the haunted bookshop(闹鬼的书店)-第39章
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THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
〃Well；〃 continued Aubrey； 〃all this may not be 100 per cent。 accurate；
but after putting things together this is how it dopes out。 Weintraub； who
was as canny as they make them； saw he'd have to get into direct touch
with Metzger。 He sent him word； on the Friday； to come over to see him
and bring the book。 Metzger； meanwhile； had had a bad fright when I
spoke to him in the hotel elevator。 He returned the book to the shop that
night； as Mrs。 Mifflin remembers。 Then； when I stopped in at the drug
store on my way home； he must have been with Weintraub。 I found the
Cromwell cover in the drug…store bookcase why Weintraub was careless
enough to leave it there I can't guess and they spotted me right away as
having some kind of hunch。 So they followed me over the Bridge and tried
to get rid of me。 It was because I got that cover on Friday night that
Weintraub broke into the shop again early Sunday morning。 He had to
have the cover of the book to bind his bomb in。〃
Aubrey was agreeably conscious of the close attention of his audience。
He caught Titania's gaze； and flushed a little。
〃That's pretty nearly all there is to it；〃 he said。 〃I knew that if those
guys were so keen to put me out of the way there must be something
rather rotten on foot。 I came over to Brooklyn the next afternoon；
Saturday； and took a room across the street。〃
〃And we went to the movies；〃 chirped Titania。
〃The rest of it I think you all knowexcept Metzger's visit to my
lodgings that night。〃 He described the incident。 〃You see they were
trailing me pretty close。 If I hadn't happened to notice the cigar at my
window I guess he'd have had me on toast。 Of course you know how
wrongly I doped it out。 I thought Mr。 Mifflin was running with them；
and I owe him my apology for that。 He's laid me out once on that score；
over in Philadelphia。〃
Humourously； Aubrey narrated how he had sleuthed the bookseller to
Ludlow Street； and had been worsted in battle。
〃I think they counted on disposing of me sooner or later；〃 said Aubrey。
〃They framed up that telephone call to get Mr。 Mifflin out of town。 The
point in having Metzger come to the bookshop to get the suitcase was to
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clear Weintraub's skirts if possible。 Apparently it was just a bag of old
books。 The bombed book； I guess； was perfectly harmless until any one
tried to open it。〃
〃You both got back just in the nick of time；〃 said Titania admiringly。
〃You see I was all alone most of the afternoon。 Weintraub left the
suitcase about two o'clock。 Metzger came for it about six。 I refused to let
him have it。 He was very persistent； and I had to threaten to set Bock at
him。 It was all I could do to hold the dear old dog in； he was so keen to
go for Metzger。 The chef went away； and I suppose he went up to see
Weintraub about it。 I hid the suitcase in my room。 Mr。 Mifflin had
forbidden me to touch it； but I thought that the safest thing to do。 Then
Mrs。 Mifflin came in。 We let Bock into the yard for a run； and were
getting supper。 I heard the bell ring； and went into the shop。 There were
the two Germans； pulling down the shades。 I asked what they meant by
it； and they grabbed me and told me to shut up。 Then Metzger pointed a
pistol at me while the other one tied up Mrs。 Mifflin。〃
〃The damned scoundrels！〃 cried Aubrey。 〃They got what was
coming to them。〃
〃Well； my friends；〃 said Mr。 Chapman； 〃Let's thank heaven that it
ended no worse。 Mr。 Gilbert； I haven't told you yet how I feel about the
whole affair。 That'll come later。 I'd like to propose the health of Mr。
Aubrey Gilbert； who is certainly the hero of this film！〃
They drank the toast with cheers； and Aubrey blushed becomingly。
〃Oh； I forgot something！〃 cried Titania。 〃When I went shopping this
afternoon I stopped in at Brentano's； and was lucky enough to find just
what I wanted。 It's for Mr。 Gilbert； as a souvenir of the Haunted
Bookshop。〃
She ran to the sideboard and brought back a parcel。
Aubrey opened it with delighted agitation。 It was a copy of Carlyle's
Cromwell。 He tried to stammer his thanks； but what he saw or thought
he sawin Titania's sparkling faceunmanned him。
〃The same edition！〃 said Roger。 〃Now let's see what those mystic
page numbers are！ Gilbert； have you got your memorandum？〃
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Aubrey took out his notebook。 〃Here we are；〃 he said。 〃This is what
Weintraub wrote in the back of the cover。〃
153 （3） 1；2；
Roger glanced at the notation。
〃That ought to be easy；〃 he said。 〃You see in this edition three
volumes are bound in one。 Let's look at page 153 in the third volume； the
first and second lines。〃
Aubrey turned to the place。 He read； and smiled。
〃Right you are；〃 he said。
〃Read it！〃 they all cried。
〃To seduce the Protector's guard； to blow up the Protector in his
bedroom； and do other little fiddling things。〃
〃I shouldn't wonder if that's where he got his idea；〃 said Roger。 〃What
have I been saying right alongthat books aren't merely dead things！〃
〃Good gracious；〃 said Titania。 〃You told me that books are
explosives。 You were right； weren't you！ But it's lucky Mr。 Gilbert didn't
hear you say it or he'd certainly have suspected you！〃
〃The joke is on me；〃 said Roger。
〃Well； I'VE got a toast to propose；〃 said Titania。 〃Here's to the
memory of Bock； the dearest； bravest dog I ever met！〃
They drank it with due gravity。
〃Well； good people；〃 said Mr。 Chapman； 〃there's nothing we can do for
Bock now。 But we can do something for the rest of us。 I've been talking
with Titania； Mr。 Mifflin。 I'm bound to say that after this disaster my first
thought was to get her out of the book business as fast as I could。 I
thought it was a little too exciting for her。 You know I sent her over here
to have a quiet time and calm down a bit。 But she wouldn't hear of
leaving。 And if I'm going to have a family interest in the book business I
want to do something to justify it。 I know your idea about travelling
book…wagons； and taking literature into the countryside。 Now if you and
Mrs。 Mifflin can find the proper people to run them； I'll finance a fleet of
ten of those Parnassuses you're always talking about； and have them built
in time to go on the road next spring。 How about it？〃
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Roger and Helen looked at each other； and at Mr。 Chapman。 In a flash
Roger saw one of his dearest dreams coming true。 Titania； to whom this
was a surprise； leaped from her chair and ran to kiss her father； crying；
〃Oh； Daddy； you ARE a darling！〃
Roger rose solemnly and gave Mr。 Chapman his hand。
〃My dear sir；〃 he said； 〃Miss Titania has found the right word。 You are
an honour to human nature； sir； and I hope you'll never live to regret it。
This is the happiest moment of my life。〃
〃Then that's settled；〃 said Mr。 Chapman。 〃We'll go over the details
later。 Now there's another thing on my mind。 Perhaps I shouldn't bring
up business matters here； but this is a kind of family partyMr。 Gilbert； it's
my duty to inform you that I intend to take my advertising out of the hands
of the Grey…Matter Agency。〃 Aubrey's heart sank。 He had feared a
catastrophe of this kind from the first。 Naturally a hard…headed business
man would not care to entrust such vast interests to a firm whose young
men went careering about like secret service agents； hunting for spies；
eavesdropping in alleys； and accusing people of pro…germanism。 Business；
Aubrey said to himself； is built upon Confidence； and what confidence
could Mr。 Chapman have in such vagabond and romantic doings？ Still； he
felt that he had done nothing to be ashamed of。
〃I'm sorry； sir；〃 he said。 〃We have tried to give you service。 I assure
you that I've spent by far the larger part of my time at the office in
working up plans for your campaigns。〃
He could not bear to look at Titania； ashamed that she should be the
witness of his humiliation。
〃That's exactly it；〃 said Mr。 Chapman。 〃I don't want just the larger
part of your time。 I want all of it。 I want you to accept the position of
assistant advertising manager of the Daintybits Corporation。〃
They all cheered； and for the third time that evening Aubrey felt more
overwhelmed than any good advertising man is accustomed to feel。 He
tried to express his delight； and then added：
〃I think it's my turn to propose a toast。 I give you the health of Mr。
and Mrs。 Mifflin； and their Haunted Bookshop； the place where I firstI
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first〃
His courage failed him； and he concluded； 〃First learned the meaning
of literature。〃
〃Suppose we adjourn to the den；〃 said Helen。 〃We have so many
delightful things to talk over； and I know Roger wants to tell you all about
the improvements he is planning for the shop。〃
Aubrey lingered to be the last； and it is to be conjectured that Titania
did not drop her handkerchief merely by accident。 The others had already
crossed the hall into the sitting room。
Their eyes met； and Aubrey could feel himself drowned in her steady；
honest gaze。 He was tortured
