Read Online The Widow by Georges Simenon - Free Book Online Page B

cattle.”
    â€œHow is he?”
    â€œSame as ever.”
    And then the declaration of war suddenly came.
    â€œWe had a letter from Françoise yesterday.”
    â€œWell, my poor dear, if it’s Françoise who wrote it, you can’t have gathered much. She’s never been able to write in her life and all she can read is large-sized print.”
    â€œFélicie wrote it for her.”
    â€œIs she in the family way again? Of course, what with all these boats passing and the bargees wanting their bit of fun …”
    Jean stood with his back against the wall, arms folded, not bothering to light his cigarette that had gone out.
    â€œAt least,” Amélie struck back, “the gendarmes have never had to set foot in her house.”
    â€œWhy do you say that? You had a visit from the gendarmes?”
    â€œSomebody has. Anyway, Françoise is coming. I’m surprised she’s not here already.”
    â€œWhat time did you fix?”
    Unthinkingly, Amélie said:
    â€œThree o’clock.”
    It was ten to. Perhaps just to keep things going, Désiré reached out for his glass. His wife stopped him.
    â€œI’d rather you didn’t drink. You know it upsets you.”
    â€œWell, my friends, we’ll wait for Françoise. It’s a good long time since I’ve seen her in this house. Of course, she does send her daughter over when I’m out to scrounge some ham or some eggs. Why only last Saturday—”
    â€œFélicie has every right to come and see her grandfather.”
    â€œShe could ask my leave before taking my ham.”
    â€œIt’s just as much Father’s ham as yours. Everything here belongs to him, and therefore belongs to the family. That’s the first of the things I meant to tell you.”
    â€œWhy? Have you come to fetch something?”
    â€œWait till Françoise gets here,” hissed her husband, fidgeting on his chair.
    They saw Françoise go by the window. She hesitated a good minute or two before knocking at the door. She too was dressed up in her best. She had big timorous eyes, and she did not know what to do with her hands.
    â€œGood afternoon, Amélie. Good afternoon, Désiré. Good afternoon, Hector. Am I late? I was frightened of getting here before you did, because, what with all the goings on here…. ”
    A deep sigh.
    â€œSit down, Françoise,” said Amélie. “Is your husband keeping well?”
    â€œHe hasn’t had an attack for more than a month now.”
    â€œAnd the brickyard?”
    â€œGoing from bad to worse. One of these days it’ll be put up for sale and I wonder whether the new owners would keep us on. Then we shall be out on the street. It’s hard to think we have a house, and…. ”
    Her eyes traveled around the walls, and then she heaved another sigh.
    â€œWe were just telling Tati you had written to us…. ”
    That frightened poor Françoise. Undoubtedly she would have liked not to be brought directly into the affair.
    â€œYou haven’t seen Father?”
    â€œHe doesn’t even dare come near us. You can tell he’s terrified, the poor man.”
    And Amélie said, after a meaningful glance at the corner where Jean was standing, “That’s easily understood.”
    Désiré swallowed hard and boldly ventured, “When one must live night and day with people fresh from prison…. ”
    And Tati, with deep satisfaction: “Especially when he ought to be there himself! Do you remember poor little Juliette? A kid of fourteen and an orphan. She was still of an age to play with dolls, and the poor little thing didn’t dare say a word, she was so frightened.”
    â€œIt’s not for you to judge Father’s actions. You know very well that, since his accident, he’s not been the same as other people.”
    â€œEspecially when he was so much better than others