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he sawin Titania's sparkling faceunmanned him。
〃The same edition！〃 said Roger。 〃Now let's see what those mystic
page numbers are！ Gilbert； have you got your memorandum？〃
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Aubrey took out his notebook。 〃Here we are；〃 he said。 〃This is what
Weintraub wrote in the back of the cover。〃
153 （3） 1；2；
Roger glanced at the notation。
〃That ought to be easy；〃 he said。 〃You see in this edition three
volumes are bound in one。 Let's look at page 153 in the third volume； the
first and second lines。〃
Aubrey turned to the place。 He read； and smiled。
〃Right you are；〃 he said。
〃Read it！〃 they all cried。
〃To seduce the Protector's guard； to blow up the Protector in his
bedroom； and do other little fiddling things。〃
〃I shouldn't wonder if that's where he got his idea；〃 said Roger。 〃What
have I been saying right alongthat books aren't merely dead things！〃
〃Good gracious；〃 said Titania。 〃You told me that books are
explosives。 You were right； weren't you！ But it's lucky Mr。 Gilbert didn't
hear you say it or he'd certainly have suspected you！〃
〃The joke is on me；〃 said Roger。
〃Well； I'VE got a toast to propose；〃 said Titania。 〃Here's to the
memory of Bock； the dearest； bravest dog I ever met！〃
They drank it with due gravity。
〃Well； good people；〃 said Mr。 Chapman； 〃there's nothing we can do for
Bock now。 But we can do something for the rest of us。 I've been talking
with Titania； Mr。 Mifflin。 I'm bound to say that after this disaster my first
thought was to get her out of the book business as fast as I could。 I
thought it was a little too exciting for her。 You know I sent her over here
to have a quiet time and calm down a bit。 But she wouldn't hear of
leaving。 And if I'm going to have a family interest in the book business I
want to do something to justify it。 I know your idea about travelling
book…wagons； and taking literature into the countryside。 Now if you and
Mrs。 Mifflin can find the proper people to run them； I'll finance a fleet of
ten of those Parnassuses you're always talking about； and have them built
in time to go on the road next spring。 How about it？〃
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Roger and Helen looked at each other； and at Mr。 Chapman。 In a flash
Roger saw one of his dearest dreams coming true。 Titania； to whom this
was a surprise； leaped from her chair and ran to kiss her father； crying；
〃Oh； Daddy； you ARE a darling！〃
Roger rose solemnly and gave Mr。 Chapman his hand。
〃My dear sir；〃 he said； 〃Miss Titania has found the right word。 You are
an honour to human nature； sir； and I hope you'll never live to regret it。
This is the happiest moment of my life。〃
〃Then that's settled；〃 said Mr。 Chapman。 〃We'll go over the details
later。 Now there's another thing on my mind。 Perhaps I shouldn't bring
up business matters here； but this is a kind of family partyMr。 Gilbert； it's
my duty to inform you that I intend to take my advertising out of the hands
of the Grey…Matter Agency。〃 Aubrey's heart sank。 He had feared a
catastrophe of this kind from the first。 Naturally a hard…headed business
man would not care to entrust such vast interests to a firm whose young
men went careering about like secret service agents； hunting for spies；
eavesdropping in alleys； and accusing people of pro…germanism。 Business；
Aubrey said to himself； is built upon Confidence； and what confidence
could Mr。 Chapman have in such vagabond and romantic doings？ Still； he
felt that he had done nothing to be ashamed of。
〃I'm sorry； sir；〃 he said。 〃We have tried to give you service。 I assure
you that I've spent by far the larger part of my time at the office in
working up plans for your campaigns。〃
He could not bear to look at Titania； ashamed that she should be the
witness of his humiliation。
〃That's exactly it；〃 said Mr。 Chapman。 〃I don't want just the larger
part of your time。 I want all of it。 I want you to accept the position of
assistant advertising manager of the Daintybits Corporation。〃
They all cheered； and for the third time that evening Aubrey felt more
overwhelmed than any good advertising man is accustomed to feel。 He
tried to express his delight； and then added：
〃I think it's my turn to propose a toast。 I give you the health of Mr。
and Mrs。 Mifflin； and their Haunted Bookshop； the place where I firstI
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first〃
His courage failed him； and he concluded； 〃First learned the meaning
of literature。〃
〃Suppose we adjourn to the den；〃 said Helen。 〃We have so many
delightful things to talk over； and I know Roger wants to tell you all about
the improvements he is planning for the shop。〃
Aubrey lingered to be the last； and it is to be conjectured that Titania
did not drop her handkerchief merely by accident。 The others had already
crossed the hall into the sitting room。
Their eyes met； and Aubrey could feel himself drowned in her steady；
honest gaze。 He was tortured by the bliss of being so near her； and alone。
The rest of the world seemed to shred away and leave them standing in
that little island of light where the tablecloth gleamed under the lamp。
In his hand he clutched the precious book。 Out of all the thousand
things he thought； there was only one he dared to say。
〃Will you write my name in it？〃
〃I'd love to；〃 she said； a little shakily； for she； too； was strangely
alarmed at certain throbbings。
He gave her his pen； and she sat down at the table。 She wrote quickly
For Aubrey Gilbert From Titania Chapman With much gr
She paused。
〃Oh；〃 she said quickly。 〃Do I have to finish it now？〃 She looked up
at him； with the lamplight shining on her vivid face。 Aubrey felt oddly
stupefied； and was thinking only of the little golden sparkle of her
eyelashes。 This time her eyes were the first to turn away。
〃You see；〃 she said with a funny little quaver； 〃I might want to change
the wording。〃 And she ran from the room。
As she entered the den； her father was speaking。 〃You know；〃 he said；
〃I'm rather glad she wants to stay in the book business。〃 Roger looked up
at her。
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃I believe it agrees with her！ You know； the beauty
of living in a place like this is that you get so absorbed in the books you
don't have any temptation to worry about anything else。 The people in
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books become more real to you than any one in actual life。〃 Titania； sitting
on the arm of Mrs。 Mifflin's chair； took Helen's hand； unobserved by the
others。 They smiled at each other slyly。
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