the haunted bookshop(闹鬼的书店)-第44节
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〃You can do what you like； I shan't tell you where it is。 Mr。 Mifflin
said〃
There followed the bang of a falling chair； and a sound of rapid
movement。
Aubrey was down the aisle in a flash； followed by Roger； who had
delayed just long enough to close the door。 He tiptoed up the steps at the
back of the shop and looked into the dining room。 At the instant his eyes
took in the scene it seemed as though the whole room was in motion。
The cloth was spread for supper and shone white under the drop lamp。
In the far corner of the room Titania was struggling in the grasp of a
bearded man whom Aubrey instantly recognized as the chef。 On the near
side of the table； holding a revolver levelled at the girl； stood Weintraub。
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His back was toward the door。 Aubrey could see the druggist's sullen jaw
crease and shake with anger。
Two strides took him into the room。 He jammed the muzzle of his
pistol against the oily cheek。 〃Drop it！〃 he said hoarsely。 〃You Hun！〃
With his left hand he seized the man's shirt collar and drew it tight against
the throat。 In his tremor of rage and excitement his arms felt curiously
weak； and his first thought was how impossible it would be to strangle that
swinish neck。
For an instant there was a breathless tableau。 The bearded man still
had his hands on Titania's shoulders。 She； very pale but with brilliant
eyes； gazed at Aubrey in unbelieving amazement。 Weintraub stood quite
motionless with both hands on the dining table； as though thinking。 He felt
the cold bruise of metal against the hollow of his cheek。 Slowly he opened
his right hand and his revolver fell on the linen cloth。 Then Roger burst
into the room。
Titania wrenched herself away from the chef。
〃I wouldn't give them the suitcase！〃 she cried。
Aubrey kept his pistol pinned against Weintraub's face。 With his left
hand he picked up the druggist's revolver。 Roger was about to seize the
chef； who was standing uncertainly on the other side of the table。
〃Here；〃 said Aubrey； 〃take this gun。 Cover this fellow and leave that
one to me。 I've got a score to settle with him。〃
The chef made a movement as though to jump through the window
behind him； but Aubrey flung himself upon him。 He hit the man square
on the nose and felt a delicious throb of satisfaction as the rubbery flesh
flattened beneath his knuckles。 He seized the man's hairy throat and sank
his fingers into it。 The other tried to snatch the bread knife on the table；
but was too late。 He fell to the floor； and Aubrey throttled him savagely。
〃You blasted Hun；〃 he grunted。 〃Go wrestling with girls； will you？〃
Titania ran from the room； through the pantry。
Roger was holding Weintraub's revolver in front of the German's face。
〃Look here；〃 he said； 〃what does this mean？〃
〃It's all a mistake；〃 said the druggist suavely； though his eyes slid
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uneasily to and fro。 〃I just came in to get some books I left here earlier
in the afternoon。〃
〃With a revolver； eh？〃 said Roger。 〃Speak up； Hindenburg； what's
the big idea？〃
〃It's not my revolver；〃 said Weintraub。 〃It's Metzger's。〃
〃Where's this suitcase of yours？〃 said Roger。 〃We're going to have a
look at it。〃
〃It's all a stupid mistake；〃 said Weintraub。 〃I left a suitcase of old
books here for Metzger； because I expected to go out of town this
afternoon。 He called for it； and your young woman wouldn't give it to
him。 He came to me； and I came down here to tell her it was all right。〃
〃Is that Metzger？〃 said Roger； pointing to the bearded man who was
trying to break Aubrey's grip。 〃Gilbert； don't choke that man； we want
him to do some explaining。〃
Aubrey got up； picked his revolver from the floor where he had
dropped it； and prodded the chef to his feet。
〃Well； you swine；〃 he said； 〃how did you enjoy falling downstairs the
other evening？ As for you； Herr Weintraub； I'd like to know what kind of
prescriptions you make up in that cellar of yours。〃
Weintraub's face shone damply in the lamplight。 Perspiration was
thick on his forehead。
〃My dear Mifflin；〃 he said； 〃this is awfully stupid。 In my eagerness；
I'm afraid〃
Titania ran back into the room； followed by Helen； whose face was
crimson。
〃Thank God you're back； Roger；〃 she said。 〃These brutes tied me up
in the kitchen and gagged me with a roller…towel。 They threatened to shoot
Titania if she wouldn't give them the suitcase。〃
Weintraub began to say something； but Roger thrust the revolver
between his eyes。
〃Hold your tongue！〃 he said。 〃We're going to have a look at those
books of yours。〃
〃I'll get the suitcase；〃 said Titania。 〃I hid it。 When Mr。 Weintraub
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came in and asked for it； at first I was going to give it to him； but he
looked so queer I thought something must be wrong。〃
〃Don't you get it；〃 said Aubrey； and their eyes met for the first time。
〃Show me where it is； and we'll let friend Hun bring it。〃
Titania flushed a little。 〃It's in my bedroom cupboard；〃 she said。
She led the way upstairs； Metzger following； and Aubrey behind
Metzger with his pistol ready。 Outside the bedroom door Aubrey halted。
〃Show him the suitcase and let him pick it up；〃 he said。 〃If he makes a
wrong movement； call me； and I'll shoot him。〃
Titania pointed out the suitcase； which she had stowed at the back of
her cupboard behind some clothes。 The chef showed no insubordination；
and the three returned downstairs。
〃Very well；〃 said Roger。 〃We'll go down in the shop where we can
see better。 Perhaps he's got a first folio Shakespeare in here。 Helen； you
go to the phone and ring up the McFee Street police station。 Ask them to
send a couple of men round here at once。〃
〃My dear Mifflin；〃 said Weintraub； 〃this is very absurd。 Only a few old
books that I had collected from time to time。〃
〃I don't call it absurd when a man comes into my house and ties my
wife up with clothesline and threatens to shoot a young girl；〃 said Roger。
〃We'll see what the police have to say about this； Weintraub。 Don't make
any mistake： if you try to bolt I'll blow your brains out。〃
Aubrey led the way down into the shop while Metzger carried the
suitcase。 Roger and Weintraub followed； and Titania brought up the rear。
Under a bright light in the Essay alcove Aubrey made the chef lay the bag
on the table。
〃Open her up；〃 he said curtly。
〃It's nothing but some old books；〃 said Metzger。
〃If they're old enough they may be valuable；〃 said Roger。 〃I'm
interested in old books。 Look sharp！〃
Metzger drew a key from his pocket and unlocked the bag。 Aubrey
held the pistol at his head as he threw back the lid。
The suitcase was full of second…hand books closely packed together。
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Roger； with great presence of mind； was keeping his eyes on Weintraub。
〃Tell me what's in it；〃 he said。
〃Why； it's only a lot of books； after all； 〃 cried Titania。
〃You see；〃 said Weintraub surlily； 〃there's no mystery about it。 I'm
sorry I was so〃
〃Oh； look！〃 said Titania； 〃There's the Cromwell book！〃
For an instant Roger forgot himself。 He looked instinctively at the
suitcase； and in that moment the druggist broke away； ran down the aisle；
and flew out of the door。 Roger dashed after him； but was too late。
Aubrey was holding Metzger by the collar with the pistol at his head。
〃Good God；〃 he said； 〃why didn't you shoot？〃
〃I
