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，andperhapsan
occupantofthisverymansion，hadbeenpicturedbyDanteasa
partakeroftheimmortalagoniesofhisInferno。Thesereminiscences
andassociations，togetherwiththetendencytoheart-breaknaturalto
ayoungmanforthefirsttimeoutofhisnativesphere，caused
Giovannitosighheavily，ashelookedaroundthedesolateand
ill-furnishedapartment。
“HolyVirgin，signor。”criedolddameLisabetta，who，wonbythe
youth’sremarkablebeautyofperson，waskindlyendeavoringtogive
thechamberahabitableair，“whatasighwasthattocomeoutofa
youngman’sheart！Doyoufindthisoldmansiongloomy？Forthelove
ofheaven，then，putyourheadoutofthewindow，andyouwillsee
asbrightsunshineasyouhaveleftinNaples。”
Guascontimechanicallydidastheoldwomanadvised，butcould
notquiteagreewithherthattheLombardsunshinewasascheerful
asthatofsouthernItaly。Suchasitwas，however，itfellupona
gardenbeneaththewindow，andexpendeditsfosteringinfluenceson
avarietyofplants，whichseemedtohavebeencultivatedwith
exceedingcare。
“Doesthisgardenbelongtothehouse？”askedGiovanni。
“Heavenforbid，signor！unlessitwerefruitfulofbetter
potherbsthananythatgrowtherenow。”answeredoldLisabetta。“No：
thatgardeniscultivatedbytheownhandsofSignorGiacomo
Rappaccini，thefamousDoctor，who，Iwarranthim，hasbeenheardof
asfarasNaples。Itissaidhedistilstheseplantsintomedicines
thatareaspotentasacharm。Oftentimesyoumayseethesignor
Doctoratwork，andperchancethesignorahisdaughter，too，gathering
thestrangeflowersthatgrowinthegarden。”
Theoldwomanhadnowdonewhatshecouldfortheaspectofthe
chamber，and，commendingtheyoungmantotheprotectionofthe
saints，tookherdeparture。
Giovannistillfoundnobetteroccupationthantolookdowninto
thegardenbeneathhiswindow。Fromitsappearance，hejudgedittobe
oneofthosebotanicgardens，whichwereofearlierdateinPaduathan
elsewhereinItaly，orintheworld。Or，notimprobably，itmightonce
havebeenthepleasure-placeofanopulentfamily；fortherewasthe
ruinofamarblefountaininthecentre，sculpturedwithrareart，but
sowofullyshatteredthatitwasimpossibletotracetheoriginal
designfromthechaosofremainingfragments。Thewater，however，
continuedtogushandsparkleintothesunbeamsascheerfullyasever。
Alittlegurglingsoundascendedtotheyoungman’swindow，andmade
himfeelasifafountainwereanimmortalspirit，thatsunitssong
unceasingly，andwithoutheedingthevicissitudesaroundit；whileone
centuryembodieditinmarble，andanotherscatteredtheperishable
garnitureonthesoil。Allaboutthepoolintowhichthewater
subsided，grewvariousplants，thatseemedtorequireaplentiful
supplyofmoistureforthenourishmentofgiganticleaves，and，in
someinstances，flowersgorgeouslymagnificent。Therewasoneshrubin
particular，setinamarblevaseinthemidstofthepool，thatborea
profusionofpurpleblossoms，eachofwhichhadthelustreand
richnessofagem；andthewholetogethermadeashowsoresplendent
thatitseemedenoughtoilluminatethegarden，evenhadtherebeenno
sunshine。Everyportionofthesoilwaspeopledwithplantsandherbs，
which，iflessbeautiful，stillboretokensofassiduouscare；asif
allhadtheirindividualvirtues，knowntothescientificmindthat
fosteredthem。Somewereplacedinurns，richwitholdcarving，and
othersincommongarden-pots；somecreptserpent-likealongthe
ground，orclimbedonhigh，usingwhatevermeansofascentwasoffered
them。OneplanthadwreatheditselfroundastatueofVertumnus，which
wasthusquiteveiledandshroudedinadraperyofhangingfoliage，so
happilyarrangedthatitmighthaveservedasculptorforastudy。
WhileGiovannistoodatthewindow，heheardarustlingbehinda
screenofleaves，andbecameawarethatapersonwasatworkinthe
garden。Hisfiguresoonemergedintoview，andshoweditselftobe
thatofnocommonlaborer，butatall，emaciated，sallow，andsickly
lookingman，dressedinascholar’sgarbofblack。Hewasbeyondthe
middletermoflife，withgrayhair，athingraybeard，andaface
singularlymarkedwithintellectandcultivation，butwhichcould
never，eveninhismoreyouthfuldays，haveexpressedmuchwarmthof
heart。
Nothingcouldexceedtheintentnesswithwhichthisscientific
gardenerexaminedeveryshrubwhichgrewinhispath；itseemedas
ifhewaslookingintotheirinmostnature，makingobservationsin
regardtotheircreativeessence，anddiscoveringwhyoneleafgrewin
thisshape，andanotherinthat，andwhereforesuchandsuchflowers
differedamongthemselvesinhueandperfume。Nevertheless，inspite
ofthedeepintelligenceonhispart，therewasnoapproachto
intimacybetweenhimselfandthesevegetableexistences。Onthe
contrary，heavoidedtheiractualtouch，orthedirectinhalingof
theirodors，withacautionthatimpressedGiovannimostdisagreeably；
fortheman’sdemeanorwasthatofonewalkingamongmalignant
influences，suchassavagebeasts，ordeadlysnakes，orevil
spirits，which，shouldheallowthemonemomentoflicense，would
wreakuponhimsometerriblefatality。Itwasstrangelyfrightfulto
theyoungman’simagination，toseethisairofinsecurityinaperson
cultivatingagarden，thatmostsimpleandinnocentofhumantoils，
andwhichhadbeenalikethejoyandlaboroftheunfallenparents
oftherace。Wasthisgarden，then，theEdenofthepresentworld？and
thisman，withsuchaperceptionofharminwhathisownhands
causedtogrow，washetheAdam？
Thedistrustfulgardener，whilepluckingawaythedeadleavesor
pruningthetooluxuriantgrowthoftheshrubs，defendedhishands
withapairofthickgloves。Norwerethesehisonlyarmor。When，in
hiswalkthroughthegarden，hecametothemagnificentplantthat
hungitspurplegemsbesidethemarblefountain，heplacedakindof
maskoverhismouthandnostrils，asifallthisbeautydidbut
concealadeadliermalice。Butfindinghistaskstilltoodangerous，
hedrewback，removedthemask，andcalledloudly，butintheinfirm
voiceofapersonaffectedwithinwarddisease：
“Beatrice！Beatrice！”
“HereamI，myfather！Whatwouldyou？”criedarichandyouthful
voicefromthewindowoftheoppositehouse；avoiceasrichasa
tropicalsunset，andwhichmadeGiovanni，thoughheknewnotwhy，
thinkofdeephuesofpurpleorcrimson，andofperfumesheavily
delectable-“Areyouinthegarden？”
“Yes，Beatrice。”answeredthegardener，“andIneedyourhelp。”
Soonthereemergedfromunderasculpturedportalthefigureofa
younggirl，arrayedwithasmuchrichnessoftasteasthemost
splendidoftheflowers，beautifulastheday，andwithabloomso
deepandvividthatoneshademorewouldhavebeentoomuch。She
lookedredundantwithlife，health，andenergy；allofwhich
attributeswerebounddownandcompressed，asitwere，andgirdled
tensely，intheirluxuriance，byhervirginzone。YetGiovanni’sfancy
musthavegrownmorbid，whilehelookeddownintothegarden；for
theimpressionwhichthefairstrangermadeuponhimwasasifhere
wereanotherflower，thehumansisterofthosevegetableones，as
beautifulasthey-morebeautifulthantherichestofthem-but
stilltobetouchedonlywithaglove，nortobeapproachedwithout
amask。AsBeatricecamedownthegarden-path，itwasobservable
thatshehandledandinhaledtheodorofseveraloftheplants，
whichherfatherhadmostsedulouslyavoided。
“Here，Beatrice。”saidthelatter-“seehowmanyneedfuloffices
requiretobedonetoourchieftreasure。Yet，shatteredasIam，my
lifemightpaythepenaltyofapproachingitsocloselyas
circumstancesdemand。Henceforth，Ifear，thisplantmustbeconsigned
toyoursolecharge。”
“AndgladlywillIundertakeit。”criedagaintherichtonesofthe
younglady，asshebenttowardsthemagnificentplant，andopened
herarmsasiftoembraceit。“Yes，mysister，mysplendor，itshall
beBeatrice’stasktonurseandservethee；andthoushaltreward
herwiththykissesandperfumebreath，whichtoherisasthe
breathoflife！”
