the haunted bookshop(闹鬼的书店)-第39章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Bock was tempted by the extremities thus exposed to him； but he was an
old dog and his martial instincts had been undermined by years of
kindness。 Moreover； he remembered Aubrey perfectly well； and the
smell of his trousers did not seem at all hostile。 So he contented himself
with a small grumbling of protest。 He was an Irish terrier； but there was
nothing Sinn Fein about him。
Aubrey dropped to the floor； and patted the dog； thanking his good
fortune。 He glanced about the cellar as though expecting to find some
lurking horror。 Nothing more appalling than several cases of beer bottles
met his eyes。 He started quietly to go up the cellar stairs； and Bock；
evidently consumed with legitimate curiosity； kept at his heels。
〃Look here；〃 thought Aubrey。 〃I don't want the dog following me all
through the house。 If I touch anything he'll probably take a hunk out of
my shin。〃
He unlocked the door into the yard； and Bock obeying the Irish
terrier's natural impulse to get into the open air； ran outside。 Aubrey
quickly closed the door again。 Bock's face appeared at the broken
window； looking in with so quaint an expression of indignant surprise that
Aubrey almost laughed。 〃There； old man；〃 he said； 〃it's all right。 I'm
just going to look around a bit。〃
He ascended the stairs on tiptoe and found himself in the kitchen。 All
was quiet。 An alarm clock ticked with a stumbling； headlong hurry。 Pots
of geraniums stood on the window sill。 The range； with its lids off and
the fire carefully nourished； radiated a mild warmth。 Through a dark little
pantry he entered the dining room。 Still no sign of anything amiss。 A pot
122
… Page 123…
THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
of white heather stood on the table； and a corncob pipe lay on the
sideboard。 〃This is the most innocent…looking kidnapper's den I ever heard
of；〃 he thought。 〃Any moving…picture director would be ashamed not to
provide a better stage…set。〃
At that instant he heard footsteps overhead。 Curiously soft； muffled
footsteps。 Instantly he was on the alert。 Now he would know the worst。
A window upstairs was thrown open。 〃Bock； what are you doing in
the yard？〃 floated a voicea very clear； imperious voice that somehow
made him think of the thin ringing of a fine glass tumbler。 It was Titania。
He stood aghast。 Then he heard a door open； and steps on the stair。
Merciful heaven； the girl must not find him here。 What WOULD she
think？ He skipped back into the pantry； and shrank into a corner。 He heard
the footfalls reach the bottom of the stairs。 There was a door into the
kitchen from the central hall： it was not necessary for her to pass through
the pantry； he thought。 He heard her enter the kitchen。
In his anxiety he crouched down beneath the sink； and his foot； bent
beneath him； touched a large tin tray leaning against the wall。 It fell over
with a terrible clang。
〃Bock！〃 said Titania sharply； 〃what are you doing？〃
Aubrey was wondering miserably whether he ought to counterfeit a
bark； but it was too late to do anything。 The pantry door opened； and
Titania looked in。
They gazed at each other for several seconds in mutual horror。 Even in
his abasement； crouching under a shelf in the corner； Aubrey's stricken
senses told him that he had never seen so fair a spectacle。 Titania wore a
blue kimono and a curious fragile lacy bonnet which he did not understand。
Her dark； gold…spangled hair came down in two thick braids across her
shoulders。 Her blue eyes were very much alive with amazement and
alarm which rapidly changed into anger。
〃Mr。 Gilbert！〃 she cried。 For an instant he thought she was going to
laugh。 Then a new expression came into her face。 Without another word
she turned and fled。 He heard her run upstairs。 A door banged； and was
locked。 A window was hastily closed。 Again all was silent。
123
… Page 124…
THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
Stupefied with chagrin； he rose from his cramped position。 What on
earth was he to do？ How could he explain？ He stood by the pantry sink
in painful indecision。 Should he slink out of the house？ No； he couldn't
do that without attempting to explain。 And he was still convinced that
some strange peril hung about this place。 He must put Titania on her guard；
no matter how embarrassing it proved。 If only she hadn't been wearing a
kimonohow much easier it would have been。
He stepped out into the hall； and stood at the bottom of the stairs in the
throes of doubt。 After waiting some time in silence he cleared the
huskiness from his throat and called out：
〃Miss Chapman！〃
There was no answer； but he heard light； rapid movements above。
〃Miss Chapman！〃 he called again。
He heard the door opened； and clear words edged with frost came
downward。 This time he thought of a thin tumbler with ice in it。
〃Mr。 Gilbert！〃
〃Yes？〃 he said miserably。
〃Will you please call me a taxi？〃
Something in the calm； mandatory tone nettled him。 After all； he had
acted in pure good faith。
〃With pleasure；〃 he said； 〃but not until I have told you something。 It's
very important。 I beg your pardon most awfully for frightening you； but
it's really very urgent。〃
There was a brief silence。 Then she said：
〃Brooklyn's a queer place。 Wait a few minutes； please。〃
Aubrey stood absently fingering the pattern on the wallpaper。 He
suddenly experienced a great craving for a pipe； but felt that the etiquette
of the situation hardly permitted him to smoke。
In a few moments Titania appeared at the head of the stairs in her
customary garb。 She sat down on the landing。 Aubrey felt that
everything was as bad as it could possibly be。 If he could have seen her
face his embarrassment would at least have had some compensation。 But
the light from a stair window shone behind her； and her features were in
124
… Page 125…
THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
shadow。 She sat clasping her hands round her knees。 The light fell
crosswise down the stairway； and he could see only a gleam of brightness
upon her ankle。 His mind unconsciously followed its beaten paths。
〃What a corking pose for a silk stocking ad！〃 he thought。 〃Wouldn't it
make a stunning full…page layout。 I must suggest it to the Ankleshimmer
people。〃
〃Well？〃 she said。 Then she could not refrain from laughter； he looked
so hapless。 She burst into an engaging trill。 〃Why don't you light your
pipe？〃 she said。 〃You look as doleful as the Kaiser。〃
〃Miss Chapman；〃 he said； 〃I'm afraid you thinkI don't know what
you must think。 But I broke in here this morning because I well； I don't
think this is a safe place for you to be。〃
〃So it seems。 That's why I asked you to g
