Apropos of Nothing
I was reading a story by the great French writer Georges Simenon, about Chief Superintendent Maigret, and came across the following brief passage, where Maigret was questioning a suspect:
"What reason would you have had for killing Monsieur Louis?"
"Don't you know that I borrowed money from him?"
"Borrowed?"
"All right, I asked him for money, if you like."
"Asked?"
"What are you suggesting?"
"There are different ways of asking. Among others, there is a way that makes it almost impossible for the person concerned to refuse. In plain terms, blackmail."
He was silent, gazing fixedly at the floor.
"What do you have to say to that?"
"In actual fact I would have never told Madame Thouret."
"All the same, you threatened to"
"That wasn't necessary."
"Because a hint that you might talk was enough."
I just found that interesting.
"What reason would you have had for killing Monsieur Louis?"
"Don't you know that I borrowed money from him?"
"Borrowed?"
"All right, I asked him for money, if you like."
"Asked?"
"What are you suggesting?"
"There are different ways of asking. Among others, there is a way that makes it almost impossible for the person concerned to refuse. In plain terms, blackmail."
He was silent, gazing fixedly at the floor.
"What do you have to say to that?"
"In actual fact I would have never told Madame Thouret."
"All the same, you threatened to"
"That wasn't necessary."
"Because a hint that you might talk was enough."
I just found that interesting.
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