“Can I—was there any particular book you wished to see?”
“Have you Taine’s England?”
“Beg pardon?”
“Taine’s Notes on England.”
The young gentleman scratched the side of his nose with a cedar3 pencil which he took down from its bracket on the side of his head, and reflected a moment:
“Ah—I see,” [with a bright smile]—“Train, you mean—not Taine. George Francis Train. No, ma’m we—”
“I mean Taine—if I may take the liberty.”
The clerk reflected again—then:
“No, it isn’t hymns. It is a volume that is making a deal of talk just now, and is very widely known—except among parties who sell it.”
The clerk glanced at her face to see if a sarcasm5 might not lurk6 somewhere in that obscure speech, but the gentle simplicity7 of the beautiful eyes that met his, banished8 that suspicion. He went away and conferred with the proprietor9. Both appeared to be non-plussed. They thought and talked, and talked and thought by turns. Then both came forward and the proprietor said:
“Is it an American book, ma’m?”
“No, it is an American reprint of an English translation.”
“Oh! Yes—yes—I remember, now. We are expecting it every day. It isn’t out yet.”
“I think you must be mistaken, because you advertised it a week ago.”
“Why no—can that be so?”
“Yes, I am sure of it. And besides, here is the book itself, on the counter.”
She bought it and the proprietor retired10 from the field. Then she asked the clerk for the Autocrat11 of the Breakfast Table—and was pained to see the admiration12 her beauty had inspired in him fade out of his face. He said with cold dignity, that cook books were somewhat out of their line, but he would order it if she desired it. She said, no, never mind. Then she fell to conning13 the titles again, finding a delight in the inspection14 of the Hawthornes, the Longfellows, the Tennysons, and other favorites of her idle hours. Meantime the clerk’s eyes were busy, and no doubt his admiration was returning again—or may be he was only gauging15 her probable literary tastes by some sagacious system of admeasurement only known to his guild16. Now he began to “assist” her in making a selection; but his efforts met with no success—indeed they only annoyed her and unpleasantly interrupted her meditations17. Presently, while she was holding a copy of “Venetian Life” in her hand and running over a familiar passage here and there, the clerk said, briskly, snatching up a paper-covered volume and striking the counter a smart blow with it to dislodge the dust:
“Now here is a work that we’ve sold a lot of. Everybody that’s read it likes it”—and he intruded18 it under her nose; “it’s a book that I can recommend—‘The Pirate’s Doom19, or the Last of the Buccaneers.’ I think it’s one of the best things that’s come out this season.”
“I believe I do not want it,” she said.
The clerk hunted around awhile, glancing at one title and then another, but apparently21 not finding what he wanted.
However, he succeeded at last. Said he:
“Have you ever read this, ma’m? I am sure you’ll like it. It’s by the author of ‘The Hooligans of Hackensack.’ It is full of love troubles and mysteries and all sorts of such things. The heroine strangles her own mother. Just glance at the title please,—‘Gonderil the Vampire22, or The Dance of Death.’ And here is ‘The Jokist’s Own Treasury23, or, The Phunny Phellow’s Bosom24 Phriend.’ The funniest thing!—I’ve read it four times, ma’m, and I can laugh at the very sight of it yet. And ‘Gonderil,’—I assure you it is the most splendid book I ever read. I know you will like these books, ma’m, because I’ve read them myself and I know what they are.”
“Oh, I was perplexed25—but I see how it is, now. You must have thought I asked you to tell me what sort of books I wanted—for I am apt to say things which I don’t really mean, when I am absent minded. I suppose I did ask you, didn’t I?”
“No ma’m,—but I—”
“Yes, I must have done it, else you would not have offered your services, for fear it might be rude. But don’t be troubled—it was all my fault. I ought not to have been so heedless—I ought not to have asked you.”
“But you didn’t ask me, ma’m. We always help customers all we can. You see our experience—living right among books all the time—that sort of thing makes us able to help a customer make a selection, you know.”
“Now does it, indeed? It is part of your business, then?”
“Yes’m, we always help.”
“How good it is of you. Some people would think it rather obtrusive26, perhaps, but I don’t—I think it is real kindness—even charity. Some people jump to conclusions without any thought—you have noticed that?”
“O yes,” said the clerk, a little perplexed as to whether to feel comfortable or the reverse; “Oh yes, indeed, I’ve often noticed that, ma’m.”
“Yes, they jump to conclusions with an absurd heedlessness. Now some people would think it odd that because you, with the budding tastes and the innocent enthusiasms natural to your time of life, enjoyed the Vampires27 and the volume of nursery jokes, you should imagine that an older person would delight in them too—but I do not think it odd at all. I think it natural—perfectly natural in you. And kind, too. You look like a person who not only finds a deep pleasure in any little thing in the way of literature that strikes you forcibly, but is willing and glad to share that pleasure with others—and that, I think, is noble and admirable—very noble and admirable. I think we ought all to share our pleasures with others, and do what we can to make each other happy, do not you?”
“Oh, yes. Oh, yes, indeed. Yes, you are quite right, ma’m.”
But he was getting unmistakably uncomfortable, now, notwithstanding Laura’s confiding28 sociability29 and almost affectionate tone.
“Yes, indeed. Many people would think that what a bookseller—or perhaps his clerk—knows about literature as literature, in contradistinction to its character as merchandise, would hardly, be of much assistance to a person—that is, to an adult, of course—in the selection of food for the mind—except of course wrapping paper, or twine30, or wafers, or something like that—but I never feel that way. I feel that whatever service you offer me, you offer with a good heart, and I am as grateful for it as if it were the greatest boon31 to me. And it is useful to me—it is bound to be so. It cannot be otherwise. If you show me a book which you have read—not skimmed over or merely glanced at, but read—and you tell me that you enjoyed it and that you could read it three or four times, then I know what book I want—”
“Thank you!—th—”
—“to avoid. Yes indeed. I think that no information ever comes amiss in this world. Once or twice I have traveled in the cars—and there you know, the peanut boy always measures you with his eye, and hands you out a book of murders if you are fond of theology; or Tupper or a dictionary or T. S. Arthur if you are fond of poetry; or he hands you a volume of distressing32 jokes or a copy of the American Miscellany if you particularly dislike that sort of literary fatty degeneration of the heart—just for the world like a pleasant spoken well-meaning gentleman in any bookstore. But here I am running on as if business men had nothing to do but listen to women talk. You must pardon me, for I was not thinking.—And you must let me thank you again for helping33 me. I read a good deal, and shall be in nearly every day and I would be sorry to have you think me a customer who talks too much and buys too little. Might I ask you to give me the time? Ah-two-twenty-two. Thank you very much. I will set mine while I have the opportunity.”
But she could not get her watch open, apparently. She tried, and tried again. Then the clerk, trembling at his own audacity34, begged to be allowed to assist. She allowed him. He succeeded, and was radiant under the sweet influences of her pleased face and her seductively worded acknowledgements with gratification. Then he gave her the exact time again, and anxiously watched her turn the hands slowly till they reached the precise spot without accident or loss of life, and then he looked as happy as a man who had helped a fellow being through a momentous35 undertaking36, and was grateful to know that he had not lived in vain. Laura thanked him once more. The words were music to his ear; but what were they compared to the ravishing smile with which she flooded his whole system? When she bowed her adieu and turned away, he was no longer suffering torture in the pillory37 where she had had him trussed up during so many distressing moments, but he belonged to the list of her conquests and was a flattered and happy thrall38, with the dawn-light of love breaking over the eastern elevations39 of his heart.
It was about the hour, now, for the chairman of the House Committee on Benevolent40 Appropriations41 to make his appearance, and Laura stepped to the door to reconnoiter. She glanced up the street, and sure enough—
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1
accurately
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| adv.准确地，精确地 | |
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bustling
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| adj.喧闹的 | |
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cedar
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| n.雪松，香柏(木) | |
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hymns
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| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌( hymn的名词复数 ) | |
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sarcasm
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| n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic） | |
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lurk
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| n.潜伏，潜行；v.潜藏，潜伏，埋伏 | |
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7
simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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8
banished
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| v.放逐，驱逐( banish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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9
proprietor
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| n.所有人；业主；经营者 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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autocrat
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| n.独裁者；专横的人 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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conning
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| v.诈骗，哄骗( con的现在分词 )；指挥操舵( conn的现在分词 ) | |
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inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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15
gauging
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| n.测量[试]，测定，计量v.（用仪器）测量( gauge的现在分词 )；估计；计量；划分 | |
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16
guild
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| n.行会，同业公会，协会 | |
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meditations
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| 默想( meditation的名词复数 )； 默念； 沉思； 冥想 | |
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intruded
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| n.侵入的，推进的v.侵入，侵扰，打扰( intrude的过去式和过去分词 )；把…强加于 | |
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doom
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| n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定 | |
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filching
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| v.偷（尤指小的或不贵重的物品）( filch的现在分词 ) | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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vampire
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| n.吸血鬼 | |
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treasury
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| n.宝库；国库，金库；文库 | |
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bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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perplexed
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| adj.不知所措的 | |
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obtrusive
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| adj.显眼的；冒失的 | |
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vampires
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| n.吸血鬼( vampire的名词复数 )；吸血蝠；高利贷者；（舞台上的）活板门 | |
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28
confiding
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| adj.相信人的，易于相信的v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的现在分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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sociability
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| n.好交际，社交性，善于交际 | |
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twine
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| v.搓，织，编饰；（使）缠绕 | |
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boon
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| n.恩赐，恩物，恩惠 | |
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distressing
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| a.使人痛苦的 | |
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helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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audacity
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| n.大胆，卤莽，无礼 | |
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momentous
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| adj.重要的，重大的 | |
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undertaking
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| n.保证，许诺，事业 | |
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pillory
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| n.嘲弄；v.使受公众嘲笑；将…示众 | |
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thrall
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| n.奴隶；奴隶制 | |
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elevations
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| （水平或数量）提高( elevation的名词复数 )； 高地； 海拔； 提升 | |
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40
benevolent
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| adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的 | |
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appropriations
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| n.挪用（appropriation的复数形式） | |
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