the haunted bookshop(闹鬼的书店)-第36节
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Aubrey。 〃Do you like to have a man popping in and out of the shop at all
hours of the night； stealing books？〃
〃I don't have to explain it at all；〃 said Titania。 〃I think it's up to you
to do the explaining。 Weintraub is a harmless old thing and he keeps
delicious chocolates that cost only half as much as what you get on Fifth
Avenue。 Mr。 Mifflin told me that he's a very good customer。 Perhaps
his business won't let him read in the daytime； and he comes in here late at
night to borrow books。 He probably reads in bed。〃
〃I don't think anybody who talks German round back alleys at night is
a harmless old thing；〃 said Aubrey。 〃I tell you； your Haunted Bookshop
is haunted by something worse than the ghost of Thomas Carlyle。 Let me
show you something。〃 He pulled the book cover out of his pocket； and
pointed to the annotations in it。
〃That's Mifflin's handwriting；〃 said Titania； pointing to the upper row
of figures。 〃He puts notes like that in all his favourite books。 They refer
to pages where he has found interesting things。〃
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〃Yes； and that's Weintraub's；〃 said Aubrey； indicating the numbers in
violet ink。 〃If that isn't a proof of their complicity； I'd like to know what
is。 If that Cromwell book is here； I'd like to have a look at it。〃
They went into the shop。 Titania preceded him down the musty aisle；
and it made Aubrey angry to see the obstinate assurance of her small
shoulders。 He was horribly tempted to seize her and shake her。 It
annoyed him to see her bright； unconscious girlhood in that dingy vault of
books。 〃She's as out of place here asas a Packard ad in the Liberator〃 he
said to himself。
They stood in the History alcove。 〃Here it is；〃 she said。 〃No； it isn't
that's the History of Frederick the Great。〃
There was a two…inch gap in the shelf。 Cromwell was gone。
〃Probably Mr。 Mifflin has it somewhere around；〃 said Titania。 〃It was
there last night。〃
〃Probably nothing；〃 said Aubrey。 〃I tell you； Weintraub came in and
took it。 I saw him。 Look here； if you really want to know what I think；
I'll tell you。 The war's not over by a long sight。 Weintraub's a German。
Carlyle was pro…GermanI remember that much from college。 I believe
your friend Mifflin is pro…German； too。 I've heard some of his talk！〃
Titania faced him with cheeks aflame。
〃That'll do for you！〃 she cried。 〃Next thing I suppose you'll say
Daddy's pro…German； and me； too！ I'd like to see you say that to Mr。
Mifflin himself。〃
〃I will； don't worry；〃 said Aubrey grimly。 He knew now that he had
put himself hopelessly in the wrong in Titania's mind； but he refused to
abate his own convictions。 With sinking heart he saw her face relieved
against the shelves of faded bindings。 Her eyes shone with a deep and
sultry blue； her chin quivered with anger。
〃Look here；〃 she said furiously。 〃Either you or I must leave this
place。 If you intend to stay； please call me a taxi。〃
Aubrey was as angry as she was。
〃I'm going；〃 he said。 〃But you've got to play fair with me。 I tell you
on my oath； these two men； Mifflin and Weintraub； are framing something
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up。 I'm going to get the goods on them and show you。 But you mustn't
put them wise that I'm on their track。 If you do； of course； they'll call it
off。 I don't care what you think of me。 You've got to promise me that。〃
〃I won't promise you ANYTHING；〃 she said； 〃except never to speak to
you again。 I never saw a man like you beforeand I've seen a good
many。〃
〃I won't leave here until you promise me not to warn them；〃 he
retorted。 〃What I told you； I said in confidence。 They've already found
out where I'm lodging。 Do you think this is a joke？ They've tried to put
me out of the way twice。 If you breathe a word of this to Mifflin he'll
warn the other two。〃
〃You're afraid to have Mr。 Mifflin know you broke into his shop；〃 she
taunted。
〃You can think what you like。〃
〃I won't promise you anything！〃 she burst out。 Then her face altered。
The defiant little line of her mouth bent and her strength seemed to run out
at each end of that pathetic curve。 〃Yes； I will；〃 she said。 〃I suppose
that's fair。 I couldn't tell Mr。 Mifflin； anyway。 I'd be ashamed to tell
him how you frightened me。 I think you're hateful。 I came over here
thinking I was going to have such a good time； and you've spoilt it all！〃
For one terrible moment he thought she was going to cry。 But he
remembered having seen heroines cry in the movies； and knew it was only
done when there was a table and chair handy。
〃Miss Chapman；〃 he said； 〃I'm as sorry as a man can be。 But I swear I
did what I did in all honesty。 If I'm wrong in this； you need never speak
to me again。 If I'm wrong； youyou can tell your father to take his
advertising away from the Grey…Matter Company。 I can't say more than
that。〃
And； to do him justice； he couldn't。 It was the supreme sacrifice。
She let him out of the front door without another word。
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CHAPTER XII
AUBREY DETERMINES TO GIVE SERVICE THAT'S
DIFFERENT
Seldom has a young man spent a more desolate afternoon than
Aubrey on that Sunday。 His only consolation was that twenty minutes
after he had left the bookshop he saw a taxi drive up （he was then sitting
gloomily at his bedroom window） and Titania enter it and drive away。 He
supposed that she had gone to join the party in Larchmont； and was glad to
know that she was out of what he now called the war zone。 For the first
time on record； O。 Henry failed to solace him。 His pipe tasted bitter and
brackish。 He was eager to know what Weintraub was doing； but did not
dare make any investigations in broad daylight。 His idea was to wait
until dark。 Observing the Sabbath calm of the streets； and the pageant of
baby carriages wheeling toward Thackeray Boulevard； he wondered again
whether he had thrown away this girl's friendship for a merely imaginary
suspicion。
At last he could endure his cramped bedroom no longer。 Downstairs
someone was dolefully playing a flute； most horrible of all tortures to
tightened nerves。 While her lodgers were at church the tireless Mrs。
Schiller was doing a little housecleaning： he could hear the monotonous
rasp of a carpet…sweeper passing back and forth in an adjoining room。
He creaked irritably downstairs； and heard the usual splashing behind the
bathroom door。 In the frame of the hall mirror he saw a pencilled note：
Will Mrs。 Smith please call Tarkington 1565； it said。 Unreasonably
annoyed； he tore a piece of paper out of his notebook and wrote on it Will
Mrs。 Smith please call Bath 4200。 Mounting to the second floor he
tapped on the bathroom door。 〃Don't come in！〃 cried an agitated female
voice。 He thrust the memorandum under the door； and left the house。
Walking the windy paths of Prospect Park he condemned himself to
relentless self…scrutiny。 〃I've damned myself forever with her；〃 he groaned；
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〃unless I can prove something。〃 The vision of Titania's face silhouetted
against the shelves of books came maddeningly to his mind。 〃I was going
to have such a good time； and you've spoilt it all！〃 With what angry
conviction she had said： 〃I never saw a man like you beforeand I've
seen a good many！〃
Even in his disturbance of soul the familiar jargon of his profession
came nat
