Cocktail Talk: Maigret’s Revolver, Part II

I decided that I needed to have a second Cocktail Talk from the Georges Simenon novel Maigret’s Revolver (starring Inspector Maigret, as you might surmise). Be sure to read the Maigret’s Revolver Part I Cocktail Talk to get an overview of the book, and if you haven’t, read all the past Maigret Cocktail Talks, so you don’t miss a sip. Here, the sipping is a Pineau des Charentes, which I was chuffed to see as they tend to be delicious, and I like the idea of Maigret drinking a glass of it.
There was invariable a surprise at Pardon’s dinners, perhaps a special wine or liqueur, or in this case a Pineau des Charentes which a vineyard owner in Jonzac had sent him.
“None for me!” protested Madame Maigret, who was usually tipsy after a single glass.
The chatted over the wine. Here too, the windows were open; life was going on at a leisurely pace on the boulevard, the air was golden and the light gradually faded into a rosy glow.
–Georges Simenon, Maigret’s Revolver