the haunted bookshop(闹鬼的书店)-第35节
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THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
of white heather stood on the table； and a corncob pipe lay on the
sideboard。 〃This is the most innocent…looking kidnapper's den I ever heard
of；〃 he thought。 〃Any moving…picture director would be ashamed not to
provide a better stage…set。〃
At that instant he heard footsteps overhead。 Curiously soft； muffled
footsteps。 Instantly he was on the alert。 Now he would know the worst。
A window upstairs was thrown open。 〃Bock； what are you doing in
the yard？〃 floated a voicea very clear； imperious voice that somehow
made him think of the thin ringing of a fine glass tumbler。 It was Titania。
He stood aghast。 Then he heard a door open； and steps on the stair。
Merciful heaven； the girl must not find him here。 What WOULD she
think？ He skipped back into the pantry； and shrank into a corner。 He heard
the footfalls reach the bottom of the stairs。 There was a door into the
kitchen from the central hall： it was not necessary for her to pass through
the pantry； he thought。 He heard her enter the kitchen。
In his anxiety he crouched down beneath the sink； and his foot； bent
beneath him； touched a large tin tray leaning against the wall。 It fell over
with a terrible clang。
〃Bock！〃 said Titania sharply； 〃what are you doing？〃
Aubrey was wondering miserably whether he ought to counterfeit a
bark； but it was too late to do anything。 The pantry door opened； and
Titania looked in。
They gazed at each other for several seconds in mutual horror。 Even in
his abasement； crouching under a shelf in the corner； Aubrey's stricken
senses told him that he had never seen so fair a spectacle。 Titania wore a
blue kimono and a curious fragile lacy bonnet which he did not understand。
Her dark； gold…spangled hair came down in two thick braids across her
shoulders。 Her blue eyes were very much alive with amazement and
alarm which rapidly changed into anger。
〃Mr。 Gilbert！〃 she cried。 For an instant he thought she was going to
laugh。 Then a new expression came into her face。 Without another word
she turned and fled。 He heard her run upstairs。 A door banged； and was
locked。 A window was hastily closed。 Again all was silent。
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THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
Stupefied with chagrin； he rose from his cramped position。 What on
earth was he to do？ How could he explain？ He stood by the pantry sink
in painful indecision。 Should he slink out of the house？ No； he couldn't
do that without attempting to explain。 And he was still convinced that
some strange peril hung about this place。 He must put Titania on her guard；
no matter how embarrassing it proved。 If only she hadn't been wearing a
kimonohow much easier it would have been。
He stepped out into the hall； and stood at the bottom of the stairs in the
throes of doubt。 After waiting some time in silence he cleared the
huskiness from his throat and called out：
〃Miss Chapman！〃
There was no answer； but he heard light； rapid movements above。
〃Miss Chapman！〃 he called again。
He heard the door opened； and clear words edged with frost came
downward。 This time he thought of a thin tumbler with ice in it。
〃Mr。 Gilbert！〃
〃Yes？〃 he said miserably。
〃Will you please call me a taxi？〃
Something in the calm； mandatory tone nettled him。 After all； he had
acted in pure good faith。
〃With pleasure；〃 he said； 〃but not until I have told you something。 It's
very important。 I beg your pardon most awfully for frightening you； but
it's really very urgent。〃
There was a brief silence。 Then she said：
〃Brooklyn's a queer place。 Wait a few minutes； please。〃
Aubrey stood absently fingering the pattern on the wallpaper。 He
suddenly experienced a great craving for a pipe； but felt that the etiquette
of the situation hardly permitted him to smoke。
In a few moments Titania appeared at the head of the stairs in her
customary garb。 She sat down on the landing。 Aubrey felt that
everything was as bad as it could possibly be。 If he could have seen her
face his embarrassment would at least have had some compensation。 But
the light from a stair window shone behind her； and her features were in
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THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
shadow。 She sat clasping her hands round her knees。 The light fell
crosswise down the stairway； and he could see only a gleam of brightness
upon her ankle。 His mind unconsciously followed its beaten paths。
〃What a corking pose for a silk stocking ad！〃 he thought。 〃Wouldn't it
make a stunning full…page layout。 I must suggest it to the Ankleshimmer
people。〃
〃Well？〃 she said。 Then she could not refrain from laughter； he looked
so hapless。 She burst into an engaging trill。 〃Why don't you light your
pipe？〃 she said。 〃You look as doleful as the Kaiser。〃
〃Miss Chapman；〃 he said； 〃I'm afraid you thinkI don't know what
you must think。 But I broke in here this morning because I well； I don't
think this is a safe place for you to be。〃
〃So it seems。 That's why I asked you to get me a taxi。〃
〃There's something queer going on round this shop。 It's not right for
you to be here alone this way。 I was afraid something had happened to
you。 Of course； I didn't know you werewere 〃
Faint almond blossoms grew in her cheeks。 〃I was reading；〃 she said。
〃Mr。 Mifflin talks so much about reading in bed； I thought I'd try it。 They
wanted me to go with them to…day but I wouldn't。 You see； if I'm going to
be a bookseller I've got to catch up with some of this literature that's been
accumulating。 After they left II well； I wanted to see if this reading in
bed is what it's cracked up to be。〃
〃Where has Mifflin gone？〃 asked Aubrey。 〃What business has he got
to leave you here all alone？〃
〃I had Bock；〃 said Titania。 〃Gracious； Brooklyn on Sunday morning
doesn't seem very perilous to me。 If you must know； he and Mrs。 Mifflin
have gone over to spend the day with father。 I was to have gone； too； but I
wouldn't。 What business is it of yours？ You're as bad as Morris Finsbury in
The Wrong Box。 That's what I was reading when I heard the dog
barking。〃
Aubrey began to grow nettled。 〃You seem to think this was a mere
impertinence on my part；〃 he said。 〃Let me tell you a thing or two。〃 And
he briefly described to her the course of his experiences since leaving the
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shop on Friday evening； but omitting the fact that he was lodging just
across the street。
〃There's something mighty unpalatable going on；〃 he said。 〃At first I
thought Mifflin was the goat。 I thought it might be some frame…up for
swiping valuable books from his shop。 But when I saw Weintraub come in
here with his own latch…key； I got wise。 He and Mifflin are in cahoots；
that's what。 I don't know what they're pulling off； but I don't like the looks
of it。 You say Mifflin has gone out to see your father？ I bet that's just
camouflage； to stall you。 I've got a great mind to ring Mr。 Chapman up
and tell him he ought to get you out of here。〃
〃I won't hear a word said against Mr。 Mifflin；〃 said Titania angrily。
〃He's one of my father's oldest friends。 What would Mr。 Mifflin say if he
knew you had been breaking into his house and frightening me half to
death？ I'm sorry you got that knock on the head； because it seems that's
your weak spot。 I'm quite able to take care of myself； thank you。 This
isn't a movie。〃
〃Well； how do you explain the actions of this man Weintraub？〃 said
Aubrey。 〃Do you like to have a man popping in and out of the shop at all
hours of the night； stealing books？〃
〃I
