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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.