The Museum of Literary Souls

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

In the weeks that followed, Mr. Berger thought often of Caxton Library and of Mr. Gedeon, and of Anna most of all, but he did not return to the laneway, and he consciously avoided walking near that part of the town. He read his books and resumed his evening walks to the railway track. Each evening he waited for the last train to pass, and it always did so without incident. Anna, he believed, was troubled no more.

One evening, as summer drew to its close, there came a knocking on his door. He answered it to find Mr. Gedeon standing on his doorstep, two suitcases by his side, and a taxi waiting for him by the garden gate. Mr. Berger was surprised to see him and invited him to step inside, but Mr. Gedeon declined.

“I’m leaving,” he said. “I’m tired, and I no longer have the energy that I once had. It’s time for me to retire and entrust the care of the Caxton to another. I suspected as much on that first night, when you followed Anna to the library. The library always finds its new librarian and leads him to its door. I thought that I might have been mistaken when you altered the books, and I resigned myself to waiting until another came, but slowly I came to understand that you were the one after all. Your only fault was to love a character too much, which caused you to do the wrong thing for the right reasons, and it may be that we both learned a lesson from that incident. I know that the Caxton and its characters will be safe in your care until the next librarian comes along. I’ve left a letter for you containing all that you need to know, and a number at which you can call me should you have any questions, but I think you’ll be just fine.”

He held out to Mr. Berger a great ring of keys. After only a moment’s hesitation, Mr. Berger accepted them, and he saw that Mr. Gedeon could not stop himself from shedding a tear as he entrusted the library and its characters to its new custodian.

“I shall miss them terribly, you know,” said Mr. Gedeon.

“You should feel free to visit us anytime,” said Mr. Berger.

“Perhaps I will,” said Mr. Gedeon, but he never did.

They shook hands for the final time, and Mr. Gedeon departed, and they did not meet or speak again.