering:
    â€œWhat about?”
    â€œI know perfectly well that you’re disappointed. But it isn’t really my fault. Thanks to you, I spent the happiest years of my life in the san. I didn’t have anything to worry about. There was a doctor rather like you who was extremely kind to me. He brought me books. I used to read all day. Before going there I was ignorant. Then, when there was something I couldn’t understand, he would explain it to me. Have you got a cigarette? Never mind. Besides, it’s better for me not to smoke…
    â€œI stayed five years at the san, and I had come to believe I’d spend my whole life there. I liked the idea. Unlike the others, I had no desire to go out.
    â€œWhen they told me I was cured and could go, I can tell you I was more afraid than glad. From where we were, we could see the valley almost always covered with a kind of mist, sometimes with thick clouds, and I was afraid of going down into it again. I would have liked to have stayed as a nurse, but I hadn’t the necessary knowledge, and I wasn’t strong enough to do the housework or be a kitchen maid.
    â€œWhat could I have done, down there? I had got into the habit of having three meals a day. I knew that with Justine I should have that.”
    â€œWhy did you come today?” asked Maigret in a rather cold voice.
    â€œHaven’t I just told you? I first went to Hyères. I didn’t want poor Marcel to be buried without anyone to follow the hearse.”
    â€œWere you still in love with him?”
    She showed slight embarrassment.
    â€œI think I