| An attempted murder of a down-and-outer: While he was sleeping under the Pont Marie, someone had hit "Doc" over the head and tossed him into the Seine to drown, but a couple of Belgian bargemen nearby had fished him out in time to save him. His identity card reveals that he is François Keller, from Mulhouse, where, coincidentally, Mrs. Maigret's sister lives. Thus Maigret learns that he had been a doctor there, left his wife and daughter and gone off to Gabon, in Africa, to work "like Dr. Schweitzer." But things hadn't gone the way he'd hoped, and for the past 15 years or more, he'd been a clochard in Paris, sleeping under the bridges, working as a sandwich man to buy his bottle of wine.
Maigret interviews his daughter and mother, but there seems to be no motive or contact. He goes down the Seine to find the bargeman again, and learns that his wife's father had owned the barge until he'd drowned in the Seine two years before, near the bridge at the Quai de la Rapée, where Doc had slept at the time, but not since. Maigret is convinced that the bargeman Jef van Houtte is guilty, but he denies all, and Doc is no help — he refuses to say anything. Maigret is finally forced to let van Houtte go, but a few months later a chance comment by Doc that "it's impossible to pass judgment" convinces Maigret that he was right, though Doc maintains that he'd said nothing. | ||
|
Plot & Themes Tone of story - Dry-cynical How difficult to spot villain? - Moderately Challenging Time/era of story: What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - nearly 100% Misc. Murder Plotlets - solving long-past murder Kind of investigator Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book descript. of violence and chases - 40 % Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 10 % How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10 % Crime Thriller Yes Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes Main Character Gender - Male Profession/status: Age: - 40's-50's Ethnicity/Race Unusual characteristics: Main Adversary Identity: - Male Age: - 40's-50's Profession/status: Motive of antagonist - money/treasure How sensitive is this character? Intelligence - Average intelligence Setting Europe Yes European country: - France Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment Unusual forms of death - drowned Unusual form of death? Yes Amount of dialog - significantly more descript than dialog |
||