the haunted bookshop(闹鬼的书店)-第35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！
sinister face of the druggist at his prescription counter。 The whole series
of events seemed a grossly fantastic nightmare； yet it frightened him。 〃If
only I were in Brooklyn；〃 he groaned； 〃it wouldn't be so bad。 But to be
over here； a hundred miles away； in another cursed bookshop； while that
girl may be in troubleGosh！〃 he muttered。 〃If I get through this
business all right I'll lay off bookshops for the rest of my life！〃
The telephone rang； and Aubrey frantically beckoned to Roger； who
was outside； talking。
〃Answer it； you chump！〃 said Roger。 〃We'll lose the connection！〃
〃Nix；〃 said Aubrey。 〃If Titania hears my voice she'll ring off。 She's
sore at me。〃
Roger ran to the instrument。 〃Hullo； hullo？〃 he said； irritably。 〃Hullo；
is that Wordsworth？ Yes； I'm calling BrooklynHullo！〃
Aubrey； leaning over Roger's shoulder； could hear a clucking in the
receiver； and then； incredibly clear； a thin； silver； distant voice。 How well
he knew it！ It seemed to vibrate in the air all about him。 He could hear
every syllable distinctly。 A hot perspiration burst out on his forehead and
in the palms of his hands。
〃Hullo；〃 said Roger。 〃Is that Mifflin's Bookshop？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Titania。 〃Is that you； Mr。 Mifflin？ Where are you？〃
〃In Philadelphia；〃 said Roger。 〃Tell me； is everything all right？〃
〃Everything's dandy；〃 said Titania。 〃I'm selling loads of books。 Mrs。
Mifflin's gone out to do some shopping。〃
Aubrey shook to hear the tiny； airy voice； like a trill of birdsong； like a
150
… Page 151…
THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
tinkling from some distant star。 He could imagine her standing at the
phone in the back of the shadowy bookshop； and seemed to see her as
though through an inverted telescope； very minute and very perfect。 How
brave and exquisite she was！
〃When are you coming home？〃 she was saying。
〃About seven o'clock；〃 said Roger。 〃Listen； is everything absolutely
O。 K。？〃
〃Why； yes；〃 said Titania。 〃I've been having lots of fun。 I went down
just now and put some coal on the furnace。 Oh； yes。 Mr。 Weintraub came
in a little while ago and left a suitcase of books。 He said you wouldn't
mind。 A friend of his is going to call for them this afternoon。〃
〃Hold the wire a moment；〃 said Roger； and clapped his hand over the
mouthpiece。 〃She says Weintraub left a suitcase of books there to be
called for。 What do you make of that？〃
〃For the love of God； tell her not to touch those books。〃
〃Hullo？〃 said Roger。 Aubrey； leaning over him； noticed that the little
bookseller's naked pate was ringed with crystal beads。
〃Hullo？〃 replied Titania's elfin voice promptly。
〃Did you open the suitcase？〃
〃No。 It's locked。 Mr。 Weintraub said there were a lot of old books in
it for a friend of his。 It's very heavy。〃
〃Look here；〃 said Roger； and his voice rang sharply。 〃This is
important。 I don't want you to touch that suitcase。 Leave it wherever it is；
and DON'T TOUCH IT。 Promise me。〃
〃Yes； Mr。 Mifflin。 Had I better put it in a safe place？〃
〃DON'T TOUCH IT！〃
〃Bock's sniffing at it now。〃
〃Don't touch it； and don't let Bock touch it。 Itit's got valuable
papers in it。〃
〃I'll be careful of it；〃 said Titania。
〃Promise me not to touch it。 And another thingif any one calls for it；
don't let them take it until I get home。〃
Aubrey held out his watch in front of Roger。 The latter nodded。
151
… Page 152…
THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
〃Do you understand？〃 he said。 〃Do you hear me all right？〃
〃Yes； splendidly。 I think it's wonderful！ You know I never talked on
long distance before〃
〃Don't touch the bag；〃 repeated Roger doggedly； 〃and don't let any one
take it until weuntil I get back。〃
〃I promise；〃 said Titania blithely。
〃Good…bye；〃 said Roger； and set down the receiver。 His face looked
curiously pinched； and there was perspiration in the hollows under his
eyes。 Aubrey held out his watch impatiently。
〃We've just time to make it；〃 cried Roger； and they rushed from the
shop。
It was not a sprightly journey。 The train made its accustomed detour
through West Philadelphia and North Philadelphia before getting down to
business； and the two voyagers felt a personal hatred of the brakemen who
permitted passengers from these suburbs to straggle leisurely aboard
instead of flogging them in with knotted whips。 When the express stopped
at Trenton； Aubrey could easily have turned a howitzer upon that innocent
city and blasted it into rubble。 An unexpected stop at Princeton Junction
was the last straw。 Aubrey addressed the conductor in terms that were
highly treasonable； considering that this official was a government
servant。
The winter twilight drew in； gray and dreary； with a threat of snow。 For
some time they sat in silence； Roger buried in a Philadelphia afternoon
paper containing the text of the President's speech announcing his trip to
Europe； and Aubrey gloomily recapitulating the schedule of his past week。
His head throbbed； his hands were wet with nervousness so that crumbs of
tobacco adhered to them annoyingly。
〃It's a funny thing；〃 he said at last。 〃You know I never heard of your
shop until a week ago to…day； and now it seems like the most important
place on earth。 It was only last Tuesday that we had supper together； and
since then I've had my scalp laid open twice； had a desperado lie in wait
for me in my own bedroom； spent two night vigils on Gissing Street； and
endangered the biggest advertising account our agency handles。 I don't
152
… Page 153…
THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
wonder you call the place haunted！〃
〃I suppose it would all make good advertising copy？〃 said Roger
peevishly。
〃Well； I don't know〃 said Aubrey。 〃It's a bit too rough； I'm afraid。
How do you dope it out？〃
〃I don't know what to think。 Weintraub has run that drug store for
twenty years or more。 Years ago； before I ever got into the book business；
I used to know his shop。 He was always rather interested in books；
especially scientific books； and we got quite friendly when I opened up on
Gissing Street。 I never fell for his face very hard； but he always seemed
quiet and well…disposed。 It sounds to me like some kind of trade in illicit
drugs； or German incendiary bombs。 You know what a lot of fires there
were during the warthose big grain elevators in Brooklyn； and so on。〃
〃I thought at first it was a kidnapping stunt；〃 said Aubrey。 〃I thought
you had got Miss Chapman planted in your shop so that these other guys
could smuggle her away。〃
〃You seem to have done me the honour of thinking me a very
complete rascal；〃 said Roger。
Aubrey's lips trembled with irritable retort； but he checked himself
heroically。
〃What was your particular interest in the Cromwell book？〃 he asked
after a pause。
〃Oh； I read somewheretwo or three years agothat it was one of
Woodrow Wilson's favourite books。 That interested me； and I looked it
up。〃
〃By the way；〃 cried Aubrey excitedly； 〃I forgot to show you those
numbers that were written in the cover。〃 He pulled out his memorandum
book； and showed the transcript he had made。
〃Well； one of these is perfectly understandable；〃 said Roger。 〃Here；
where it says 329 ff。 cf。 W。 W。 That simply means ‘pages 329 and
following； compare Woodrow Wilson。' I remember jotting that down not
long ago； because that passage in the book reminded me of some of
Wilson's ideas。 I generally note down in the back of a book the numbers
153
… Page 154…
THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
of any pages that interest me specially。 These other page numbers convey
nothing unless I had the book before me。〃
〃The first bunch of numbers was in your handwriting； then； but
underneath were these others； in Weintraub'sor at any rate in his ink。
When I saw that he was jotting down what I took to be code stuff in the
backs of your books I naturally assumed you and he were working
together〃
〃And you found the cover in his drug store？〃
〃Yes。〃
Roger scowled。 〃I don't make it out；〃 he said。 〃Well； there's
nothing we can do till we get there。 Do you want to look at the paper？
There's the text of Wilson's speech to Congress this morning。〃
Aubrey shook his head dismally； and leaned his hot forehead against
the pane。 Neither of them spoke again until they reached Manhattan
Transfer； where they changed for the Hudson Terminal。
It was seven o'clock when they hurried out of the subway terminus at
Atlantic Avenue。 It was a raw； damp evening； but the streets had already
begun to bustle with their nightly exuberance of light and colour。 The
yellow glitter of a pawnshop window reminded Aubrey of the small
revolver in his pocket。 As they passed a dark alley； he stepped aside to
load the weapon。
〃Have you anything of this sort with you？〃 he said； showing it to
Roger。
〃Good Lord； no；〃 said the bookseller。 〃What do you think I am； a
moving…picture hero？〃
Down Gissing Street the younger man set so rapid a pace that his
companion had to trot to keep abreast。 The placid vista of the little street
was reassuring。 Under the glowing effusion of the shop windows the
pavem
