the haunted bookshop(闹鬼的书店)-第37节
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Even in his disturbance of soul the familiar jargon of his profession
came naturally to utterance。 〃At least she admits I'm DIFFERENT；〃 he
said dolefully。 He remembered the first item in the Grey…Matter Code； a
neat little booklet issued by his employers for the information of their
representatives：
Business is built upon CONFIDENCE。 Before you can sell Grey…
Matter Service to a Client； you must sell YOURSELF。
〃How am I going to sell myself to her？〃 he wondered。 〃I've simply
got to deliver； that's all。 I've got to give her service that's DIFFERENT。
If I fall down on this； she'll never speak to me again。 Not only that； the
firm will lose the old man's account。 It's simply unthinkable。〃
Nevertheless； he thought about it a good deal； stimulated from time to
time as in the course of his walk （which led him out toward the faubourgs
of Flatbush） he passed long vistas of signboards； which he imagined
placarded with vivid lithographs in behalf of the Chapman prunes。
〃Adam and Eve Ate Prunes On Their Honeymoon〃 was a slogan that
flashed into his head； and he imagined a magnificent painting illustrating
this text。 Thus； in hours of stress； do all men turn for comfort to their
chosen art。 The poet； battered by fate； heals himself in the niceties of
rhyme。 The prohibitionist can weather the blackest melancholia by
meditating the contortions of other people's abstinence。 The most
embittered citizen of Detroit will never perish by his own hand while he
has an automobile to tinker。
Aubrey walked many miles； gradually throwing his despair to the
winds。 The bright spirits of Orison Swett Marden and Ralph Waldo Trine；
Dioscuri of Good Cheer； seemed to be with him reminding him that
nothing is impossible。 In a small restaurant he found sausages； griddle
cakes and syrup。 When he got back to Gissing Street it was dark； and he
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girded his soul for further endeavour。
About nine o'clock he walked up the alley。 He had left his overcoat
in his room at Mrs。 Schiller's and also the Cromwell bookcover having
taken the precaution； however； to copy the inscriptions into his pocket
memorandum…book。 He noticed lights in the rear of the bookshop； and
concluded that the Mifflins and their employee had got home safely。
Arrived at the back of Weintraub's pharmacy； he studied the contours of
the building carefully。
The drug store lay； as we have explained before； at the corner of
Gissing Street and Wordsworth Avenue； just where the Elevated railway
swings in a long curve。 The course of this curve brought the scaffolding
of the viaduct out over the back roof of the building； and this fact had
impressed itself on Aubrey's observant eye the day before。 The front of the
drug store stood three storeys； but in the rear it dropped to two； with a flat
roof over the hinder portion。 Two windows looked out upon this roof。
Weintraub's back yard opened onto the alley； but the gate； he found； was
locked。 The fence would not be hard to scale； but he hesitated to make so
direct an approach。
He ascended the stairs of the 〃L〃 station； on the near side； and paying a
nickel passed through a turnstile onto the platform。 Waiting until just after
a train had left； and the long； windy sweep of planking was solitary； he
dropped onto the narrow footway that runs beside the track。 This
required watchful walking； for the charged third rail was very near； but
hugging the outer side of the path he proceeded without trouble。 Every
fifteen feet or so a girder ran sideways from the track； resting upon an
upright from the street below。 The fourth of these overhung the back
corner of Weintraub's house； and he crawled cautiously along it。 People
were passing on the pavement underneath； and he greatly feared being
discovered。 But he reached the end of the beam without mishap。 From
here a drop of about twelve feet would bring him onto Weintraub's back
roof。 For a moment he reflected that； once down there； it would be
impossible to return the same way。 However； he decided to risk it。
Where he was； with his legs swinging astride the girder； he was in serious
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danger of attracting attention。
He would have given a great deal； just then； to have his overcoat with
him； for by lowering it first he could have jumped onto it and muffled the
noise of his fall。 He took off his coat and carefully dropped it on the
corner of the roof。 Then cannily waiting until a train passed overhead；
drowning all other sounds with its roar； he lowered himself as far as he
could hang by his hands； and let go。
For some minutes he lay prone on the tin roof； and during that time a
number of distressing ideas occurred to him。 If he really expected to get
into Weintraub's house； why had he not laid his plans more carefully？
Why （for instance） had he not made some attempt to find out how many
there were in the household？ Why had he not arranged with one of his
friends to call Weintraub to the telephone at a given moment； so that he
could be more sure of making an entry unnoticed？ And what did he expect
to see or do if he got inside the house？ He found no answer to any of these
questions。
It was unpleasantly cold； and he was glad to slip his coat on again。
The small revolver was still in his hip pocket。 Another thought occurred to
himthat he should have provided himself with tennis shoes。 However；
it was some comfort to know that rubber heels of a nationally advertised
brand were under him。 He crawled quietly up to the sill of one of the
windows。 It was closed； and the room inside was dark。 A blind was
pulled most of the way down； leaving a gap of about four inches。 Peeping
cautiously over the sill； he could see farther inside the house a brightly lit
door and a passageway。
〃One thing I've got to look out for；〃 he thought； 〃is children。 There are
bound to be somewho ever heard of a German without offspring？ If I
wake them； they'll bawl。 This room is very likely a nursery； as it's on the
southeastern side。 Also； the window is shut tight； which is probably the
German idea of bedroom ventilation。〃
His guess may not have been a bad one； for after his eyes became
accustomed to the dimness of the room he thought he could perceive two
cot beds。 He then crawled over to the other window。 Here the blind was
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pulled down flush with the bottom of the sash。 Trying the window very
cautiously； he found it locked。 Not knowing just what to do； he returned
to the first window； and lay there peering in。 The sill was just high enough
above the roof level to make it necessary to raise himself a little on his
hands to see inside； and the position was very trying。 Moreover； the tin
roof had a tendency to crumple noisily when he moved。 He lay for some
time； shivering in the chill； and wondering whether it would be safe to
light a pipe。
〃There's another thing I'd better look out for；〃 he thought； 〃and that's a
dog。 Who ever heard of a German without a dachshund？〃
He had watched the lighted doorway for a long while without seeing
anything； and was beginning to think he was losing time to no profit when
a stout and not ill…natured looking woman appeared in the hallway。 She
came into the room he was studying； and closed the door。 She switched on
the light； and to his horror began to disrob
