the haunted bookshop(闹鬼的书店)-第31章
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Why （for instance） had he not made some attempt to find out how many
there were in the household？ Why had he not arranged with one of his
friends to call Weintraub to the telephone at a given moment； so that he
could be more sure of making an entry unnoticed？ And what did he expect
to see or do if he got inside the house？ He found no answer to any of these
questions。
It was unpleasantly cold； and he was glad to slip his coat on again。
The small revolver was still in his hip pocket。 Another thought occurred to
himthat he should have provided himself with tennis shoes。 However；
it was some comfort to know that rubber heels of a nationally advertised
brand were under him。 He crawled quietly up to the sill of one of the
windows。 It was closed； and the room inside was dark。 A blind was
pulled most of the way down； leaving a gap of about four inches。 Peeping
cautiously over the sill； he could see farther inside the house a brightly lit
door and a passageway。
〃One thing I've got to look out for；〃 he thought； 〃is children。 There are
bound to be somewho ever heard of a German without offspring？ If I
wake them； they'll bawl。 This room is very likely a nursery； as it's on the
southeastern side。 Also； the window is shut tight； which is probably the
German idea of bedroom ventilation。〃
His guess may not have been a bad one； for after his eyes became
accustomed to the dimness of the room he thought he could perceive two
cot beds。 He then crawled over to the other window。 Here the blind was
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pulled down flush with the bottom of the sash。 Trying the window very
cautiously； he found it locked。 Not knowing just what to do； he returned
to the first window； and lay there peering in。 The sill was just high enough
above the roof level to make it necessary to raise himself a little on his
hands to see inside； and the position was very trying。 Moreover； the tin
roof had a tendency to crumple noisily when he moved。 He lay for some
time； shivering in the chill； and wondering whether it would be safe to
light a pipe。
〃There's another thing I'd better look out for；〃 he thought； 〃and that's a
dog。 Who ever heard of a German without a dachshund？〃
He had watched the lighted doorway for a long while without seeing
anything； and was beginning to think he was losing time to no profit when
a stout and not ill…natured looking woman appeared in the hallway。 She
came into the room he was studying； and closed the door。 She switched on
the light； and to his horror began to disrobe。 This was not what he had
counted on at all； and he retreated rapidly。 It was plain that nothing was to
be gained where he was。 He sat timidly at one edge of the roof and
wondered what to do next。
As he sat there； the back door opened almost directly below him； and
he heard the clang of a garbage can set out by the stoop。 The door stood
open for perhaps half a minute； and he heard a male voice Weintraub's；
he thoughtspeaking in German。 For the first time in his life he yearned
for the society of his German instructor at college； and also wonderedin
the rapid irrelevance of thought what that worthy man was now doing to
earn a living。 In a rather long and poorly lubricated sentence； heavily
verbed at the end； he distinguished one phrase that seemed important。
〃Nach Philadelphia gehen〃〃Go to Philadelphia。〃
Did that refer to Mifflin？ he wondered。
The door closed again。 Leaning over the rain…gutter； he saw the light
go out in the kitchen。 He tried to look through the upper portion of the
window just below him； but leaning out too far； the tin spout gave beneath
his hands。 Without knowing just how he did it； he slithered down the
side of the wall； and found his feet on a window…sill。 His hands still clung
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to the tin gutter above。 He made haste to climb down from his position；
and found himself outside the back door。 He had managed the descent
rather more quietly than if it had been carefully planned。 But he was
badly startled； and retreated to the bottom of the yard to see if he had
aroused notice。
A wait of several minutes brought no alarm； and he plucked up
courage。 On the inner side of the houseaway from Wordsworth Avenue
a narrow paved passage led to an outside cellar…way with old…fashioned
slanting doors。 He reconnoitred this warily。 A bright light was shining
from a window in this alley。 He crept below it on hands and knees fearing
to look in until he had investigated a little。 He found that one flap of the
cellar door was open； and poked his nose into the aperture。 All was dark
below； but a strong； damp stench of paints and chemicals arose。 He sniffed
gingerly。 〃I suppose he stores drugs down there；〃 he thought。
Very carefully he crawled back； on hands and knees； toward the
lighted window。 Lifting his head a few inches at a time； finally he got his
eyes above the level of the sill。 To his disappointment he found the lower
half of the window frosted。 As he knelt there； a pipe set in the wall
suddenly vomited liquid which gushed out upon his knees。 He sniffed it；
and again smelled a strong aroma of acids。 With great care； leaning against
the brick wall of the house； he rose to his feet and peeped through the
upper half of the pane。
It seemed to be the room where prescriptions were compounded。 As it
was empty； he allowed himself a hasty survey。 All manner of bottles
were ranged along the walls； there was a high counter with scales； a desk；
and a sink。 At the back he could see the bamboo curtain which he
remembered having noticed from the shop。 The whole place was in the
utmost disorder： mortars； glass beakers； a typewriter； cabinets of labels；
dusty piles of old prescriptions strung on filing hooks； papers of pills and
capsules； all strewn in an indescribable litter。 Some infusion was heating
in a glass bowl propped on a tripod over a blue gas flame。 Aubrey
noticed particularly a heap of old books several feet high piled carelessly
at one end of the counter。
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Looking more carefully； he saw that what he had taken for a mirror
over the prescription counter was an aperture looking into the shop。
Through this he could see Weintraub； behind the cigar case； waiting upon
some belated customer with his shop…worn air of affability。 The visitor
departed； and Weintraub locked the door after him and pulled down the
blinds。 Then he returned toward the prescription room； and Aubrey
ducked out of view。
Presently he risked looking again； and was just in time to see a curious
sight。 The druggist was bending over the counter； pouring some liquid
into a glass vessel。 His face was directly under a hanging bulb； and
Aubrey was amazed at the transformation。 The apparently genial
apothecary of cigarstand and soda fountain was gone。 He saw instead a
heavy； cruel； jowlish face； with eyelids hooded down over the eyes； and a
square thrusting chin buttressed on a mass of jaw and suetty cheek that
glistened with an oily shimmer。 The jaw quivered a little as though with
some intense suppressed emotion。 The man was completely absorbed in
his task。 The thick lower lip lapped upward over the mouth。 On the
cheekbone was a deep red scar。 Aubrey felt a pang of fascinated
amazement at the gross energy and power of that abominable relentless
mask。
〃So this is the harmless old thing！〃 he thought。
Just then the bamboo curtain parted； and the woman whom he had
seen upstairs appeared。 Forgetting his own situation； Aubrey still stared。
She wore a faded dressing gown and her hair was braided as though for
the night。 She looked frightened； and must have spoken； for Aubrey saw
her lips move。 The man remained bent over his counter until the last
drops of liquid had run out。 His jaw tightened； he straightened suddenly
and took one step toward her； with outstretched hand imperiously pointed。
Aubrey could see his face plainly： it had a savagery more than bestial。
The woman's face； which had borne a timid； pleading expression； appealed
in vain against that fierce gesture。 She turned and vanished。 Aubrey
saw the druggist's pointing finger tremble。 Again he ducked out of sight。
〃That man's face would be lonely in a crowd；〃 he said to himself。 〃And I
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used to think the movies exaggerated things。 Say； he ought to play
opposite Theda Bara。〃
He lay at full length in the paved alley and thought that a little
acquaintance with Weintraub would go a long way。 Then the light in the
window above him went out； and he gathered himself together for quick
motion if necessary。 Perhaps the man would come out to close the cellar
door
The thought was in his mind when a light flashed on farther down the
passage； between him and the kitchen。 It came from a small barred
window on the ground level。 Evidently the druggist had gone down into
the cellar。 Aubrey crawled silently along toward the yard。 Reaching the
lit pane he lay against the wall and looked i
