“Always, Monsieur. After she became concierge, I remained here, and she came home every night.”
“She did not sleep at the Rue du Chantre, then?”
“No, never, Monsieur. Always here.”
I smiled grimly to myself at this proof that the hag had been lying to me on the night she tripped over my legs in the hallway.
“And she has never told you anything about yourself?” I continued after a moment.
“Never, Monsieur.”
“But you have asked her to tell you, have you not, Ninon?”
“Oh, yes, Monsieur, many times.”
“And how did she answer?”
“With a beating, M. Pierre.”