the haunted bookshop(闹鬼的书店)-第29节
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the sprawling figure。 The man lay with his face twisted against one out…
spread arm； but the beard was unmistakable。 It was the assistant chef again；
and he seemed partly unconscious。 〃Burnt hair is a grand restorative；〃 said
Aubrey to himself； and applied the match to the bush of beard。 He
singed off a couple of inches of it with intense delight； and laid his
carnations on the head of the stricken one。 Then； hearing stirrings in the
basement； he gathered up his wire and shoes and fled upstairs。 He gained
his room roaring with inward mirth； but entered cautiously； fearing some
trap。 Save for a strong tincture of cigar smoke； everything seemed
correct。 Listening at his door he heard Mrs。 Schiller exclaiming shrilly in
the hall； assisted by yappings from the pug。 Doors upstairs were opened；
and questions were called out。 He heard guttural groans from the bearded
one； mingled with oaths and some angry remark about having fallen
downstairs。 The pug； frenzied with excitement； yelled insanely。 A
female voice possibly Mrs。 J。 F。 Smithcried out 〃What's that smell of
burning？〃 Someone else said； 〃They're burning feathers under his nose to
bring him to。〃
〃Yes； Hun's feathers；〃 chuckled Aubrey to himself。 He locked his
door； and sat down by the window with his opera glasses。
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Chapter IX
Again the Narrative is Retarded
Roger had spent a quiet evening in the bookshop。 Sitting at his desk
under a fog of tobacco； he had honestly intended to do some writing on the
twelfth chapter of his great work on bookselling。 This chapter was to be an
（alas； entirely conjectural） 〃Address Delivered by a Bookseller on Being
Conferred the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters by a Leading
University；〃 and it presented so many alluring possibilities that Roger's
mind always wandered from the paper into entranced visions of his
imagined scene。 He loved to build up in fancy the flattering details of that
fine ceremony when bookselling would at last be properly recognized as
one of the learned professions。 He could see the great auditorium； filled
with cultivated people： men with Emersonian profiles； ladies whispering
behind their fluttering programmes。 He could see the academic beadle；
proctor； dean （or whatever he is； Roger was a little doubtful） pronouncing
the august words of presentation
A man who； in season and out of season； forgetting private gain for
public weal； has laboured with Promethean and sacrificial ardour to instil
the love of reasonable letters into countless thousands； to whom； and to
whose colleagues； amid the perishable caducity of human affairs； is
largely due the pullulation of literary taste； in honouring whom we seek to
honour the noble and self…effacing profession of which he is so
representative a member
Then he could see the modest bookseller； somewhat clammy in his
extremities and lost within his academic robe and hood； nervously
fidgeting his mortar…board； haled forward by ushers； and tottering
rubescent before the chancellor； provost； president （or whoever it might be）
who hands out the diploma。 Then （in Roger's vision） he could see the
garlanded bibliopole turning to the expectant audience； giving his trailing
gown a deft rearward kick as the ladies do on the stage； and uttering；
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THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
without hesitation or embarrassment； with due interpolation of graceful
pleasantry； that learned and unlaboured discourse on the delights of
bookishness that he had often dreamed of。 Then he could see the ensuing
reception： the distinguished savants crowding round； the plates of
macaroons； the cups of untasted tea； the ladies twittering； 〃Now there's
something I want to ask you why are there so many statues to generals；
admirals； parsons； doctors； statesmen； scientists； artists； and authors； but
no statues to booksellers？〃
Contemplation of this glittering scene always lured Roger into
fantastic dreams。 Ever since he had travelled country roads； some years
before； selling books from a van drawn by a fat white horse； he had
nourished a secret hope of some day founding a Parnassus on Wheels
Corporation which would own a fleet of these vans and send them out into
the rural byways where bookstores are unknown。 He loved to imagine a
great map of New York State； with the daily location of each travelling
Parnassus marked by a coloured pin。 He dreamed of himself； sitting in
some vast central warehouse of second…hand books； poring over his map
like a military chief of staff and forwarding cases of literary ammunition
to various bases where his vans would re…stock。 His idea was that his
travelling salesmen could be recruited largely from college professors；
parsons； and newspaper men； who were weary of their thankless tasks； and
would welcome an opportunity to get out on the road。 One of his hopes
was that he might interest Mr。 Chapman in this superb scheme； and he had
a vision of the day when the shares of the Parnassus on Wheels
Corporation would pay a handsome dividend and be much sought after by
serious investors。
These thoughts turned his mind toward his brother…in…law Andrew
McGill； the author of several engaging books on the joys of country living；
who dwells at the Sabine Farm in the green elbow of a Connecticut valley。
The original Parnassus； a quaint old blue wagon in which Roger had lived
and journeyed and sold books over several thousand miles of country
roads in the days before his marriage； was now housed in Andrew's barn。
Peg； his fat white horse； had lodging there also。 It occurred to Roger that
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he owed Andrew a letter； and putting aside his notes for the bookseller's
collegiate oration； he began to write：
THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP 163 Gissing Street； Brooklyn；
November 30； 1918。
MY DEAR ANDREW：
It is scandalous not to have thanked you sooner for the annual cask of
cider； which has given us even more than the customary pleasure。 This has
been an autumn when I have been hard put to it to keep up with my own
thoughts； and I've written no letters at all。 Like everyone else I am
thinking constantly of this new peace that has marvellously come upon us。
I trust we may have statesmen who will be able to turn it to the benefit of
humanity。 I wish there could be an international peace conference of
booksellers； for （you will smile at this） my own conviction is that the
future happiness of the world depends in no small measure on them and on
the librarians。 I wonder what a German bookseller is like？
I've been reading The Education of Henry Adams and wish he might
have lived long enough to give us his thoughts on the War。 I fear it
would have bowled him over。 He thought that this is not a world 〃that
sensitive and timid natures can regard without a shudder。〃 What would he
have said of the four…year shambles we have watched with sickened
hearts？
You remember my favourite poemold George Herbert's Church
Porch where he says
By all means use sometimes to be alone； Salute thyself； see what thy
soul doth wear； Dare to look in thy chest； for 'tis thine own； And tumble up
and down what thou find'st there
Well； I've been tumbling my thoughts up and down a good deal。
Melancholy； I suppose； is the curse of the thinking classes； but I confess
my soul wears a great uneasiness these days！ The sudden and amazing
turnover in human affairs； dramatic beyond anythi
