isted that I MUST have it, and I hunted
all through the History shelves to make sure it hadn't got misplaced.
He said that some friend of his had seen it here, and he had come right
round to buy it. I told him he could certainly get a copy at the
Public Library, and he said that wouldn't do at all."

"Well, I think he's nuts," said Aubrey, "because I'm damn sure he
followed me down the street after I left the subway. I stopped in at
the drug store on the corner to get some matches, and when I came out,
there he was underneath the lamp-post."

"If it was a modern author, instead of Carlyle," said Roger, "I'd say
it was some publicity stunt pulled off by the publishers. You know
they go to all manner of queer dodges to get an author's name in print.
But Carlyle's copyrights expired long ago, so I don't see the game."

"I guess he's picketing your place to try and steal the formula for
eggs Samuel Butler," said Aubrey, and they both laughed.

"You'd better come in and meet my wife and Miss Chapman," said Roger.
The young man made some feeble demur, but it was obvious to the
bookseller that he was vastly elated at the idea of making Miss
Chapman's acquaintance.

"Here's a friend of mine," said Roger, ushering Aubrey into the little
room where Helen and Titania were still sitting by the fire. "Mrs.
Mifflin, Mr. Aubrey Gilbert, Miss Chapman, Mr. Gilbert."

Aubrey was vaguely aware of the rows of books, of the shining coals, of
the buxom hostess and the friendly terrier; but with the intense focus
of an intelligent young male mind these were all merely appurtenances
to the congenial spectacle of the employee. How quickly a young man's
senses assemble and assimilate the data that are really relevant!
Without seeming even to look in that direction he had performed the
most amazing feat of lightning calculation known to the human
faculties. He had added up all the young ladies of his acquaintance,
and found the sum total less than the girl before him. He had
subtracted the new phenomenon from the universe as he knew it,
including the solar system and the advertising business, and found the
remainder a minus quantity. He had multiplied the contents of his
intellect by a factor he had no reason to assume "constant," and was
startled at what teachers call (I believe) the "product." And he had
divided what was in the left-hand armchair into his own career, and
found no room for a quotient. All of which transpired in t