the haunted bookshop(闹鬼的书店)-第33章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
candle to Miss Titania。〃
The young lady returned from the private office looking a little
perplexed。
〃Did you have an appointment with Mr。 Oldham？〃 she said。 〃He
doesn't seem to recall it。〃
140
… Page 141…
THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
〃Why； certainly；〃 said Roger。 〃It was arranged by telephone on
Saturday afternoon。 Mr。 Oldham's secretary called me up。〃
〃Have I got your name right？〃 she asked； showing a slip on which she
had written Mr。 Miflin。
〃Two f's；〃 said Roger。 〃Mr。 Roger Mifflin； the bookseller。〃
The girl retired； and came back a moment later。
〃Mr。 Oldham's very busy；〃 she said； 〃but he can see you for a
moment。〃
Roger was ushered into the private office； a large； airy room lined with
bookshelves。 Mr。 Oldham； a tall； thin man with short gray hair and lively
black eyes； rose courteously from his desk。
〃How do you do； sir；〃 he said。 〃I'm sorry； I had forgotten our
appointment。〃
〃He must be very absent minded；〃 thought Roger。 〃Arranges to sell a
collection worth half a million； and forgets all about it。〃
〃I came over in response to your message；〃 he said。 〃About selling
your collection。〃
Mr。 Oldham looked at him； rather intently； Roger thought。
〃Do you want to buy it？〃 he said。
〃To buy it？〃 said Roger； a little peevishly。 〃Why； no。 I came over to
appraise it for you。 Your secretary telephoned me on Saturday。〃
〃My dear sir；〃 replied the other； 〃there must be some mistake。 I have
no intention of selling my collection。 I never sent you a message。〃
Roger was aghast。
〃Why；〃 he exclaimed； 〃your secretary called me up on Saturday and
said you particularly wanted me to come over this morning； to examine
your books with you。 I've made the trip from Brooklyn for that purpose。〃
Mr。 Oldham touched a buzzer； and a middle…aged woman came into
the office。 〃Miss Patterson；〃 he said； 〃did you telephone to Mr。 Mifflin of
Brooklyn on Saturday； asking him〃
〃It was a man that telephoned；〃 said Roger。
〃I'm exceedingly sorry； Mr。 Mifflin；〃 said Mr。 Oldham。 〃More sorry
than I can tell youI'm afraid someone has played a trick on you。 As I told
141
… Page 142…
THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
you； and Miss Patterson will bear me out； I have no idea of selling my
books； and have never authorized any one even to suggest such a thing。〃
Roger was filled with confusion and anger。 A hoax on the part of
some of the Corn Cob Club； he thought to himeslf。 He flushed painfully
to recall the simplicity of his glee。
〃Please don't be embarrassed；〃 said Mr。 Oldham； seeing the little man's
vexation。 〃Don't let's consider the trip wasted。 Won't you come out and
dine with me in the country this evening； and see my things？〃
But Roger was too proud to accept this balm； courteous as it was。
〃I'm sorry；〃 he said； 〃but I'm afraid I can't do it。 I'm rather busy at
home； and only came over because I believed this to be urgent。〃
〃Some other time； perhaps；〃 said Mr。 Oldham。 〃Look here； you're a
bookseller？ I don't believe I know your shop。 Give me your card。 The
next time I'm in New York I'd like to stop in。〃
Roger got away as quickly as the other's politeness would let him。 He
chafed savagely at the awkwardness of his position。 Not until he reached
the street again did he breathe freely。
〃Some of Jerry Gladfist's tomfoolery； I'll bet a hat；〃 he muttered。 〃By
the bones of Fanny Kelly； I'll make him smart for it。〃
Even Aubrey； picking up the trail again； could see that Roger was
angry。
〃Something's got his goat；〃 he reflected。 〃I wonder what he's peeved
about？〃
They crossed Broad Street and Roger started off down Chestnut。
Aubrey saw the bookseller halt in a doorway to light his pipe； and stopped
some yards behind him to look up at the statue of William Penn on the
City Hall。 It was a blustery day； and at that moment a gust of wind
whipped off his hat and sent it spinning down Broad Street。 He ran half a
block before he recaptured it。 When he got back to Chestnut； Roger had
disappeared。 He hurried down Chestnut Street； bumping pedestrians in
his eagerness； but at Thirteenth he halted in dismay。 Nowhere could he
see a sign of the little bookseller。 He appealed to the policeman at that
corner； but learned nothing。 Vainly he scoured the block and up and down
142
… Page 143…
THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
Juniper Street。 It was eleven o'clock； and the streets were thronged。
He cursed the book business in both hemispheres； cursed himself； and
cursed Philadelphia。 Then he went into a tobacconist's and bought a
packet of cigarettes。
For an hour he patrolled up and down Chestnut Street； on both sides of
the way； thinking he might possibly encounter Roger。 At the end of this
time he found himself in front of a newspaper office； and remembered that
an old friend of his was an editorial writer on the staff。 He entered； and
went up in the elevator。
He found his friend in a small grimy den； surrounded by a sea of
papers； smoking a pipe with his feet on the table。 They greeted each other
joyfully。
〃Well； look who's here！〃 cried the facetious journalist。 〃Tamburlaine
the Great； and none other！ What brings you to this distant outpost？〃
Aubrey grinned at the use of his old college nickname。
〃I've come to lunch with you； and borrow enough money to get home
with。〃
〃On Monday？〃 cried the other。 〃Tuesday being the day of stipend in
these quarters？ Nay； say not so！〃
They lunched together at a quiet Italian restaurant； and Aubrey
narrated tersely the adventures of the past few days。 The newspaper man
smoked pensively when the story was concluded。
〃I'd like to see the girl；〃 he said。 〃Tambo； your tale hath the ring of
sincerity。 It is full of sound and fury； but it signifieth something。 You say
your man is a second…hand bookseller？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Then I know where you'll find him。〃
〃Nonsense！〃
〃It's worth trying。 Go up to Leary's； 9 South Ninth。 It's right on this
street。 I'll show you。〃
〃Let's go；〃 said Aubrey promptly。
〃Not only that；〃 said the other； 〃but I'll lend you my last V。 Not for
your sake； but on behalf of the girl。 Just mention my name to her； will
143
… Page 144…
THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
you？
〃Right up the block；〃 he pointed as they reached Chestnut Street。 〃No；
I won't come with you； Wilson's speaking to Congress to…day； and there's
big stuff coming over the wire。 So long； old man。 Invite me to the
wedding！〃
Aubrey had no idea what Leary's was； and rather expected it to be a
tavern of some sort。 When he reached the place； however； he saw why
his friend had suggested it as a likely lurking ground for Roger。 It would
be as impossible for any bibliophile to pass this famous second…hand
bookstore as for a woman to go by a wedding party without trying to see
the bride。 Although it was a bleak day； and a snell wind blew down the
street； the pavement counters were lined with people turning over
disordered piles of volumes。 Within； he could see a vista of white shelves；
and the many…coloured tapestry of bindings stretching far away to the rear
of the building。
He entered eagerly； and looked about。 The shop was comfortably
busy； with a number of people browsing。 They seemed normal enough
from behind； but in their eyes he detected the wild； peering glitter of the
bibliomaniac。 Here and there stood members of the staff。 Upon their
features Aubrey discerned the placid and philosophic tranquillity which he
associated with second…hand booksellers all save Mifflin。
He paced through the narrow aisles； scanning the blissful throng of
seekers。 He went down to the educational department in the basement；
up to the medical books in the gallery； even back to the sections of Drama
and Pennsylvania History in the raised quarterdeck at the rear。 There was
no trace of Roger。
At a desk under the stairway he saw a lean； studious； and kindly…
looking bibliosoph； who was poring over an immense catalogue。 An idea
struck him。
〃Have you a copy of Carlyle's Letters and Speeches of Oliver
Cromwell？〃 he asked。
The other looked up。
〃I'm afraid we haven't；〃 he said。 〃Another gentleman was in here
144
… Page 145…
THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
asking for it just a few minutes ago。〃
〃Good God！〃 cried Aubrey。 〃Did he get it？〃
This emphasis brought no surprise to the bookseller； who was
accustomed to the oddities of edition hunters。
〃No；〃 he said。 〃We didn't have a copy。 We haven't seen one for a
long time。〃
〃Was he a little bald man with a red beard and bright blue eyes？〃 asked
Aubrey hoarsely。
〃YesMr。 Mifflin of Brooklyn。 Do you know him？〃
〃I should say I do！〃 cried Aubrey。 〃Where has he gone？ I've been
hunting him all over town； the scoundrel！〃
The bookseller； douce man； had seen too many eccentric customers to
be shocked by the vehemence of his questioner。
〃He was here a moment ago；〃 he said gently； and gazed with a mild
interest upon the excited young advertising man。 〃I daresay you'll find
him just outside； in Ludlow Street。〃
〃Where's that？〃
The tall manand I don't see why I should scruple to name him； for it
wa
