Livingsocontinuallyinherowncircleofideas，andnever
regulatinghermindbyaproperreferencetopresentthings，Esther
Dudleyappearstohavegrownpartiallycrazed。Itwasfoundthatshe
hadnorightsenseoftheprogressandtruestateoftheRevolutionary
War，butheldaconstantfaiththatthearmiesofBritainwere
victoriousoneveryfield，anddestinedtobeultimatelytriumphant。
WheneverthetownrejoicedforabattlewonbyWashington，orGates，
orMorgan，orGreene，thenews，inpassingthroughthedoorofthe
ProvinceHouse，asthroughtheivorygateofdreams，became
metamorphosedintoastrangetaleoftheprowessofHowe，Clinton，
orCornwallis。Soonerorlateritwasherinvinciblebeliefthe
colonieswouldbeprostrateatthefootstooloftheKing。Sometimes
sheseemedtotakeforgrantedthatsuchwasalreadythecase。On
oneoccasion，shestartledthetownspeoplebyabrilliantillumination
oftheProvinceHouse，withcandlesateverypaneofglass，anda
transparencyoftheKing’sinitialsandacrownoflightinthe
greatbalconywindow。Thefigureoftheagedwomaninthemost
gorgeousofhermildewedvelvetsandbrocadeswasseenpassingfrom
casementtocasement，untilshepausedbeforethebalcony，and
flourishedahugekeyaboveherhead。Herwrinkledvisageactually
gleamedwithtriumph，asifthesoulwithinherwereafestallamp。
“Whatmeansthisblazeoflight？WhatdoesoldEsther’sjoy
portend？”whisperedaspectator。“Itisfrightfultoseehergliding
aboutthechambers，andrejoicingtherewithoutasoultobearher
company。”
“Itisasifsheweremakingmerryinatomb。”saidanother。
“Pshaw！Itisnosuchmystery。”observedanoldman，aftersome
briefexerciseofmemory。“MistressDudleyiskeepingjubileefor
theKingofEngland’sbirthday。”
Thenthepeoplelaughedaloud，andwouldhavethrownmudagainst
theblazingtransparencyoftheKing’scrownandinitials，onlythat
theypitiedthepoorolddame，whowassodismallytriumphantamidthe
wreckandruinofthesystemtowhichsheappertained。
Oftentimesitwashercustomtoclimbthewearystaircasethat
woundupwardtothecupola，andthencestrainherdimmedeyesight
seawardandcountryward，watchingforaBritishfleet，orforthe
marchofagrandprocession，withtheKing’sbannerfloatingover
it。Thepassengersinthestreetbelowwoulddiscernheranxious
visage，andsendupashout，“WhenthegoldenIndianontheProvince
Houseshallshoothisarrow，andwhenthecockontheOldSouth
spireshallcrow，thenlookforaRoyalGovernoragain！”-forthishad
grownabywordthroughthetown。Andatlast，afterlong，long
years，oldEstherDudleyknew，orperchancesheonlydreamed，thata
RoyalGovernorwasontheeveofreturningtotheProvinceHouseto
receivetheheavykeywhichSirWilliamHowehadcommittedtoher
charge。Nowitwasthefactthatintelligencebearingsomefaint
analogytoEsther’sversionofitwascurrentamongthetownspeople。
Shesetthemansioninthebestorderthathermeansallowed，and，
arrayingherselfinsilksandtarnishedgold，stoodlongbeforethe
blurredmirrortoadmireherownmagnificence。Asshegazed，the
grayandwitheredladymovedherashenlips，murmuringhalfaloud，
talkingtoshapesthatshesawwithinthemirror，toshadowsofher
ownfantasies，tothehouseholdfriendsofmemory，andbiddingthem
rejoicewithherandcomeforthtomeettheGovernor。Andwhile
absorbedinthiscommunion，MistressDudleyheardthetrampofmany
footstepsinthestreet，and，lookingoutatthewindow，beheldwhat
sheconstruedastheRoyalGovernor’sarrival。
“Ohappyday！Oblessed，blessedhour！”sheexclaimed。“Letme
butbidhimwelcomewithintheportal，andmytaskintheProvince
House，andonearth，isdone！”
Thenwithtotteringfeet，whichageandtremulousjoycausedto
treadamiss，shehurrieddownthegrandstaircase，hersilkssweeping
andrustlingasshewent，sothatthesoundwasasifatrainof
spectralcourtierswerethrongingfromthedimmirror。AndEsther
Dudleyfanciedthatassoonasthewidedoorshouldbeflungopen，all
thepompandsplendorofby-gonetimeswouldpacemajesticallyinto
theProvinceHouse，andthegildedtapestryofthepastwouldbe
brightenedbythesunshineofthepresent。Sheturnedthekey-
withdrewitfromthelock-unclosedthedoor-andsteppedacrossthe
threshold。Advancingupthecourt-yardappearedapersonofmost
dignifiedmien，withtokens，asEstherinterpretedthem，ofgentle
blood，highrank，andlong-accustomedauthority，eveninhiswalkand
everygesture。Hewasrichlydressed，butworeagoutyshoe，which，
however，didnotlessenthestatelinessofhisgait。Aroundandbehind
himwerepeopleinplaincivicdresses，andtwoorthreewar-worn
veterans，evidentlyofficersofrank，arrayedinauniformofblueand
buff。ButEstherDudley，firminthebeliefthathadfastenedits
rootsaboutherheart，beheldonlytheprincipalpersonage，andnever
doubtedthatthiswasthelong-looked-forGovernor，towhomshewasto
surrenderuphercharge。Asheapproached，sheinvoluntarilysankdown
onherkneesandtremblinglyheldforththeheavykey。
“Receivemytrust！takeitquickly！”criedshe；“formethinksDeath
isstrivingtosnatchawaymytriumph。Buthecomestoolate。Thank
Heavenforthisblessedhour！GodsaveKingGeorge！”
“That，Madam，isastrangeprayertobeofferedupatsucha
moment。”repliedtheunknownguestoftheProvinceHouse，and
courteouslyremovinghishat，heofferedhisarmtoraisetheaged
woman。“Yet，inreverenceforyourgrayhairsandlong-keptfaith，
Heavenforbidthatanyhereshouldsayyounay。Overtherealms
whichstillacknowledgehissceptre，GodsaveKingGeorge！”
EstherDudleystartedtoherfeet，andhastilyclutchingbackthe
key，gazedwithfearfulearnestnessatthestranger；anddimlyand
doubtfully，asifsuddenlyawakenedfromadream，herbewildered
eyeshalfrecognizedhisface。Yearsagoshehadknownhimamongthe
gentryoftheprovince。ButthebanoftheKinghadfallenuponhim！
How，then，camethedoomedvictimhere？Proscribed，excludedfrom
mercy，themonarch’smostdreadedandhatedfoe，thisNewEngland
merchanthadstoodtriumphantlyagainstakingdom’sstrength；and
hisfootnowtroduponhumbledRoyalty，asheascendedthestepsof
theProvinceHouse，thepeople’schosenGovernorofMassachusetts。
“Wretch，wretchthatIam！”mutteredtheoldwoman，withsucha
heart-brokenexpressionthatthetearsgushedfromthestranger’s
eyes。“HaveIbiddenatraitorwelcome？Come，Death！comequickly！”
“Alas，venerablelady。saidGovernorHancock，lendingherhis
supportwithallthereverencethatacourtierwouldhaveshowntoa
queen。“Yourlifehasbeenprolongeduntiltheworldhaschanged
aroundyou。Youhavetreasuredupallthattimehasrendered
worthless-theprinciples，feelings，manners，modesofbeingand
acting，whichanothergenerationhasflungaside-andyouareasymbol
ofthepast。AndI，andthesearoundme-werepresentanewraceof
men-livingnolongerinthepast，scarcelyinthepresent-but
projectingourlivesforwardintothefuture。Ceasingtomodel
ourselvesonancestralsuperstitions，itisourfaithandprincipleto
pressonward，onward！Yet。”continuedhe，turningtohisattendants，
“letusreverence，forthelasttime，thestatelyandgorgeous
prejudicesofthetotteringPast！”
WhiletheRepublicanGovernorspoke，hehadcontinuedtosupport
thehelplessformofEstherDudley；herweightgrewheavieragainst
hisarm；butatlast，withasuddenefforttofreeherself，the
ancientwomansankdownbesideoneofthepillarsoftheportal。The
keyoftheProvinceHousefellfromhergrasp，andclankedagainstthe
stone。
“Ihavebeenfaithfuluntodeath。”murmuredshe。“Godsavethe
King！”
“Shehathdoneheroffice！”saidHancocksolemnly。“Wewill
followherreverentlytothetombofherancestors；andthen，my
fellow-citizens，onward-onward！Wearenolongerchildrenofthe
Past！
byNathanielHawthorne
ANDSO，Peter，youwon’tevenconsiderofthebusiness？”saidMr。
JohnBrown，buttoninghissurtoutoverthesnugrotundityofhis
person，anddrawingonhisgloves。“Youpositivelyrefusetoletme
havethiscrazyoldhouse，andthelandunderandadjoining，atthe
pricenamed？”
“Neitheratthat，nortreblethesum。”respondedthegaunt，
grizzled，andthreadbarePeterGoldthwaite。“Thefactis，Mr。Brown，
youmustfindanothersiteforyourbrickblock，andbecontentto
leavemyestatewiththepresentowner。Nextsummer，Iintendtoputa
splendidnewmansionoverthecellaroftheoldhouse。”
“Pho，Peter！”criedMr。Brown，asheopenedthekitchendoor；
“contentyourselfwithbuildingcastlesintheair，wherehouse-lots
arecheaperthanonearth，tosaynothingofthecostofbricksand
mortar。Suchfoundationsaresolidenoughforyouredifices，while
thisunderneathusisjustthethingformine；andsowemaybothbe
suited。Whatsayyouagain？”
“PreciselywhatIsaidbefore，Mr。Brown，answeredPeter
Goldthwaite。“Andasforcastlesintheair，minemaynotbeas
magnificentasthatsortofarchitecture，butperhapsas
substantial，Mr。Brown，astheveryrespectablebrickblockwithdry
goodsstores，tailors’shops，andbankingroomsonthelowerfloor，
andlawyers’officesinthesecondstory，whichyouaresoanxious
tosubstitute。”
“Andthecost，Peter，eh？”saidMr。Brown，ashewithdrew，in
somethingofapet。“That，Isuppose，willbeprovidedfor，
off-hand，bydrawingacheckonBubbleBank！”
JohnBrownandPeterGoldthwaitehadbeenjointlyknowntothe
commercialworldbetweentwentyandthirtyyearsbefore，underthe
firmofGoldthwaite&Brown；whichco-partnership，however，was
speedilydissolvedbythenaturalincongruityofitsconstituent
parts。Sincethatevent，JohnBrown，withexactlythequalitiesofa
thousandotherJohnBrowns，andbyjustsuchploddingmethodsas
theyused，hadprosperedwonderfully，andbecomeoneofthewealthiest
JohnBrownsonearth。PeterGoldthwaite，onthecontrary，after
innumerableschemes，whichoughttohavecollectedallthecoinand
papercurrencyofthecountryintohiscoffers，wasasneedya
gentlemanaseverworeapatchuponhiselbow。Thecontrastbetween
himandhisformerpartnermaybebrieflymarked；forBrownnever
reckoneduponluckyetalwayshadit；whilePetermadeluckthemain
conditionofhisprojects，andalwaysmissedit。Whilethemeans
heldout，hisspeculationshadbeenmagnificent，butwerechiefly
confined，oflateyears，tosuchsmallbusinessasadventuresinthe
lottery。Oncehehadgoneonagold-gatheringexpeditionsomewhere
totheSouth，andingeniouslycontrivedtoemptyhispocketsmore
thoroughlythanever；whileothers，doubtless，werefillingtheirs
withnativebullionbythehandful。Morerecentlyhehadexpendeda
legacyofathousandortwoofdollarsinpurchasingMexicanscrip，
andtherebybecametheproprietorofaprovince；which，however，so
farasPetercouldfindout，wassituatedwherehemighthavehadan
empireforthesamemoney-intheclouds。Fromasearchafterthis
valuablerealestatePeterreturnedsogauntandthreadbarethat，on
reachingNewEngland，thescarecrowsinthecornfieldsbeckonedto
him，ashepassedby。“Theydidbutflutterinthewind。”quoth
PeterGoldthwaite。No，Peter，theybeckoned，forthescarecrowsknew
theirbrother！
Attheperiodofourstoryhiswholevisibleincomewouldnot
havepaidthetaxoftheoldmansioninwhichwefindhim。Itwas
oneofthoserusty，moss-grown，many-peakedwoodenhouses，whichare
scatteredaboutthestreetsofoureldertowns，withabeetle-browed
secondstoryprojectingoverthefoundation，asifitfrownedatthe
noveltyaroundit。Thisoldpaternaledifice，needyashewas，and
though，beingcentrallysituatedontheprincipalstreetofthe
town，itwouldhavebroughthimahandsomesum，thesagaciousPeter
hadhisownreasonsforneverpartingwith，eitherbyauctionor
privatesale。Thereseemed，indeed，tobeafatalitythatconnected
himwithhisbirthplace；for，oftenashehadstoodonthevergeof
ruin，andstandingthereevennow，hehadnotyettakenthestep
beyonditwhichwouldhavecompelledhimtosurrenderthehousetohis
creditors。Soherehedweltwithbadlucktillgoodshouldcome。
