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ads。 I hadn't thought of that。 But I think I shall put a little notice in one
of the papers some day； just a little card saying
PARNASSUS AT HOME GOOD BOOKS BOUGHT AND
SOLD THIS SHOP IS HAUNTED
It will be fun to see what come…back I get。
QUINCYThe book section of a department store doesn't get much
chance to enjoy that tangential advertising； as Fruehling calls it。 Why；
when our interior decorating shark puts a few volumes of a pirated Kipling
bound in crushed oilcloth or a copy of 〃Knock…kneed Stories；〃 into the
window to show off a Louis XVIII boudoir suite； display space is charged
up against my department！ Last summer he asked me for 〃something by
that Ring fellow； I forget the name；〃 to put a punchy finish on a layout of
porch furniture。 I thought perhaps he meant Wagner's Nibelungen operas；
and began to dig them out。 Then I found he meant Ring Lardner。
GLADFISTThere you are。 I keep telling you bookselling is an
impossible job for a man who loves literature。 When did a bookseller
ever make any real contribution to the world's happiness？
MIFFLINDr。 Johnson's father was a bookseller。
GLADFISTYes； and couldn't afford to pay for Sam's education。
FRUEHLINGThere's another kind of tangential advertising that
interests me。 Take； for instance； a Coles Phillips painting for some brand
of silk stockings。 Of course the high lights of the picture are cunningly
focussed on the stockings of the eminently beautiful lady； but there is
always something else in the picturean automobile or a country house or
a Morris chair or a parasolwhich makes it just as effective an ad for those
goods as it is for the stockings。 Every now and then Phillips sticks a book
into his paintings； and I expect the Fifth Avenue book trade benefits by it。
A book that fits the mind as well as a silk stocking does the ankle will be
sure to sell。
MIFFLINYou are all crass materialists。 I tell you； books are the
depositories of the human spirit； which is the only thing in this world that
endures。 What was it Shakespeare said
Not marble nor the gilded monuments Of princes shall outlive this
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powerful rhyme
By the bones of the Hohenzollerns； he was right！ And wait a minute！
There's something in Carlyle's Cromwell that comes back to me。
He ran excitedly out of the room； and the members of the Corn Cob
fraternity grinned at each other。 Gladfist cleaned his pipe and poured out
some more cider。 〃He's off on his hobby；〃 he chuckled。 〃I love baiting
him。〃
〃Speaking of Carlyle's Cromwell；〃 said Fruehling； 〃that's a book I
don't often hear asked for。 But a fellow came in the other day hunting for
a copy； and to my chagrin I didn't have one。 I rather pride myself on
keeping that sort of thing in stock。 So I called up Brentano's to see if I
could pick one up； and they told me they had just sold the only copy they
had。 Somebody must have been boosting Thomas！ Maybe he's quoted
in Tarzan； or somebody has bought up the film rights。〃
Mifflin came in； looking rather annoyed。
〃Here's an odd thing；〃 he said。 〃I know damn well that copy of
Cromwell was on the shelf because I saw it there last night。 It's not there
now。〃
〃That's nothing；〃 said Quincy。 〃You know how people come into a
second…hand store； see a book they take a fancy to but don't feel like
buying just then； and tuck it away out of sight or on some other shelf
where they think no one else will spot it； but they'll be able to find it when
they can afford it。 Probably someone's done that with your Cromwell。〃
〃Maybe； but I doubt it；〃 said Mifflin。 〃Mrs。 Mifflin says she didn't
sell it this evening。 I woke her up to ask her。 She was dozing over her
knitting at the desk。 I guess she's tired after her trip。〃
〃I'm sorry to miss the Carlyle quotation；〃 said Benson。 〃What was the
gist？〃
〃I think I've got it jotted down in a notebook；〃 said Roger； hunting
along a shelf。 〃Yes； here it is。〃 He read aloud：
〃The works of a man； bury them under what guano…mountains and
obscene owl…droppings you will； do not perish； cannot perish。 What of
Heroism； what of Eternal Light was in a Man and his Life； is with very
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great exactness added to the Eternities； remains forever a new divine
portion of the Sum of Things。
〃Now； my friends； the bookseller is one of the keys in that universal
adding machine； because he aids in the cross…fertilization of men and
books。 His delight in his calling doesn't need to be stimulated even by
the bright shanks of a Coles Phillips picture。
〃Roger； my boy；〃 said Gladfist； 〃your innocent enthusiasm makes me
think of Tom Daly's favourite story about the Irish priest who was
rebuking his flock for their love of whisky。 ‘Whisky；' he said； ‘is the
bane of this congregation。 Whisky； that steals away a man's brains。
Whisky； that makes you shoot at landlordsand not hit them！' Even so； my
dear Roger； your enthusiasm makes you shoot at truth and never come
anywhere near it。〃
〃Jerry；〃 said Roger； 〃you are a upas tree。 Your shadow is poisonous！〃
〃Well； gentlemen；〃 said Mr。 Chapman； 〃I know Mrs。 Mifflin wants to
be relieved of her post。 I vote we adjourn early。 Your conversation is
always delightful； though I am sometimes a bit uncertain as to the
conclusions。 My daughter is going to be a bookseller； and I shall look
forward to hearing her views on the business。〃
As the guests made their way out through the shop； Mr。 Chapman
drew Roger aside。 〃It's perfectly all right about sending Titania？〃 he
asked。
〃Absolutely；〃 said Roger。 〃When does she want to come？〃
〃Is to…morrow too soon？〃
〃The sooner the better。 We've got a little spare room upstairs that she
can have。 I've got some ideas of my own about furnishing it for her。
Send her round to…morrow afternoon。〃
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Chapter III
Titania Arrives
The first pipe after breakfast is a rite of some importance to seasoned
smokers； and Roger applied the flame to the bowl as he stood at the
bottom of the stairs。 He blew a great gush of strong blue reek that eddied
behind him as he ran up the flight； his mind eagerly meditating the
congenial task of arranging the little spare room for the coming employee。
Then； at the top of the steps； he found that his pipe had already gone out。
〃What with filling my pipe and emptying it； lighting it and relighting it；〃
he thought； 〃I don't seem to get much time for the serious concerns of life。
Come to think of it； smoking； soiling dishes and washing them； talking
and listening to other people talk； take up most of life anyway。〃
This theory rather pleased him； so he ran downstairs again to tell it to
Mrs。 Mifflin。
〃Go along and get that room fixed up；〃 she said； 〃and don't try to palm
off any bogus doctrines on me so early in the morning。 Housewives have
no time for philosophy after breakfast。〃
Roger thoroughly enjoyed himself in the task of preparing the guest…
room for the new assistant。 It was a small chamber at the back of the
second storey； opening on to a narrow passage that connected through a
door with the gallery of the bookshop。 Two small windows commanded a
view of the modest roofs of that quarter of Brooklyn； roofs that conceal so
many brave hearts； so many baby carriages； so many cups of bad coffee；
and so many cartons of the Chapman prunes。
〃By the way；〃