the haunted bookshop(闹鬼的书店)-第39节
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a number of books strewn about the work table。 One； he was ready to
swear； was the Cromwell。 He knew that bright blue cloth by this time。
For the second time that evening Aubrey wished for the presence of
one of his former instructors。 〃I wish I had my old chemistry professor
here；〃 he thought。 〃I'd like to know what this bird is up to。 I'd hate to
swallow one of his prescriptions。〃
His teeth were chattering after the long exposure and he was wet
through from lying in the little gutter that apparently drained off from the
sink in Weintraub's prescription laboratory。 He could not see what the
druggist was doing in the cellar； for the man's broad back was turned
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toward him。 He felt as though he had had quite enough thrills for one
evening。 Creeping along he found his way back to the yard； and stepped
cautiously among the empty boxes with which it was strewn。 An
elevated train rumbled overhead； and he watched the brightly lighted cars
swing by。 While the train roared above him； he scrambled up the fence and
dropped down into the alley。
〃Well；〃 he thought； 〃I'd give full…page space； preferred position； in the
magazine Ben Franklin founded to the guy that'd tell me what's going on
at this grand bolshevik headquarters。 It looks to me as though they're
getting ready to blow the Octagon Hotel off the map。〃
He found a little confectionery shop on Wordsworth Avenue that was
still open； and went in for a cup of hot chocolate to warm himself。 〃The
expense account on this business is going to be rather heavy；〃 he said to
himself。 〃I think I'll have to charge it up to the Daintybits account。 Say；
old Grey Matter gives service that's DIFFERENT； don't she！ We not only
keep Chapman's goods in the public eye； but we face all the horrors of
Brooklyn to preserve his family from unlawful occasions。 No； I don't
like the company that bookseller runs with。 If ‘nach Philadelphia' is the
word； I think I'll tag along。 I guess it's off for Philadelphia in the
morning！〃
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Chapter XIII
The Battle of Ludlow Street
Rarely was a more genuine tribute paid to entrancing girlhood than
when Aubrey compelled himself； by sheer force of will and the ticking of
his subconscious time…sense； to wake at six o'clock the next morning。 For
this young man took sleep seriously and with a primitive zest。 It was to
him almost a religious function。 As a minor poet has said； he 〃made
sleep a career。〃
But he did not know what train Roger might be taking； and he was
determined not to miss him。 By a quarter after six he was seated in the
Milwaukee Lunch （which is never closed Open from Now Till the
Judgment Day。 Tables for Ladies； as its sign says） with a cup of coffee
and corned beef hash。 In the mood of tender melancholy common to
unaccustomed early rising he dwelt fondly on the thought of Titania； so
near and yet so far away。 He had leisure to give free rein to these musings；
for it was ten past seven before Roger appeared； hurrying toward the
subway。 Aubrey followed at a discreet distance； taking care not to be
observed。
The bookseller and his pursuer both boarded the eight o'clock train at
the Pennsylvania Station； but in very different moods。 To Roger； this
expedition was a frolic； pure and simple。 He had been tied down to the
bookshop so long that a day's excursion seemed too good to be true。 He
bought two cigarsan unusual luxury and let the morning paper lie
unheeded in his lap as the train drummed over the Hackensack marshes。
He felt a good deal of pride in having been summoned to appraise the
Oldham library。 Mr。 Oldham was a very distinguished collector； a wealthy
Philadelphia merchant whose choice Johnson； Lamb； Keats； and Blake
items were the envy of connoisseurs all over the world。 Roger knew very
well that there were many better…known dealers who would have jumped
at the chance to examine the collection and pocket the appraiser's fee。 The
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word that Roger had had by long distance telephone was that Mr。 Oldham
had decided to sell his collection； and before putting it to auction desired
the advices of an expert as to the prices his items should command in the
present state of the market。 And as Roger was not particularly conversant
with current events in the world of rare books and manuscripts； he spent
most of the trip in turning over some annotated catalogues of recent sales
which Mr。 Chapman had lent him。 〃This invitation；〃 he said to himself；
〃confirms what I have always said； that the artist； in any line of work； will
eventually be recognized above the mere tradesman。 Somehow or other
Mr。 Oldham has heard that I am not only a seller of old books but a lover
of them。 He prefers to have me go over his treasures with him； rather
than one of those who peddle these things like so much tallow。〃
Aubrey's humour was far removed from that of the happy bookseller。
In the first place； Roger was sitting in the smoker； and as Aubrey feared to
enter the same car for fear of being observed； he had to do without his pipe。
He took the foremost seat in the second coach； and peering occasionally
through the glass doors he could see the bald poll of his quarry wreathed
with exhalements of cheap havana。 Secondly； he had hoped to see
Weintraub on the same train； but though he had tarried at the train…gate
until the last moment； the German had not appeared。 He had concluded
from Weintraub's words the night before that druggist and bookseller were
bound on a joint errand。 Apparently he was mistaken。 He bit his nails；
glowered at the flying landscape； and revolved many grievous fancies in
his prickling bosom。 Among other discontents was the knowledge that
he did not have enough money with him to pay his fare back to New York；
and he would either have to borrow from someone in Philadelphia or wire
to his office for funds。 He had not anticipated； when setting out upon this
series of adventures； that it would prove so costly。
The train drew into Broad Street station at ten o'clock； and Aubrey
followed the bookseller through the bustling terminus and round the City
Hall plaza。 Mifflin seemed to know his way； but Philadelphia was
comparatively strange to the Grey…Matter solicitor。 He was quite surprised
at the impressive vista of South Broad Street； and chagrined to find people
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jostling him on the crowded pavement as though they did not know he had
just come from New York。
Roger turned in at a huge office building on Broad Street and took an
express elevator。 Aubrey did not dare follow him into the car； so he
waited in the lobby。 He learned from the starter that there was a second
tier of elevators on the other side of the building； so he tipped a boy a
quarter to watch them for him； describing Mifflin so accurately that he
could not be missed。 By this time Aubrey was in a thoroughly ill temper；
and enjoyed quarrelling with the starter on the subject of indicators for
showing the position of the elevators。 Observing that in this building the
indicators were glass tubes in which the movement of the car was traced
by a rising or falling column of coloured fluid； Aubrey remarked testily
that that old…fashioned stunt had long been abandoned in New York。 The
starter retorted that New York was only two hours away if he liked it better。
