the haunted bookshop(闹鬼的书店)-第25章
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noble books that have come out of England： A Student in Arms； The
Tree of Heaven； Why Men Fight； by Bertrand RussellI'm hoping he'll
write one on Why Men Are Imprisoned： you know he was locked up for
his sentiments！ And here's one of the most moving of all The Letters of
Arthur Heath； a gentle； sensitive young Oxford tutor who was killed on the
Western front。 You ought to read that book。 It shows the entire lack of
hatred on the part of the English。 Heath and his friends； the night before
they enlisted； sat up singing the German music they had loved； as a kind of
farewell to the old； friendly joyous life。 Yes； that's the kind of thing War
does wipes out spirits like Arthur Heath。 Please read it。 Then you'll
have to read Philip Gibbs； and Lowes Dickinson and all the young poets。
Of course you've read Wells already。 Everybody has。〃
〃How about the Americans？〃 said Titania。 〃Haven't they written
anything about the war that's worth while？〃
〃Here's One that I found a lot of meat in； streaked with philosophical
gristle；〃 said Roger； relighting his pipe。 He pulled out a copy of Professor
Latimer's Progress。 〃There was one passage that I remember markinglet's
see now； what was it？Yes； here！
〃It is true that； if you made a poll of newspaper editors； you might
find a great many who think that war is evil。 But if you were to take a
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census among pastors of fashionable metropolitan churches〃
〃That's a bullseye hit！ The church has done for itself with most
thinking men。 。 。 There's another good passage in Professor Latimer；
where he points out the philosophical value of dishwashing。 Some of
Latimer's talk is so much in common with my ideas that I've been rather
hoping he'd drop in here some day。 I'd like to meet him。 As for American
poets； get wise to Edwin Robinson〃
There is no knowing how long the bookseller's monologue might have
continued； but at this moment Helen appeared from the kitchen。
〃Good gracious； Roger！〃 she exclaimed； 〃I've heard your voice piping
away for I don't know how long。 What are you doing； giving the poor
child a Chautauqua lecture？ You must want to frighten her out of the
book business。〃
Roger looked a little sheepish。 〃My dear；〃 he said； 〃I was only laying
down a few of the principles underlying the art of bookselling〃
〃It was very interesting； honestly it was；〃 said Titania brightly。 Mrs。
Mifflin； in a blue check apron and with plump arms floury to the elbow；
gave her a winkor as near a wink as a woman ever achieves （ask the man
who owns one）。
〃Whenever Mr。 Mifflin feels very low in his mind about the business；〃
she said； 〃he falls back on those highly idealized sentiments。 He knows
that next to being a parson； he's got into the worst line there is； and he tries
bravely to conceal it from himself。〃
〃I think it's too bad to give me away before Miss Titania；〃 said Roger；
smiling； so Titania saw this was merely a family joke。
〃Really truly；〃 she protested； 〃I'm having a lovely time。 I've been
learning all about Professor Latimer who wrote The Handle of Europe；
and all sorts of things。 I've been afraid every minute that some customer
would come in and interrupt us。〃
〃No fear of that；〃 said Helen。 〃They're scarce in the early morning。〃
She went back to her kitchen。
〃Well； Miss Titania；〃 resumed Roger。 〃You see what I'm driving at。 I
want to give people an entirely new idea about bookshops。 The grain of
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glory that I hope will cure both my fever and my lethargicness is my
conception of the bookstore as a power…house； a radiating place for truth
and beauty。 I insist books are not absolutely dead things： they are as
lively as those fabulous dragons' teeth； and being sown up and down； may
chance to spring up armed men。 How about Bernhardi？ Some of my
Corn Cob friends tell me books are just merchandise。 Pshaw！〃
〃I haven't read much of Bernard Shaw〃 said Titania。
〃Did you ever notice how books track you down and hunt you out？
They follow you like the hound in Francis Thompson's poem。 They know
their quarry！ Look at that book The Education of Henry Adams！ Just
watch the way it's hounding out thinking people this winter。 And The Four
Horsemenyou can see it racing in the veins of the reading people。 It's
one of the uncanniest things I know to watch a real book on its careerit
follows you and follows you and drives you into a corner and MAKES
you read it。 There's a queer old book that's been chasing me for years： The
Life and Opinions of John Buncle； Esq。； it's called。 I've tried to escape it；
but every now and then it sticks up its head somewhere。 It'll get me
some day； and I'll be compelled to read it。 Ten Thousand a Year trailed
me the same way until I surrendered。 Words can't describe the cunning
of some books。 You'll think you've shaken them off your trail； and then
one day some innocent…looking customer will pop in and begin to talk； and
you'll know he's an unconscious agent of book…destiny。 There's an old sea…
captain who drops in here now and then。 He's simply the novels of
Captain Marryat put into flesh。 He has me under a kind of spell： I
know I shall have to read Peter Simple before I die； just because the old
fellow loves it so。 That's why I call this place the Haunted Bookshop。
Haunted by the ghosts of the books I haven't read。 Poor uneasy spirits；
they walk and walk around me。 There's only one way to lay the ghost of a
book； and that is to read it。〃
〃I know what you mean；〃 said Titania。 〃I haven't read much Bernard
Shaw； but I feel I shall have to。 He meets me at every turn； bullying me。
And I know lots of people who are simply terrorized by H。 G。 Wells。 Every
time one of his books comes out； and that's pretty often； they're in a
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perfect panic until they've read it。〃
Roger chuckled。 〃Some have even been stampeded into subscribing
to the New Republic for that very purpose。〃
〃But speaking of the Haunted Bookshop； what's your special interest
in that Oliver Cromwell book？〃
〃Oh； I'm glad you mentioned it；〃 said Roger。 〃I must put it back in its
place on the shelf。〃 He ran back to the den to get it； and just then the bell
clanged at the door。 A customer came in； and the one…sided gossip was
over for the time being。
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Chapter VII
Aubrey Takes Lodgings
I am sensible that Mr。 Aubrey Gilbert is by no means ideal as the
leading juvenile of our piece。 The time still demands some explanation
why the leading juvenile wears no gold chevrons on his left sleeve。 As
