thearrivalofasleighfromVermont，ladenwiththefrozenbodies
　　ofporkers，orsheep，andperhapsadeerortwo；sometimesofa
　　regularmarket-man，withchickens，geese，andturkeys，comprising
　　thewholecolonyofabarn-yard；andsometimesofafarmerandhis
　　dame，whohadcometotownpartlyfortheride，partlytogo
　　a-shopping，andpartlyforthesaleofsomeeggsandbutter。This
　　couplerodeinanold-fashionedsquaresleigh，whichhadservedthem
　　twentywinters，andstoodtwentysummersinthesunbesidetheirdoor。
　　Now，agentlemanandladyskimmedthesnowinanelegantcar，shaped
　　somewhatlikeacockle-shell。Now，astage-sleigh，withitscloth
　　curtainsthrustasidetoadmitthesun，dashedrapidlydownthe
　　street，whirlinginandoutamongthevehiclesthatobstructedits
　　passage。Nowcame，roundacorner，thesimilitudeofNoah’sarkon
　　runners，beinganimmenseopensleighwithseatsforfiftypeople，and
　　drawnbyadozenhorses。Thisspaciousreceptaclewaspopulouswith
　　merrymaidsandmerrybachelors，merrygirlsandboys，andmerryold
　　folks，allalivewithfun，andgrinningtothefullwidthoftheir
　　mouths。Theykeptupabuzzofbabblingvoicesandlowlaughter，and
　　sometimesburstintoadeep，joyousshout，whichthespectators
　　answeredwiththreecheers，whileagangofroguishboysletdrive
　　theirsnowballsrightamongthepleasureparty。Thesleighpassed
　　on，and，whenconcealedbyabendofthestreet，wasstillaudible
　　byadistantcryofmerriment。
　　NeverhadPeterbeheldalivelierscenethanwasconstitutedbyall
　　theseaccessories：thebrightsun，theflashingwater-drops，the
　　gleamingsnow，thecheerfulmultitude，thevarietyofrapid
　　vehicles，andthejingle-jangleofmerrybellswhichmadetheheart
　　dancetotheirmusic。Nothingdismalwastobeseen，exceptthat
　　peakedpieceofantiquity，PeterGoldthwaite’shouse，whichmightwell
　　looksadexternally，sincesuchaterribleconsumptionwaspreying
　　onitsin-sides。AndPeter’sgauntfigure，halfvisibleinthe
　　projectingsecondstory，wasworthyofhishouse。
　　“Peter！Howgoesit，friendPeter？”criedavoiceacrossthe
　　street，asPeterwasdrawinginhishead。“Lookouthere，Peter！”
　　Peterlooked，andsawhisoldpartner，Mr。JohnBrown，onthe
　　oppositesidewalk，portlyandcomfortable，withhisfurredcloak
　　thrownopen，disclosingahandsomesurtoutbeneath。Hisvoicehad
　　directedtheattentionofthewholetowntoPeterGoldthwaite’s
　　window，andtothedustyscarecrowwhichappearedatit。
　　“Isay，Peter。”criedMr。Brownagain，“whatthedevilareyou
　　aboutthere，IhearsucharacketwheneverIpassby？Youare
　　repairingtheoldhouse，Isuppose-makinganewoneofit-eh？”
　　“Toolateforthat，Iamafraid，Mr。Brown。”repliedPeter。“IfI
　　makeitnew，itwillbenewinsideandout，fromthecellarupwards。”
　　“Hadnotyoubetterletmetakethejob？”saidMr。Brown，
　　significantly。
　　“Notyet！”answeredPeter，hastilyshuttingthewindow；for，ever
　　sincehehadbeeninsearchofthetreasure，hehatedtohavepeople
　　stareathim。
　　Ashedrewback，ashamedofhisoutwardpoverty，yetproudofthe
　　secretwealthwithinhisgrasp，ahaughtysmileshoneoutonPeter’s
　　visage，withpreciselytheeffectofthedimsunbeamsinthesqualid
　　chamber。Heendeavoredtoassumesuchamienashisancestorhad
　　probablyworn，whenhegloriedinthebuildingofastronghousefora
　　hometomanygenerationsofhisposterity。Butthechamberwasvery
　　darktohissnow-dazzledeyes，andverydismaltoo，incontrastwith
　　thelivingscenethathehadjustlookedupon。Hisbriefglimpse
　　intothestreethadgivenhimaforcibleimpressionofthemannerin
　　whichtheworldkeptitselfcheerfulandprosperous，bysocial
　　pleasuresandanintercourseofbusiness，whilehe，inseclusion，
　　waspursuinganobjectthatmightpossiblybeaphantasm，bya
　　methodwhichmostpeoplewouldcallmadness。Itisonegreatadvantage
　　ofagregariousmodeoflifethateachpersonrectifieshismindby
　　otherminds，andsquareshisconducttothatofhisneighbors，soas
　　seldomtobelostineccentricity。PeterGoldthwaitehadexposed
　　himselftothisinfluencebymerelylookingoutofthewindow。Fora
　　while，hedoubtedwhethertherewereanyhiddenchestofgold，and，in
　　thatcase，whetherhewassoexceedinglywisetotearthehouse
　　down，onlytobeconvincedofitsnon-existence。
　　Butthiswasmomentary。Peter，theDestroyer，resumedthetask
　　whichfatehadassignedhim，norfalteredagaintillitwas
　　accomplished。Inthecourseofhissearch，hemetwithmanythings
　　thatareusuallyfoundintheruinsofanoldhouse，andalsowith
　　somethatarenot。Whatseemedmosttothepurposewasarustykey，
　　whichhadbeenthrustintoachinkofthewall，withawoodenlabel
　　appendedtothehandle，bearingtheinitials，P。G。Anothersingular
　　discoverywasthatofabottleofwine，walledupinanoldoven。A
　　traditionraninthefamily，thatPeter’sgrandfather，ajovial
　　officerintheoldFrenchWar，hadsetasidemanydozensofthe
　　preciousliquorforthebenefitoftopersthenunborn。Peterneededno
　　cordialtosustainhishopes，andthereforekeptthewinetogladden
　　hissuccess。Manyhalfpencedidhepickup，thathadbeenlostthrough
　　thecracksofthefloor，andsomefewSpanishcoins，andthehalfofa
　　brokensixpence，whichhaddoubtlessbeenalovetoken。Therewas
　　likewiseasilvercoronationmedalofGeorgetheThird。Butold
　　PeterGoldthwaite’sstrongboxfledfromonedarkcornertoanother，
　　orotherwiseeludedthesecondPeter’sclutches，till，shouldhe
　　seekmuchfarther，hemustburrowintotheearth。
　　Wewillnotfollowhiminhistriumphantprogress，stepbystep。
　　SufficeitthatPeterworkedlikeasteam-engine，andfinished，in
　　thatonewinter，thejobwhichalltheformerinhabitantsofthe
　　house，withtimeandtheelementstoaidthem，hadonlyhalfdoneina
　　century。Exceptthekitchen，everyroomandchamberwasnowgutted。
　　Thehousewasnothingbutashell-theapparitionofahouse-as
　　unrealasthepaintededificesofatheatre。Itwasliketheperfect
　　rindofagreatcheese，inwhichamousehaddweltandnibbledtillit
　　wasacheesenomore。AndPeterwasthemouse。
　　WhatPeterhadtorndown，Tabithahadburnedup；forshewisely
　　consideredthat，withoutahouse，theyshouldneednowoodtowarmit；
　　andthereforeeconomywasnonsense。Thusthewholehousemightbesaid
　　tohavedissolvedinsmoke，andflownupamongtheclouds，throughthe
　　greatblackflueofthekitchenchimney。Itwasanadmirable
　　paralleltothefeatofthemanwhojumpeddownhisownthroat。
　　Onthenightbetweenthelastdayofwinterandthefirstof
　　spring，everychinkandcrannyhadbeenransacked，exceptwithinthe
　　precinctsofthekitchen。Thisfatedeveningwasanuglyone。A
　　snow-stormhadsetinsomehoursbefore，andwasstilldrivenand
　　tossedabouttheatmospherebyarealhurricane，whichfought
　　againstthehouseasiftheprinceoftheair，inperson，wereputting
　　thefinalstroketoPeter’slabors。Theframeworkbeingsomuch
　　weakened，andtheinwardpropsremoved，itwouldhavebeennomarvel
　　if，insomestrongerwrestleoftheblast，therottenwallsofthe
　　edifice，andallthepeakedroofs，hadcomecrushingdownuponthe
　　owner’shead。He，however，wascarelessoftheperil，butaswild
　　andrestlessasthenightitself，orastheflamethatquiveredupthe
　　chimneyateachroarofthetempestuouswind。
　　“Thewine，Tabitha！”hecried。“Mygrandfather’sricholdwine！
　　Wewilldrinkitnow！”
　　Tabithaarosefromhersmoke-blackenedbenchinthechimney-corner，
　　andplacedthebottlebeforePeter，closebesidetheoldbrasslamp，
　　whichhadlikewisebeentheprizeofhisresearches。Peterheldit
　　beforehiseyes，and，lookingthroughtheliquidmedium，beheldthe
　　kitchenilluminatedwithagoldenglory，whichalsoenveloped
　　Tabithaandgildedhersilverhair，andconvertedhermeangarments
　　intorobesofqueenlysplendor。Itremindedhimofhisgoldendream。
　　“Mr。Peter。”remarkedTabitha，“mustthewinebedrunkbeforethe
　　moneyisfound？”
　　“Themoneyisfound！”exclaimedPeter，withasortoffierceness。
　　“Thechestiswithinmyreach。Iwillnotsleep，tillIhaveturned
　　thiskeyintherustylock。But，firstofall，letusdrink！”
　　Therebeingnocorkscrewinthehouse，hesmotetheneckofthe
　　bottlewitholdPeterGoldthwaite’srustykey，anddecapitatedthe
　　sealedcorkatasingleblow。Hethenfilledtwolittlechinateacups，
　　whichTabithahadbroughtfromthecupboard。Soclearandbrilliant
　　wasthisagedwinethatitshonewithinthecups，andrenderedthe
　　sprigofscarletflowers，atthebottomofeach，moredistinctly
　　visiblethanwhentherehadbeennowinethere。Itsrichand
　　delicateperfumewasteditselfroundthekitchen。
　　“Drink，Tabitha！”criedPeter。“Blessingsonthehonestold
　　fellowwhosetasidethisgoodliquorforyouandme！Andhere’sto
　　PeterGoldthwaite’smemory！”
　　“Andgoodcausehavewetorememberhim。”quothTabitha，asshe
　　drank。
　　Howmanyyears，andthroughwhatchangesoffortuneandvarious
　　calamity，hadthatbottlehoardedupitseffervescentjoy，tobe
　　quaffedatlastbytwosuchbooncompanions！Aportionofthe
　　happinessoftheformeragehadbeenkeptforthem，andwasnowset
　　free，inacrowdofrejoicingvisions，tosportamidthestormand
　　desolationofthepresenttime。Untiltheyhavefinishedthebottle，
　　wemustturnoureyeselsewhere。
　　Itsochancedthat，onthisstormynight，Mr。JohnBrownfound
　　himselfillateaseinhiswire-cushionedarm-chair，bytheglowing
　　grateofanthracitewhichheatedhishandsomeparlor。Hewasnaturally
　　agoodsortofaman，andkindandpitifulwheneverthemisfortunesof
　　othershappenedtoreachhisheartthroughthepaddedvestofhis
　　ownprosperity。Thiseveninghehadthoughtmuchabouthisold
　　partner，PeterGoldthwaite，hisstrangevagaries，andcontinualill
　　luck，thepovertyofhisdwelling，atMr。Brown’slastvisit，and
　　Peter’scrazedandhaggardaspectwhenhehadtalkedwithhimatthe
　　window。
　　“Poorfellow！”thoughtMr。JohnBrown。“Poor，crackbrainedPeter
　　Goldthwaite！Foroldacquaintance’sake，Ioughttohavetakencare
　　thathewascomfortablethisroughwinter。”
　　Thesefeelingsgrewsopowerfulthat，inspiteoftheinclement
　　weather，heresolvedtovisitPeterGoldthwaiteimmediately。The
　　strengthoftheimpulsewasreallysingular。Everyshriekoftheblast
　　seemedasummons，orwouldhaveseemedso，hadMr。Brownbeen
　　accustomedtoheartheechoesofhisownfancyinthewind。Much
　　amazedatsuchactivebenevolence，hehuddledhimselfinhiscloak，
　　muffledhisthroatandearsincomfortersandhandkerchiefs，and，thus
　　fortified，badedefiancetothetempest。Butthepowersoftheairhad
　　ratherthebestofthebattle。Mr。Brownwasjustweatheringthe
　　corner，byPeterGoldthwaite’shouse，whenthehurricanecaughthim
　　offhisfeet，tossedhimfacedownwardintoasnowbank，andproceeded
　　toburyhisprotuberantpartbeneathfreshdrifts。Thereseemedlittle
　　hopeofhisreappearanceearlierthanthenextthaw。Atthesame
　　momenthishatwassnatchedaway，andwhirledaloftintosomefar
　　distantregion，whencenotidingshaveasyetreturned。
　　NeverthelessMr。Browncontrivedtoburrowapassagethroughthe
　　snow-drift，and，withhisbareheadbentagainstthestorm，floundered
　　onwardtoPeter’sdoor。Therewassuchacreakingandgroaningand
　　rattling，andsuchanominousshakingthroughoutthecrazyedifice，
　　thattheloudestrapwouldhavebeeninaudibletothosewithin。He
　　thereforeentered，withoutceremony，andgropedhiswaytothe
　　kitchen。
　　Hisintrusion，eventhere，wasunnoticed。PeterandTabithastood
　　withtheirbackstothedoor，stoopingoveralargechest，which，
　　apparently，theyhadjustdraggedfromacavity，orconcealed
　　closet，ontheleftsideofthechimney。Bythelampintheold