SIMENON SIMENON. WORDS FROM HIS “LETTER TO MY MOTHER”/ 1

On some negative things the son had to say to his deceased mother

SIMENON SIMENON. LES MOTS DE SA “LETTRE A MA MERE”/ 1 

Sur quelques choses négatives que le fils avait à dire à sa mère défunte

SIMENON SIMENON. LE PAROLE DELLA SUA "LETTERA A MIA MADRE"/1

Alcune cose negative che il figlio rimproverava a  sua madre defunta 

 How did Georges actually feel about Henriette? The letter he wrote his mother after her death sheds light on the question. His “Dear Mom” salutation sounds promising, for he adds that “Mother” was what he called her while she was alive. The extracted and translated negative comments that follow will inform: 

"Upon arriving at Henriette’s sickbed, the two clearly got off to a bad start, for she “merely” said: “Why did you come, Georges?” Those “few words […] explained a part of what you are” and “weighed upon my heart.”

On always being strangers: “After I left you […] around 19 […] you still remained a stranger to me.” Later, “We are […] like two strangers who don’t speak the same language […] and distrust each other.”

On her persistent distrustfulness—especially of Georges: “You always, as far back as I can remember, were suspicious of lying and attention.” And “You always distrusted everyone and me in particular.” Plus “You always suspected me of the worst wrongdoings.” What’s more, “You always took things for their worst when it came to me.” And “This distrust was always innate with you. But it was me who was the principal object of this distrust.” Plus “This virtually inborn distrust you had of me […] it probably contributed to raising a sort of barrier between us.” 

On her facial expression: “There was no emotion there that I could define without risking deceiving myself […] but your eyes expressed […] distrust of the whole world at the same time.” 

On her extreme hypersensitivity: “You were abnormally sensitive.” 

On her excessive nervousness: “You were a bundle of nerves […] which meant you used to intensely feel the smallest contradictions, the tiniest scratches.” 

On her persisting grumpiness: “You were in ill humor time and time again.” 

On her domineering nature: “Because you dominate us all […] I have been a stranger to you.” 

On her outright cruelty: “It was cruelty on your part” as ”baby Henriette, whose sisters called ‘a bird for a cat’ [= a vulnerable creature], had the audacity to impose her will on grand Désiré. I hated you for that.” 

On her lifelong obsession: “You had to provide for your old age. In this fixed idea, there was possibly something pathological.” 

On her long-term pretension of poverty: “You made yourself poorer than you were, as if it were a virtue.” 

On her unrelenting stubbornness: “If the word “obstinate’ is applicable to somebody, it’s definitely you.” What’s more, “You see that the word obstinate seems to have been created for you.” 

On her very existence: “You suffered life. You did not live it.” 

On the absence of love: “You know very well we never loved each other during your lifetime. Both of us pretended.” And “There was no true intimacy between us.” Plus “I wonder if you ever took me onto your lap.” 

David P Simmons 

SIMENON SIMENON. LE TIERCE DE MAIGRET 

Un choix de trois romans de la saga, sur un thème particulier 

Trois enquêtes à propos de Maigret et les femmes 

Au cours de sa carrière d'enquêteur, Maigret a rencontré beaucoup de personnages avec lesquels il s'est senti parfois en empathie, et parfois non. On peut remarquer que non seulement sa façon de se comporter diffère selon la personnalité de celui qu'il a en face de lui, mais aussi qu'il n'établit pas le même genre de relations selon qu'il s'agit d'un homme ou d'une femme. Parfois attiré, parfois séduit, ses rapports avec les femmes sont souvent complexes… Voici trois exemples d'enquêtes dans lesquelles ces rapports ont été particulièrement analysés par le romancier.

"Elle s'amusait avec ce gros homme placide qui l'avait vaincue mais qu'elle avait conscience d'épater par son cran. Quant à lui, il savourait peut-être un peu trop cette promiscuité tellement en dehors de la norme." (La nuit du carrefour) 

"Elle aussi comprenait le commissaire. C'était comme s'ils avaient été tous les deux de la même force, plus exactement comme s'ils possédaient l'un et l'autre la même expérience de la vie." (Maigret et le corps sans tête) 

"Il ne le faisait pas exprès d'être aussi dur avec elle. Toutes ses attitudes avaient le don de l'exaspérer." (Maigret et Monsieur Charles) 

SIMENON SIMENON. LA TRIPLETTA DI MAIGRET 

Una scelta di tre romanzi della serie, su un tema particolare 

Tre inchieste a proposito di Maigret e le donne 

Nel corso della sua carriera di poliziotto, Maigret ha incontrato parecchi personaggi con i quali talvolta si è sentito in empatia talvolta no. Si può constatare che non solo il suo modo di comportarsi differisce a seconda della personalità di colui che si trova davanti, ma si nota anche che non stabilisce lo stesso genere di relazioni se si tratta di un uomo o di una donna. A volte attirato, a volte sedotto, i suoi rapporti con le donne sono spesso complessi… Ecco tre esempi di inchieste nelle quale tali rapporti sono stati particolarmente analizzati dal romanziere.

«Lei si divertiva con questo grosso uomo placido, che l’aveva vinta, ma che lei sapeva di aver colpito dal suo coraggio. Quanto a lui, assaporava forse un po’ troppo questa promiscuità, così al di là del normale» (Maigret e la casa delle tre vedove)  

«Anche lei comprendeva il commissario. Era come se tutti e due avessero avuto la medesima forza, più esattamente come se possedessero entrambe la stessa esperienza di vita». (Maigret e il corpo senza testa) 

«Non lo faceva apposta ad essere così duro con lei. Tutti i suoi atteggiamenti avevano il potere di esasperarlo». (Maigret e il signor Charles) 

SIMENON SIMENON. MAIGRET'S TRIFECTA 

A choice of three novels of the saga, on a particular theme 

Three investigations about Maigret and women 

During his career as an investigator, Maigret met many characters for whom he sometimes felt empathy, and sometimes not. We can note that not only his behavior differs according to the personality of the one he has in front of him, but also that he doesn't develop the same kind of relationship depending on whether it is a man or a woman. Sometimes attracted, sometimes charmed, his relationship with women is always complex… Here are three examples of investigations in which this relationship has been particularly analyzed by the novelist.

"She was playing with this placid big man who had defeated her, but she was aware that she impressed him for she had guts. As for him, he enjoyed maybe a little too much this so outside norm promiscuity." (The Night at the Crossroads) 

"She too understood the Chief inspector. It was as if they both had been of the same force, more precisely as if they both had the same experience of life." (Maigret and the Headless Corpse) 

"He didn’t make it on purpose to be so hard with her. All her attitudes had a way of exasperating him." (Maigret and Monsieur Charles)

by Simenon Simenon