the haunted bookshop(闹鬼的书店)-第2节
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of books but you are blissfully unaware of it！ People don't go to a
bookseller until some serious mental accident or disease makes them
aware of their danger。 Then they come here。 For me to advertise would
be about as useful as telling people who feel perfectly well that they ought
to go to the doctor。 Do you know why people are reading more books now
than ever before？ Because the terrific catastrophe of the war has made
them realize that their minds are ill。 The world was suffering from all
sorts of mental fevers and aches and disorders； and never knew it。 Now
our mental pangs are only too manifest。 We are all reading； hungrily；
hastily； trying to find outafter the trouble is overwhat was the matter
with our minds。〃
The little bookseller was standing up now； and his visitor watched him
with mingled amusement and alarm。
〃You know；〃 said Mifflin； 〃I am interested that you should have
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THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
thought it worth while to come in here。 It reinforces my conviction of
the amazing future ahead of the book business。 But I tell you that future
lies not merely in systematizing it as a trade。 It lies in dignifying it as a
profession。 It is small use to jeer at the public for craving shoddy books；
quack books； untrue books。 Physician； cure thyself！ Let the bookseller
learn to know and revere good books； he will teach the customer。 The
hunger for good books is more general and more insistent than you would
dream。 But it is still in a way subconscious。 People need books； but they
don't know they need them。 Generally they are not aware that the books
they need are in existence。〃
〃Why wouldn't advertising be the way to let them know？〃 asked the
young man； rather acutely。
〃My dear chap； I understand the value of advertising。 But in my own
case it would be futile。 I am not a dealer in merchandise but a specialist
in adjusting the book to the human need。 Between ourselves； there is no
such thing； abstractly； as a ‘good' book。 A book is ‘good' only when it
meets some human hunger or refutes some human error。 A book that is
good for me would very likely be punk for you。 My pleasure is to
prescribe books for such patients as drop in here and are willing to tell me
their symptoms。 Some people have let their reading faculties decay so
that all I can do is hold a post mortem on them。 But most are still open to
treatment。 There is no one so grateful as the man to whom you have given
just the book his soul needed and he never knew it。 No advertisement on
earth is as potent as a grateful customer。
〃I will tell you another reason why I don't advertise；〃 he continued。
〃In these days when everyone keeps his trademark before the public； as
you call it； not to advertise is the most original and startling thing one can
do to attract attention。 It was the fact that I do NOT advertise that drew
you here。 And everyone who comes here thinks he has discovered the
place himself。 He goes and tells his friends about the book asylum run by
a crank and a lunatic； and they come here in turn to see what it is like。〃
〃I should like to come here again myself and browse about；〃 said the
advertising agent。 〃I should like to have you prescribe for me。〃
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THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
〃The first thing needed is to acquire a sense of pity。 The world has
been printing books for 450 years； and yet gunpowder still has a wider
circulation。 Never mind！ Printer's ink is the greater explosive： it will
win。 Yes； I have a few of the good books here。 There are only about
30；000 really important books in the world。 I suppose about 5；000 of them
were written in the English language； and 5；000 more have been
translated。〃
〃You are open in the evenings？〃
〃Until ten o'clock。 A great many of my best customers are those who
are at work all day and can only visit bookshops at night。 The real book…
lovers； you know； are generally among the humbler classes。 A man who is
impassioned with books has little time or patience to grow rich by
concocting schemes for cozening his fellows。〃
The little bookseller's bald pate shone in the light of the bulb hanging
over the wrapping table。 His eyes were bright and earnest； his short red
beard bristled like wire。 He wore a ragged brown Norfolk jacket from
which two buttons were missing。
A bit of a fanatic himself； thought the customer； but a very entertaining
one。 〃Well； sir；〃 he said； 〃I am ever so grateful to you。 I'll come again。
Good…night。〃 And he started down the aisle for the door。
As he neared the front of the shop； Mr。 Mifflin switched on a cluster of
lights that hung high up； and the young man found himself beside a large
bulletin board covered with clippings； announcements； circulars； and little
notices written on cards in a small neat script。 The following caught his
eye：
RX
If your mind needs phosphorus； try 〃Trivia；〃 by Logan Pearsall Smith。
If your mind needs a whiff of strong air； blue and cleansing； from
hilltops and primrose valleys； try 〃The Story of My Heart；〃 by Richard
Jefferies。
If your mind needs a tonic of iron and wine； and a thorough rough…
and…tumbling； try Samuel Butler's 〃Notebooks〃 or 〃The Man Who Was
Thursday；〃 by Chesterton。
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If you need 〃all manner of Irish；〃 and a relapse into irresponsible
freakishness； try 〃The Demi…Gods；〃 by James Stephens。 It is a better book
than one deserves or expects。
It's a good thing to turn your mind upside down now and then； like an
hour…glass； to let the particles run the other way。
One who loves the English tongue can have a lot of fun with a Latin
dictionary。
ROGER MIFFLIN。
Human beings pay very little attention to what is told them unless
they know something about it already。 The young man had heard of none
of these books prescribed by the practitioner of bibliotherapy。 He was
about to open the door when Mifflin appeared at his side。
〃Look here；〃 he said； with a quaint touch of embarrassment。 〃I was
very much interested by our talk。 I'm all alone this evening my wife is
away on a holiday。 Won't you stay and have supper with me？ I was just
looking up some new recipes when you came in。〃
The other was equally surprised and pleased by this unusual invitation。
〃Whythat's very good of you；〃 he said。 〃Are you sure I won't be
intruding？〃
〃Not at all！〃 cried the bookseller。 〃I detest eating alone： I was hoping
someone would drop in。 I always try to have a guest for supper when my
wife is away。 I have to stay at home； you see； to keep an eye on the shop。
We have no servant； and I do the cooking myself。 It's great fun。 Now
you light your pipe and make yourself comfortable for a few minutes
while I get things ready。 Suppose you come back to my den。〃
On a table of books at the front of the shop Mifflin laid a large card
lettered：
PROPRIETOR AT SUPPER IF YOU WANT ANYTHING RING
THIS BELL
Beside the card he placed a large old…fashioned dinner bell； and then
led the way to the rear of the shop。
Behind the little office in which this unusual merchant had been
studying his cookbook a narrow stairway rose on each side； running up to
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THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
the gallery。 Behind these stairs a short flight of steps led to the domestic
recesses。 The visitor found himself ushered into a small room on the left；
where a grate of coals glowed under a dingy mantelpie
