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！
half of the window frosted。 As he knelt there； a pipe set in the wall
suddenly vomited liquid which gushed out upon his knees。 He sniffed it；
and again smelled a strong aroma of acids。 With great care； leaning against
the brick wall of the house； he rose to his feet and peeped through the
upper half of the pane。
It seemed to be the room where prescriptions were compounded。 As it
was empty； he allowed himself a hasty survey。 All manner of bottles
were ranged along the walls； there was a high counter with scales； a desk；
and a sink。 At the back he could see the bamboo curtain which he
remembered having noticed from the shop。 The whole place was in the
utmost disorder： mortars； glass beakers； a typewriter； cabinets of labels；
dusty piles of old prescriptions strung on filing hooks； papers of pills and
capsules； all strewn in an indescribable litter。 Some infusion was heating
in a glass bowl propped on a tripod over a blue gas flame。 Aubrey
noticed particularly a heap of old books several feet high piled carelessly
at one end of the counter。
134
… Page 135…
THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
Looking more carefully； he saw that what he had taken for a mirror
over the prescription counter was an aperture looking into the shop。
Through this he could see Weintraub； behind the cigar case； waiting upon
some belated customer with his shop…worn air of affability。 The visitor
departed； and Weintraub locked the door after him and pulled down the
blinds。 Then he returned toward the prescription room； and Aubrey
ducked out of view。
Presently he risked looking again； and was just in time to see a curious
sight。 The druggist was bending over the counter； pouring some liquid
into a glass vessel。 His face was directly under a hanging bulb； and
Aubrey was amazed at the transformation。 The apparently genial
apothecary of cigarstand and soda fountain was gone。 He saw instead a
heavy； cruel； jowlish face； with eyelids hooded down over the eyes； and a
square thrusting chin buttressed on a mass of jaw and suetty cheek that
glistened with an oily shimmer。 The jaw quivered a little as though with
some intense suppressed emotion。 The man was completely absorbed in
his task。 The thick lower lip lapped upward over the mouth。 On the
cheekbone was a deep red scar。 Aubrey felt a pang of fascinated
amazement at the gross energy and power of that abominable relentless
mask。
〃So this is the harmless old thing！〃 he thought。
Just then the bamboo curtain parted； and the woman whom he had
seen upstairs appeared。 Forgetting his own situation； Aubrey still stared。
She wore a faded dressing gown and her hair was braided as though for
the night。 She looked frightened； and must have spoken； for Aubrey saw
her lips move。 The man remained bent over his counter until the last
drops of liquid had run out。 His jaw tightened； he straightened suddenly
and took one step toward her； with outstretched hand imperiously pointed。
Aubrey could see his face plainly： it had a savagery more than bestial。
The woman's face； which had borne a timid； pleading expression； appealed
in vain against that fierce gesture。 She turned and vanished。 Aubrey
saw the druggist's pointing finger tremble。 Again he ducked out of sight。
〃That man's face would be lonely in a crowd；〃 he said to himself。 〃And I
135
… Page 136…
THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
used to think the movies exaggerated things。 Say； he ought to play
opposite Theda Bara。〃
He lay at full length in the paved alley and thought that a little
acquaintance with Weintraub would go a long way。 Then the light in the
window above him went out； and he gathered himself together for quick
motion if necessary。 Perhaps the man would come out to close the cellar
door
The thought was in his mind when a light flashed on farther down the
passage； between him and the kitchen。 It came from a small barred
window on the ground level。 Evidently the druggist had gone down into
the cellar。 Aubrey crawled silently along toward the yard。 Reaching the
lit pane he lay against the wall and looked in。
The window was too grimed for him to see clearly； but what he could
make out had the appearance of a chemical laboratory and machine shop
combined。 A long work bench was lit by several electrics。 On it he saw
glass vials of odd shapes； and a medley of tools。 Sheets of tin； lengths of
lead pipe； gas burners； a vise； boilers and cylinders； tall jars of coloured
fluids。 He could hear a dull humming sound； which he surmised came
from some sort of revolving tool which he could see was run by a belt
from a motor。 On trying to spy more clearly he found that what he had
taken for dirt was a coat of whitewash which had been applied to the
window on the inside； but the coating had worn away in one spot which
gave him a loophole。 What surprised him most was to spy the covers of
a number of books strewn about the work table。 One； he was ready to
swear； was the Cromwell。 He knew that bright blue cloth by this time。
For the second time that evening Aubrey wished for the presence of
one of his former instructors。 〃I wish I had my old chemistry professor
here；〃 he thought。 〃I'd like to know what this bird is up to。 I'd hate to
swallow one of his prescriptions。〃
His teeth were chattering after the long exposure and he was wet
through from lying in the little gutter that apparently drained off from the
sink in Weintraub's prescription laboratory。 He could not see what the
druggist was doing in the cellar； for the man's broad back was turned
136
… Page 137…
THE HAUNTED BOOKSHOP
toward him。 He felt as though he had had quite enough thrills for one
evening。 Cree