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！”