December 17, 2024

Cocktail Talk: Maigret’s Revolver, Part II

Maigret's Revolver

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

December 10, 2024

Cocktail Talk: Maigret’s Revolver, Part I

Maigret's Revolver

My collecting of Inspector Maigret (the Parisian policeman made famous in an amazing array of novels by Georges Simenon) continues apace, as they say, if perhaps not at the speed they mean when saying it, most recently when I picked up a gem called Maigret’s Revolver. In it, a young nervous fella stops by to see our taciturn Inspector at home, but Maigret’s out. The cuddly Madame Maigret lets the young man wait, but when she’s out of the room, he lifts a revolver (a present from Americans, naturally) that Maigret had left out. From there, the chase is on, a chase the becomes more fervid when a murder victim turns up in trunk dropped off by the young man’s father – a victim that was shot, but with a different gun! Maigret eventually ends up in sunny London, after a fair amount of twists and turns. And Cocktail Talks (be sure to read the many past Maigret Cocktail Talks, too), including the below pastis sipping with an old colleague.

“Hello! What are you doing in Paris?”

Lourtie, one of his former inspectors, had recently transferred to the Flying Squad in Nice.

“Just passing through. I thought I might drop in, sniff the air of headquarters and shake hands with you. Do we have time for a pastis in the Brasserie Dauphine?”

“Yes, but it’ll have to be a quick one.”

He like Lourtis, a tall lanky fellow with the voice of a church cantor. In the brasserie, where they stood at the counter, there were already several other inspectors. They chattered about this and that. A pastis was exactly what was needed on a day like today. They had one, then another, then a third.

–Georges Simenon, Maigret’s Revolver

May 16, 2017

Cocktail Talk: Maigret and the Lazy Burglar, Part II

maigretIf you missed our first bout of May Maigret Cocktail Talking, and want to learn more about the burglaring, then by all means, please go read Part I. I’ll wait.

Back? Awesome! Let’s get into our second quote, which is taking place in a small bistro, with Maigret questioning the publican (or, here, I suppose, bisto-lican), who relates a story of said lazy burglar and his desire for . . . well, just read it, why dontcha.

 

“I was busy with the coffee percolator. I didn’t hear any footsteps. And when I turned round, there he was, leaning on the bar. It gave me quite a turn.”

“That’s why you remembered it?”

“And for another reason, because he asked me if I had any real Kirsch, not the fancy stuff. . . We don’t get too many orders for that. I took a bottle from the back row – that one there, with the German words on the label – and he seemed pleased. He said:

“‘That’s the real thing.’”

“He took the time to warm the glass in his hand, and drank slowly, looking at the clock. I realized he was wondering whether to ask for another, and when I held out the bottle he didn’t say no.”

 

— George Simenon, Maigret and the Lazy Burglar

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