the haunted bookshop(闹鬼的书店)-第43节
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Aubrey held out his watch in front of Roger。 The latter nodded。
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〃Do you understand？〃 he said。 〃Do you hear me all right？〃
〃Yes； splendidly。 I think it's wonderful！ You know I never talked on
long distance before〃
〃Don't touch the bag；〃 repeated Roger doggedly； 〃and don't let any one
take it until weuntil I get back。〃
〃I promise；〃 said Titania blithely。
〃Good…bye；〃 said Roger； and set down the receiver。 His face looked
curiously pinched； and there was perspiration in the hollows under his
eyes。 Aubrey held out his watch impatiently。
〃We've just time to make it；〃 cried Roger； and they rushed from the
shop。
It was not a sprightly journey。 The train made its accustomed detour
through West Philadelphia and North Philadelphia before getting down to
business； and the two voyagers felt a personal hatred of the brakemen who
permitted passengers from these suburbs to straggle leisurely aboard
instead of flogging them in with knotted whips。 When the express stopped
at Trenton； Aubrey could easily have turned a howitzer upon that innocent
city and blasted it into rubble。 An unexpected stop at Princeton Junction
was the last straw。 Aubrey addressed the conductor in terms that were
highly treasonable； considering that this official was a government
servant。
The winter twilight drew in； gray and dreary； with a threat of snow。 For
some time they sat in silence； Roger buried in a Philadelphia afternoon
paper containing the text of the President's speech announcing his trip to
Europe； and Aubrey gloomily recapitulating the schedule of his past week。
His head throbbed； his hands were wet with nervousness so that crumbs of
tobacco adhered to them annoyingly。
〃It's a funny thing；〃 he said at last。 〃You know I never heard of your
shop until a week ago to…day； and now it seems like the most important
place on earth。 It was only last Tuesday that we had supper together； and
since then I've had my scalp laid open twice； had a desperado lie in wait
for me in my own bedroom； spent two night vigils on Gissing Street； and
endangered the biggest advertising account our agency handles。 I don't
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THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
wonder you call the place haunted！〃
〃I suppose it would all make good advertising copy？〃 said Roger
peevishly。
〃Well； I don't know〃 said Aubrey。 〃It's a bit too rough； I'm afraid。
How do you dope it out？〃
〃I don't know what to think。 Weintraub has run that drug store for
twenty years or more。 Years ago； before I ever got into the book business；
I used to know his shop。 He was always rather interested in books；
especially scientific books； and we got quite friendly when I opened up on
Gissing Street。 I never fell for his face very hard； but he always seemed
quiet and well…disposed。 It sounds to me like some kind of trade in illicit
drugs； or German incendiary bombs。 You know what a lot of fires there
were during the warthose big grain elevators in Brooklyn； and so on。〃
〃I thought at first it was a kidnapping stunt；〃 said Aubrey。 〃I thought
you had got Miss Chapman planted in your shop so that these other guys
could smuggle her away。〃
〃You seem to have done me the honour of thinking me a very
complete rascal；〃 said Roger。
Aubrey's lips trembled with irritable retort； but he checked himself
heroically。
〃What was your particular interest in the Cromwell book？〃 he asked
after a pause。
〃Oh； I read somewheretwo or three years agothat it was one of
Woodrow Wilson's favourite books。 That interested me； and I looked it
up。〃
〃By the way；〃 cried Aubrey excitedly； 〃I forgot to show you those
numbers that were written in the cover。〃 He pulled out his memorandum
book； and showed the transcript he had made。
〃Well； one of these is perfectly understandable；〃 said Roger。 〃Here；
where it says 329 ff。 cf。 W。 W。 That simply means ‘pages 329 and
following； compare Woodrow Wilson。' I remember jotting that down not
long ago； because that passage in the book reminded me of some of
Wilson's ideas。 I generally note down in the back of a book the numbers
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of any pages that interest me specially。 These other page numbers convey
nothing unless I had the book before me。〃
〃The first bunch of numbers was in your handwriting； then； but
underneath were these others； in Weintraub'sor at any rate in his ink。
When I saw that he was jotting down what I took to be code stuff in the
backs of your books I naturally assumed you and he were working
together〃
〃And you found the cover in his drug store？〃
〃Yes。〃
Roger scowled。 〃I don't make it out；〃 he said。 〃Well； there's
nothing we can do till we get there。 Do you want to look at the paper？
There's the text of Wilson's speech to Congress this morning。〃
Aubrey shook his head dismally； and leaned his hot forehead against
the pane。 Neither of them spoke again until they reached Manhattan
Transfer； where they changed for the Hudson Terminal。
It was seven o'clock when they hurried out of the subway terminus at
Atlantic Avenue。 It was a raw； damp evening； but the streets had already
begun to bustle with their nightly exuberance of light and colour。 The
yellow glitter of a pawnshop window reminded Aubrey of the small
revolver in his pocket。 As they passed a dark alley； he stepped aside to
load the weapon。
〃Have you anything of this sort with you？〃 he said； showing it to
Roger。
〃Good Lord； no；〃 said the bookseller。 〃What do you think I am； a
moving…picture hero？〃
Down Gissing Street the younger man set so rapid a pace that his
companion had to trot to keep abreast。 The placid vista of the little street
was reassuring。 Under the glowing effusion of the shop windows the
pavement was a path of checkered brightness。 In Weintraub's pharmacy
they could see the pasty…faced assistant in his stained white coat serving a
beaker of hot chocolate。 In the stationer's shop people were looking over
trays of Christmas cards。 In the Milwaukee Lunch Aubrey saw （and envied）
a sturdy citizen peacefully dipping a doughnut into a cup of coffee。
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〃This all seems very unreal；〃 said Roger。
As they neared the bookshop； Aubrey's heart gave a jerk of
apprehension。 The blinds in the front windows had been drawn down。 A
dull shining came through them； showing that the lights were turned on
inside。 But why should the shades be lowered with closing time three
hours away？
They reached the front door； and Aubrey was about to seize the handle
when Roger halted him。
〃Wait a moment；〃 he said。 〃Let's go in quietly。 There may be
something queer going on。〃
Aubrey turned the knob gently。 The door was locked。
Roger pulled out his latchkey and cautiously released the bolt。 Then he
opened the door slightlyabout an inch。
〃You're taller than I am；〃 he whispered。 〃Reach up and muffle the
bell above the door while I open it。〃
Aubrey thrust three fingers through the aperture and blocked the
trigger of the gong。 Then Roger pushed the door wide； and they tiptoed
in。
The shop was empty； and apparently normal。 They stood for an
instant with pounding pulses。
From the back of the house came a clear voice； a little tremulous：
〃You can do what you like； I shan't tell you where it is
