the haunted bookshop(闹鬼的书店)-第16章
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set on a shining cloth not far from a blaze of English coal〃
〃He's an incorrigible visionary；〃 said Mrs。 Mifflin。 〃To hear him talk
you might think no one had had a square meal since Dickens died。 You
might think that all landladies died with Mrs。 Lirriper。〃
〃Very ungrateful of him；〃 said Titania。 〃I'm sure I couldn't ask for
better potatoes； or a nicer hostess； than I've found in Brooklyn。〃
〃Well； well；〃 said Roger。 〃You are right； of course。 And yet
something went out of the world when Victorian England vanished；
something that will never come again。 Take the stagecoach drivers； for
instance。 What a racy； human type they were！ And what have we now
to compare with them？ Subway guards？ Taxicab drivers？ I have
hung around many an all…night lunchroom to hear the chauffeurs talk。 But
they are too much on the move； you can't get the picture of them the way
Dickens could of his types。 You can't catch that sort of thing in a
snapshot； you know： you have to have a time exposure。 I'll grant you；
though； that lunchroom food is mighty good。 The best place to eat is
always a counter where the chauffeurs congregate。 They get awfully
hungry； you see； driving round in the cold； and when they want food they
want it hot and tasty。 There's a little hash…alley called Frank's； up on
Broadway near 77th； where I guess the ham and eggs and French fried is
as good as any Mr。 Pickwick ever ate。〃
〃I must get Edwards to take me there；〃 said Titania。 〃Edwards is our
chauffeur。 I've been to the Ansonia for tea； that's near there。〃
〃Better keep away；〃 said Helen。 〃When Roger comes home from
those places he smells so strong of onions it brings tears to my eyes。〃
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〃We've just been talking about an assistant chef；〃 said Roger； that
suggests that I read you Somebody's Luggage； which is all about a head
waiter。 I have often wished I could get a job as a waiter or a bus boy； just
to learn if there really are any such head waiters nowadays。 You know
there are all sorts of jobs I'd like to have； just to fructify my knowledge of
human nature and find out whether life is really as good as literature。 I'd
love to be a waiter； a barber； a floorwalker〃
〃Roger； my dear；〃 said Helen； 〃why don't you get on with the
reading？〃
Roger knocked out his pipe； turned Bock out of his chair； and sat down
with infinite relish to read the memor able character sketch of Christopher；
the head waiter； which is dear to every lover of taverns。 〃The writer of
these humble lines being a Waiter；〃 he began。 The knitting needles flashed
with diligence； and the dog by the fender stretched himself out in the
luxuriant vacancy of mind only known to dogs surrounded by a happy
group of their friends。 And Roger； enjoying himself enormously； and
particularly pleased by the chuckles of his audience； was approaching the
ever…delightful items of the coffee…room bill which is to be found about
ten pages on in the first chapterhow sad it is that hotel bills are not so
rendered in these timeswhen the bell in the shop clanged。 Picking up his
pipe and matchbox； and grumbling 〃It's always the way；〃 he hurried out of
the room。
He was agreeably surprised to find that his caller was the young
advertising man； Aubrey Gilbert。
〃Hullo！〃 he said。 〃I've been saving something for you。 It's a
quotation from Joseph Conrad about advertising。〃
〃Good enough；〃 said Aubrey。 〃And I've got something for you。 You
were so nice to me the other evening I took the liberty of bringing you
round some tobacco。 Here's a tin of Blue…Eyed Mixture； it's my favourite。
I hope you'll like it。〃
〃Bully for you。 Perhaps I ought to let you off the Conrad quotation
since you're so kind。〃
〃Not a bit。 I suppose it's a knock。 Shoot！〃 The bookseller led the
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THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
way back to his desk； where he rummaged among the litter and finally
found a scrap of paper on which he had written：
Being myself animated by feelings of affection toward my fellowmen；
I am saddened by the modern system of advertising。 Whatever evidence
it offers of enterprise； ingenuity； impudence； and resource in certain
individuals； it proves to my mind the wide prevalence of that form of
mental degradation which is called gullibility。JOSEPH CONRAD。
〃What do you think of that？〃 said Roger。 〃You'll find that in the
story called The Anarchist。〃
〃I think less than nothing of it；〃 said Aubrey。 〃As your friend Don
Marquis observed the other evening； an idea isn't always to be blamed for
the people who believe in it。 Mr。 Conrad has been reading some quack
ads； that's all。 Because there are fake ads； that doesn't condemn the
principle of Publicity。 But look here； what I really came round to see you
for is to show you this。 It was in the Times this morning。〃
He pulled out of his pocket a clipping of the LOST insertion to which
Roger's attention had already been drawn。
〃Yes； I've just seen it；〃 said Roger。 〃I missed the book from my
shelves； and I believe someone must have stolen it。〃
〃Well； now； I want to tell you something；〃 said Aubrey。 〃To…night I
had dinner at the Octagon with Mr。 Chapman。〃 〃Is that so？〃 said Roger。
〃You know his daughter's here now。〃
〃So he told me。 It's rather interesting how it all works out。 You see；
after you told me the other day that Miss Chapman was coming to work
for you； that gave me an idea。 I knew her father would be specially
interested in Brooklyn； on that account； and it suggested to me an idea for
a window…display campaign here in Brooklyn for the Daintybits Products。
You know we handle all his sales promotion campaigns。 Of course I
didn't let on that I knew about his daughter coming over here； but he told
me about it himself in the course of our talk。 Well； here's what I'm
getting at。 We had dinner in the Czecho…Slovak Grill； up on the fourteenth
floor； and going up in the elevator I saw a man in a chef's uniform carrying
a book。 I looked over his shoulder to see what it was。 I thought of course
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it would be a cook book。 It was a copy of Oliver Cromwell。〃
〃So he found it again； eh？ I must go and have a talk with that chap。
If he's a Carlyle fan I'd like to know him。〃
〃Wait a minute。 I had seen the LOST ad in the paper this morning；
because I always look over that column。 Often it gives me ideas for
advertising stunts。 If you keep an eye on the things people are anxious to
get back； you know what they really prize； and if you know what they
p
