The House of the Seven Gables

by Nathaniel Hawthorne

CHAPTER ONE

The Old Pyncheon Family

The House of the Seven Gables was an old, wooden house on Pyncheon Street in a New England town. Its seven gables seemed to reach up to the sky and a large elm tree stood outside the door. The house, also known as Pyncheon House, had a long, dark history. Although it was a very old house, it was not the first house on that location. At the end of the seventeenth century Pyncheon Street was known as Maule's Lane, because Matthew Maule had built a small, simple hut there. He was a wizard and practiced witchcraft, which was a crime in the Puritan community.

Colonel Pyncheon was a clever and powerful man in town. He liked Matthew Maule's property and wanted it for himself, but Maule refused to sell it to him. The Colonel was a very determined man and Maule was very stubborn so the disagreement lasted for a long time. After several years, Colonel Pyncheon accused Matthew Maule of witchcraft and decided to hang him. It was a horrible death sentence. On the day of the hanging all of the important people from the town came to watch and cried out passionately against witchcraft. Colonel Pyncheon was there sitting on his horse shouting loudly too. Matthew Maule pointed a finger at him and said, "God will give him blood to drink!" This was Maule's curse, which followed the Pyncheon family for centuries.

After Maule's death Colonel Pyncheon built a huge family home where Maule's small hut had been. The townspeople couldn't understand why he wanted to build a house on a place which was cursed. But the Colonel was a determined man and he began living there.

One day when the governor went to visit Colonel Pyncheon, he found him dead in his study. The Colonel was sitting at his desk with a pen in his hand and some letters and other papers in front of him. There was blood on his beard, shirt collar and neck. The doctor said he had died of a heart attack, but people talked about murder since the window near the Colonel's chair was open and a man was seen running away.

The Pyncheon family became less important over the years. Most of the Colonel's family were not happy about owning the House of the Seven Gables, because they knew about Maule's curse.

At the time of our story, Judge Jaffrey Pyncheon, a direct descendant of Colonel Pyncheon, was a rich and important member of society. He was similar to his ancestor because he was a clever and powerful politician. There were few other Pyncheons left: a seventeen year old girl, a murderer who was in prison and his sister.

Hepzibah Pyncheon was about sixty years old and had never married. Her old, pale face always had an angry expression because she could not see well. She lived alone in the House of the Seven Gables, except for a young artist who was a lodger in one of the gables. Through the years the house and its furniture had become old and broken. It had a life and secrets of its own.

Hepzibah had lived alone for almost twenty-five years and she had never worked or socialized with other people. She now needed money and decided to open a shop on the ground floor of the house, where one of her ancestors had also had a shop. She had cleaned the shelves and floor of the old shop and had some flour, sugar, apples, soap and other things to sell. Working was a loss of dignity for her, and dignity was the only thing that remained in her life. One morning, before opening the shop for the first time, she opened a secret drawer and looked at a miniature of a young man. Tears filled her eyes. Then she went to the dark living room where she stopped to look at a portrait of old Colonel Pyncheon.

Finally she opened the shop, letting in the sunlight for the first time in many years. It wasn't long before her first customer arrived. It was Mr Holgrave, the young lodger, who offered to help Hepzibah with her preparations. Mr Holgrave was a thin man with a brown beard and a short brown moustache. He was a daguerreotype artist and took pictures of people.

"Oh, Mr Holgrave, I simply can't do this. I'm too old and I'm only a woman. I've been living here for twenty-five years and I've never worked! I'd rather be dead than working here," said Hepzibah, and she started crying.

"Oh, no!" the young man said. "This is a lucky day for you. Work is important because it gives life a purpose. I wasn't born a gentleman. I've always worked and I'm happy about it."

Holgrave wanted to buy some biscuits, but Hepzibah would not accept money from her only friend. He took the biscuits and left. Hepzibah felt happier, for a short time.

The shop door opened again and Ned Higgins, a young schoolboy, came in. He wanted a biscuit but Hepzibah did not accept money from her customer. He came back again and asked for another biscuit, and this time Hepzibah took his money - one cent. For the first time in her life she had earned one cent.

In the afternoon a tall, well-dressed old gentleman stopped outside the shop window and smiled at Hepzibah, but he did not come in. It was her cousin, Judge Jaffrey Pyncheon, and she did not like him because he looked like her ancestor, Colonel Pyncheon, whose portrait was hanging in the living room. She felt angry after seeing him.

Mr Venner, a strange old man, came to visit the shop. He was well-known in the town and Hepzibah had known him for many years. "I'm glad to see that you're working, Hepzibah! It's good for you. And remember that you should smile at the customers, too. It's important!"

How could she smile when she was so terribly unhappy!

"When is he coming home?" Mr Venner asked.

"Who?" asked Hepzibah with a white face.

"Ah, you don't want to talk about it. That's alright, but everyone in town is talking. I remember him, you know. Well, goodbye, Hepzibah."

More customers came into the shop during the afternoon but Hepzibah made a lot of mistakes and at the end of the day's business there was very little money.

That evening, after Hepzibah had closed the shop for the day, a young girl knocked at the front door of the old house.

"Who could it be?" thought Hepzibah. "I'm not expecting anyone."

She opened the door and saw her cousin Phoebe, a pretty young girl with a bright smile. She lived in the country in New England and was part of the Pyncheon family.

"Cousin Phoebe! What are you doing here?"

"Didn't you receive my letter?" said Phoebe. "I've come to visit you for a week or two."

"Please come in, little Phoebe," said Hepzibah. "You can stay for tonight, but this isn't the right place for you. You're young and cheerful, but this house is dark and cold and... sad. And I'm just an old woman."

"Oh, cousin Hepzibah, I want to work and help you with many things."

"I know you're a good girl, but I must ask the master of the house about this."

"Who is the master of the house?" Phoebe asked.

"Have you ever heard of Clifford Pyncheon? He's my brother!"

"Yes, I've heard that name, but isn't he dead?"

"Perhaps he was," Hepzibah said sadly, "but in this old house dead people return!"

CHAPTER TWO

Young Phoebe

The pale morning light woke Phoebe up. For a moment she didn't know where she was, but then she remembered as she looked around the room at the heavy curtains and tall, uncomfortable-looking chairs. She got up, went to the window and looked down at the garden, where she saw a tall rose bush.

The wonderful smell of roses came in through her window.

"What a beautiful garden! I want to look after it," she thought.

She got dressed and went to the garden, where she picked some white roses for her room. She moved the furniture around, opened the window and let the morning light in. The room, which had been gloomy, suddenly looked bright and cheerful.

She was ready to go downstairs again when Hepzibah called her. "Cousin Phoebe, come to my room!" Phoebe went to her room.

"I don't think it's a good idea for you to stay here with me," Hepzibah said. "This house is too sad for a young person."

"But, dear cousin," Phoebe replied, "I think that we'd live together very happily."

"You'd waste away your young days and anyway I can't decide who lives at Pyncheon house. Its master is coming!" Hepzibah said and she showed Phoebe a small picture of a handsome young man.

"He has the sweet face of a child!" said Phoebe.

"He's Clifford Pyncheon," said Hepzibah.

They went downstairs to the kitchen, where Phoebe made breakfast. The young girl worked well in the kitchen and Hepzibah was pleased.

During breakfast the shop bell rang and Hepzibah put down her cup of tea.

"Oh, don't trouble yourself, cousin Hepzibah," said Phoebe with a cheerful smile, "I'll be the shopkeeper today."

"You!" said Hepzibah. "What can a country girl know about a shop?"

"You'll see how well I do!" said Phoebe as she walked out of the kitchen.

Hepzibah watched Phoebe working hard in the shop. She could see that Phoebe was a much better shopkeeper than she was. She said, "My dear cousin, you're good in the shop and you're good in the kitchen, so you can stay!"

"Oh, thank you, cousin Hepzibah!" said Phoebe.

Hepzibah looked at her young cousin and thought, "She's not an educated lady, but she's a nice girl."

Phoebe worked in the shop all day with customers that came and went. When the shop closed for the night, she said, "Cousin, we need biscuits, fruit, toys and candy. We've sold a lot today. Look at the mountain of coins!"

Whilst Phoebe was counting the coins, Hepzibah said, "Well done! You're a good worker, Phoebe!"

"Yes, well done! Well done!" said Mr Venner, who was in the shop for the third or fourth time that day. "What a clever girl. You are lucky, Hepzibah, to have such a bright, young worker.

"Yes! Phoebe is a nice girl," replied Hepzibah. "But, Mr Venner, you've known the family a great many years. Can you tell me whether there ever was a Pyncheon like her?"

"I don't believe there ever was," answered the old man. "Or if there was, it never was my luck to see them. I've seen a lot of the world and I never knew anyone to work so well as this child Phoebe does!"

That evening Hepzibah showed her young cousin around the gloomy house and told her of the ancient curse and other family legends. Phoebe saw the old portrait of Colonel Pyncheon, which she immediately disliked because of his cruel face.

Hepzibah told Phoebe about beautiful Alice Pyncheon, who had lived there a century before, and who had loved the white flowers in the garden. Alice, whose ghost now haunted the House of the Seven Gables, died mysteriously, perhaps because of the curse.

Then Hepzibah began talking about Mr Holgrave and his strange friends. "You know, Phoebe, I think he practices black magic in his room. I'm afraid of him."

"But if you think he is dangerous, why don't you send him away?" asked Phoebe.

"I have thought about it, but he's a kind person and he's the only friend I have."

One day after tea, Phoebe went to the garden and looked at the flowers and vegetables that were growing in the black earth. It was clear that someone looked after the garden.

"I wonder who works here?" said Phoebe, talking to herself. "It certainly isn't cousin Hepzibah."

"It's me," said the voice of a man behind her.

She turned around and saw a handsome young man.

"Hello, my name's Holgrave. I live in one of the gables and I like working in the garden when I have time."

"My name's Phoebe Pyncheon. Are you a gardener?"

"No, but I like nature and it's refreshing to work here. I'm a daguerreotype artist. I take pictures of people. Daguerreotypes bring out the secret character of a person; a painting can't do that."

He took a daguerreotype miniature out of his pocket. Phoebe looked at it and said, "I know that face because its cold eyes follow me all day. It's my Puritan ancestor whose portrait is in the living room. You copied it without its black cap and gray beard, and you gave it modern clothes. But I don't think he looks any better with your changes."

"No, I didn't copy it. This miniature is the picture of a member of your family who is still living. He looks like a kind, friendly man, but the miniature shows his true nature. Look at his eyes and his mouth. He's cold and evil."

Holgrave and Phoebe worked together in the garden until it was almost dark.

"It's time to stop working," said Holgrave. "Goodnight, Miss Phoebe Pyncheon. One day, if you put a flower in your hair and come to my studio in Central Street, I'll take a picture of you." Phoebe went into the dark house and found her cousin sitting in the living room. "Shall I light a lamp, cousin Hepzibah?"

"Yes, if you please, dear child," answered Hepzibah. Phoebe lit the lamp but the corners of the room were still dark. She thought she heard a strange voice coming from one of the dark corners. "Cousin," said Phoebe, "did you speak to me just now?"

"No, Phoebe," said Hepzibah. "Please go to bed now. You must be very tired." She kissed her young cousin and this pleased Phoebe.

"Goodnight, Cousin," said Phoebe. She went to bed but did not sleep well that night. She could hear heavy footsteps on the stairs outside her room and Hepzibah's voice.

CHAPTER THREE

The Guest

The next morning Phoebe woke up to the sound of two birds in the pear tree outside her window. She went down to the kitchen and found Hepzibah reading a cookbook. She held it close to her nose because her eyesight was very poor.

Phoebe, who was very good in the kitchen, made the coffee and cooked something hot for breakfast. There were flowers and three chairs at the breakfast table in the living room.

"Why are there three chairs this morning?" Phoebe asked herself. "And why is Hepzibah behaving so strangely?" The old woman was upset and soon started crying.

"Oh, forgive me, dear child," said Hepzibah, crying.

"What's happening?" asked Phoebe.

Hepzibah took the young girl's hand in her own and said, "He's coming! Let him see you first, Phoebe. You're young and cheerful. He has always liked bright faces! And mine is old now. Pull the curtains so that the sunshine can come in. He likes the light! I can hear him; he's coming! Whatever happens, be cheerful!"

Hepzibah threw open the door and there was an old man with long gray hair. Was this the man in Hepzibah's picture?

"Dear Clifford, this is our cousin Phoebe Pyncheon," said Hepzibah. "She is Arthur's only child and she is visiting us from the country."

"I don't remember Phoebe - Phoebe Pyncheon?" said Clifford, who was confused.

"Come, dear Clifford, take this chair," said Hepzibah, leading her brother to his place. "Now let's have breakfast."

Clifford moved slowly and did not talk much, but he liked the food and the coffee.

Phoebe looked at him carefully and thought, "Yes, it's the same man I saw in the miniature. But where did he come from?" "Is this you, Hepzibah?" he said sadly. "How you have changed! Are you angry with me?"

"Angry?" she repeated. "Angry with you, Clifford? Oh, no! There's nothing but love here. You're home now!"

Clifford smiled weakly and tasted his coffee.

"More, more!" he cried. "This is what I need! Give me more!"

He drank the coffee, sat back in his chair and looked out of the open window.

"How pleasant! How beautiful! An open window, the sunshine, the flowers. This must be a dream! A dream!"

Clifford had always loved beautiful things, and now he needed them because he had been in prison for the past thirty years. Suddenly his face became sad and Phoebe thought quickly.

"Cousin, here's a rose from the garden," she said, giving him a red flower.

"Ah, let me hold it!" he said eagerly. "Thank you, my kind young girl. This rose makes me feel young again."

He looked around and saw the painting of old Colonel Pyncheon on the wall.

"Hepzibah!" he cried. "Why do you keep that horrible portrait on the wall? He's the evil man of this house! Take it down!"

"Dear Clifford," said Hepzibah sadly, "you know I can't take it down."

"Then please cover it. I don't want to see that face!"

A noise came from the shop. It was the shop bell. "Phoebe, please go and see our customer," Hepzibah said.

She looked at her brother and said, "Clifford, I opened a shop in the front room because we're very poor. We need money for food."

"Are we so poor, Hepzibah?" he asked sadly, and he fell asleep in his chair.

Phoebe's first customer was the schoolboy Ned Higgins. He bought some things for his mother and left. Then a tall gentleman dressed in an expensive black suit came into the shop.

"Excuse me. I'm looking for Miss Hepzibah Pyncheon," he said smiling. "Do you work here?"

"Yes, I do," said Phoebe. "I'm Miss Hepzibah's cousin. I'm visiting her."

"Her cousin? From the country?" said the gentleman, smiling. "Let me see, you're... Phoebe Pyncheon, my cousin Arthur's only child! I'm Judge Pyncheon, your cousin."

He wanted to kiss Phoebe but she moved back. Why? Then, suddenly, she remembered that he was Judge Pyncheon, the man in Mr Holgrave's daguerreotype. He was the man with old Colonel Pyncheon's face! The old Colonel had been a greedy, cruel man, and the judge had the same characteristics as his ancestor, although he tried to be friendly.

"Is something wrong?" the judge asked. "Are you afraid of anything?"

"Oh, no," Phoebe said nervously. "You came to see cousin Hepzibah. Let me get her for you."

"No, wait a moment, please," said the judge with a friendly voice. "You seem a bit nervous. Perhaps the town air doesn't agree with you. Or is there a strange guest in the house who disturbs you?"

"There aren't any strange guests in the house," said Phoebe. "There's only cousin Hepzibah's brother, Clifford, who is a quiet, gentle man. I'm not afraid of him."

"You're not afraid of Clifford Pyncheon?" the judge asked kindly. "Then you don't know about his past. He did something very bad. We were good friends many years ago. But now I must see him. Where is he?"

"Let me call my cousin Hepzibah," said Phoebe. "I think Clifford's sleeping now."

"No, no, Miss Phoebe!" said Judge Pyncheon with a deep, angry voice. "Stay here! I know this house well and I know Hepzibah and Clifford. I'm at home here and you're the stranger. Ah, here is Hepzibah!"

Hepzibah had heard the judge's deep voice and came to the entrance. She looked at him with her small, cold eyes.

"Hepzibah, my dear cousin, how happy I am to see you!" said the judge. "Clifford is finally home and you have something to live for. We all love Clifford and I want to help him. He can come to my home in the country and enjoy his life. I can give him all the beautiful things he likes and the best food. I want to make him happy. Let me see him!"

When Phoebe heard this she wanted to give Judge Pyncheon a kiss. But Hepzibah's face was darker than ever.

"Clifford is not ready to receive visitors," said Hepzibah angrily.

"Visitors? Do you call me a visitor? I'm his cousin. Don't refuse my generous offer. I'm here with an open heart. You can't keep your brother in this dark, old house when he could enjoy the beauty and comfort of my country home. The country air will do wonders for him. And you and I, dear Hepzibah, will watch together and work together, to make our dear Clifford happy. Why should we talk further about what is both my duty and pleasure? Come to me at once!"

"Clifford has a home here!" Hepzibah said.

Judge Pyncheon was angry. "Woman, why do you want to stay here? Do you have money? No! Why am I talking to you? You're only a woman. I want to talk to Clifford. Where is he?"

Hepzibah stood in front of the door and did not move.

"Hepzibah! Hepzibah!" cried a weak, frightened voice from behind the door. "Go down on your knees; kiss his feet! I don't want to see him! Please, please!"

The judge was angry and took a step towards the door, but then he stopped.

"Clifford isn't well now, so I can't think of insisting. I can talk to him another time," he said, smiling. "But I shall watch over his well-being, as if he were my own beloved brother. I wish only for your acceptance of my kind offer."

As soon as the judge left, Hepzibah's face became white and she put her head on the young girl's shoulder.

"Oh Phoebe," she said. "That man has been the horror of my life! Will I ever have the courage to tell him this?"

"Is he very bad?" asked Phoebe, who was confused. "His offers were generous and kind."

"He doesn't have a heart!" said Hepzibah. "Now go and talk to Clifford. He likes you. I'm going to work in the shop."

Phoebe did not know what to think. "Is the judge an evil man?" she thought. "Can men of his respectability be anything other than correct and fair? He's important and seems to be kind and generous. I don't know what to believe! Perhaps Cousin Hepzibah is just old and bitter, and lives with her memories of the past."

CHAPTER FOUR

Clifford and Phoebe

For years Hepzibah had looked forward to spending her life with the brother she loved so dearly. She had waited patiently for him and now she wanted to make his life warm and happy.

She opened an old bookcase and took out several books that she had enjoyed reading many years before. She tried reading to Clifford, but he wasn't interested in the books and he did not like the sound of her hoarse voice. She tried to find other things to interest Clifford, but he was not grateful and that made her sad.

But, worst of all, Clifford did not like Hepzibah's appearance.

She had never been beautiful, but now with age and sadness, she was ugly and bitter. Clifford did not like her old dress and turban, her strange ways and her angry look. He liked beautiful things and Hepzibah knew it. She wanted to improve her appearance with some ribbons on her turban but she knew that it wouldn't change anything. Therefore, she turned to Phoebe, who was young, lovely and cheerful.

To Clifford, Phoebe represented all women, with her youth, beauty, and laughter. Phoebe gave him the warmth and attention that he had lacked throughout his life and Clifford was content just to know that she was near.

As the days passed Phoebe's presence became necessary to the daily lives of Clifford and Hepzibah. She brought hope and beauty to the dark old house with its curse and its ghosts.

Clifford liked to sleep late in the morning, so Hepzibah stayed with him while Phoebe worked in the shop. There were always more customers in the shop during the morning hours because Phoebe was there. In the afternoons Hepzibah worked in the shop and Phoebe stayed with Clifford. She often took him into the garden, where they talked about flowers and things of beauty. Clifford had forgotten about the wonders of nature - the flowers, the vegetables, the birds - but he rediscovered them. Phoebe also read to him with her musical voice. It was not easy for Phoebe to understand this child-like man with a mysterious and terrible past and no future - all he had was the present.

On Sundays in the summer, Phoebe, Hepzibah; Clifford, Mr Holgrave and Mr Venner always met in the garden, and enjoyed the flowers, the sunshine and the conversation.

One Sunday, while they were all talking in the garden, Mr Venner said, "Miss Hepzibah, I'd like you to come and visit my house in the country."

"Mr Venner is always talking about his house in the country," said Clifford.

"Everyone would like to have a house in the country!" said Phoebe.

Phoebe and Clifford did not always go to the garden. Sometimes Phoebe used to take him upstairs to a room with a big window. Phoebe wanted him to look at life outside the House of the Seven Gables. The window looked down onto the street. Phoebe opened it and Clifford watched the street. He spent a lot of time sitting by this window and he saw how everything was different in Pyncheon Street now. He saw people coming and going and children playing games. He liked children because he was like a child. The noise of the train frightened him, but other things made him smile.

When the organ grinder made music in the street, Clifford was delighted and said, "I can hear music! Beautiful music!" The organ grinder had a monkey on his shoulder. It went up to the people and held out its hat waiting for them to give it some money. Clifford moved closer to the window because he wanted to see the people walking to the sound of the music.

"Now I'm going to walk with them," Clifford decided. He stood in front of the open window and started to climb out. When Hepzibah saw him she screamed and Phoebe pulled him back. Hepzibah started crying.

"Clifford, are you mad?" cried his sister.

"I don't know," Clifford said calmly. "I wanted to walk with the people." Clifford needed to be part of human life. Up until now he had just been a frightened spectator.

One Sunday morning Phoebe was getting ready to go to church. The church bells were ringing loudly, calling out to the people. When Phoebe went out, Clifford and Hepzibah were sitting at the window watching her and the neighbors walk towards the church. Phoebe turned around and waved at them.

"Hepzibah, do you ever go to church?" asked Clifford.

"No, Clifford," she replied. "I haven't been for many, many years."

"I'd like to go to church because other people are there. I think I could pray with them," said Clifford.

Hepzibah looked into his eyes and she suddenly felt great affection for her brother. She wanted to take his hand and go to church to be among people and with God again after so many years. She said, "Dear brother, let's go. We don't belong anywhere, but let's join the others and pray."

So they put on their best old clothes and went downstairs together. They opened the front door and took a step outside. They felt that the whole world was watching them. They could not take another step.

"It's too late, Hepzibah," said Clifford sadly. "We're ghosts! We can't live among human beings, because we would frighten them. If we had lived like human beings all these years, we would have walked down the street like everyone else. But now we can only live in this old house with Maule's curse on it."

Hepzibah understood her brother. They went back home and closed the door. Now the house seemed much gloomier than before.

However, Clifford was not always unhappy. He enjoyed sitting at the window and watching the children play. He dreamed a lot about when he was a child and sometimes he told Hepzibah and Phoebe about his dreams. One afternoon he decided to blow soap bubbles. He had often blown soap bubbles with his sister when they were children. So he began blowing soap bubbles happily at the window just as Judge Pyncheon was passing by.

"Cousin Clifford!" he said. "Still blowing soap bubbles!" The judge's comment frightened Clifford and he felt weak and confused.

CHAPTER FIVE

The Daguerreotypist

Clifford went to sleep early in the evening, as children usually do. He was always tired, but not by physical exercise. It seemed like he needed a lot of energy to do very simple things. While he slept, Phoebe was free to do whatever she wanted. This freedom was necessary for her health. She needed to get out of the house and breathe fresh air because the air inside was unhealthy for her.

As time went by Phoebe changed. She was not as carefree and cheerful as she had been in the past. She began to understand Clifford more, and her eyes became darker and their expression deeper.

Holgrave, the daguerreotypist, was the only young person Phoebe knew and talked to. He told her many things about himself. He was twenty-two years old and came from a poor family. He had already worked as a school teacher, a salesman and an editor of a country newspaper. He had also traveled to parts of Europe - Italy, France and Germany. His present job was, in his opinion, a temporary one. For him it was only a way to earn money to be able to live. Phoebe recognized Holgrave's strong personality, as Hepzibah had done. It was difficult not to. But he did not like or respect traditions and felt that new ideas should take their place. And this sometimes worried Phoebe.

Phoebe noticed that he was interested in Hepzibah and Clifford, and he studied them carefully.

"Is Clifford still happy?" he asked Phoebe one day.

"He's as happy as a child," answered Phoebe. "But like a child, he's easily disturbed."

"Disturbed by what?" asked Holgrave.

"I can't see his thoughts," said Phoebe. "His mood changes without any reason, just as a cloud comes over the sun. But I don't think it's right to search in his mind."

"I would!" answered Holgrave excitedly.

"Why?" asked Phoebe. "What's Clifford to you?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing!" answered the young man, smiling. "This is such a strange world with such strange people. Look at Judge Pyncheon! Clifford! And look at this gloomy old house. It's ugly and unhealthy. It should be burnt!"

"Burnt!" exclaimed Phoebe, visibly disturbed. "Then why do you live in it?"

"Oh, I'm studying it. To me, this house represents a terrible past. And I'm living in it so that I can learn to hate it. Do you know the story of Maule the wizard, and his curse on your ancestor?"

"Yes, of course," said Phoebe. "I've heard it several times. My father told me about it when I was a child and cousin Hepzibah has spoken about it two or three times in the short time that I've been here. She believes that all the bad luck of the Pyncheons began with that curse."

"I believe it, too," said Holgrave seriously, and looked up at the roof. "Think about it! Under these seven gables over hundreds of years, there has been misery, suspicion, conflict and strange death. Old Colonel Pyncheon wanted to cultivate a family here, but the many generations of the Pyncheon family are all touched by madness."

"You aren't very polite about my family," said Phoebe.

"But the truth is as I say! The curse lives on and Colonel Pyncheon is with us again. Do you remember the daguerreotype I showed you of Judge Pyncheon? He's very similar to his ancestor. You know, I'm writing a history of the Pyncheon family and I'm going to publish it in a magazine."

"Really?" asked Phoebe, who was surprised.

"Yes, do you want to hear it?" Holgrave asked.

"Well, yes, if it's not too long or boring!" she replied.

Holgrave went to get a notebook and started reading it out aloud to Phoebe. It was a long story about beautiful Alice Pyncheon and her meeting with a descendant of the Maule family who put a mysterious spell over her. It seems that she was a victim of this spell and died mysteriously at a young age. In the story Holgrave also talked about a hidden map and a deed for land in the eastern part of Maine. Phoebe listened but her eyes were heavy and they began to close.

Holgrave looked over at Phoebe and closed his notebook.

"Miss Phoebe! You're sleeping!" he exclaimed.

"Me sleeping? Oh, no! I listened to all of your story. It's full of trouble and tragedy," she answered.

By this time the sky was dark and there was a big moon. In the silver light of the moon the house looked less cold and gloomy. A gentle wind was blowing the plants in the garden, playing games with the moonlight.

"What a beautiful evening!" Holgrave said.

"Yes, but I must go home now and help cousin Hepzibah with her work," said Phoebe.

"Miss Hepzibah told me you're going to the country tomorrow."

"Only for a few days. My cousins need me here. I feel that this is my home now."

"Yes, you're the only light in this gloomy house. Miss Hepzibah has lost all contact with society. She's already dead. And your cousin Clifford is, too. If you go away, neither will survive. They both exist because of you, Phoebe."

"How very sad," said Phoebe slowly. "But I want to help them as much as possible. You know, Mr Holgrave, sometimes I think that you don't like them and don't care about them."

"You don't understand. I do care about Miss Hepzibah and Clifford, but not in the way you do. I don't want to help them but I don't want to hurt them either. I only want to watch them, to study them, to understand the tragic life that has gone on in this cursed house for almost two hundred years. I'm only a spectator, but I feel the end is near for them."

"I'd understand if you spoke more clearly," said Phoebe, who was disturbed. "And I wish you were more of a human being. How can you watch people suffer without wanting to help and comfort them? This old house is like a theater for you, and Hepzibah and Clifford are the actors of a tragedy. I don't like this, Mr Holgrave!"

"Forgive me, Phoebe," he said, taking her hand, "but I'm attracted by the occult."

"You said the end is near. Do you know something that you're not telling me?"

"I know nothing, but I see that Judge Pyncheon still keeps an eye on Clifford. He has already done a lot to ruin the poor man's life. The judge is a mystery to me. He's clever and powerful, but I don't know what he wants from Clifford."

"I don't understand you, Mr Holgrave," said Phoebe. "It's time for me to go. Goodnight!"

"Goodnight, my friend," he answered.

CHAPTER SIX

History Repeats Itself

Phoebe's stay at the House of the Seven Gables changed her young heart; she became familiar with sadness and regret. But on the morning that she left the big old house in Pyncheon Street, there were tears in her eyes as she looked at the garden from her bedroom window. She asked herself how, in such a short time, she had won so much love from Hepzibah and attention from Clifford. She went downstairs and said goodbye to her cousins, who were sad to see her leave. Then she left the house and went to her mother's house in the country.

Soon after she left the weather got worse and it started raining heavily. The dark sky and the rain made the house even gloomier. Phoebe was gone, the weather was bad and it was impossible to go out into the garden. Clifford became very sad and Hepzibah was certainly not good company for him.

To make things worse, the shop lost many of its customers. One day Judge Pyncheon came to visit the shop.

"How are you, cousin Hepzibah? And how's dear Clifford?" he asked with a friendly smile. "Can I do anything to help you and Clifford? Do you need anything?"

"You can do nothing for us," Hepzibah answered coldly. "We don't need anything."

"Let me see Clifford," said the judge. "He's always alone."

"Clifford is in bed and you can't see him."

"What! Is he ill? I must see him then. What if he dies?"

"He isn't in danger of death," said Hepzibah bitterly.

"Cousin Hepzibah, your bitterness against me is unfair. You know nothing about my kind and generous heart. I want to help dear Clifford. I'm not his enemy - I'm his friend."

"In God's name, you can't say these false things!" cried the old woman angrily. "You hate Clifford! Have the courage to say it! You put Clifford in prison and ruined his life."

Hepzibah finally had the courage to speak the truth. Judge Pyncheon remained calm and said, "Are you too blind to see the truth? Remember, Hepzibah, I opened the prison door for him. I set him free! And now I can decide whether he will remain free."

Hepzibah's face became white. "What do you mean? What do you want from Clifford? Why can't you just leave us to continue our lives?"

The judge looked at his cousin with cold eyes. "Before my uncle's death, Clifford told me he knew where the secret map and land deed were hidden. Whoever finds the secret map and land deed will become very, very rich. The papers belonged to my uncle, and so they're mine. Clifford knows this secret and he must tell me."

"Clifford? - Clifford know of any hidden wealth? - Clifford have the power to make you rich?" cried Hepzibah, with a sense of ridicule. "But why would he have hidden it for so long? And what if he refuses to tell you?"

"My dear cousin," said the judge calmly, "I've watched Clifford's strange behavior since he returned from prison. And your neighbors have noticed it too. If he refuses to tell me his secret, I'll send him to a mental hospital for the rest of his life!"

"I don't believe it!" cried Hepzibah. "Cousin Jaffrey, you are mentally ill, not Clifford. Where is your heart? You are an old man; the hair on your head is white. Why do you want more money? You are already very rich, but you are horribly greedy. You want to do the same thing your ancestor Colonel Pyncheon did hundreds of years ago - you want to hurt a poor person who has already suffered a lot because you are so greedy."

"Woman, you don't know what you're saying!" said the judge loudly. "Now I must either see Clifford or I must do something worse... you are responsible for your brother's future."

"You have no pity!" cried Hepzibah. "Clifford isn't mad, but if he meets you he could become mad. However, I'll call him now. Be kind to him. Remember, Jaffrey Pyncheon, God is watching you!"

The judge followed his cousin from the shop into the living room, where he sat down in an old chair. The chair had been in the old house since it was built and many of the judge's ancestors had sat in it before him. He took out his pocket-watch and held it in his hand, wondering how much time would pass before Clifford appeared.

Hepzibah went to look for Clifford with a heavy heart. The house had never seemed so miserable to her. Judge Pyncheon's energy, intelligence and greed had left her without hope. She had a strange feeling about the three of them - the judge, Clifford and herself - being in the house together. She felt nervous and before going to her brother's room she stopped at the window and looked down at the street. She saw the wet street and a carriage traveling on it. Among the people she saw Mr Venner walking slowly down the street. She turned away from the window and finally went to her brother's room. However, Clifford was not there.

"Clifford!" she called, but there was no answer. She looked out of the window into the garden, and then she looked in the gable which Holgrave had temporarily made his home. But the Daguerreotypist was not there and neither was Clifford. She called her brother again and again there was no answer. Had he gone out to get away from the judge? She couldn't imagine him out in the city alone.

She went back to the living room to tell Judge Pyncheon that she could not find Clifford anywhere. "Clifford is gone," she said as she went into the room. "You must help me look for him."

But the judge didn't reply. Instead, she found Clifford there. His face was white and his eyes were wild.

"Hepzibah," he said. "Look!" He pointed to the dead judge sitting in his ancestor's chair, holding his pocket-watch.

Hepzibah could not believe what she saw.

"Now we can dance!" said Clifford happily. "We can sing and play. We're free!" He started laughing.

But Hepzibah wasn't laughing. She was very frightened.

"Be quiet, Clifford!" ordered Hepzibah. "What will happen to us now?"

"Let's leave this old house. He can have it now."

Hepzibah noticed that Clifford had his old coat on.

"Why are you waiting?" he asked excitedly. "Put on your coat, get your money and let's go!"

She looked at the dead judge and then suddenly obeyed Clifford. Surely none of this was real - soon she would wake up. But she didn't wake up and they left the house and went out into the street, leaving Jaffrey Pyncheon in his ancestor's chair. Clifford took his sister's hand and they walked to the train station.

CHAPTER SEVEN

The Ghosts Escape

They hadn't left the safety of the big old house together for years and Hepzibah felt lost. She looked at her brother as they walked and saw great excitement on his face. The weather was terrible and there were very few people around. Therefore, Hepzibah and Clifford didn't attract much attention as they went to the train station. Certainly, no one could guess the secret that they were carrying with them. As they walked, Hepzibah asked herself, "Am I awake?"

They got to the train station and got on a train without any problems. They sat down and Hepzibah whispered in her brother's ear, "Clifford! Is this a dream?"

"A dream, Hepzibah!" he repeated, almost laughing in her face. "Oh, I've never been more awake!"

As the train moved on, through one village after another, they looked at the world around them. They watched the people inside the train too - some sat reading quietly, some children were eating sweets and a group of girls was throwing a ball from one side of the train to the other. Clifford was excited by all the activity - it was life itself! But Hepzibah was worried.

"You're not happy, Hepzibah," said Clifford. "You're thinking about that gloomy old house and cousin Jaffrey. But now we're free! We're out in the world, in the middle of life. Let's be happy."

When they were in the big old house, Hepzibah had looked after her brother but now Clifford was in charge.

The conductor passed by and Clifford gave him some money.

"Where are you going?" asked the conductor.

"We'll go as far as the train will take us. We're riding for pleasure," said Clifford. The new experience gave him energy and life, and he started talking to the people on the train.

"Clifford, please be quiet. People will think you're mad," whispered his sister.

"You be quiet," replied Clifford. "I'm not mad and for the first time in thirty years I can express my thoughts and I will!"

When the train reached a small station they got off and started walking around.

Judge Pyncheon remained in the House of the Seven Gables.

He was dead, but his eyes remained open. He held his pocket-watch in his left hand. It wasn't possible to see the time but the watch continued to move - you could hear it. He had an appointment with his doctor that day because he had not been feeling well. And that evening he had a meeting with some of the other important men of the town because he wanted to become governor.

The next morning Mr Venner woke up early and went to the shop on Pyncheon Street, but it was closed. Another woman came to the shop hoping to find Hepzibah.

"Good morning, Mr Venner," said Holgrave, looking out of the window of one of the gables.

"I'm glad to see you, Mr Holgrave," replied Mr Venner. "There's a strange, lonely air around this house today. Where is everyone?"

"I don't know," said Holgrave. "It's is very strange."

Several adults and children stood outside the old house asking about Hepzibah and the judge. Where were they? During the morning other people came to the shop looking for Hepzibah. The baker came to deliver the bread and the butcher brought some meat which he had chosen especially for Clifford. But they found the shop closed. The organ grinder came down Pyncheon Street followed by the sound of his music and a lot of children. They stopped outside the house, wondering where its inhabitants were.

Half an hour after the organ grinder had left Phoebe arrived. She tried to open the front door.

"No, Phoebe!" screamed Ned Higgins, the schoolboy. "Don't go in! There's something bad in there. Don't go in!"

Phoebe went to the back door but she was afraid. She knocked and it suddenly opened, but she did not see anyone.

"It's probably Hepzibah," she thought.

It was dark inside the house and she felt a hand take hers.

"This isn't Hepzibah's hand!" Phoebe thought. She turned around and saw Holgrave. The daguerreotypist looked paler than usual. He smiled at her.

"Where are Hepzibah and Clifford?" she asked. "Something terrible has happened!"

"No, no, Phoebe!" said Holgrave. "Listen to me. Do you remember this?"

He showed her the daguerreotype of Judge Pyncheon which he had once shown her.

"It's Judge Pyncheon," said Phoebe.

"And here is the same face that I took half an hour ago," said Holgrave showing her another miniature.

"But this is death," she said. "Judge Pyncheon is dead!"

"Yes, and he is sitting in the living room of this house," Holgrave said. "Clifford and Hepzibah have disappeared and I don't know anything else."

The young girl was frightened.

"Why haven't you opened the doors and asked if there are witnesses?" she asked.

"We must think about what's best for Clifford. He and Hepzibah made the mistake of running away. Poor Clifford, the police will suspect him."

"Clifford?" asked Phoebe.

"Perhaps you don't know the whole story," said Holgrave. "Clifford went to prison for thirty years because he was accused of his uncle's death. But Clifford didn't murder him and he didn't murder Judge Pyncheon. You see, Old Colonel Pyncheon, Clifford's uncle and Judge Pyncheon all died in the same way because they all had the same problem: a bad heart! That was Maule's curse."

"Then Clifford is innocent!" cried Phoebe. "We must tell everyone. Let's open the doors and tell our neighbors the truth."

"You're right, Phoebe," said Holgrave, but he did not move. He looked at Phoebe lovingly and said, "The presence of a dead man in this house threw a great black shadow over everything. The world looked evil and unfriendly, and my past life seemed dark and lonely. My future seemed sad and hopeless. But then you came into the house this morning and brought warmth and hope. Dear Phoebe, I love you."

"How... how can you love a simple girl like me?" asked Phoebe, looking at Holgrave.

"You are my only happiness," answered Holgrave. "Do you love me, Phoebe?"

"Look into my heart," said Phoebe. "You know I love you."

At that moment everything was beautiful and hopeful for the two young people.

CHAPTER EIGHT

The Portrait

Phoebe and Holgrave remained in the room until they heard a noise.

"Someone's at the door," whispered Phoebe.

"It's probably the police," said Holgrave. "They've probably heard about Judge Pyncheon's visit and Clifford and Hepzibah's disappearance. Let's go and open the door."

But to their surprise, before they had left the room they heard footsteps in the house, and then a voice, "Thank God, my brother, we're home!"

It was Hepzibah and Clifford, who had returned home. When Hepzibah saw Phoebe she started crying.

"It's our little Phoebe and Holgrave, too!" Clifford said, smiling happily.

The police and the doctors who later investigated the case agreed that the judge had died of a heart attack. Therefore, Clifford was not suspected. The people talked about his death for many days, and both good and bad things were said. Interestingly, the people discovered much more about the judge, his personality and his life, now that he was dead.

However, the murder of Judge Pyncheon's uncle more than thirty years earlier was still not clear. It seemed as though somebody had been into his apartment and stolen some money and other valuable articles. They had also found a bloody handprint on the old man's bed sheet. Clifford had spent thirty years in prison for this murder, but was he guilty? Mystery still surrounded the death or murder of Clifford's uncle. Holgrave was able to find out more about the case.

During his youth Judge Pyncheon had been a wild man. His uncle, who had always liked him in the past, began to dislike him. One night young Jaffrey Pyncheon did something terrible. He went to his uncle's room and started looking in his private drawers. Suddenly his old uncle appeared, and was shocked and frightened by what he saw. He had a heart attack and fell to the floor. As he fell, he hit his head on the corner of a table and died.

The cruel young man did not try to help his old uncle. He continued looking until he found a recent will in favor of Clifford. He destroyed that will and found an older one in his favor. To save himself, Jaffrey accused Clifford of the uncle's murder. So young Clifford was sent to prison for thirty years, and Jaffrey became a famous judge.

By now it was late in life for Clifford and he couldn't change what had happened. But after Judge Pyncheon's death he felt free and he was clearly happy. All of the Judge's money and property belonged to Clifford and Hepzibah.

"Well, Jaffrey's country house is ours now," said Hepzibah. "Let's all go to live there."

Everyone agreed that this was an excellent idea. As they sat in the living room discussing their plans, Clifford said, "That portrait! How I hate it. It seems to hold a secret, a secret from my childhood that I can't remember."

"Perhaps I remember it," said Holgrave. "You see, there is a secret mechanism behind the portrait."

"That's it!" exclaimed Clifford. "It's a secret mechanism." Holgrave touched the secret mechanism on the back of the portrait and it moved to one side. There was a small hiding place in the wall and the secret map and land deed were hidden there.

Holgrave examined the old Indian map and the land deed. Everyone was amazed. "This is what the Pyncheons have wanted for centuries and now they're worth nothing!" said Holgrave.

"Poor cousin Jaffrey!" exclaimed Hepzibah. "He died thinking that Clifford had discovered his uncle's money."

"How did you know this secret?" asked Phoebe.

"My dear Phoebe, my last name is Maule!" replied Holgrave. "Yes, I'm a descendant of Matthew Maule the wizard. But I'm not a wizard. The son of poor Matthew Maule was one of the men who built this house. He made the secret hiding place behind the portrait and hid the map and deed there. He was sure no one would find it."

A handsome green carriage stopped in front of the old house. The group of happy people were chatting and laughing together. Clifford and Hepzibah turned around and looked for the last time at their family house without any emotion. Several children had come to see the unusual sight. Hepzibah recognized Ned Higgins, her first customer, and gave him a handful of silver coins. Then they got into the carriage and drove away to their new home in the country. The long feud between the Pyncheons and the Maules had finally ended thanks to Holgrave and Phoebe's love.

As the carriage drove off, two men looked at each other and one said, "Well, what do you think of that? Hepzibah opened a cent shop a few months ago and now she's rich!"

"Very good business." said the other man.