the haunted bookshop(闹鬼的书店)-第2章
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they need are in existence。〃
〃Why wouldn't advertising be the way to let them know？〃 asked the
young man； rather acutely。
〃My dear chap； I understand the value of advertising。 But in my own
case it would be futile。 I am not a dealer in merchandise but a specialist
in adjusting the book to the human need。 Between ourselves； there is no
such thing； abstractly； as a ‘good' book。 A book is ‘good' only when it
meets some human hunger or refutes some human error。 A book that is
good for me would very likely be punk for you。 My pleasure is to
prescribe books for such patients as drop in here and are willing to tell me
their symptoms。 Some people have let their reading faculties decay so
that all I can do is hold a post mortem on them。 But most are still open to
treatment。 There is no one so grateful as the man to whom you have given
just the book his soul needed and he never knew it。 No advertisement on
earth is as potent as a grateful customer。
〃I will tell you another reason why I don't advertise；〃 he continued。
〃In these days when everyone keeps his trademark before the public； as
you call it； not to advertise is the most original and startling thing one can
do to attract attention。 It was the fact that I do NOT advertise that drew
you here。 And everyone who comes here thinks he has discovered the
place himself。 He goes and tells his friends about the book asylum run by
a crank and a lunatic； and they come here in turn to see what it is like。〃
〃I should like to come here again myself and browse about；〃 said the
advertising agent。 〃I should like to have you prescribe for me。〃
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THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
〃The first thing needed is to acquire a sense of pity。 The world has
been printing books for 450 years； and yet gunpowder still has a wider
circulation。 Never mind！ Printer's ink is the greater explosive： it will
win。 Yes； I have a few of the good books here。 There are only about
30；000 really important books in the world。 I suppose about 5；000 of them
were written in the English language； and 5；000 more have been
translated。〃
〃You are open in the evenings？〃
〃Until ten o'clock。 A great many of my best customers are those who
are at work all day and can only visit bookshops at night。 The real book…
lovers； you know； are generally among the humbler classes。 A man who is
impassioned with books has little time or patience to grow rich by
concocting schemes for cozening his fellows。〃
The little bookseller's bald pate shone in the light of the bulb hanging
over the wrapping table。 His eyes were bright and earnest； his short red
beard bristled like wire。 He wore a ragged brown Norfolk jacket from
which two buttons were missing。
A bit of a fanatic himself； thought the customer； but a very entertaining
one。 〃Well； sir；〃 he said； 〃I am ever so grateful to you。 I'll come again。
Good…night。〃 And he started down the aisle for the door。
As he neared the front of the shop； Mr。 Mifflin switched on a cluster of
lights that hung high up； and the young man found himself beside a large
bulletin board covered with clippings； announcements； circulars； and little
notices written on cards in a small neat script。 The following caught his
eye：
RX
If your mind needs phosphorus； try 〃Trivia；〃 by Logan Pearsall Smith。
If your mind needs a whiff of strong air； blue and cleansing； from
hilltops and primrose valleys； try 〃The Story of My Heart；〃 by Richard
Jefferies。
If your mind needs a tonic of iron and wine； and a thorough rough…
and…tumbling； try Samuel Butler's 〃Notebooks〃 or 〃The Man Who Was
Thursday；〃 by Chesterton。
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THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
If you need 〃all manner of Irish；〃 and a relapse into irresponsible
freakishness； try 〃The Demi…Gods；〃 by James Stephens。 It is a better book
than one deserves or expects。
It's a good thing to turn your mind upside down now and then； like an
hour…glass； to let the particles run the other way。
One who loves the English tongue can have a lot of fun with a Latin
dictionary。
ROGER MIFFLIN。
Human beings pay very little attention to what is told them unless
they know something about it already。 The young man had heard of none
of these books prescribed by the practitioner of bibliotherapy。 He was
about to open the door when Mifflin appeared at his side。
〃Look here；〃 he said； with a quaint touch of embarrassment。 〃I was
very much interested by our talk。 I'm all alone this evening my wife is
away on a holiday。 Won't you stay and have supper with me？ I was just
looking up some new recipes when you came in。〃
The other was equally surprised and pleased by this unusual invitation。
〃Whythat's very good of you；〃 he said。 〃Are you sure I won't be
intruding？〃
〃Not at all！〃 cried the bookseller。 〃I detest eating alone： I was hoping
someone would drop in。 I always try to have a guest for supper when my
wife is away。 I have to stay at home； you see； to keep an eye on the shop。
We have no servant； and I do the cooking myself。 It's great fun。 Now
you light your pipe and make yourself comfortable for a few minutes
while I get things ready。 Suppose you come back to my den。〃
On a table of books at the front of the shop Mifflin laid a large card
lettered：
PROPRIETOR AT SUPPER IF YOU WANT ANYTHING RING
THIS BELL
Beside the card he placed a large old…fashioned dinner bell； and then
led the way to the rear of the shop。
Behind the little office in which this unusual merchant had been
studying his cookbook a narrow stairway rose on each side； running up to
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THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
the gallery。 Behind these stairs a short flight of steps led to the domestic
recesses。 The visitor found himself ushered into a small room on the left；
where a grate of coals glowed under a dingy mantelpiece of yellowish
marble。 On the mantel stood a row of blackened corn…cob pipes and a
canister of tobacco。 Above was a startling canvas in emphatic oils；
representing a large blue wagon drawn by a stout white animal evidently
a horse。 A background of lush scenery enhanced the forceful technique
of the limner。 The walls were stuffed with books。 Two shabby；
comfortable chairs were drawn up to the iron fender； and a mustard…
coloured terrier was lying so close to the glow that a smell of singed hair
was sensible。
〃There；〃 said the host； 〃this is my cabinet； my chapel of ease。 Take off
your coat and sit down。〃
〃Really；〃 began Gilbert； 〃I'm afraid this is〃
〃Nonsense！ Now you sit down and commend your soul to
Providence and the kitchen stove。 I'll bustle round and get supper。〃
Gilbert pulled out his pipe； and with a sense of elation prepared to enjoy
an unusual evening。 He was a young man of agreeable parts； amiable
and sensitive。 He knew his disadvantages in literary conversation； for he
had gone to an excellent college where glee clubs and theatricals had left
him little time for reading。 But still he was a lover of good books； though
he knew them chiefly by hearsay。 He was twenty…five years old；
employed as a copywriter by the Grey…Matter Advertising Agency。
The little room in which he found himself was plainly the bookseller's
sanctum； and contained his own private library。 Gilbert browsed along the
shelves curiously。 The volumes were mostly shabby and bruised； they
had evidently been picked up one by one in the humble mangers of the
second…hand vendor。 They all showed marks of use and meditation。
Mr。 Gilbert had the earnest mania for self…improvement which has
blighted the lives of so many young mena passion which； however； is
commendable in those who feel themselves handicapped by a college
career and a jewelled fraternity emblem。 It suddenly struck him that it
would be valuable to make a list of some of the titles in Mifflin's
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THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
collection； as a suggestion for his own reading。 He took out a
memorandum book and began jotting down the books that intrigued him：
The Works of Francis Thompson （3 vols。） Social History of Smoking：
Apperson The Path to Rome： Hilaire Belloc The Book of Tea： Kakuzo
Happy Thoughts： F。 C。 Burnand Dr。 Johnson's Prayers and Meditations
Margaret Ogilvy： J。 M。 Barrie Confessions of a Thug： Taylor General
Catalogue of the Oxford University Press The Morning's War： C 。 E。
Montague The Spirit of Man： edited by Robert Bridges The Romany
Rye： Borrow Poems： Emily Dickinson Poems： George Herbert The
House of Cobwebs： George Gissing
So far had he got； and was beginning to say to himself that in the
interests of Advertising （who is a jealous mistress） he had best call a halt；
when his host entered the room； his small face eager； his eyes blue points
of light。
〃Come； Mr。 Aubrey Gilbert！〃 he cried。 〃The meal is set。 You want to
wash your hands？ Make haste then； this way： the eggs are hot and
waiting。〃
The dining room into which the guest was conducted betrayed a
feminine touch not visible i
