the haunted bookshop(闹鬼的书店)-第15节
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He pulled out of his pocket a clipping of the LOST insertion to which
Roger's attention had already been drawn。
〃Yes； I've just seen it；〃 said Roger。 〃I missed the book from my
shelves； and I believe someone must have stolen it。〃
〃Well； now； I want to tell you something；〃 said Aubrey。 〃To…night I
had dinner at the Octagon with Mr。 Chapman。〃 〃Is that so？〃 said Roger。
〃You know his daughter's here now。〃
〃So he told me。 It's rather interesting how it all works out。 You see；
after you told me the other day that Miss Chapman was coming to work
for you； that gave me an idea。 I knew her father would be specially
interested in Brooklyn； on that account； and it suggested to me an idea for
a window…display campaign here in Brooklyn for the Daintybits Products。
You know we handle all his sales promotion campaigns。 Of course I
didn't let on that I knew about his daughter coming over here； but he told
me about it himself in the course of our talk。 Well； here's what I'm
getting at。 We had dinner in the Czecho…Slovak Grill； up on the fourteenth
floor； and going up in the elevator I saw a man in a chef's uniform carrying
a book。 I looked over his shoulder to see what it was。 I thought of course
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it would be a cook book。 It was a copy of Oliver Cromwell。〃
〃So he found it again； eh？ I must go and have a talk with that chap。
If he's a Carlyle fan I'd like to know him。〃
〃Wait a minute。 I had seen the LOST ad in the paper this morning；
because I always look over that column。 Often it gives me ideas for
advertising stunts。 If you keep an eye on the things people are anxious to
get back； you know what they really prize； and if you know what they
prize you can get a line on what goods ought to be advertised more
extensively。 This was the first time I had ever noticed a LOST ad for a
book； so I thought to myself 〃the book business is coming up。〃 Well；
when I saw the chef with the book in his hand； I said to him jokingly； 〃I
see you found it again。〃 He was a foreign…looking fellow； with a big beard；
which is unusual for a chef； because I suppose it's likely to get in the soup。
He looked at me as though I'd run a carving knife into him； almost scared
me the way he looked。 〃Yes； yes；〃 he said； and shoved the book out of
sight under his arm。 He seemed half angry and half frightened； so I
thought maybe he had no right to be riding in the passenger elevator and
was scared someone would report him to the manager。 Just as we were
getting to the fourteenth floor I said to him in a whisper； 〃It's all right； old
chap； I'm not going to report you。〃 I give you my word he looked more
scared than before。 He went quite white。 I got off at the fourteenth； and
he followed me out。 I thought he was going to speak to me； but Mr。
Chapman was there in the lobby； and he didn't have a chance。 But I
noticed that he watched me into the grill room as though I was his last
chance of salvation。〃
〃I guess the poor devil was scared you'd report him to the police for
stealing the book；〃 said Roger。 〃Never mind； let him have it。〃
〃Did he steal it？〃
〃I haven't a notion。 But somebody did； because it disappeared from
here。〃
〃Well； now； wait a minute。 Here's the queer part of it。 I didn't think
anything more about it； except that it was a funny coincidence my seeing
him after having noticed that ad in the paper。 I had a long talk with Mr。
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Chapman； and we discussed some plans for a prune and Saratoga chip
campaign； and I showed him some suggested copy I had prepared。 Then
he told me about his daughter； and I let on that I knew you。 I left the
Octagon about eight o'clock； and I thought I'd run over here on the subway
just to show you the LOST notice and give you this tobacco。 And when I
got off the subway at Atlantic Avenue； who should I see but friend chef
again。 He got off the same train I did。 He had on civilian clothes then； of
course； and when he was out of his white uniform and pancake hat I
recognized him right off。 Who do you suppose it was？〃
〃Can't imagine；〃 said Roger； highly interested by this time。
〃Why； the professor looking guy who came in to ask for the book the
first night I was here。〃
〃Humph！ Well； he must be keen about Carlyle； because he was
horribly disappointed that evening when he asked for the book and I
couldn't find it。 I remember how he insisted that I MUST have it； and I
hunted all through the History shelves to make sure it hadn't got misplaced。
He said that some friend of his had seen it here； and he had come right
round to buy it。 I told him he could certainly get a copy at the Public
Library； and he said that wouldn't do at all。〃
〃Well； I think he's nuts；〃 said Aubrey； 〃because I'm damn sure he
followed me down the street after I left the subway。 I stopped in at the
drug store on the corner to get some matches； and when I came out； there
he was underneath the lamp…post。〃
〃If it was a modern author； instead of Carlyle；〃 said Roger； 〃I'd say it
was some publicity stunt pulled off by the publishers。 You know they go to
all manner of queer dodges to get an author's name in print。 But Carlyle's
copyrights expired long ago； so I don't see the game。〃
〃I guess he's picketing your place to try and steal the formula for eggs
Samuel Butler；〃 said Aubrey； and they both laughed。
〃You'd better come in and meet my wife and Miss Chapman；〃 said
Roger。 The young man made some feeble demur； but it was obvious to the
bookseller that he was vastly elated at the idea of making Miss Chapman's
acquaintance。
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〃Here's a friend of mine；〃 said Roger； ushering Aubrey into the little
room where Helen and Titania were still sitting by the fire。 〃Mrs。 Mifflin；
Mr。 Aubrey Gilbert； Miss Chapman； Mr。 Gilbert。〃
Aubrey was vaguely aware of the rows of books； of the shining coals；
of the buxom hostess and the friendly terrier； but with the intense focus of
an intelligent young male mind these were all merely appurtenances to the
congenial spectacle of the employee。 How quickly a young man's senses
assemble and assimilate the data that are really relevant！ Without seeming
even to look in that direction he had performed the most amazing feat of
lightning calculation known to the human faculties。 He had added up all
the young ladies of his acquaintance； and found the sum total less than the
girl before him。 He had subtracted the new phenomenon from the universe
as he knew it； including the solar system and the advertising business； and
found the remainder a minus quantity。 He had multiplied the contents of
his intellect by a factor he had no reason to assume 〃constant；〃 and was
startled at what teachers call （I believe） the 〃product。〃 And he had
divided what was in the left…hand armchair into his own career； and found
no room for a quotient。 All of which transpired in the length of time
necessary for Roger to push forward another chair。
With the politeness desirable in a well…bred youth； Aubrey's first
instinct was to make himself square with the hostess。 Resolutely he
occluded blue eyes； silk shirtwaist； and admirable chin from his mental
vision。
〃It's awfully good of you to let me come in；〃 he said to Mrs。 Mifflin。 〃I
was here the other evening and Mr。 Mifflin insisted on my staying to
supper with him。〃
〃I'm very glad to see you；〃 said Helen。 〃Roger told me about you。 I
hope he didn't poison you with any of his outlandish dishes。 Wait till he
tries you with brandied peaches a la Harold Bell Wright。〃
Aubrey uttered some genial reassuranc
