第28章

woman’shand，Mr。Brownsawthatthechestwasbarredandclampedwith

iron，strengthenedwithironplatesandstuddedwithironnails，soas

tobeafitreceptacleinwhichthewealthofonecenturymightbe

hoardedupforthewantsofanother。PeterGoldthwaitewasinsertinga

keyintothelock。

“OTabitha！”criedhe，withtremulousrapture，“howshallI

enduretheeffulgence？Thegold！thebright，brightgold！MethinksI

canremembermylastglanceatit，justastheiron-platedlidfell

down。Andeversince，beingseventyyears，ithasbeenblazingin

secret，andgatheringitssplendoragainstthisgloriousmoment！It

willflashuponuslikethenoondaysun！”

“Thenshadeyoureyes，Mr。Peter！”saidTabitha，withsomewhatless

patiencethanusual。“But，formercy’ssake，doturnthekey！”

And，withastrongeffortofbothhands，Peterdidforcethe

rustykeythroughtheintricaciesoftherustylock。Mr。Brown，inthe

meantime，haddrawnnear，andthrusthiseagervisagebetweenthoseof

theothertwo，attheinstantthatPeterthrewupthelid。Nosudden

blazeilluminatedthekitchen。

“What’shere？”exclaimedTabitha，adjustingherspectacles，and

holdingthelampovertheopenchest。“OldPeterGoldthwaite’shoard

ofoldrags。”

“Prettymuchso，Tabby。”saidMr。Brown，liftingahandfulofthe

treasure。

Oh，whataghostofdeadandburiedwealthhadPeterGoldthwaite

raised，toscarehimselfoutofhisscantywitswithal！Herewasthe

semblanceofanincalculablesum，enoughtopurchasethewholetown，

andbuildeverystreetanew，butwhich，vastasitwas，nosaneman

wouldhavegivenasolidsixpencefor。Whatthen，insoberearnest，

werethedelusivetreasuresofthechest？Why，herewereold

provincialbillsofcredit，andtreasurynotes，andbillsofland，

banks，andallotherbubblesofthesort，fromthefirstissue，

aboveacenturyandahalfago，downnearlytotheRevolution。Bills

ofathousandpoundswereintermixedwithparchmentpennies，andworth

nomorethanthey。

“Andthis，then，isoldPeterGoldthwaite’streasure！”saidJohn

Brown。“Yournamesake，Peter，wassomethinglikeyourself；and，when

theprovincialcurrencyhaddepreciatedfiftyorseventy-fiveper

cent，heboughtitupinexpectationofarise。Ihaveheardmy

grandfathersaythatoldPetergavehisfatheramortgageofthisvery

houseandland，toraisecashforhissillyproject。Butthe

currencykeptsinking，tillnobodywouldtakeitasagift；and

therewasoldPeterGoldthwaite，likePeterthesecond，withthousands

inhisstrongboxandhardlyacoattohisback。Hewentmadupon

thestrengthofit。But，nevermind，Peter！Itisjustthesortof

capitalforbuildingcastlesintheair。”

“Thehousewillbedownaboutourears！”criedTabitha，asthewind

shookitwithincreasingviolence。

“Letitfall！”saidPeter，foldinghisarms，asheseatedhimself

uponthechest。

“No，no，myoldfriendPeter。”saidJohnBrown。“Ihavehouse

roomforyouandTabby，andasafevaultforthechestoftreasure。

Tomorrowwewilltrytocometoanagreementaboutthesaleofthis

oldhouse。Realestateiswellup，andIcouldaffordyouapretty

handsomeprice。”

“AndI，observedPeterGoldthwaite，withrevivingspirits，“have

aplanforlayingoutthecashtogreatadvantage。”

“Why，astothat。”mutteredJohnBrowntohimself，“wemustapply

tothenextcourtforaguardiantotakecareofthesolidcash；and

ifPeterinsistsuponspeculating，hemaydoit，tohisheart’s

content，witholdPETERGOLDTHWAITE’STREASURE。”

byNathanielHawthorne

AYOUNGMAN，namedGiovanniGuasconti，came，verylongago，from

themoresouthernregionofItaly，topursuehisstudiesatthe

UniversityofPadua。Giovanni，whohadbutascantysupplyofgold

ducatsinhispocket，tooklodgingsinahighandgloomychamberofan

oldedifice，whichlookednotunworthytohavebeenthepalaceofa

Paduannoble，andwhich，infact，exhibitedoveritsentrancethe

armorialbearingsofafamilylongsinceextinct。Theyoung

stranger，whowasnotunstudiedinthegreatpoemofhiscountry，

recollectedthatoneoftheancestorsofthisfamily