فوئب جوان

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.