"The keys are up there, Mrs Petersen." "There should be a package for me." "A small package." "I don't see anything." "They should have brought it by 5PM." "It's 5.10." "It must be on the way" "But I could call to make sure." "Who is the package from?" "It's from Noblet, St Honore St." " The gun-maker?" " Yes." "They haven't delivered any packages." "But they sent someone who asked for you and who is waiting for you down there" "It's that man." "My compliments, Madame." " They should have delivered it this afternoon!" " I know, I know." "And I have brought you the object myself." "The House of Noblet is very careful about avoiding accidents." "And it's my duty to inform you that this item which we have sold you is a dangerous firearm." "It's not a toy." "Do I look like a fool?" "Here is the revolver." "At your disposal, Madame, for maintenance, exchange and the purchase of any ammunition." " My Compliments, Madame." " Sir." "Bravo." "They can hear you as far as the reading room." "and I'm sure they're applauding you." "Teddy, get down from that table." "You're ridiculous." "Don't be so hard on Teddy, dear." "It's not his fault." "It's just as much mine." "My compliments!" "If they made that much noise in every apartment what would you say?" "Maybe that life would be more fun for everyone." "Me, I like to dance." "I like to wiggle." "And to think I brought you these three pretty head-dresses..." "Thanks for thinking of me." "If I'd known it was for you I'd never have touched it." "No, you hold onto it." "I'm not like you." "Your jokes do not amuse me." "Teddy, it's time for tea." "Come by my room to wash your hands." "Ah!" "What a mess!" "..." "You'd hardly left for the dress shop when I got a telephone call from Rome." "I've been called there on business and I'm leaving straight away by the Rome Express." "Oh?" "And how many days will you be in Italy?" "Two or three, not more." "You're going... alone?" "Yes." "Miss Helene has work to do in Paris." "So she can keep you company." "Very nice of her." "I'll take off my coat and order some tea." "Surprised again playing the fool with Teddy." "Serves you right!" "At what age, Mr Petersen, do Scandinavians start being serious?" "Serves you right!" ""And you're going to Italy ...alone?"" "Your wife is jealous." "She's mean." " I hate it!" " Helene..." "I hate it, you have no idea how much." "Pardon!" "It's only me." "You're not disturbing us, dear." "I forgot my bag and the little package." "Excuse me." "OK so it's understood?" "You send me urgent news at the Grand Hotel, 8PM this evening." " Have you washed your hands, Teddy?" " Yes, Mom." "And have you combed your hair like a gentleman?" "Perfect!" "You know, Teddy," "I've decided, while Papa is away to spend a lot of time with you." " and take you wherever you want to go." " Thank you, Mom." " You'll be happy with that?" " Yes, Mom." "And... you'll laugh, like you laugh with Papa and Miss Helene?" "If it's true that Papa's only going for a few days." "Your father, your father, it's always about your father!" " You don't love me any more?" " Yes, Mom." "Well then... why don't you kiss me without my asking you to?" "You know, dear, it's 5.30." "It would be stupid to miss the train." "I'd prefer to leave right now." "Miss Helene will be going with you to the station, no doubt..." "No that's not necessary." "OK then." "Be a merry widow for a few days." " Don't be too hard on my Teddy." " Well he's my Teddy too." "And as for us," "Falcon-Eye salutes White Eagle with a single little war-cry." "so as not to upset the residents of the Majestic." "Be good." "The three days will go quickly." "Goodbye, my dear." "Goodbye!" "Come on, Teddy!" "Don't cry!" "And to start, we'll have a nice little snack." "Wait!" "Is it gone?" "The 106?" "Any moment now, Madame." "Order up!" "Room 106!" " Two teas!" "One chocolate!" " Yes sir." " Toasts and cakes!" " Yes, Sir." "Room 106, that's my little protégé." "The tea is no big deal." "The chocolate though, I'll take care of that personally." "It's special." "Double dose of chocolate and double cream." "Signed, Arthur Donge." "The boss doesn't see, the boss doesn't know." " You're going to get caught one day." " So you think!" "Order up!" " 411!" "Two teas with toasts!" " Yes Sir!" "Ah!" "Having fun, Madame Marcelle." "I'm not hurting anyone." "Hey, look!" "Mr Ramuel is in his cage." "That will do!" "Do I have your permission, Madama Petersen, to finish for the evening?" "Of course." "And anyway, it's not for me to give you permission." "You work for my husband." "Not for me." "I've got an annoying errand I have to run, once I'm finished here." "Whatever you want." " Is your chocolate nice, Teddy?" " Yes Mom." "Here." "What do you want?" " It's fine by me." " Oh, please!" "Have an opinion, have a preference!" "Say something other than" ""yes Mom", "no, Mom" with that same bland voice" " which drives me crazy!" " Yes, Mom." "What do you do to cheer this child up?" " Have you got a secret?" " No secrets, Madame." "I build up his confidence, that's all." "Because you see with me, Teddy isn't really at ease?" "It's not that bad." "It's just..." "Teddy is like a puppy:" "he needs to chew on the furniture." "And he gets along with me because I'm more..." "More what?" "Be honest!" " It's a matter of temperament." " There it is!" "You've said that once too often." "My son and I, we're of different breeds." "My husband and I, it's the same." "a Frenchwoman like me can never hope to understand a Scandinavian like them." " And you're not the foreigner, I am!" " I never said anything like that!" "Be careful!" "Just when you think you've won..." "You can still lose everything!" "I've not had my final word in the matter!" "Please!" "Don't push me!" "What's wrong with her, Mom?" "She's a bit nervous because of a letter she got this morning." "Be patient, it will be over soon." "Drink your chocolate." "Let's go to the tea-room." "The tea-room at the Majestic?" "Mr Fualdes, please." "Yes." "The dancer of the Majestic." "A tango..." "A wonderful tango I'll never forget." "Enrico!" "Talk to me." "The softness of your voice adds to the pleasure." "Excuse me but there's a phone call for me." "You are mine for the whole tango." "I'll wait for you." "It's a tango, Madame, that I will never forget either." "M. Fualdes sends his apologies, Madame." "He's dancing." "He will call you shortly." "Thank you." "But look!" "I thought you were a service that could be ordered." "With the lady with all the jewels." "There's nothing wrong with her pearls, they're real." "But her, what a pain in the neck!" "And jealous with it!" "That shouldn't stop you coming down if you want to dance." "Not now." "But I'm free this evening, and all night." "And I'm really in the mood to have fun." "Shall we go somewhere together?" "Impossible!" "The panther-lady has booked me." "Oh, listen!" "I'm so bored." "Enrico, I insist." "No." "Go out with me." "I beg you." "I would love to but I can't be in eight places at once and make everyone happy!" "OK..." "Then tell me a good place to go." "The Clair de Lune, Fontaine St." "I'll try to get there around 1 AM." "Because your eyes are the prettiest eyes in the world and nobody dances the tango like you." "Oh, yes!" "Listen." "Come, come!" "I am very sad." "I'm afraid I will... make a fool of myself." "Ah well..." "That won't last." "Good evening." "That Scandinavian again?" "She's coming to dance." "She won't leave us alone!" "Which Scandinavian?" "Listen!" "I'm not blind, and I'm not deaf either." "I heard you making fun of me." "Beware!" "Someone who can do one crazy thing can do more!" "And that will be too bad for Mrs Petersen!" "By Mary Mother of god, I assure you" "There is no Scandinavian woman in my life." "Listen to me, Enrico..." "You might find my weakness for you funny but..." "I'm not some character in a comedy." "And if you knew my life, lots of the things you laugh at would touch your heart instead." "Leave me if you want, disappear..." "Nothing will happen to you or anyone else but..." "If we stay friends, you should be loyal to me." "Don't torment me with this Mrs Petersen." "We'll stay friends!" "I'll be loyal" "I promise you I'll no longer reply to Mrs Petersen's messages." "Oh, Thank you, Enrico!" "You have the most beautiful eyes in the world!" "And you dance the tango better than anyone." "Are we dining together?" "Here, in a private room." "It's one of the best places to eat in the whole of Paris." "Order up!" "Three places!" " Three soles meunieres!" " Yes, Sir!" " Three partridges to follow!" " Yes, Sir!" "And can you sort that out for me:" "it's for the doctor." "Let's get the chicken to 4!" " Goodnight, Chef." " See you tomorrow!" "Three dishes for the consul!" "Three partridges!" "Three peas and three fried potatoes!" "Let's go!" "Good evening everyone." " Not upset about finishing, eh?" " I've had a lot of dishes." "And with a supervisor like you who never lets anything get by you, that's really something!" "For me, work is like being in the military!" "There are no friends, only conscripts." "But outside the service, love live my pals!" "Let's play "who buys the drinks"!" "Dice, cards, billiards..." "Choose your weapons!" "I haven't had a drink in months." "I've got a little place at Suresnes" "And my money... all goes to buying furniture." "One half day working in a palace for others... and the other half of the day at my place... fixing it up for my Charlotte." "That's the good life, old man!" "And so your... your restaurants, your dancing, no, no!" "Suresnes..." "Ah!" "Suresnes and a little 3-room place." "That's what we're talking about." "Well, you don't have to look too far..." "That's the good life!" "But for me, it would drive me crazy." "Me, I like change." " I like distraction." " Oh yeah?" "The ladies!" "The movies!" "That looks like the good life, eh?" "You have to have a reason, my friend..." "That, that's not for us." "Anyway, Suresnes..." "Suresnes with a great woman and then, if possible, a kid." " A kid?" " Yes, what about it?" "They costs money, they tie you down, everyone knows." "But kids are great!" "Well when you have one," " you'll change your mind!" " You think?" "Yes." "In 20 minutes," "I'll be at my place, safe and warm." "And I'll think of you, out on the waves chasing your big fish." "You're going to freeze on your bike." "I'm used to it!" "Living so far away, you must get up before the cocks crow." "I'm used to it!" "One day you're going to get in late and you'll see how much I care about your "three-room place"." "You aren't as cool as you think:" "you're not telling me anything I don't know." "Good night, Ramuel." "OK, I'm listening." "No, I wasn't asleep." "At your service, Mrs Van Bell." "What times are the trains to Le Havre?" "One second, I'll look that up." "Hello Madame?" "Can you stay?" "Tell me, that's the right time?" "6.10?" "I wouldn't know." "But normally those clocks like that, they're exactly right." "Oh well, Ramuel, he'll give me a hard time!" "Come in!" "Good morning, how's it going?" "This is the time you get in?" "What rotten luck I've had!" "Your talk yesterday jinxed me." "Just as I got to Porte Dauphine, my rear tyre burst." "So I had to get here on foot pushing my bike." "I got here ten minutes late." ""Suresnes, the good life, the little place..."" "That doesn't matter." "We'll let the boss know your excuse and say no more about it." "You're nice, thanks." "You're a good guy!" "Hurry up and get dressed, the orders aren't going to wait." "and I don't want any mess-ups in the service!" "Hi Dede, how's it going?" " How are you, Mr Donge?" " It's going rather badly this morning." "Hey..." "Hey look, someone's busted my padlock." "We're here!" "My car isn't a hotel." "You have to get out!" "Get up, you in there!" "It's all very well having fun but save some strength for going up to your place to go to bed." "Having fun, you say..." "We were looking for this guy who kept us on the run all night." "The scumbag!" " Hey, Lucas!" " Give yourself up or I shoot!" " What's he saying?" " Nothing, he's dreaming." "He's still chasing that Raoul, the terror of Gentilly." "He's locked up, your "terror"." "Come!" "It's time to sleep." "We've really earned it." "Oh, what a life, what a job!" " What's the total?" " 9 years!" " No, the taxi." " 32 francs." "Mr Commissioner!" "You've come home so late." "Central Police Station called you on the phone an hour ago." "They thought you were having a lie-in." "So they called to get me to go up to wake you up." "They're waiting for you right now at the Hotel Majestic!" ""Having a lie-in"." "You hear that?" "I hear nothing, Chef." "Me, I'm tired, I've been up all night." " We're going to sleep?" " Yes." "At the Hotel Majestic." " Thank you, Madame." " Think nothing of it, M. Maigret." "For the most part," "I know nothing of the existence of Mr or Mrs Petersen." "Very good clients, very distinguished..." "It's a terrible thing!" "Gentlemen, the management of the Majestic wishes that this misfortune should not turn into a scandal." "I would like to request the maximum precautions be taken during your enquiry." "I hope you understand:" "If the Majestic has policemen looking into every nook and cranny, listening to conversations, regarding people with suspicion the hotel will end up empty." "Don't ruin our reputation I beg you!" " We will bear that in mind..." " Will your investigations take long?" "But Mr Commissioner..." "OK what do you prefer:" "the minor frustrations of an investigation on the premises or that I should lock the doors and I should toss all your clients like a salad?" "But Mr Commissioner..." "Enquiries in a hotel, that's something we know how to do." "And discreetly too." "But do you know what we once found, in a hotel much fancier than yours?" "We found a Chinese guy in a fridge, he'd been dead for nine days." "So, don't worry about any scandal." "Hands up or I shoot!" " What did he say?" " Nothing." "A bad dream he keeps having." "You're going to take the inspector to the locker room to see Mrs Petersen." " Me, I'm going up to her room." " Yes, Mr Commissioner, this way." "Hello young man!" "Don't be afraid." " What's your name?" " Teddy Petersen." "OK then, Teddy Petersen," "I'm please to make your acquaintance." "Are you coming to see my mum and dad?" "You're out of luck:" "My dad's left for Rome and my mum's not well." "Yes, I know they took her to a clinic and it's very serious." "It must be." "Because nobody's looking after me..." "Even Miss Helene." " That's your dad's secretary?" " Yes sir." " Is she nice to you?" " Oh yes, sir!" "You know, she won't be late." "She must have tried to find your father to let him know." "Is that interesting, what you're reading?" "Yes, it's the story of Don Quixote." " You know it?" " But of course!" "Ah!" "He's nice, Don Quixote." "However, he has lots of bad luck." "Listen, I'm going to tell you a secret." "In life, it's not like in your book:" "Don Quixotes are often rewarded in the end." "So don't worry about that, continue with your reading." "Your mother's room," " that's it opposite?" " Yes sir." "Thanks Teddy." "See you later." "What are you doing here?" "I can't hide anything from you." "I'm on all fours looking at the fireplace." "Who let you in here?" "Answer me!" "But first, who are you?" "By any chance, might you be Commissioner Maigre, head of the inquiry?" " Ah you're the policeman." " And you the secretary." "Pretty." "But not nice." "Wait!" " Was it Mrs Petersen who burned that letter?" " I don't know." "A secretary sees mail go by." "Did you know if Mrs Petersen had received any suspicious letters, anything compromising or anonymous?" "You don't have to subject me to this interrogation!" "Why are you so nervous?" "How long have you known Mrs Petersen was dead?" "But ..." "I just found out." "Yes, just now." "When I got back to the hotel." "Because you didn't sleep at the Majestic." "My private life is not your concern." "Let go of me!" "What a shocking event, eh?" "Just between us... are you really upset?" "Was it really unexpected?" "What?" "Mrs Petersen has just been murdered in a horrible way." "and you ask me if I'm happy?" "Policemen may lack sensitivity but... they have their intuitions." "So I would like to know if..." "Come in!" " Hey, make yourself at home." " That's what we'll do." "Thanks." " You've seen her." " Yes Boss, and the medical examiner." " She died at about..." " The child." " Where?" " In the next room." "Continue." "She died at around six." "Strangled from behind." "And I'm bringing you some news... something shocking!" "Found in the pocket of her coat." "Bought from Noblets this afternoon." "I'm tired but i still know how to do my job." "Mrs Petersen learned something from a letter yesterday something very serious." "She hurried to buy a revolver." "Quite logical." "Don't you think?" "But how come Mrs Petersen who ended up dead?" "I won't answer any questions without a lawyer present." "Perfect!" "We'll find one." "Whenever you want." "If you need me any more..." "I'm tired." " I can hardly stand, I'm so sleepy." " Get after the young lady and watch her." "OK." "Loaded." "However she took precautions." "You are clumsy today!" "After a thing like that I'm not myself." "My 20 Francs, look!" "OK!" "206." " One chocolate." " Yes sir." " With toast." " Yes sir." "Give me a pot!" "That at least, that's paid for." "Here are the director and the cop!" "It's Commissioner Maigret." "I've seen him in the paper before:" "he's an ace detective!" " Must I be there for your interviews?" " No, not at all." "Go about your business." "Everything's very nice here, very cheerful, very animated..." "Some nice smells." "Here's Ramuel!" "I'll go back up." "I'll send the night porter to you." "I remain at your disposal." "So you, Mr Ramuel, you're the head of the kitchens?" "You must see everything, know everything, take care of everything." "So you're going to explain some things to me." "A pretty girl always has something she wants to buy and a cop always has something he wants to know." "Well I'm here to help you, you don't have to apologise for..." "Would you mind telling me what this machine is for?" "But, that's got nothing to do with this business..." "Do think think I'm interested only in Mrs Petersen and her killer?" "Not at all, Mr Ramuel." "In my enquiries, I'm interested in everything." "In people." "In furnishings." "In the ways people go about their jobs and hardly at all in killers and victims." "So, tell me anything unusual you noticed going on in the kitchens around 6 AM." "There was nothing, Inspector." "Nothing?" " And this, what's this for?" " That is a ... meat juicer." " What time did you get to work?" " When I woke up." "Because I slept her in the office." "That happens sometimes:" "every time I have a fight with my mistress." "I'll tell you, she's not easy to get along with, and that night she was worse than usual" "So, I decided to come and sleep here." " Employees are allowed to do that?" " No, but it's tolerated." "Just tolerated, because I'm pretty senior at the Majestic..." "What's that?" "That's a Hot Table." "So then," "You would have seen your team arrive one by one and take up their normal work, is that right?" "Yes, but I'm sorry to say, that Arthur, that is, Mr Donge, got here ten minutes late." " Why "sorry to say"?" " Because it's him who discovered Mrs Petersen's body in his locker." "That's very nice for Donge." "That means he arrived last and well after the time of death." "Therefore I'm reporting that he arrived late." " What's that?" " It's a soup pot." "Unless Mr Donge... arrived on time, went out again and made up this story about lateness to create an alibi." "Anyway, I have to report it." "Naturally, you had never met Mrs Petersen?" "I had no idea she was at the Majestic or of her existence" "No, Inspector." "Ok then, thanks, Mr Ramuel." " That's all." " Thanks." "Just one more word:" "you know, this thing," "I could tell for myself that it was a meat mincer but thanks all the same." " Send me the night porter." " Very well, Inspector." "Georges Dussart, night porter at the Majestic." "Mr Dussart, I've got some questions to ask you." "First of all, tell me, what's this machine here for?" "Mincing meat, Commissioner." "Obviously!" "Do you know Mrs Petersen?" "The way a porter in a big hotel knows a customer who goes out, comes in, gets packages, who needs theatre tickets." "She went out in the evenings with her husband?" "Always, and with the secretary too." "They always needed three tickets." "And her husband went away to Rome yesterday, did she go out?" "I didn't see her go out because my shift starts at 10 PM." "But I saw her get back around 3 AM." " By herself?" " Yes, in a taxi." "I paid the driver for her." "Was she happy or sad?" "Oh very cheerful." "Like someone who'd had just the right amount of champagne." "She used the lift, I took her up to the 2nd floor." "And I didn't see her again." "However, she did come down somehow." "Do you sleep during the night?" "That's against the rules." "But you might doze off a little." "I guess I might." "Did you notice anything between 6 and 6.30?" "anything worth reporting?" "I was having a cat nap when I was woken by a phone call from Mrs Van Bell, a rich Dutchwoman who wanted me to give her the times of trains for Le Havre." "while I was looking that up, the hotel's dancer tried to slip across the lobby without my noticing." "I got the idea that Van Bell didn't really care about the train timetable and she called to help Mr Fualdes get by the desk unnoticed." "Ah!" "If the Argentinian was coming down from the Dutch lady's room..." "Well he didn't sleep on the stairs." "And it was these precautions which made the whole thing fail." "And if Mrs Van Bell hadn't phoned you'd have stayed asleep." "You wouldn't have seen Fualdes just like you didn't see Mrs Petersen." "Tell me," "Fualdes and Mrs Petersen," " did they know each other?" " Oh, very well!" "They called each other "tu"!" "One more question:" "Fualdes, when he went across the lobby, did he go out the revolving door?" "Oh no." "That guy knows every corner of this hotel." "He went out the service entrance." "Thanks, M. Dussart." "I have to think now, but I'll talk to you again for sure." "I'm at your disposal, Commissioner." "Helene!" "Darling, it's terrible!" "I've got something dreadful to tell you." "You seem strange." "You, who never touches a drop..." "Try to understand..." "Yesterday night..." "I left my wife to live with you." "I left for Rome, but I stayed in Paris." "But tomorrow, I have to tell everyone my impressions of..." "Michelangelo." "The Coliseum." "The Via Veneto." "So, so," "I need to feed my imagination." "How useful alcohol is!" "When I've had a few whiskies," "I see Rome just like I'm standing there." "even though it's one of the few big cities I've never set foot in." "When we're together, we'll go and spend a whole month there." "Anyway, perhaps it's better that I've found you like this." "It will lessen the shock." "Shock?" "What shock?" "This morning at dawn they found" "Mrs Petersen's body, murdered!" "They ... found her body?" "There's already a policeman in your suite rummaging through everything and getting mixed up in everything." " One more question." " Anything, M. le Commissioner." "After that, do you add a glass of liqueur?" "Not a drop." "This is is the classic Bechamel sauce recipe." "A sauce-cook who put liqueur in a Bechamel would be a criminal." "Not the Central Police Station kind of criminal of course!" "Take this, Commissioner!" "Taste it, please." "No, no, with your finger!" "Oh that's wonderful!" "You know, if you want a really nice dinner some time, come here." "We'll take care of you." " Thank you, my friend." " Not at all." " Again!" " What's up with you today?" "He's freaking me out, watching me like that." "Why am I the only one he hasn't talked to?" "He should interrogate me!" "He'll see what I know." "Boss!" " So?" " Big surprise, Boss!" "Amazing stuff!" "Tell me, but talk slowly!" "Miss Helene tried to lose me in a department store." "The kid thought she was so clever." "Once she thought she'd lost me in the silk stockings:" "taxi to Luxembourg district, Hotel du Parc, room 2-18." "And you'll never guess." " Who do you think was in the bed?" " Petersen." "Yes, Petersen... who'd taken up two bottles of whisky and emptied them both." "An innocent man doesn't act like that." "How did you know?" "When I met Miss Helene," "I was on all fours with my nose up against her shoes, which were very nice." "Very expensive." "Same with the stockings." "For a secretary, that's something of a clue." "Nice legs, the rest to match." "Right then I figured out the Rome trip was fake." " And the husband?" " Wait a second." " You're asking too much of me." " OK I'll let you go." "Listen, really boss," "I'm tired, I can hardly..." "That's a Hot Table." "You'll rest later." "Here's Mrs Petersen's passport" ""maiden name:" "Emilie Cambier", local girl from a rough neighborhood." "Find out what she did before she married the Swede." "The DA who's handling this case just called." "Go, go!" "he wants to see you in his office right away." "Before I go, I want to see Mrs Van Bell." "I've let her know myself." "A distinguished lady like that you have to handle carefully." " I'll go and interview her in her room." " Let's not talk about an interview how about a conversation, in the hotel's bar with drinks and little snacks, compliments of the management." "How about that?" "Oh, it's nice to be rich!" " She's in the bar?" " She's waiting for you there." "Mrs Van Bell, permit me to introduce Commissioner Maigret." " Madame." " Enchanted." "I'll leave you alone." "Thank you." "What does this concern?" " I simply would like to know..." " One word, first!" "I've been in touch with my Consulate." "The support and the protection of the Dutch consolate are guaranteed." " So, you are Dutch?" " Yes, born in Haarlem, that ghost town." "Into a very boring Protestant family." "I married Mr Van Bell, honest man, but a boring husband." "He was in horticulture and he cared for nothing but Hyacinths and Tulips." "After a while that gets very dull." "He died last year." "Died of sunstroke while watering his flowers." "So there, that's the rather dull story of my life for you." " Have you been in Paris long?" " For three weeks." "In all innocence, I came to France to look at the Hyacinths and Tulips sent from Holland to decorate the lawns of Paris." "And then I discovered what Paris has to offer in the way of fun for ladies... which is much more enjoyable... than Hyacinths and Tulips." "And you met Mr Fualdes..." "I am under the protection of my consul." "Sir?" " Would you like something?" " No thank you, nothing for me." "These little cakes are exquisite." "Can I ask you why, early this morning, you were so interested in the train timetable for Le Havre?" "Are there laws in France forbidding people from finding out in the morning, the evening, when it suits them any train timetable for any destination?" "No, but there are French laws which can convict you for conspiracy to murder or aiding and abetting a murderer." "What are you talking about?" "I just want to ask you this:" "did you call down to the porter to distract him and to help Mr Fualdes get away unseen?" "Or did you instead, wake up the porter to make sure he knew that Fualdes had spend the night in your bed?" "As a citizen of the Netherlands..." "I do not have to respond to your insolent questions." "That's up to you, Madame." "Go crazy, if you want, you're at an age when a lady would rather have her exciting rumba lessons than think about Hyacinths and Tulips." "Good day, Madame." "Everything went OK?" "No scandal?" "We had a lovely chat over a glass of port," " Don't worry." " Thank you, Commissioner." "I remind you that the District Attorney telephoned" " He's impatient to see you." " I'm on my way." "It's an unprecedented scandal, I assure you!" "Don't get yourself worked up, Mr Petersen, please." "I assure you I'll take care of this, like I told you." "OK, I'm not getting worked up." "I know Maigret:" "his extraordinary talents and his minor faults." "Rest assured, I'll sort it all out." "And the Commissioner will understand the situation." "And if he doesn't understand, I'll take my coat off and" " we'll settle it like men!" " Let's not go down that road that could get you into serious trouble." "And once again I guarantee that..." "Can I take this?" "Am I waiting for him?" "That's exactly who I'm waiting for!" "Yes, right away." "That's him." "Please be calm!" "OK, OK..." "Sorry to keep you waiting Mr DA." " So how's the case going?" " Not bad, not good." "I would like to present Mr Petersen, who is a great friend of our country." "Delighted." "I thought Mr Petersen was in Rome." "Back so soon?" "Do you box?" "Yes, why?" "I can hold my own in the ring." "Mr Petersen please." "Sit down here." "And you, Maigret, there." "Listen to me, Maigret." "Mr Petersen has taken it upon himself to come to my office." "He felt he should explain right away why he didn't leave yesterday on the Rome Express." "Mr Petersen was kept back in Paris by some family business." " Oh really..." " Yes." "Petersen, in fact, is secretly engaged." " Engaged?" " To Miss Helene Doligan." "Who he was going to marry after his divorce went through." "I wasn't aware of any divorce proceedings." "Well that is to say..." "To be precise there weren't exactly any proceedings." "It was something Mr Petersen was working towards." "A decision he anyway no longer needs to make." "But which remained secret." " You understand?" " Very well, it's all pretty clear." "And yesterday, Mr Petersen et Miss Helene wishing to talk through their future plans came up with the story of the journey to Rome." "See, I told you that he would understand right away." "Mr Petersen couldn't possibly have foreseen this incident and he finds himself in a difficult position." "Why?" "And therefore he came here right away of his own accord to explain." "There you have it!" "Mr Petersen who is terribly sorry to hear of the death of his wife has been in touch with the Swedish embassy." "Who have offered their full support and protection." "I have promised Mr Petersen that you would conduct your enquiry without having to put him through any interrogations, or searches which would be both useless and disturbing to him." "That's your opinion, is that right?" "Well since it's your opinion..." "Well I'm just happy to have met Mr Petersen once, at least" " to give him my condolences." " Thank you, Commissioner." " And my best wishes." " Thank you again." "Gentlemen, I thank you for your sportsmanship." "Now find the killer of my wife so you can behead him." "That's something I'd like to see." "I am sincerely yours." " Gentlemen." " Sir." "What a guy!" "The embassy getting involved won't cause problems?" "There's another one:" "the Dutch consolate is taking the part of a woman who's mixed up in this." "All that's going to mess up your enquiry." "Which means if the Argentine Consolate gets involved on behalf of Fualdes, we might as well try finding the murderer by choosing straws." "Don't make jokes like that!" "From what I hear," "There's a guy in the kitchens, by the name of Donge, who doesn't look right." "We could arrest him." "Why not." "The train derails, arrest the signalman." "Even better he's actually a Frenchman and we wouldn't have any of this diplomatic stuff to worry about." " What did he say in his defence?" " I haven't asked him anything yet." "What?" "He's the main suspect!" "What are you waiting for?" "Mr prosecutor, I'll pick the moment and it will be the right moment." "Arthur!" "Why didn't you tell me that she was here in Paris?" "I..." "I've only known for a couple of days." "I didn't say anything, because I thought it was best not to talk about her." "After ten years..." "That's true, it's been ten years." "And you didn't actually see her?" "No." "And her son?" "He was with her?" "Yes." "And you didn't see him either?" "Look me in the eye!" "And swear on your mother's memory." "On the..." "On my mother's memory?" "On our happiness, I swear it." "I believe you, Arthur." "Now let's set the table." "Just because Emilie's dead doesn't mean we stop eating." "But why isn't the Commissioner asking me questions?" "That's a policeman's trick." "And this time, he'll be sorry." "At the start, you'd have told him everything." "A ten-year-old story, you have time to forget that." "If they want to know, they can find it out, that's their job." "You're right." "The main thing is, don't let them intimidate you." "This Maigret, when he looks at you in a certain way, you don't know how to stand or what to do with your hands." "You don't know what's happening in your head." "Can you see the..." "I'm sorry." "I don't want to interrupt." "So I let myself in with my keys." "Commissioner Maigret, Madame." "Madame Donge?" "Very nice kitchen you have." "And some old-fashioned cooking too!" "Ah!" "Rabbit stew, right?" "Some herbs, a spring onion or two, a glass of dry white wine." "Is that right?" "Yes, Commissioner." "Don't worry, the rabbit won't have to wait long." "A simple question I want to ask you." " Go ahead, Commissioner." " No no, not you." "Mrs Donge." "Please do." "Over here, under the lamp, sit down." "There we are my dear madam, I want to know..." "Wait a second!" "What is this?" "That, Commissioner?" "That..." "But Commissioner..." " That is a..." " You know, when talking to the police, some people shrink; they curl up into a ball." "Those who are afraid to give someone away or reveal secrets, you show them... a corkscrew or a fork and ask them, what is that?" "They stammer and fear being caught in some kind of trap." "And on the other hand, those who have nothing to hide, faced with this object, they say:" ""it's a fork" or "it's a corkscrew" just like that." "Mrs Donge, you're an accomplished cook and housekeeper." "How on earth can it be that you can't just say "that's my coffee grinder"?" "It's ridiculous." "I don't understand, M. le Commissioner." "Maybe you remember a certain Emilie Cambier who you knew ten years ago?" "No, Commissioner, I..." "I don't remember." "I'm sorry about the coffee grinder thing." "But this Emile Cambier," "I can't tell you anything." "You're scared to let something out, to betray something." "Those are fine sentiments and I bow to you." "Especially as your stew seems so perfect." "Don't worry, I know the way out." "I'll lock the door and bolt it too." "Good night!" "I warned you." "You don't know where to put yourself or what do do with your hands or what to say." "He thinks it's you who killed her." "Tell me the truth!" "Is he right?" "The "Clair de Lune" club!" "Good evening gentlemen, table for two?" "This way please." "Here you go, gentlemen, you'll be fine here." "What can I bring you?" " We'd like to see the boss, is he here?" " He's there at the bar, in a white jacket." "Oh that's my old friend Tonio!" " You're a friend?" " Don't worry, I'll go over." "It's been a long time since we met." "To be honest, I can't complain about that." "The "Clair de Lune" is totally legit." " I'm on the level now." " So much the better." "Hey relax, it's not you I came to see." " Cigarette?" " No thank you." "Do you have a girl working here called Ginette?" "Honestly, I don't think we do." "Think about it." "About 35-38 years old?" "A performer?" "No but we have a Ginette about that age who's a bathroom attendant." " What's she like?" " Always drunk." "Champagne when someone else is paying and cheap red wine if not." " Can I see her?" " Yes of course." "Bathrooms are over there." "There we go!" "You're a dear." "I'll have them bring you a little something." "You're so kind!" "Pardon!" " Good evening, Sir." " Good evening." "Hold on, aren't you Ginette?" "Yes, it's Ginette!" " You don't recognise me?" " No." "Roger!" "Roger!" "The Tam-Tam club at St Juan," "The Syros club in Cannes, the Prolixe in Monte Carlo..." "We used to hang out with Charlotte, Emilie and the whole gang!" "We were out on the town every night." "You don't remember?" "If I had to remember every night I went out and got drunk," "I think my brain would haemorrhage." "Anyway, I've changed a bit but I recognised you right away." " What are you up to these days?" " Oh well, as you can see." "I haven't had such great luck..." "But I can't complain." "I've always loved nightclubs." "I'm not in first class, but I'm still riding the train." "The clients come and go..." "I listen to the music and old friends drop in and buy me a drink sometimes" "You're a nice guy Roger, that's why you're so popular." "How about a glass of wine?" "I'm not going to offer you a glass of wine - let's make it a bottle!" "And not here!" "Up there like in the good old days!" "The boss won't like that." "And there's stuff to do..." "The telephone lady can fill in for you - right Madame?" "The boss won't refuse me anything." "I'm here with a friend, a big guy, really nice." "You'll make him laugh with tales of the good old days." "With an old friend, that's the way it is!" "Have fun, Ginette!" "Ah!" "The King is waiting for you." "Champagne is served, and it's on me." "A reunion of old friends, let's have a good time!" "I'll leave you." " Your king is asleep." " He does that." " Shall we wake him up?" " No, no!" "I'm so happy to see you." "How unexpected!" "Drink up!" "To our youth!" "Oh that's nice." "That's the good stuff." "And it's a lot nicer here than in the bathroom." "I'm looking at you now... and starting to recognise you." " Didn't you have a white sports car?" " That's right." "It's a funny thing," "I've known so many guys, they all blur together!" "But you know what, it's their cars I remember." "Is it rude to say that?" "We spent enough time in that white sports car, you should remember." "We all piled into it:" "Charlotte, Emilie and the Swede." "Petersen!" "Who was always challenging people to a boxing match." "He still does that." "And Donge!" "Who was always worried about getting a ticket!" " Old Arthur, with his baffled look." " And his jealous rages!" "He wanted to kill him!" "How many times I had to hold him back." "Listen, you know Emilie always made it worse." "Donge wasn't the guy for her, that's just the way it is." "But he loved her to death." "What she did to him was rotten." "Oh but when you're young..." "Between us," "Petersen didn't really love her all that much." "If he married her, it's because she was pregnant." "And the kid..." "You know she has a kid, right?" "Of course, I even know his name, Teddy." "Well Teddy is Donge's kid!" "No kidding?" "Your good health." "You know..." "I never said anything, even between good friends." "But late yesterday," "Emilie came here." " Mrs Petersen?" " Hmm." "I hadn't seen her for ten years" "She sat over there." "She was alone, huh!" "Tonio told her I was in the bathrooms." "You think she came down to say hello or buy me a drink?" "That's the kind of thing that brings bad luck!" "Excuse me." "Ginette, Charlotte's on the phone for you." "Oh, Charlotte!" "What are the odds, the old gang will all be back together!" " Do you mind?" " Say hi to her from me." "I sure will." " I'll be back in a second!" " No problem." "Wake up, chubby!" "You look a sight." "You're not embarrassed to doze off like that?" "I was listening in my sleep!" "I know what I'm doing." "So." "Charlotte's on the phone to Ginette to tell her to keep her mouth shut." "Of course." "Let's make a move, it's going to be an ugly conversation." " Duck out and find us a cab." " Yes, "Roger"!" "Goodbye, Tonio." "Thanks." " A quick drink?" " I don't have the time." " Everything's fine?" " It's all sorted out." " The "Clair de Lune" is legit." " See it stays that way!" "Roger!" "Roger!" "You assholes!" " She spat on the window!" " I saw it." "Put yourself in her place though." "I mean, Charlotte, Ginette, Emilie... how they turned out, it's not so pretty." "Of course." "But the killer, what do you think?" "Oh right, the killer," "I'd forgotten about that." "Don't worry, we'll find the killer tomorrow." ""Teacher of modern dance styles"." " Is Mr Fualdes at home?" " He's already gone out." "Before 9 AM?" "Commissioner Maigret from the police." "The police!" "There must be some mistake." "Mr Fualdes is an honest man," " I promise you..." " He's still asleep, right?" "But I just told you, he's gone out." "Where did he go?" "He didn't say." "You work for him?" "I'm the maid-housekeeper." "I have some important questions to ask you a lot depends on your answers." "But, what's this?" "It's a carpet sweeper." "And this, what's this thing?" "That's some little dogs." "Yes, exactly!" "What else can you say." "Some little dogs." "Someone's at the door." " It's him coming back." " Don't move." "Don't look so surprised, I needed to see you and your maid let me in." " Commissioner Maigret." " What an honour!" "I admire your talents greatly." " It's an unexpected pleasure..." " Calm down!" " Would you like me to take that..." " No, don't worry about it." " You can go." " Yes you go, Rosalie." "Do like he says." "I'm in charge of the Petersen investigation, so it's no surprise I have to ask you some questions." "Nothing surprises me." "Everything amuses me." "See it stays that way." "But between us, Mr Fualdes..." "OK let's get down to it." "Let's see..." "What's that thing there?" "That?" "It's just a shopping bag." "And what's in it?" "All the ingredients for a nice stew" "A French-style stew!" "If you'd like to take a look, Captain..." "Do me a favour and drop the accent." "Drop my accent?" "How can I do this?" "By remembering that you were born in France, and your name is Jules Bringuet and you've never been anywhere near South America." "OK, Commissioner." "What's the point of this fake personality?" "Foreign dancers who have the Argentinian look are in more demand and the accent makes it even better." " And Rosalie, that's your mother." " Yes." "How did you figure that out?" "If you have a maid, you don't go down to the shops at 8 AM." "So you're a good son who lives with his mother who does some of the household chores when he's not being an Argentinian dance." "You're pretty good, Mr Maigret." " What do you live on?" " The Hotel Majestic." " And its customers..." " A bit, yes." "My dream is to have... a little cottage by the sea, a fish on the line and Mom knitting away in the garden." "Yes..." "And I have to dance every afternoon, every night, while cooing in Spanish into the ears of tiresome tourist ladies from all over the world who came to see the Eiffel Town or Napoleon's Tomb." "It's not much fun, believe me." "So you hope Mrs Van Bell will buy you your seaside cottage?" "That will take some doing." "You have no idea how stingy they are!" "That Van Bell will give me maybe the customary gold fountain pen or silver cigarette lighter." "But I think I'm worth a bit more than that." "So I kind of... play them off against each other, Holland versus Sweden." "But Emilie, she's an old friend from back in the day and she's dead, I'm not here for nothing." "Well see." "Meanwhile..." "That'll be Van Bell." "Every morning she's on the phone to check up on me." " Do you mind?" " Hold on, I'll answer it." "Enrico, tell me what I want to hear." "Are you behaving yourself?" "[with fake accent] Like a lover entangled by fate," "I dreamed of you all night." "Ah!" "It's good to hear from you." "But I want to see you too, see?" " When are you coming?" " As soon as I can." "For a day without you is a day without sunshine, a night without stars." "Cupid's arrow has struck me through the heart:" "I love you passionately." "Have you guess that I've bought you a gold fountain pen?" "One second, my nightingale, someone's here." "You're out of luck." "It's going to be the fountain pen." "Anyway, thank you." "Oh, you're too kind!" "But I should be giving you presents not getting them." "Don't start that again, you'll make me mad!" "Come it!" "Good evening, Miss." "What do you want?" "Miss Helene, I need three seconds of your time." "That's too much." "You can have two." " Hello, Teddy!" " Hello, Sir." "Go and have your shower." "I'm listening." "I see you're going through the mail." "Before it all disappears up the chimney, tell me if, in Sweden, Mrs Petersen kept in touch with old friends here in France." "Sir," "Your title is policeman." "And mine is Secretary and "secretary" contains the work "secret"." "Nobody in the world can force me to betray those who have confided in me." "And I'll tell you now, I am" " protected by my embassy." " I know." "The relationship wasn't really very successful, was it?" "Why not be honest?" "It's all about Mr Petersen's honorable nature he married Emilie to make an honest woman of her intending to separate after Teddy was born." "Only... he was so fond of his son that he took pity on the mother." "That may be but I don't think any policeman especially not one like you can understand that kind of thing." "Thanks for the compliment." "But in my job, it's convenient to appear dumber than you really are." "I'll explain later." "I don't think a secretary like you can understand that kind of thing." "You're going to give me that mail you're opening." "These letters don't concern you!" "But still, you're going to hand them over..." "Let go of me!" "Let go of me!" "That's from White Eagle." "I am perhaps curious but you are pretty nervous." "You know what these are, right?" "You have no idea how little I care." "Oh really?" "You won't care if I put these pretty bracelets on your wrists and lead you through the hotel corridors in full view of the porters and lift attendants and concierges?" "Down to my car and off to the Central Police Station?" "But I don't like when people stare." "That's from Don Quixote!" "Of that's awful!" "Don't go crazy:" "a dab with a sponge and White Eagle will soon be on his feet again." "But above all, no whisky, it's not good for him." "Goodbye, Miss." "Boss!" "I've been waiting for you." "Something's come up!" "What?" "Something "amazing" or maybe something "shocking"?" "Donge is in custody." " We got an anonymous letter..." " a what?" "A-no-ny-mous!" "Unsigned, whatever." "Saying that he killed Mrs Petersen." "The prosecutor had him brought in and I came right away" " to let you know." " Well done." "and now we prepare the interrogation suite with the right fixtures." "Look at the face Donge is making!" "This machine restores memories to those who've lost them." "The smart ones remember right away and lay their cards on the table." "The dumb ones hold out for a day or two but hey, we've got time." "We'll wait two hours, ten hours," " whatever it takes." " Go on, get up!" "Sit down there." "It's just like having your picture taken." "Lights out!" "Don't be afraid!" "It's only after a while it starts to hurt." "So, Arthur, why'd you kill the lady?" " I didn't kill her!" "It wasn't me." " You're lying!" " I swear!" " Don't move!" "Look at me!" "Listen." "If you don't mind, I'd like to interrogate this suspect myself." "Certainly, Mr Commissioner." "If you'd like to take my spot." "I'd rather be alone with him because when it's 3 against 1," "That doesn't work for me." "So you guys go and get a drink and come back in 15 minutes." "He's a tough one this guy, he didn't even admit to his own name." " We'll see." " Good luck, Commissioner." "Thanks." " Cigarette?" " They belong to the Inspector..." "Then they'll taste even better." "I'm not going to ask your for your life story." "You'd just lie to me like they all do." "I'm going to tell you a story instead." "The story of a certain Mr Donge, first name, Arthur." "Who a dozen years ago, worked in a nightclub with three beautiful hostesses." "You were more fun back then and less ugly." "And you fell crazy in love with Emilie." "She was good to you, but not faithful to you." "You could hardly bear it." "You thought you were cursed and you were the happiest you'd ever be in your life." "And one day, Petersen turns up." "He had fun with Emilie and one day she came to tell you:" ""It's over." ""I'm going to have a child" ""and Petersen is going to marry me"" "Oh no, that's not right." "Go ahead, I'm listening." "Emilie told me that Petersen wanted to marry her but she never talked about having a child." "If she'd said that" "I would never have let her go." "I'd always dreamed of having a child." "I didn't find out the truth until much later." "Tell me the story." "I'd married Charlotte..." "Why?" "I don't really know." "She, as much as anyone knew the score." "And so... we were happy enough." "And it was her who, one night, told me the truth once she was sure I was over Emilie." "I didn't want to believe it." "And she showed me a letter from Emilie and there it was in black and white." "Teddy was my sone... and he was already six years old." "But all the same I wrote to Emilie, three times ... maybe four, just asking for a picture of the kid." "No reply." "So I gave up on her." "And I started to   to love my son without even knowing anything about him." "In my imagination." "It's a bit sad but it was nice." "We got along so well... in my dreams," "Papa Donge and Teddy Donge." "The only other thing I can tell you the only thing you've got on me:" "Four days ago, in the kitchens of the Majestic," "I learned that the Petersens from Stockholm" "Were staying at the hotel." "And I wrote to Emilie la veille du crime." "That would be the letter she burned." "A letter written in all kindness." "I asked simply for permission to see Teddy just one time." "Just one time." "But Emilie died without responding to my letter." "So there it is." "You know the truth now Commissioner." "Am I still a suspect?" "But that letter must have contained some kind of reproach or threat since she bought herself a revolver." "Threats?" "Me?" "Threaten the mother of my Teddy?" "This letter from Emilie to Charlotte where the whole story is revealed," " does it still exist?" " Oh yes!" "It's at our place in Suresnes." "Listen to me..." "Come in!" "Boss, can I come in?" " What do you want?" " It's not me." "It's Petersen." "He's in with the prosecutor." "He's putting on quite a performance." "No, I won't listen!" "I want to hear an apology from Don Quixote!" "Foreigners like you cause lots of problems!" "I want an apology and my jaw wants one too!" "Please, don't go too far and don't forget you struck the first blow." "Ah!" "There you are, Maigret." "Mr Petersen was just telling me about this morning's unfortunate incident." "Mr Petersen would like to straighten out this misunderstanding..." " So that we can forget about it..." " Apologise." "No way!" "It's me who should get the apology." "You hurt me." "First of all, I'm not in the habit of apologising for a well-deserved punch." "Secondly, there are worse things than a punch:" "like putting away too much whisky when you're not in the habit." "And then..." "But first, let me ask you a question:" "do you love your son, Mr Petersen?" "That's a strange question." "Teddy?" "He's the light of my life." "Teddy, Mr Petersen, is not your son!" "By the end of today you will have written proof" " in your wife's handwriting." " What the hell are you talking about?" "That's not true!" "You're lying, Commissioner!" "I never lie, Mr Petersen." "I have to tell you, your arrogance is unprecedented." "Your wife is dead, that's no big deal to you." "Other people should take care of that." "Your money protects you, your embassy protects you." "No!" "Mr Petersen," "No embassy has the power to protect you from suffering." "And I'm going to make sure you suffer, starting now!" "Perhaps it will make you a bit more human." "Tell me it's not true." "Teddy is the son of Arthur Donge, the coffee guy at the Majestic." "This enquiry keeps turning up over-the-top, crazy people but they all have something real about them, some secret sorrow." "Mlle Helene has hers." "Donge, Charlotte, Ginette, Fualdes... and even the old biddy with her Hyacinths and her gold pens." "But you?" "Nothing!" "Not that!" "People keep making allowances for you when you're looking for the true." "I've heard enough, Mr Maigret." "Interrogate me, interrogate Helene, look wherever you want... but tell me that Teddy..." "I would feel sorry for you, Mr Petersen, if I hadn't just heard Donge explain to me how for all these years, he has loved Teddy in his imagination, in his dreams." "But already you seem more sympathetic to me." "I don't want to tell you, Maigret, that you've overstepped the bounds" "But I need to know where this is going." "To understand this case." "Someone has lied." "I've missed something!" "But what are you going to do?" "Keep looking." "Keep looking, while I smoke my pipe." "Maybe take a walk." "Listen to some music." "Because anonymous letters aren't much use in a complicated case like this one." "But on the other hand, some music... might help." "Goodnight, gentlemen." "What's your opinion, Boss?" "About what?" "The murder of Mrs Petersen, do you know who did it?" "No, it's all the same to me at the moment." "That's not the most important thing." "It's Teddy I'm concerned with." "And in your opinion, who'll get the child?" "The father who he adores and who'll do whatever it takes to bring him up a good little Frenchman or the foreigner who loves him too who'll bring him up to be a man in the way of his country?" "Seems to me, Boss, we're having enough trouble finding the killer without... getting mixed up in these... psychological side-issues." "These what?" "These psychological side-issues." "One is rich." "The other is poor." "So?" "What we need to know is, which of them loves Teddy the most." "But how can you measure such a thing?" "No idea, Boss." " The killer, Chef..." " Oh shut up about the killer!" "Go ahead, you look for the killer if that's so much fun." "No, I'm going to listen to the first violin." "He plays very well that guy." "Mr Commissioner, allow me to introduce Mr Delormel who would like to have a word with you in confidence." "Excuse me, I'll leave you two alone." "Please, Monsieur." "My colleague." "Believe me, Mr Commissioner, if I'm going to be indiscreet, it's only because I'm a great admirer of yours." "No it isn't." "It's only for the pleasure of being indiscreet." "Go ahead, speak frankly." "Perhaps." "I am an employee at a bank on Carnot Avenue and among our clients we have a certain Donge Arthur, restaurant worker." "Go on, I'm listening." "This M. Donge is an unusual client who never makes deposits himself but receives, roughly every three months money from Sweden." "These transfers come from a bank in Stockholm the account of a Mrs Petersen." "Donge has been sent about 4,000 Kroner in total." "And Donge has this money?" "In his account at the moment there's just 31 francs and 20 cents." " What's that sound like to you?" " Blackmail." "the little place in Suresnes, the furnishings, the rabbit stew... a paid for by Emilie Petersen?" "So we think he's guilty?" "It looks like it but it just doesn't feel right to me." "anyway..." "Go along with this gentleman and verify the story." "Get me dates, account details." "We can probably wrap this up tonight." " Hey boss, I'll find you back here?" " Or down in the kitchens." "I've got something to say to my friend the head chef." "Oh look it's the Commissioner again!" "I think the guy's over-rated, he doesn't impress me at all." " So that's possible, tonight?" " Around nine, certainly." "And, I will be able to dine in complete confidentiality?" "Eyes closed." "How many will there be?" "Two friends and myself in a private room." "And I'll tell you again:" "I want this meal to be amazing, jaw-dropping." "Understood." "What do you want to eat?" "When I'm dealing with an artist" "I let them go where their imagination takes them." "Mr Commissioner, tonight your friends will have the best dinner of their life." "All right then." "Thank you and I'll let you get one with it." "Bye, Chef." " Good day, Mr Commissioner." " Good day." "Who's that?" "That's Donge's replacement, Mr Commissioner." "Why is he looking at me like that?" "I haven't killed anyone." "I told you so." "That's funny." "What's he thinking about me?" "I haven't killed anyone." "Come in!" " Hello, Mr Ramuel." " Hello, Mr Commissioner." " Can I do anything for you?" " No." "Nothing." "Don't trouble yourself!" "I've never been in here, I wonder why not." "The view you have from here is great." "The captain on the bridge of his ship." "Watch out on the port side!" "Careful on the starboard there!" "We're watching you." " Here's a thing, Ramuel." " What is it?" "The new guy in Donge's job, he's slacking off:" "he's just reading the paper." "Teatime is over he's going to be rushed off his feet at the end of dinner so between those two times, he's allowed to take a break." "Ah, he does the dinner shift too?" "But our pal Donge finished a lot earlier didn't he?" "Not always." "There's a roster which changes." "And during this rest period, is he allowed to leave?" "No, because... orders might come in and the steward might send him out on an errand." "It's pretty good, your glass-cage system." "It lets you see at any given moment" "What Donge is up to, right Mr Ramuel?" "Of course, Commissioner." "But not more than anyone else in the kitchen" "Nothing gets past you, right?" "Donge breaks a pot, you see it." "He scratches his head, you notice." "He trims his nails, he yawns, whatever he does during his break, you'll be able to see it, right?" "Since the glass is transparent!" "Well put, Mr Ramuel." "There's the replacement guy now on his way out to get provisions from the steward." "He's left his paper behind." "All these tiny details of a grand hotel fascinate me." " Thanks, Mr Ramuel." " At your service." "Mr Commissioner, the enquiry, how's that progressing?" "I think it'll be wrapped up tonight." "You'll have to excuse me, sorry." " Boss, something's up..." " I know, I know." "Tell me slower, and as clearly as possible." "The goose is cooked, Boss!" "That Donge is a smart one, you know!" "At the band, he didn't give his Suresnes address, he gave a different one." "I thought, you know, a fake one." "A drop box." "Those guys who rent a room just to get their mail." "And Donge took an extra precaution he had his letters forwarded." "I'll let you know where, I've got it written down." "The International Postal Agency, Boss." "And from there on, it's just envelopes with initials on them." "So you went to this International Postal Agency on the double?" "On the double?" "I haven't had time." "Well let's both go there right away." " International Postal Agency?" " Yes..." " Are there any other Agencies?" " No." "The great powers don't seem to be signed up to your Agency." " Who's the director?" " That's me." "You're the director, the employee, typist, office boy..." " Did I miss anything?" " The owner." "So what do you want?" "To understand how this racket works." "Police!" "Do you mind?" "Excuse me." "That seems to be in order." "But you're in the office of a businessman who pays his taxes, don't forget that." "So what does your little business do exactly?" "It's a sort of mail agency with a difference where the envelopes bear only the initials of the addressee, who can therefore pick up his mail without having to present any identification." "Is that legal?" "I'm in the business register." "So then, adulterers, blackmailers, indecent proposals..." " What are your customers like?" " Generally, rather distinguished." "You've got a lovely job." "I'm just the transmitter." "I didn't make these men." "I'm not saying I'm proud of them." "Nor the women either," "I'd be ashamed." "Wait, these letters have addresses on them." "Those are the letters which I have sent from" "My agents in the provinces or overseas so they can sent from whichever town my clients request." "It's a specialty of this firm, we can have mail sent from any part of the world." "What's the point of that?" "Say a guy tells his wife he's going on a business trip to Lille when in reality, he's got something going on in Nice." "The International Postal Agency has pre-written letters dispatch from Lille." "That's pretty despicable." "Why?" "If it wasn't for me, the wife wouldn't hear from her husband at all." "This way she gets a few kind words." "That's something at least." "Do you know any Arthur Donge?" "No." "He's one of your clients." "I don't know any of my clients," "I only know initials." "They come to the window and say:" ""it's A.V.", or C.S. or R.P...." "There's either a letter or there isn't." "I don't look at them directly so that I won't know them." "Sometimes," "I give a lady a letter and call her "Sir"" "So they can be extra confident they're anonymous." "Man or woman, I don't know." "But could you recognise someone who'd been here 5 or 6 times and who goes by A.D.?" "I don't want to get mixed up in this." "Discretion is my bread and butter." "OK I'm going to be cynical like you." "A bit of publicity could lose you quite a few clients." "But a big fuss being made over you, see what that gets you!" "There are lots of people who'd like to know about your services." "So when the Petersen case gets into court, the International Postal Agency will be the stare as your techniques are detailed in every newspaper in the world." "That would be worth a fortune to you." "A.D., you say?" "They have numbers as well, to distinguish between different ads." "As far as "A.D.", goes, I have... 8 or 9, both male and female." "But I..." " I would recognise him." " You're sure?" "Definite." " Lucas." " Boss?" "Right then, at 11 PM, we'll have a General Meeting." "Everyone involved to be at the prosecutors office." "OK, Boss!" "Come in!" " Evening, Mr Prosecutor!" " Evening, Maigret." "After you left," "Donge was worked on a bit more." " He admitted everything." " What luck!" "With terrifying details." "He's a monster, a sadist!" "Listen." "Let me have two of those goons and I'll have Petersen "admitting" he's not Swedish and Fualdes admitting he has two left feet." "But here's his signed confession." "We'll read that tonight at 11." "because there's a big reunion planned." "Those who admit, those who deny, and it's my job to sort out this strange case." "Why so late?" "I'm going to be held up at dinner until 11" "I've got two guests:" "M. Petersen and if you don't mind doing me a great favour..." "Oh that's very kind of you Maigret," " I don't know how to thank you." " No sorry, you're misunderstanding." "The second guest isn't you." "Oh, I see, well then..." "It's our pal Donge who I would like released." " Are you kidding me?" " No I'm not." "Tonight we will have the murderer of Mrs Petersen." "But the fate of Teddy won't be decided." "Tomorrow, Mr Petersen is off to Scandinavia and it will be too late to sort that out." "That's none of our business." "The judgement of Solomon was a similar kind of case and it's talked about still." "You think I'm going to threaten Teddy with death to see which of them, Petersen or Donge will beg me to spare him?" "No, that's been done." "It is in order to know who would make the better father that I will have them both at a table of delicious food." "I think you've gone a bit mad." "You're going to give Teddy to the best eater?" "To the worst, Mr Prosecutor." "They know what's at stake:" "their son!" "that should give anyone a lump in their throat." "So the one who most loves Teddy is he who eats the least." "These gentlemen are to be served." "Thank you." "Gentlemen." "Let's get to work for a good cause." "Mr Petersen." "Mr Donge." "We start with cold lobster in mayonnaise, roast suckling pig," "Pheasant Cardinal style, and a heap of other delicious things." "Happy, Mr Petersen?" "OK with that, my dear Donge?" "Right then, perfect!" "Let's talk, if you don't mind, about the question on everyone's mind." "Have you thought about it, Mr Petersen?" "All afternoon." "I've never been so unhappy in my whole life and I've never thought so long about anything." "Mr Maigret, you told me the cold hard truth" "but I found that it didn't change my feelings one bit." "I don't love that child" "Because of one night of passion on the Riviera which I've long forgotten." "I was probably drunk, and so was Emilie." "No I love him because of the ten years... we've lived together." "That's what matters, not... the fact of his birth." "Eat up, Donge." "It's excellent!" "A bit more." "Sorry, I was listening to Mr Petersen." "You see, between a father and his son, what really matters is the bonds you forge from sharing confidences, from friendship." "Teddy and I, we have our own games." "We have our own language." "What exists between us wasn't given us by an outsider, we built it up ourselves." "No, you see, M. Maigret, maybe he wasn't my son, but he has become my son." "That's what I think." "Please eat, Mr Petersen." "I get the feeling Donge has something to say." "If you don't mind," "Mr Petersen speaks so charmingly, so movingly, but he's skipping over the truth." "Paternity... begins long before you think about paternal love." "First of all, you should love a woman and love her so much you want a child with her in which a part of you and of her can be forever entwined." "You had your fun on the Riviera." "Me, I loved Emilie." "Me, I remember everything." "And having this child, was my fondest wish." "The father, Mr Petersen, is he who gives his life and who wishes to give it." "Mr Petersen!" "Your lobster." "Sorry, excuse me." "I was listening to Mr Donge" "Why bring up Emilie?" "Clearly, I didn't love her." "But I married her out of a sense of honour." "And all of a sudden, my life was changed." "I was the father of a son as you say and when I got to Stockholm," "I applied myself to work, for Teddy." "I had a great house built." "For Teddy." "I thought better of divorcing her, for Teddy." "But when I leant over his cradle at night, it was me he smiled at." "Not Mr Donge." "And nobody has the right to split us up because of an old story nobody even remembers." "...Apart from Mr Donge." "Come on, Donge, are you going to eat?" "Me, Mr Petersen," "I've spent all my life downstairs because managers though I was too ugly to work with the public." "Me, I don't have any great house and I would have had to put the cradle in my kitchen." "But I guarantee, when he saw my ordinary old face," "Teddy would have smiled at me... just like he did at you." "You don't like lobster, Mr Petersen?" "You either, my dear Donge?" "Maitre'D, you can take these away." "These gentlemen will move on to the suckling pig." "I'm more confused than ever." "Which of you loves Teddy the most?" "I don't know, and we will probably never know." "I think the question should be posed differently." "With which of you" " Would Teddy be happiest?" " With me!" "And why?" "Because..." "Oh, excuse me, I can't say why exactly." "It was an outburst." "And you, Donge, think otherwise." "I thank Mr Petersen for not saying what I see in his eyes." "Mr Petersen... is richer." "I'm sorry if I offended you." "No, Mr Petersen, you haven't offended me." "Your response is fair." "And if you asked a hundred people, they would respond like you and would only hesitate a little." "Because it's not nice to attach so much importance to money." "He has a lot of it." "So much that myself Mr Petersen," "I agree with you." "So then... make Teddy happy." "You who can do so." "Really, Donge?" "You renounce your claim?" "Mr Maigret," "I gave him up a long time ago." "To take back a child who's already grown, who has his likes and dislikes, his ways he's grown used to," "I never thought it was possible." "And then..." "I would have been afraid to deceive him." "the one thing I asked for in my letter to Emilie, was to see him... just once." "To know for myself... the colour of his eyes." "So you're from another tribe?" "Yes." "And what's your name?" "What am I called?" "Nickel-Foot." "That's a great name." " Shall I get in bed now?" " Yes." "OK." "But in the evenings, when I'm good, my father gives me a gold Kroner piece." "for my piggybank." "Give me and I'll be good." "Well I don't have any Kroner." "I know how much that's worth." "Hey!" "Don't rip me off." "Hold on." "I'm going to give you something much better." "It's a gold Napoleon coin." "It was given to me by my father." "And you know what," "I've always held on to it." "I hope you'll do the same" " a souvenir of..." " a souvenir of Nickel-Foot." "Now I'll get into bed and you, you have to tell me a story." "What story?" "Whatever you like but make it short because I go to sleep very quickly." "You sit there." "Now, start the story." "It's just I don't know many stories which would suit little Swedish boys." "However, do you know the story of the poor woodcutter?" "No." "Ok then, let's see." "It was a dark and stormy night and you could hardly see six feet in front of you and the icy wind was blowing..." "It's a scary story." "You'd better hold my hand or I'll get scared." "On that cold night, a poor woodcutter was making his way home." "He was so tired from working all day." "But he was thinking of getting home where he would find himself in front of the log fire and where his wife Charlotte and his little boy Toto were waiting for him." "And that gave him... great courage." "All of a sudden..." "Well?" "Well, are you asleep?" "Falcon-Eye." "So did that go well?" "And now, Donge, we have to go." "The prosecutor is waiting for us." "Here we are, Mr Commissioner." "Enrico?" "My nightingale." "I didn't dare speak to the Consul." "Holland is a little country which doesn't scare anyone." "But you," " call your ambassador!" " Which ambassador?" " The Argentinian Ambassador!" " Oh yes." "No but, now it's nearly 11, perhaps he's asleep." "Perhaps he's gone out." "It's better to be patient." "Is this farce going to go on much longer?" "But Madame, just like you, I'm waiting for these gentlemen." "You think I'm enjoying this?" " Good evening, Mr Prosecutor." " Good evening, Mr Petersen." "You'll have to forgive us, we were at dinner." "I know, don't go on about it." " The Commissioner isn't with you?" " He's right behind us." "Well then gentlemen if you'd like to take your places." "If you only knew how scared I am!" "Don't worry." "That Maigret is a friend now." "Is everyone here?" " You were the only one missing." " And this gentleman." "Come in my dear chap." "And nobody moves, OK!" "Come with me, my dear director." "And take a good look at Madame." "No." "What's he up to?" "He stares into my eyes and just says "no"?" "Be quiet!" "And this noble Signor?" "No." "This gentleman?" "No." "This young lady?" "Come here." "This lady?" "No." "And the last great hope, this gentleman?" "No." "Well then, the killer of Mrs Petersen, where is he?" "He's not here." "You promised me it would all be done by 11 PM!" "Mr Prosecutor, it's only 10:59, there's still time." "But I won't keep you waiting." "Ladies and Gentlemen, take a good close." "Nothing up my sleeves." "Nothing in my pockets." "And as the pendulum strikes the first stroke of 11P M," "I give you, the killer!" "Here he is!" "Mr Michaud." "Do you know this gentleman?" "Yes." "For two years, he came to the agency every three months to pick up a letter which was sent to him under the name "A.D."." "I admit I don't know what's happening." "Me neither!" "But it's exciting!" "Quiet!" "Here's how it all came about." "Ramuel, from his observatory, watched as Donge made his coffees." "Dropped saucers." "Scratched his head." "And he also watched him writing letters." "One day, intrigued by this correspondance, while Donge was fetching packages for the Steward, he came over." "He read the letter." "He understood." "He blackmailed Mrs Petersen." "Mrs Petersen, for fear of a scandal, or for fear her husband would divorce her, got scared." "And for two years, she sent money and Donge had a pretty nice bank balance which he knew nothing about." "You see?" "None of that explains the crime." "We're getting there." "We're there, Mr Prosecutor." "Donge, by chance, learns that the Petersens are in the Hotel." "He writes to Mrs Petersen." "What?" "You wrote to Emilie?" "Oh, let it go, just listen." "Don't give your husband a hard time." "He's a good man." "A really good man." "But Mrs Petersen, because of the letters, thought he was a master blackmailer." "She wanted a meeting, to settle the business once and for all but she was scared." "So, her nervousness, the purchase of the gun..." "And that morning at 6, her heart pounding, she walks through the sleeping hotel." "Can I help you, Madame?" "I'd like to talk to me Mr Donge." "Mr Donge, the coffee maker?" "Yes." "He's a few minutes late, but if you'd like to wait for him." "There are going to be lots of people coming here soon?" "There will be... cooks, assistant-cooks, waiters, lots of staff." "I can't stay." "But can you please tell Mr Donge I was looking for him?" "Who shall I say?" "Mrs Petersen." "From Stockholm?" "How do you know that?" "Well Donge is a friend of mine and he's spoken of you often." "For years." "So I remembered." "But listen, you can come this way." "There's a place here where you won't be disturbed." "Donge will be here any moment now so it would be silly to miss him." "But..." " Where are you taking me?" " There, there, to the locker room." "Donge will go straight here when he arrives." "You won't be disturbed." "It'll be quiet." "I'd rather... come back another time." "Please, Madame." "Trust me." "Excuse me." "If Donge hadn't had a flat tyre, nothing would have happened." "Ramuel, faced with Mrs Petersen, saw at once that he would be discovered." "That all would be lost." "He went all in." " Isn't that right, Ramuel?" " Yes, Mr Commissioner." "You know everything now." "Thank you, Mr Maigret." " No hard feelings?" " No hard feelings." "Mr Prosecutor, in recognition of your work" "I would like to offer the French Police a cheque for 1,000 Kroner." "May I?" " I don't know how to thank you..." " That's quite simple." "Let me have your sandwich." "After that amazing dinner you've just had?" "But please, go ahead." "We were served wonderful food, truly unique." "Weren't we, Mr Donge?" "It was unforgettable." "And yet Mr Petersen and I, we didn't eat a thing." "Nothing." "Oh, sorry!" "I'd forgotten you were hungry too, excuse me." "Please take half." "No, thank you Mr Petersen." "No, but as far as I'm concerned..." "I still feel the same." "I couldn't eat a thing."