look at the pair.
âTake a seat.â
âNo thanks,â said the woman,
who was clearly the more highly strung of the two. âWhat Iâve got to say
wonât take long.â
He now had a frontal view of her, lit by
a strong electric light. He did not need to look too hard to situate her type. Her
picture with the head removed had been enough.
A good-looking girl, in the popular
sense of the expression. A girl with alluring curves, good teeth, an inviting smile
and a permanent come-hither look in her eye.
More accurately, a real bitch, a tease,
on the make, always ready to create a scandal or burst into gales of loud, vulgar
laughter.
Her blouse was pink silk. To it was
pinned a large gold brooch as big as a 100-
sou
coin.
âFirst off, I want to say
â¦â
âExcuse me,â interrupted
Maigret. âPlease sit down as Iâve already asked. You will answer my
questions.â
She scowled. Her mouth turned ugly.
âLook here! Youâre forgetting Iâm here
because Iâm prepared to â¦â
Her companion scowled, irritated by her
behaviour. They were made for each other. He was every inch the kind who is always
seen with girls like her. His appearance was not exactly sinister. He was
respectably dressed, though in bad taste. He wore large rings on his fingers and a
pearl pin in his tie. Even so, the effect was disturbing. Perhaps because he gave
off a sense of existing outside the established social norms.
He was the type to be found at all times
of day in bars and brasseries, drinking cheap champagne with working girls and
living in third-class hotels.
âYou first. Name, address,
occupation â¦â
He started to get to his feet.
âSit down.â
âI just want to say â¦â
âJust say nothing.
Name?â
âGaston Buzier. At present,
Iâm in the business of selling and renting out houses. Iâm based mainly
in Le Havre, in the Silver Ring Hotel.â
âAre you a registered property
agent?â
âNo, but â¦â
âDo you work for an
agency?â
âNot exactly â¦â
âThatâs enough. In a word
you dabble ⦠What did you do before?â
âI was a commercial traveller for
a make of bicycle. I also sold sewing machines out in the sticks.â
âConvictions?â
âDonât tell him, Gaston!â the woman
broke in. âYouâve got a nerve! It was us who came here to â¦â
âBe quiet! Two convictions. One
suspended for passing a dud cheque. For the other I got two months for not handing
over to the owner an instalment Iâd received on a house. Small-time stuff, as
you see.â
Even so, he gave the impression that he
was used to having to deal with policemen. He stayed relaxed, with something in his
eye that suggested he could turn nasty.
âYou next,â said Maigret,
turning to the woman.
âAdèle Noirhomme. Born in
Belleville.â
âOn the Vice Squad
register?â
âI was put on it five years ago in
Strasbourg because some rich cow had it in for me on account of me having snatched
her husband off her ⦠But ever since â¦â
â⦠youâve never been
bothered by the police! ⦠Fine! ⦠Now tell me in what capacity you signed on for a
cruise on the
Océan
.â
âFirst weâd better
explain,â the man replied, âbecause if weâre here, it means
weâve got nothing to be ashamed of. At Yport, Adèle told me you had a picture
of her. She was sure you were going to arrest her. Our first thought was to hop it
so we wouldnât get into trouble. Because we both know the score. When we got
to Ãtretat, I saw policemen stopping cars up ahead and I knew theyâd go on
looking for us. So I decided to come in voluntarily.â
âNow you, lady! I asked
âTake a seat.â
âNo thanks,â said the woman,
who was clearly the more highly strung of the two. âWhat Iâve got to say
wonât take long.â
He now had a frontal view of her, lit by
a strong electric light. He did not need to look too hard to situate her type. Her
picture with the head removed had been enough.
A good-looking girl, in the popular
sense of the expression. A girl with alluring curves, good teeth, an inviting smile
and a permanent come-hither look in her eye.
More accurately, a real bitch, a tease,
on the make, always ready to create a scandal or burst into gales of loud, vulgar
laughter.
Her blouse was pink silk. To it was
pinned a large gold brooch as big as a 100-
sou
coin.
âFirst off, I want to say
â¦â
âExcuse me,â interrupted
Maigret. âPlease sit down as Iâve already asked. You will answer my
questions.â
She scowled. Her mouth turned ugly.
âLook here! Youâre forgetting Iâm here
because Iâm prepared to â¦â
Her companion scowled, irritated by her
behaviour. They were made for each other. He was every inch the kind who is always
seen with girls like her. His appearance was not exactly sinister. He was
respectably dressed, though in bad taste. He wore large rings on his fingers and a
pearl pin in his tie. Even so, the effect was disturbing. Perhaps because he gave
off a sense of existing outside the established social norms.
He was the type to be found at all times
of day in bars and brasseries, drinking cheap champagne with working girls and
living in third-class hotels.
âYou first. Name, address,
occupation â¦â
He started to get to his feet.
âSit down.â
âI just want to say â¦â
âJust say nothing.
Name?â
âGaston Buzier. At present,
Iâm in the business of selling and renting out houses. Iâm based mainly
in Le Havre, in the Silver Ring Hotel.â
âAre you a registered property
agent?â
âNo, but â¦â
âDo you work for an
agency?â
âNot exactly â¦â
âThatâs enough. In a word
you dabble ⦠What did you do before?â
âI was a commercial traveller for
a make of bicycle. I also sold sewing machines out in the sticks.â
âConvictions?â
âDonât tell him, Gaston!â the woman
broke in. âYouâve got a nerve! It was us who came here to â¦â
âBe quiet! Two convictions. One
suspended for passing a dud cheque. For the other I got two months for not handing
over to the owner an instalment Iâd received on a house. Small-time stuff, as
you see.â
Even so, he gave the impression that he
was used to having to deal with policemen. He stayed relaxed, with something in his
eye that suggested he could turn nasty.
âYou next,â said Maigret,
turning to the woman.
âAdèle Noirhomme. Born in
Belleville.â
âOn the Vice Squad
register?â
âI was put on it five years ago in
Strasbourg because some rich cow had it in for me on account of me having snatched
her husband off her ⦠But ever since â¦â
â⦠youâve never been
bothered by the police! ⦠Fine! ⦠Now tell me in what capacity you signed on for a
cruise on the
Océan
.â
âFirst weâd better
explain,â the man replied, âbecause if weâre here, it means
weâve got nothing to be ashamed of. At Yport, Adèle told me you had a picture
of her. She was sure you were going to arrest her. Our first thought was to hop it
so we wouldnât get into trouble. Because we both know the score. When we got
to Ãtretat, I saw policemen stopping cars up ahead and I knew theyâd go on
looking for us. So I decided to come in voluntarily.â
âNow you, lady! I asked
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