bed into the other room.’
They shifted the divan and went up to the second floor to find another bed which Marc had kept from happier days, as well as a lamp and a rug which Lucien consented to lend.
‘It’s only because she looks so sad,’ said Lucien, rolling up the rug.
Once the bedroom was more or less ready, Marc put the key on the inside of the door, so that Alexandra Haufman could lock herself in if she so wished. He did this tactfully and without a word. The discreet elegance of the impoverished aristocrat, thought Lucien. We should get him a ring with a seal, so that he can seal his letters with wax. He would like that, for sure.
XVII
INSPECTEUR LEGUENNEC ARRIVED FIFTEEN MINUTES AFTER VANDOOSLER S call the next morning. He had a short council of war with his former senior officer before asking to speak with the young woman. Marc left the main room and dragged his godfather out forcibly, so as to leave Alexandra in a tête-a-tête with the little inspecteur en chef.
Vandoosler strolled about in the garden with his godson.
‘If she hadn’t turned up, I think I might have let the whole thing drop. What do you think about that girl?’
‘Not so loud,’ said Marc. ‘Little Kyril is playing in the garden. Well, she’s not stupid and she’s as beautiful as an angel. You noticed that, I dare say.’
‘Naturally,’ Vandoosler replied, rather irritated. ‘That’s pretty obvious. But what else?’
‘Hard to tell in such a short time,’ said Marc.
‘You used to say five minutes was enough for you to make up your mind.’
‘Well, not quite. When people have a sad story, it makes it harder. But if you want my opinion, in her case something dramatic must have happened. You can’t see straight, it’s as if you’re going over a waterfall, you suddenly lose all your illusions. I know the feeling.’
‘Did you ask her about it?’
‘Not so loud, for God’s sake, I told you. No, I didn’t ask her about it. You don’t ask about that kind of thing. I’m guessing, inventing and comparing. It’s not that difficult.’
‘Do you think some man’s thrown her out?’
Oh please, keep your big mouth shut.’
The godfather pursed his lips and kicked a stone.
‘That was my stone,’ said Marc tartly. ‘I left it there last Thursday. You might ask before taking it over.’
Vandoosler kicked the pebble for a few minutes, then lost it in the long grass.
‘Very clever,’ said Marc. ‘D’you think they grow on trees?’
‘Go on,’ said Vandoosler.
‘OK, the waterfall. Add to that the aunt’s disappearance. It’s a lot to take. My impression is that the girl is straightforward. She’s gentle, truthful, fragile, lots of delicate qualities to be careful not to break, like her neck. But she’s touchy and susceptible. At the least thing, she sticks her lip out. Well, not exactly-let’s say she’s straightforward but has mixed feelings. Or perhaps straightforward thoughts in a mixed-up temperament. Oh hell, I don’t know. Let’s drop it. But where this business about her aunt is concerned, she won’t let matters drop, you can be sure of that. Is she telling us the whole truth, though? I don’t know. What is Leguennec going to do-or rather, what are you and he planning to do?’
‘We’re not going to keep it under wraps any longer. In any case, as you say, the girl is going to move heaven and earth to find Sophia. So we might as well go official. Open an investigation under some pretext. It’s all been too vague, it’s going to get away from us. We should try and make the first move. But it’s impossible to check the story about the star on the card, and the rendezvous in Lyon. The husband doesn’t remember the name of the hotel on the card. Or where the card was posted. He doesn’t remember anything, Relivaux. Or else he’s doing it on purpose, and the card never existed. Leguennec has run a check on the Lyon hotels. No-one of her name has registered.’
‘Do you think the same
They shifted the divan and went up to the second floor to find another bed which Marc had kept from happier days, as well as a lamp and a rug which Lucien consented to lend.
‘It’s only because she looks so sad,’ said Lucien, rolling up the rug.
Once the bedroom was more or less ready, Marc put the key on the inside of the door, so that Alexandra Haufman could lock herself in if she so wished. He did this tactfully and without a word. The discreet elegance of the impoverished aristocrat, thought Lucien. We should get him a ring with a seal, so that he can seal his letters with wax. He would like that, for sure.
XVII
INSPECTEUR LEGUENNEC ARRIVED FIFTEEN MINUTES AFTER VANDOOSLER S call the next morning. He had a short council of war with his former senior officer before asking to speak with the young woman. Marc left the main room and dragged his godfather out forcibly, so as to leave Alexandra in a tête-a-tête with the little inspecteur en chef.
Vandoosler strolled about in the garden with his godson.
‘If she hadn’t turned up, I think I might have let the whole thing drop. What do you think about that girl?’
‘Not so loud,’ said Marc. ‘Little Kyril is playing in the garden. Well, she’s not stupid and she’s as beautiful as an angel. You noticed that, I dare say.’
‘Naturally,’ Vandoosler replied, rather irritated. ‘That’s pretty obvious. But what else?’
‘Hard to tell in such a short time,’ said Marc.
‘You used to say five minutes was enough for you to make up your mind.’
‘Well, not quite. When people have a sad story, it makes it harder. But if you want my opinion, in her case something dramatic must have happened. You can’t see straight, it’s as if you’re going over a waterfall, you suddenly lose all your illusions. I know the feeling.’
‘Did you ask her about it?’
‘Not so loud, for God’s sake, I told you. No, I didn’t ask her about it. You don’t ask about that kind of thing. I’m guessing, inventing and comparing. It’s not that difficult.’
‘Do you think some man’s thrown her out?’
Oh please, keep your big mouth shut.’
The godfather pursed his lips and kicked a stone.
‘That was my stone,’ said Marc tartly. ‘I left it there last Thursday. You might ask before taking it over.’
Vandoosler kicked the pebble for a few minutes, then lost it in the long grass.
‘Very clever,’ said Marc. ‘D’you think they grow on trees?’
‘Go on,’ said Vandoosler.
‘OK, the waterfall. Add to that the aunt’s disappearance. It’s a lot to take. My impression is that the girl is straightforward. She’s gentle, truthful, fragile, lots of delicate qualities to be careful not to break, like her neck. But she’s touchy and susceptible. At the least thing, she sticks her lip out. Well, not exactly-let’s say she’s straightforward but has mixed feelings. Or perhaps straightforward thoughts in a mixed-up temperament. Oh hell, I don’t know. Let’s drop it. But where this business about her aunt is concerned, she won’t let matters drop, you can be sure of that. Is she telling us the whole truth, though? I don’t know. What is Leguennec going to do-or rather, what are you and he planning to do?’
‘We’re not going to keep it under wraps any longer. In any case, as you say, the girl is going to move heaven and earth to find Sophia. So we might as well go official. Open an investigation under some pretext. It’s all been too vague, it’s going to get away from us. We should try and make the first move. But it’s impossible to check the story about the star on the card, and the rendezvous in Lyon. The husband doesn’t remember the name of the hotel on the card. Or where the card was posted. He doesn’t remember anything, Relivaux. Or else he’s doing it on purpose, and the card never existed. Leguennec has run a check on the Lyon hotels. No-one of her name has registered.’
‘Do you think the same
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