the haunted bookshop(闹鬼的书店)-第29章
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blue kimono and a curious fragile lacy bonnet which he did not understand。
Her dark； gold…spangled hair came down in two thick braids across her
shoulders。 Her blue eyes were very much alive with amazement and
alarm which rapidly changed into anger。
〃Mr。 Gilbert！〃 she cried。 For an instant he thought she was going to
laugh。 Then a new expression came into her face。 Without another word
she turned and fled。 He heard her run upstairs。 A door banged； and was
locked。 A window was hastily closed。 Again all was silent。
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Stupefied with chagrin； he rose from his cramped position。 What on
earth was he to do？ How could he explain？ He stood by the pantry sink
in painful indecision。 Should he slink out of the house？ No； he couldn't
do that without attempting to explain。 And he was still convinced that
some strange peril hung about this place。 He must put Titania on her guard；
no matter how embarrassing it proved。 If only she hadn't been wearing a
kimonohow much easier it would have been。
He stepped out into the hall； and stood at the bottom of the stairs in the
throes of doubt。 After waiting some time in silence he cleared the
huskiness from his throat and called out：
〃Miss Chapman！〃
There was no answer； but he heard light； rapid movements above。
〃Miss Chapman！〃 he called again。
He heard the door opened； and clear words edged with frost came
downward。 This time he thought of a thin tumbler with ice in it。
〃Mr。 Gilbert！〃
〃Yes？〃 he said miserably。
〃Will you please call me a taxi？〃
Something in the calm； mandatory tone nettled him。 After all； he had
acted in pure good faith。
〃With pleasure；〃 he said； 〃but not until I have told you something。 It's
very important。 I beg your pardon most awfully for frightening you； but
it's really very urgent。〃
There was a brief silence。 Then she said：
〃Brooklyn's a queer place。 Wait a few minutes； please。〃
Aubrey stood absently fingering the pattern on the wallpaper。 He
suddenly experienced a great craving for a pipe； but felt that the etiquette
of the situation hardly permitted him to smoke。
In a few moments Titania appeared at the head of the stairs in her
customary garb。 She sat down on the landing。 Aubrey felt that
everything was as bad as it could possibly be。 If he could have seen her
face his embarrassment would at least have had some compensation。 But
the light from a stair window shone behind her； and her features were in
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shadow。 She sat clasping her hands round her knees。 The light fell
crosswise down the stairway； and he could see only a gleam of brightness
upon her ankle。 His mind unconsciously followed its beaten paths。
〃What a corking pose for a silk stocking ad！〃 he thought。 〃Wouldn't it
make a stunning full…page layout。 I must suggest it to the Ankleshimmer
people。〃
〃Well？〃 she said。 Then she could not refrain from laughter； he looked
so hapless。 She burst into an engaging trill。 〃Why don't you light your
pipe？〃 she said。 〃You look as doleful as the Kaiser。〃
〃Miss Chapman；〃 he said； 〃I'm afraid you thinkI don't know what
you must think。 But I broke in here this morning because I well； I don't
think this is a safe place for you to be。〃
〃So it seems。 That's why I asked you to get me a taxi。〃
〃There's something queer going on round this shop。 It's not right for
you to be here alone this way。 I was afraid something had happened to
you。 Of course； I didn't know you werewere 〃
Faint almond blossoms grew in her cheeks。 〃I was reading；〃 she said。
〃Mr。 Mifflin talks so much about reading in bed； I thought I'd try it。 They
wanted me to go with them to…day but I wouldn't。 You see； if I'm going to
be a bookseller I've got to catch up with some of this literature that's been
accumulating。 After they left II well； I wanted to see if this reading in
bed is what it's cracked up to be。〃
〃Where has Mifflin gone？〃 asked Aubrey。 〃What business has he got
to leave you here all alone？〃
〃I had Bock；〃 said Titania。 〃Gracious； Brooklyn on Sunday morning
doesn't seem very perilous to me。 If you must know； he and Mrs。 Mifflin
have gone over to spend the day with father。 I was to have gone； too； but I
wouldn't。 What business is it of yours？ You're as bad as Morris Finsbury in
The Wrong Box。 That's what I was reading when I heard the dog
barking。〃
Aubrey began to grow nettled。 〃You seem to think this was a mere
impertinence on my part；〃 he said。 〃Let me tell you a thing or two。〃 And
he briefly described to her the course of his experiences since leaving the
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shop on Friday evening； but omitting the fact that he was lodging just
across the street。
〃There's something mighty unpalatable going on；〃 he said。 〃At first I
thought Mifflin was the goat。 I thought it might be some frame…up for
swiping valuable books from his shop。 But when I saw Weintraub come in
here with his own latch…key； I got wise。 He and Mifflin are in cahoots；
that's what。 I don't know what they're pulling off； but I don't like the looks
of it。 You say Mifflin has gone out to see your father？ I bet that's just
camouflage； to stall you。 I've got a great mind to ring Mr。 Chapman up
and tell him he ought to get you out of here。〃
〃I won't hear a word said against Mr。 Mifflin；〃 said Titania angrily。
〃He's one of my father's oldest friends。 What would Mr。 Mifflin say if he
knew you had been breaking into his house and frightening me half to
death？ I'm sorry you got that knock on the head； because it seems that's
your weak spot。 I'm quite able to take care of myself； thank you。 This
isn't a movie。〃
〃Well； how do you explain the actions of this man Weintraub？〃 said
Aubrey。 〃Do you like to have a man popping in and out of the shop at all
hours of the night； stealing books？〃
〃I don't have to explain it at all；〃 said Titania。 〃I think it's up to you
to do the explaining。 Weintraub is a harmless old thing and he keeps
delicious chocolates that cost only half as much as what you get on Fifth
Avenue。 Mr。 Mifflin told me that he's a very good customer。 Perhaps
his business won't let him read in the daytime； and he comes in here late at
night to borrow books。 He probably reads in bed。〃
〃I don't think anybody who talks German round back alleys at night is
a harmless old thing；〃 said Aubrey。 〃I tell you； your Haunted Bookshop
is haunted by something worse than the ghost of Thomas Carlyle。 Let me
show you something。〃 He pulled the book cover out of his pocket； and
pointed to the annotations in it。
〃That's Mifflin's handwriting；〃 said Titania； pointing to the upper row
of figures。 〃He puts notes like that in all his favourite books。 They refer
to pages where he has found interesting things。〃
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〃Yes； and that's Weintraub's；〃 said Aubrey； indicating the numbers in
violet ink。 〃If that isn't a proof of their complicity； I'd like to know what
is。 If that Cromwell book is here； I'd like to have a look at it。〃
They went into the shop。 Titania preceded him down the musty aisle；
and it made Aubrey angry to see the obstinate assurance of her small
shoulders。 He was horribly tempted to seize her and shake her。 It
annoyed him to see her bright； unconscious girlhood in that dingy vault of
books。 〃She's as out of place here asas a Packard ad in the Liberator〃 he
said to himself。
They stood in the History alcove。 〃Here it is；〃 she said。 〃No； it isn't
that's the History of Frederick the Great。〃
There was a two…inch gap in the shelf。 Cromwell was gone。
〃Probably Mr。 Mifflin has it somewhere around；〃 said Titania。 〃It was
there last night。〃
〃Probably nothing；〃 said Aubrey。 〃I tell you； Weintraub came in and
took it。 I saw him。 Look here； if you really want to know what I think；
I'll tell you。 The war's not over by a long sight。 Weintraub's a German。
Carlyle was pro…GermanI remember that much from college。 I believe
your friend Mifflin is pro…German； too。 I've heard some of his talk！〃
Titania faced him with cheeks aflame。
〃That'll do for you！〃 she cried。 〃Next thing I suppose you'll say
Daddy's pro…German； and me； too！ I'd like to see you say that to Mr。
Mifflin himself。〃
〃I will； don't worry；〃 said Aubrey grimly。 He knew now that he had
put himself hopelessly in the wrong in Titania's mind； but he refused to
abate his own convictions。 With sinking heart he saw her face relieved
against the shelves of faded bindings。 Her eyes shone with a deep and
sultry blue； her chin quivered with anger。
〃Look here；〃 she said furiously。 〃Either you or I must leave this
place。 If you intend to stay； please call me a taxi。〃
Aubrey was as angry as she was。
〃I'm going；〃 he said。 〃But you've got to play fair with me。 I tell you
on my oath； these two men； Mifflin and Weintraub； are framing something
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up。 I'm going to get the goods on them and show you。 But you mustn't
put them wise that I'm on their track。 If you do； of course； they'll call it
off。 I don't care what you think of me。 You've got to promise me that。〃
〃I won't promis
