Chapter 2 Preface: Book Fate · Love Fate (2)

Frank Dell, what the hell are you doing there?You're not doing anything, you're just sitting around! Where's my Leigh Hunter?Where is my Oxford Book of Poetry? ... You left me here in the cold, sitting in the library, writing long eyebrows on books that don't belong to me, one day they will find out and take my library card away! I've arranged for the Easter bunny to bring you presents, and by the time it arrives, you'll probably be dead of laziness. When spring comes, I want a collection of love poems, not Keats or Shelley, please send me a collection of love poems that are not too sentimental, you can choose it yourself, I want a small format, you can put it in your trouser pocket Go to Central Park.

All right, don't just sit there, go and help me find books, I really don't understand how your bookstore is maintained. (March 25, 1950) Hanfu is straightforward and kind-hearted. At the beginning of the communication, she learned that the post-war British economy was difficult. Meat, eggs and other foods were in limited supply, and women's stockings were even more luxurious.On Christmas 1949, she sent a six-pound piece of ham to London for Mr. Del to distribute to colleagues in the bookstore. After that, American food continued to flow for several years.Hanfu herself is not well-off, and her generosity made the staff of the bookstore regard her as a relative, and they wrote and chatted with her one after another.It’s just that Mr. Dell never reciprocated Hanfu’s light-hearted laughter in his letters. He is a gentleman, a good husband, and a typical British gentleman. The only reward is to search for good books for Hanfu conscientiously.It wasn’t until 1952 that Mrs. Del appeared on the stage and wrote a letter to Hanfu to thank Hanfu for the gifts in the past few years, and introduced to Hanfu that Mr. Del had a second daughter. At Hanfu’s strong request, Mr. Del thanked Hanfu. When Hanfu sent the stockings to his wife and daughter, he changed the usual address of "Miss Hanfu" on the letterhead to "Dear Hailian". The date of writing the letter coincided with Valentine's Day, but presumably Mr. Dell didn't even notice at the time.

Dear Helene: I agree, writing to you now, is the time to give up "Miss".I am not as rigid as you imagine, but because all the letters I wrote to you have to be filed in the office file, I think the formal title is more appropriate, but this letter has nothing to do with the book and will not be read. archived. ... I don't know how to repay you for so many good gifts, but all I can say is that if you come to London one day, there will be a bed for you at 37 Oakfield Lane, and you can stay as long as you like. (February 14, 1952) The invitation to be a guest at home has never been fulfilled. Hanfu hesitated several times to go to England to realize his dream, but finally gave up due to financial constraints.On the contrary, the copy of Walton's "Biography of Five People" that Mr. Dell sent immediately after that really surprised Hanfu:

Oh, my God, God thank you for Walton's "Five Lives". This book was published in 1840. It is a miracle that it is still so perfect a hundred years later!Such a beautiful, well-loved rough-cut copy!I do pity him, Mr. Gordon, who signed the title page of the book in 1841.His group of unworthy descendants!Sold it to you for almost nothing!Wish I'd run barefoot over there before they sold the library! (March 3, 1952) During the past 20 years, Hanfu has purchased nearly 50 kinds of books at 84 Charing Cross Road. This is not a large number, and he cannot be regarded as a good customer. However, he has maintained correspondence with Mr. Del and others in the bookstore, and has become a success. an essential part of her life.In particular, her generosity in the difficult period of the early 1950s brought her the sincere friendship of England, which is also the human touch of this book of letters.At the end of the 1960s, Han Fu was quite down and out, and the scripts he wrote were repeatedly rejected, and no one was interested in the title of the book.In January 1969, New York was very cold in winter, and it was nearly six o'clock when Hanff returned home from the library.Holding a stack of books in her hands, she put the letters she had taken from the concierge on top of the books and walked towards the elevator.In the elevator, she found a thin blue airmail envelope from Marks & Co. among the pile of bills.This letter is a bit strange, because the address on the envelope sent by Mr. Del is single-spaced, and her name and surname are always spelled out, but on this letter, the address is double-spaced, and her The name is replaced by a letter H.She only thought that Del left the bookstore, didn't pay much attention to it, and she opened this letter when everyone was sitting alone with a cup in the dead of night.That night, she didn't fall asleep again.Because the news in the letter was the news of Del's death.