the haunted bookshop(闹鬼的书店)-第38节
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the light； and to his horror began to disrobe。 This was not what he had
counted on at all； and he retreated rapidly。 It was plain that nothing was to
be gained where he was。 He sat timidly at one edge of the roof and
wondered what to do next。
As he sat there； the back door opened almost directly below him； and
he heard the clang of a garbage can set out by the stoop。 The door stood
open for perhaps half a minute； and he heard a male voice Weintraub's；
he thoughtspeaking in German。 For the first time in his life he yearned
for the society of his German instructor at college； and also wonderedin
the rapid irrelevance of thought what that worthy man was now doing to
earn a living。 In a rather long and poorly lubricated sentence； heavily
verbed at the end； he distinguished one phrase that seemed important。
〃Nach Philadelphia gehen〃〃Go to Philadelphia。〃
Did that refer to Mifflin？ he wondered。
The door closed again。 Leaning over the rain…gutter； he saw the light
go out in the kitchen。 He tried to look through the upper portion of the
window just below him； but leaning out too far； the tin spout gave beneath
his hands。 Without knowing just how he did it； he slithered down the
side of the wall； and found his feet on a window…sill。 His hands still clung
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to the tin gutter above。 He made haste to climb down from his position；
and found himself outside the back door。 He had managed the descent
rather more quietly than if it had been carefully planned。 But he was
badly startled； and retreated to the bottom of the yard to see if he had
aroused notice。
A wait of several minutes brought no alarm； and he plucked up
courage。 On the inner side of the houseaway from Wordsworth Avenue
a narrow paved passage led to an outside cellar…way with old…fashioned
slanting doors。 He reconnoitred this warily。 A bright light was shining
from a window in this alley。 He crept below it on hands and knees fearing
to look in until he had investigated a little。 He found that one flap of the
cellar door was open； and poked his nose into the aperture。 All was dark
below； but a strong； damp stench of paints and chemicals arose。 He sniffed
gingerly。 〃I suppose he stores drugs down there；〃 he thought。
Very carefully he crawled back； on hands and knees； toward the
lighted window。 Lifting his head a few inches at a time； finally he got his
eyes above the level of the sill。 To his disappointment he found the lower
half of the window frosted。 As he knelt there； a pipe set in the wall
suddenly vomited liquid which gushed out upon his knees。 He sniffed it；
and again smelled a strong aroma of acids。 With great care； leaning against
the brick wall of the house； he rose to his feet and peeped through the
upper half of the pane。
It seemed to be the room where prescriptions were compounded。 As it
was empty； he allowed himself a hasty survey。 All manner of bottles
were ranged along the walls； there was a high counter with scales； a desk；
and a sink。 At the back he could see the bamboo curtain which he
remembered having noticed from the shop。 The whole place was in the
utmost disorder： mortars； glass beakers； a typewriter； cabinets of labels；
dusty piles of old prescriptions strung on filing hooks； papers of pills and
capsules； all strewn in an indescribable litter。 Some infusion was heating
in a glass bowl propped on a tripod over a blue gas flame。 Aubrey
noticed particularly a heap of old books several feet high piled carelessly
at one end of the counter。
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Looking more carefully； he saw that what he had taken for a mirror
over the prescription counter was an aperture looking into the shop。
Through this he could see Weintraub； behind the cigar case； waiting upon
some belated customer with his shop…worn air of affability。 The visitor
departed； and Weintraub locked the door after him and pulled down the
blinds。 Then he returned toward the prescription room； and Aubrey
ducked out of view。
Presently he risked looking again； and was just in time to see a curious
sight。 The druggist was bending over the counter； pouring some liquid
into a glass vessel。 His face was directly under a hanging bulb； and
Aubrey was amazed at the transformation。 The apparently genial
apothecary of cigarstand and soda fountain was gone。 He saw instead a
heavy； cruel； jowlish face； with eyelids hooded down over the eyes； and a
square thrusting chin buttressed on a mass of jaw and suetty cheek that
glistened with an oily shimmer。 The jaw quivered a little as though with
some intense suppressed emotion。 The man was completely absorbed in
his task。 The thick lower lip lapped upward over the mouth。 On the
cheekbone was a deep red scar。 Aubrey felt a pang of fascinated
amazement at the gross energy and power of that abominable relentless
mask。
〃So this is the harmless old thing！〃 he thought。
Just then the bamboo curtain parted； and the woman whom he had
seen upstairs appeared。 Forgetting his own situation； Aubrey still stared。
She wore a faded dressing gown and her hair was braided as though for
the night。 She looked frightened； and must have spoken； for Aubrey saw
her lips move。 The man remained bent over his counter until the last
drops of liquid had run out。 His jaw tightened； he straightened suddenly
and took one step toward her； with outstretched hand imperiously pointed。
Aubrey could see his face plainly： it had a savagery more than bestial。
The woman's face； which had borne a timid； pleading expression； appealed
in vain against that fierce gesture。 She turned and vanished。 Aubrey
saw the druggist's pointing finger tremble。 Again he ducked out of sight。
〃That man's face would be lonely in a crowd；〃 he said to himself。 〃And I
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used to think the movies exaggerated things。 Say； he ought to play
opposite Theda Bara。〃
He lay at full length in the paved alley and thought that a little
acquaintance with Weintraub would go a long way。 Then the light in the
window above him went out； and he gathered himself together for quick
motion if necessary。 Perhaps the man would come out to close the cellar
door
The thought was in his mind when a light flashed on farther down the
passage； between him and the kitchen。 It came from a small barred
window on the ground level。 Evidently the druggist had gone down into
the cellar。 Aubrey crawled silently along toward the yard。 Reaching the
lit pane he lay against the wall and looked in。
The window was too grimed for him to see clearly； but what he could
make out had the appearance of a chemical laboratory and machine shop
combined。 A long work bench was lit by several electrics。 On it he saw
glass vials of odd shapes； and a medley of tools。 Sheets of tin； lengths of
lead pipe； gas burners； a vise； boilers and cylinders； tall jars of coloured
fluids。 He could hear a dull humming sound； which he surmised came
from some sort of revolving tool which he could see was run by a belt
from a motor。 On trying to spy more clearly he found that what he had
taken for dirt was a coat of whitewash which had been applied to the
window on the inside； but the coating had worn away in one spot which
gave him a loophole。 What surprised him most was to spy the covers of
a number of books strewn about the work table。
