听说叶德辉清臞近视,藏书网脸上长满了麻子,只凭其家财霸尽天下好书和艳妇。他的买书诗说:“买书如买妾,美色看不够”,惹得多少仇者眼红。恃财侮辱女性的淫棍意识古今中外都有,Modern Manners里说平治380SL折篷轿车足以撩起欲火云云即是("There are a number of mechanical device which increase sexual arousal, particularly in women. Chief among these is the Mercedes-Benz 380SL covertible")。这么一位学问好、词章好的藏书家人品竟那么低俗,真可惜。
十几年前,偶在坊间购得大藏书家叶德辉斗方大小的遗墨,录了几首诗,开头绝句是:“佣书卖字总酸寒,太息沿门托钵难;散尽千www.99lib.net金仍作客,更无书札到长安……”。收尾处是“奉题江郑堂先生募梓图即呈建霞先生郢政甲午小除夕长沙叶德辉”。通篇楷书,有板有眼,甚是工整;诗句的註文以两行更小的字录出,也见典雅。我早年读叶氏的名着《藏书十约》和《书林清话》,非常喜欢。那时我正在伦敦醉心搜罗西方关於藏书的书(books about books),连带留意了中国历代藏书家的轶事,看到叶德辉谈购置、谈装潢、九-九-藏-书-网谈抄补、谈题跋、谈收藏,难免格外动心。