the haunted bookshop(闹鬼的书店)-第26章
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sitting engrossed in a romance： angled upon his hams； motionless in his
chair； spectacles on nose； his two feet as close together as the flukes of a
merman's tail； only his strange eyes stirring in his time…worn face。〃
Well； I've been scribbling away all this time and haven't given you any
news whatever。 Helen came back the other day from a visit to Boston
where she enjoyed herself greatly。 To…night she has gone out to the
movies with a young protegee of ours； Miss Titania Chapman； an
engaging damsel whom we have taken in as an apprentice bookseller。 It's a
quaint idea； done at the request of her father； Mr。 Chapman； the proprietor
of Chapman's Daintybits which you see advertised everywhere。 He is a
great booklover； and is very eager to have the zeal transmitted to his
daughter。 So you can imagine my glee to have a neophyte of my own to
preach books at！ Also it will enable me to get away from the shop a little
more。 I had a telephone call from Philadelphia this afternoon asking me to
go over there on Monday evening to make an estimate of the value of a
private collection that is to be sold。 I was rather flattered because I can't
imagine how they got hold of my name。
Forgive this long； incoherent scrawl。 How did you like Erewhon？ It's
pretty near closing time and I must say grace over the day's accounts。
Yours ever；ROGER MIFFLIN。
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THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
Chapter X
Roger Raids the Ice…Box
Roger had just put Carlyle's Cromwell back in its proper place in the
History alcove when Helen and Titania returned from the movies。 Bock；
who had been dozing under his master's chair； rose politely and wagged a
deferential tail。
〃I do think Bock has the darlingest manners；〃 said Titania。
〃Yes；〃 said Helen； 〃it's really a marvel that his wagging muscles aren't
all worn out； he has abused them so。〃
〃Well；〃 said Roger； 〃did you have a good time？〃
〃An adorable time！〃 cried Titania； with a face and voice so sparkling
that two musty habitues of the shop popped their heads out of the alcoves
marked ESSAYS and THEOLOGY and peered in amazement。 One of
these even went so far as to purchase the copy of Leigh Hunt's Wishing
Cap Papers he had been munching through； in order to have an excuse to
approach the group and satisfy his bewildered eyes。 When Miss Chapman
took the book and wrapped it up for him； his astonishment was made
complete。
Unconscious that she was actually creating business； Titania resumed。
〃We met your friend Mr。 Gilbert on the street；〃 she said； 〃and he went
to the movies with us。 He says he's coming in on Monday to fix the
furnace while you're away。〃
〃Well；〃 said Roger； 〃these advertising agencies are certainly
enterprising； aren't they？ Think of sending a man over to attend to my
furnace； just on the slim chance of getting my advertising account。〃
〃Did you have a quiet evening？〃 said Helen。
〃I spent most of the time writing to Andrew；〃 said Roger。 〃One
amusing thing happened； though。 I actually sold that copy of Philip
Dru。〃
〃No！〃 cried Helen。
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THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
〃A fact；〃 said Roger。 〃A man was looking at it； and I told him it was
supposed to be written by Colonel House。 He insisted on buying it。 But
what a sell when he tries to read it！〃
〃Did Colonel House really write it？〃 asked Titania。
〃I don't know；〃 said Roger。 〃I hope not； because I find in myself a
secret tendency to believe that Mr。 House is an able man。 If he did write it；
I devoutly hope none of the foreign statesmen in Paris will learn of that
fact。〃
While Helen and Titania took off their wraps； Roger was busy closing
up the shop。 He went down to the corner with Bock to mail his letter；
and when he returned to the den Helen had prepared a large jug of cocoa。
They sat down by the fire to enjoy it。
〃Chesterton has written a very savage poem against cocoa；〃 said Roger；
〃which you will find in The Flying Inn； but for my part I find it the ideal
evening drink。 It lets the mind down gently； and paves the way for
slumber。 I have often noticed that the most terrific philosophical agonies
can be allayed by three cups of Mrs。 Mifflin's cocoa。 A man can safely
read Schopenhauer all evening if he has a tablespoonful of cocoa and a tin
of condensed milk available。 Of course it should be made with
condensed milk； which is the only way。〃
〃I had no idea anything could be so good；〃 said Titania。 〃Of course；
Daddy makes condensed milk in one of his factories； but I never dreamed
of trying it。 I thought it was only used by explorers； people at the North
Pole； you know。〃
〃How stupid of me！〃 exclaimed Roger。 〃I quite forgot to tell you！
Your father called up just after you had gone out this evening； and wanted
to know how you were getting on。〃
〃Oh； dear；〃 said Titania。 〃He must have been delighted to hear I was
at the movies； on the second day of my first job！ He probably said it was
just like me。〃
〃I explained that I had insisted on your going with Mrs。 Mifflin；
because I felt she needed the change。〃
〃I do hope；〃 said Titania； 〃you won't let Daddy poison your mind
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THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
about me。 He thinks I'm dreadfully frivolous； just because I LOOK
frivolous。 But I'm so keen to make good in this job。 I've been practicing
doing up parcels all afternoon； so as to learn how to tie the string nicely
and not cut it until after the knot's tied。 I found that when you cut it
beforehand either you get it too short and it won't go round； or else too
long and you waste some。 Also I've learned how to make wrapping paper
cuffs to keep my sleeves clean。〃
〃Well； I haven't finished yet；〃 continued Roger。 〃Your father wants
us all to spend to…morrow out at your home。 He wants to show us some
books he has just bought； and besides he thinks maybe you're feeling
homesick。〃
〃What； with all these lovely books to read？ Nonsense！ I don't want
to go home for six months！〃
〃He wouldn't take No for an answer。 He's going to send Edwards
round with the car the first thing tomorrow morning。〃
〃What fun！〃 said Helen。 〃It'll be delightful。〃
〃Goodness；〃 said Titania。 〃Imagine leaving this adorable bookshop
to spend Sunday in Larchmont。
Well； I'll be able to get that georgette blouse I forgot。〃
〃What time will the car be here？〃 asked Helen。
〃Mr。 Chapman said about nine o'clock。 He begs us to get out there as
early as possible； as he wants to spend the day showing us his books。〃
As they sat round the fading bed of coals； Roger began hunting along
his private shelves。 〃Have you ever read any Gissing？〃 he said。
Titania made a pathetic gesture to Mrs。 Mifflin。 〃It's awfully
embarrassing to be asked these things！ No； I never heard of him。〃
〃Well； as the street we live on is named after him； I think you ought
to；〃 he said。 He pulled down his copy of The House of Cobwebs。 〃I'm
going to read you one of the most delightful short stories I know。 It's
called ‘A Charming Family。'〃
〃No； Roger；〃 said Mrs。 Mifflin firmly。 〃Not to…night。 It's eleven
o'clock； and I can see Titania's tired。 Even Bock has left us and gone in
to his kennel。 He's got more sense than you have。〃
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THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
〃All right；〃 said the bookseller amiably。 〃Miss Chapman； you take
the book up with you and read it in bed if you want to。 Are you a
librocubicularist？〃
Titania looked a little scandalized。
〃It's all right； my dear；〃 said Helen。 〃He only means are you fond of
reading in bed。 I've been waiting to hear him work that word into the
conversation。 He made it up； and he's immensely proud of it。〃
〃Reading in bed？〃 said Titania。 〃What a quaint idea！ Does any one
do it？ It never occurred to me。 I'm sure when I go to bed I'm far too
sleepy to think of such a thing。〃
〃Run along then； both of you；〃 said Roger。 〃Get your beauty sleep。
I shan't be very late。〃
He meant it when he said it； but returning to his desk at the back of the
shop his eye fell upon his private shelf of books which he kept there 〃to
rectify perturbations〃 as Burton puts it。 On this shelf there stood
Pilgrim's Progress； Shakespeare； The Anatomy of Melancholy； The Home
Book of Verse； George Herbert's Poems； The Notebooks of Samuel Butler；
and Leaves of Grass。 He took down The Anatomy of Melancholy； that
most delightful of all books for midnight browsing。 Turning to one of his
favourite passages〃A Consolatory Digression； Containing the Remedies
of All Manner of Discontents〃he was happily lost to all ticking of the
clock； retaining only such bodily consciousness as was needful to dump；
fill； and relight his pipe from time to time。 Solitude is a dear jewel for men
whose days are spent in the tedious this…and…that of trade。 Roger was a
glutton for his midnight musings。 To such tried companions as Robert
Burton and George Herbert he was wont to exonerate his spirit。 It used
to amuse him to think of Burton； the lonely Oxford scholar； writing that
vast book to 〃rectify〃 his own melancholy。
By and by； turning over the musty old pages； he came to the following；
on Sleep
The fittest time is two or three hours after supper； whenas the meat is
now settled at the bottom of the stom
