the haunted bookshop(闹鬼的书店)-第34章
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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
was Philip Warnerexplained that Ludlow Street was the narrow alley that
runs along one side of Leary's and elbows at right angles behind the shop。
Down the flank of the store； along this narrow little street； run shelves of
books under a penthouse。 It is here that Leary's displays its stock of
ragamuffin ten…centers queer dingy volumes that call to the hearts of
gentle questers。 Along these historic shelves many troubled spirits have
come as near happiness as they are like to get 。 。 。 for after all； happiness
（as the mathematicians might say） lies on a curve； and we approach it only
by asymptote。 。 。 。 The frequenters of this alley call themselves
whimsically The Ludlow Street Business Men's Association； and Charles
Lamb or Eugene Field would have been proud to preside at their annual
dinners； at which the members recount their happiest book…finds of the
year。
Aubrey rushed out of the shop and looked down the alley。 Half a
dozen Ludlow Street Business Men were groping among the shelves。 Then；
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down at the far end； his small face poked into an open volume； he saw
Roger。 He approached with a rapid stride。
〃Well；〃 he said angrily； 〃here you are！〃
Roger looked up from his book good…humouredly。 Apparently； in the
zeal of his favourite pastime； he had forgotten where he was。
〃Hullo！〃 he said。 〃What are you doing in Brooklyn？ Look here；
here's a copy of Tooke's Pantheon〃
〃What's the idea？〃 cried Aubrey harshly。 〃Are you trying to kid me？
What are you and Weintraub framing up here in Philadelphia？〃
Roger's mind came back to Ludlow Street。 He looked with some
surprise at the flushed face of the young man； and put the book back in its
place on the shelf； making a mental note of its location。 His
disappointment of the morning came back to him with some irritation。
〃What are you talking about？〃 he said。 〃What the deuce business is it
of yours？〃
〃I'll make it my business；〃 said Aubrey； and shook his fist in the
bookseller's face。 〃I've been trailing you； you scoundrel； and I want to
know what kind of a game you're playing。〃
A spot of red spread on Roger's cheekbones。 In spite of his apparent
demureness he had a pugnacious spirit and a quick fist。
〃By the bones of Charles Lamb！〃 he said。 〃Young man； your
manners need mending。 If you're looking for display advertising； I'll give
you one on each eye。〃
Aubrey had expected to find a cringing culprit； and this back talk
infuriated him beyond control。
〃You damned little bolshevik；〃 he said； 〃if you were my size I'd give
you a hiding。 You tell me what you and your pro…German pals are up to
or I'll put the police on you！〃
Roger stiffened。 His beard bristled； and his blue eyes glittered。
〃You impudent dog；〃 he said quietly； 〃you come round the corner
where these people can't see us and I'll give you some private tutoring。〃
He led the way round the corner of the alley。 In this narrow channel；
between blank walls； they confronted each other。
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〃In the name of Gutenberg；〃 said Roger； calling upon his patron saint；
〃explain yourself or I'll hit you。〃
〃Who's he？〃 sneered Aubrey。 〃Another one of your Huns？〃
That instant he received a smart blow on the chin； which would have
been much harder but that Roger misgauged his footing on the uneven
cobbles； and hardly reached the face of his opponent； who topped him by
many inches。
Aubrey forgot his resolution not to hit a smaller man； and also calling
upon his patron saintsthe Associated Advertising Clubs of the World he
delivered a smashing slog which hit the bookseller in the chest and jolted
him half across the alley。
Both men were furiously angryAubrey with the accumulated
bitterness of several days' anxiety and suspicion； and Roger with the
quick…flaming indignation of a hot…tempered man unwarrantably outraged。
Aubrey had the better of the encounter in height； weight； and more than
twenty years juniority； but fortune played for the bookseller。 Aubrey's
terrific punch sent the latter staggering across the alley onto the opposite
curb。 Aubrey followed him up with a rush； intending to crush the other
with one fearful smite。 But Roger； keeping cool； now had the advantage of
position。 Standing on the curb； he had a little the better in height。 As
Aubrey leaped at him； his face grim with hatred； Roger met him with a
savage buffet on the jaw。 Aubrey's foot struck against the curb； and he
fell backward onto the stones。 His head crashed violently on the cobbles；
and the old cut on his scalp broke out afresh。 Dazed and shaken； there was；
for the moment； no more fight in him。
〃You insolent pup；〃 panted Roger； 〃do you want any more？〃 Then he
saw that Aubrey was really hurt。 With horror he observed a trickle of
blood run down the side of the young man's face。
〃Good Lord；〃 he said。 〃Maybe I've killed him！〃
In a panic he ran round the corner to get Leary's outside man； who
stands in a little sentry box at the front angle of the store and sells the
outdoor books。
〃Quick；〃 he said。 〃There's a fellow back here badly hurt。〃
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They ran back around the corner； and found Aubrey walking rather
shakily toward them。 Immense relief swam through Roger's brain。
〃Look here；〃 he said； 〃I'm awfully sorryare you hurt？〃
Aubrey glared whitely at him； but was too stunned to speak。 He
grunted； and the others took him one on each side and supported him。
Leary's man ran inside the store and opened the little door of the freight
elevator at the back of the shop。 In this way； avoiding notice save by a
few book…prowlers； Aubrey was carted into the shop as though he had
been a parcel of second…hand books。 Mr。 Warner greeted them at the
back of the shop； a little surprised； but gentle as ever。
〃What's wrong？〃 he said。
〃Oh； we've been fighting over a copy of Tooke's Pantheon；〃 said
Roger。
They led Aubrey into the little private office at the rear。 Here they
made him sit down in a chair and bathed his bleeding head with cold water。
Philip Warner； always resourceful； produced some surgical plaster。 Roger
wanted to telephone for a doctor。
〃Not on your life；〃 said Aubrey； pulling himself together。 〃See here；
Mr。 Mifflin； don't flatter yourself you gave me this cut on the skull。 I got
that the other evening on Brooklyn Bridge； going home from your damned
bookshop。 Now if you and I can be alone for a few minutes； we've got to
have a talk。〃
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Chapter XIV
The 〃Cromwell〃 Makes its Last Appearance
You utter idiot；〃 said Roger； half an hour later。 〃Why didn't you tell
me all this sooner？ Good Lord； man； there's some devil's work going
on！〃
〃How the deuce was I to know you knew nothing about it？〃 said
Aubrey impatiently。 〃You'll grant everything pointed against you？ When
I saw that guy go into the shop with his own key； what could I think but
that you were in league with him？ Gracious； man； are you so befuddled
in your old books that you don't see what's going on round you？〃
〃What time did you say that was？〃 said Roger shortly。
〃One o'clock Sunday morning。〃
Roger thought a minute。 〃Yes； I was in the cellar with Bock；〃 he said。
〃Bock barked； and I thought it was rats。 That fellow must have taken an
impression of the lock and made himself a key。 He's been in the shop
hundreds of times； and could easily do it。 That explains the disappearing
Cromwell。 But WHY？ What's the idea？〃
〃For the love of heaven；〃 said Aubrey。 〃Let's get back to Brooklyn as
soon as we can。 God only knows what may have happened。 Fool that I
was； to go away and leave those women all alone。 Triple…distilled lunacy！〃
〃My dear fellow；〃 said Roger； 〃I was the fool to be lured off by a fake
telephone call。 Judging by what you say； Weintraub must have worked
that also。〃
Aubrey looked at his watch。 〃Just after three；〃 he said。
〃We can't get a train till four；〃 said Roger。 〃That means we can't get
back to Gissing Street until nearly seven。〃
〃Call them up；〃 said Aubrey。
They were still in the private office at the rear of Leary's。 Roger was
well…known in the shop； and had no hesitation in using the telephone。 He
lifted the receiver。
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〃Long Distance； please；〃 he said。 〃Hullo？ I want to get Brooklyn；
Wordsworth 1617…W。〃
They spent a sour twenty…five minutes waiting for the connection。
Roger went out to talk with Warner； while Aubrey fumed in the back
office。 He could not sit still； and paced the little room in a fidget of
impatience； tearing his watch out of his pocket every few minutes。 He felt
dull and sick with vague fear。 To his mind recurred the spiteful buzz of
that voice over the wire〃Gissing Street is not healthy for you。〃 He
remembered the scuffle on the Bridge； the whispering in the alley； and the
sinister face of the druggist
