I	O
The	O
Old	O
Pyncheon	O
Family	O
HALFWAY	O
down	O
a	O
by-street	O
of	O
one	O
of	O
our	O
New	O
England	O
towns	O
stands	O
a	O
rusty	O
wooden	O
house	O
,	O
with	O
seven	O
acutely	O
peaked	O
gables	O
,	O
facing	O
towards	O
various	O
points	O
of	O
the	O
compass	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
huge	O
,	O
clustered	O
chimney	O
in	O
the	O
midst	O
.	O

The	O
street	O
is	O
Pyncheon	O
Street	O
;	O
the	O
house	O
is	O
the	O
old	O
Pyncheon	O
House	O
;	O
and	O
an	O
elm-tree	O
,	O
of	O
wide	O
circumference	O
,	O
rooted	O
before	O
the	O
door	O
,	O
is	O
familiar	O
to	O
every	O
town-born	O
child	O
by	O
the	O
title	O
of	O
the	O
Pyncheon	O
Elm	O
.	O

On	O
my	O
occasional	O
visits	O
to	O
the	O
town	O
aforesaid	O
,	O
I	O
seldom	O
failed	O
to	O
turn	O
down	O
Pyncheon	O
Street	O
,	O
for	O
the	O
sake	O
of	O
passing	O
through	O
the	O
shadow	O
of	O
these	O
two	O
antiquities	O
,	O
--	O
the	O
great	O
elm-tree	O
and	O
the	O
weather-beaten	O
edifice	O
.	O

The	O
aspect	O
of	O
the	O
venerable	O
mansion	O
has	O
always	O
affected	O
me	O
like	O
a	O
human	O
countenance	O
,	O
bearing	O
the	O
traces	O
not	O
merely	O
of	O
outward	O
storm	O
and	O
sunshine	O
,	O
but	O
expressive	O
also	O
,	O
of	O
the	O
long	O
lapse	O
of	O
mortal	O
life	O
,	O
and	O
accompanying	O
vicissitudes	O
that	O
have	O
passed	O
within	O
.	O

Were	O
these	O
to	O
be	O
worthily	O
recounted	O
,	O
they	O
would	O
form	O
a	O
narrative	O
of	O
no	O
small	O
interest	O
and	O
instruction	O
,	O
and	O
possessing	O
,	O
moreover	O
,	O
a	O
certain	O
remarkable	O
unity	O
,	O
which	O
might	O
almost	O
seem	O
the	O
result	O
of	O
artistic	O
arrangement	O
.	O

But	O
the	O
story	O
would	O
include	O
a	O
chain	O
of	O
events	O
extending	O
over	O
the	O
better	O
part	O
of	O
two	O
centuries	O
,	O
and	O
,	O
written	O
out	O
with	O
reasonable	O
amplitude	O
,	O
would	O
fill	O
a	O
bigger	O
folio	O
volume	O
,	O
or	O
a	O
longer	O
series	O
of	O
duodecimos	O
,	O
than	O
could	O
prudently	O
be	O
appropriated	O
to	O
the	O
annals	O
of	O
all	O
New	O
England	O
during	O
a	O
similar	O
period	O
.	O

It	O
consequently	O
becomes	O
imperative	O
to	O
make	O
short	O
work	O
with	O
most	O
of	O
the	O
traditionary	O
lore	O
of	O
which	O
the	O
old	O
Pyncheon	O
House	O
,	O
otherwise	O
known	O
as	O
the	O
House	O
of	O
the	O
Seven	O
Gables	O
,	O
has	O
been	O
the	O
theme	O
.	O

With	O
a	O
brief	O
sketch	O
,	O
therefore	O
,	O
of	O
the	O
circumstances	O
amid	O
which	O
the	O
foundation	O
of	O
the	O
house	O
was	O
laid	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
rapid	O
glimpse	O
at	O
its	O
quaint	O
exterior	O
,	O
as	O
it	O
grew	O
black	O
in	O
the	O
prevalent	O
east	O
wind	O
,	O
--	O
pointing	O
,	O
too	O
,	O
here	O
and	O
there	O
,	O
at	O
some	O
spot	O
of	O
more	O
verdant	O
mossiness	O
on	O
its	O
roof	O
and	O
walls	O
,	O
--	O
we	O
shall	O
commence	O
the	O
real	O
action	O
of	O
our	O
tale	O
at	O
an	O
epoch	O
not	O
very	O
remote	O
from	O
the	O
present	O
day	O
.	O

Still	O
,	O
there	O
will	O
be	O
a	O
connection	O
with	O
the	O
long	O
past	O
--	O
a	O
reference	O
to	O
forgotten	O
events	O
and	O
personages	O
,	O
and	O
to	O
manners	O
,	O
feelings	O
,	O
and	O
opinions	O
,	O
almost	O
or	O
wholly	O
obsolete	O
--	O
which	O
,	O
if	O
adequately	O
translated	O
to	O
the	O
reader	O
,	O
would	O
serve	O
to	O
illustrate	O
how	O
much	O
of	O
old	O
material	O
goes	O
to	O
make	O
up	O
the	O
freshest	O
novelty	O
of	O
human	O
life	O
.	O

Hence	O
,	O
too	O
,	O
might	O
be	O
drawn	O
a	O
weighty	O
lesson	O
from	O
the	O
little-regarded	O
truth	O
,	O
that	O
the	O
act	O
of	O
the	O
passing	O
generation	O
is	O
the	O
germ	O
which	O
may	O
and	O
must	O
produce	O
good	O
or	O
evil	O
fruit	O
in	O
a	O
far-distant	O
time	O
;	O
that	O
,	O
together	O
with	O
the	O
seed	O
of	O
the	O
merely	O
temporary	O
crop	O
,	O
which	O
mortals	O
term	O
expediency	O
,	O
they	O
inevitably	O
sow	O
the	O
acorns	O
of	O
a	O
more	O
enduring	O
growth	O
,	O
which	O
may	O
darkly	O
overshadow	O
their	O
posterity	O
.	O

The	O
House	O
of	O
the	O
Seven	O
Gables	O
,	O
antique	O
as	O
it	O
now	O
looks	O
,	O
was	O
not	O
the	O
first	O
habitation	O
erected	O
by	O
civilized	O
man	O
on	O
precisely	O
the	O
same	O
spot	O
of	O
ground	O
.	O

Pyncheon	O
Street	O
formerly	O
bore	O
the	O
humbler	O
appellation	O
of	O
Maule	O
's	O
Lane	O
,	O
from	O
the	O
name	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
occupant	O
of	O
the	O
soil	O
,	O
before	O
whose	O
cottage-door	O
it	O
was	O
a	O
cow-path	O
.	O

A	O
natural	O
spring	O
of	O
soft	O
and	O
pleasant	O
water	O
--	O
a	O
rare	O
treasure	O
on	O
the	O
sea-girt	O
peninsula	O
where	O
the	O
Puritan	O
settlement	O
was	O
made	O
--	O
had	O
early	O
induced	O
Matthew	O
Maule	O
to	O
build	EVENT
a	O
hut	O
,	O
shaggy	O
with	O
thatch	O
,	O
at	O
this	O
point	O
,	O
although	O
somewhat	O
too	O
remote	O
from	O
what	O
was	O
then	O
the	O
centre	O
of	O
the	O
village	O
.	O

In	O
the	O
growth	O
of	O
the	O
town	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
after	O
some	O
thirty	O
or	O
forty	O
years	O
,	O
the	O
site	O
covered	O
by	O
this	O
rude	O
hovel	O
had	O
become	O
exceedingly	O
desirable	O
in	O
the	O
eyes	O
of	O
a	O
prominent	O
and	O
powerful	O
personage	O
,	O
who	O
asserted	O
plausible	O
claims	O
to	O
the	O
proprietorship	O
of	O
this	O
and	O
a	O
large	O
adjacent	O
tract	O
of	O
land	O
,	O
on	O
the	O
strength	O
of	O
a	O
grant	O
from	O
the	O
legislature	O
.	O

Colonel	O
Pyncheon	O
,	O
the	O
claimant	O
,	O
as	O
we	O
gather	O
from	O
whatever	O
traits	O
of	O
him	O
are	O
preserved	O
,	O
was	O
characterized	O
by	O
an	O
iron	O
energy	O
of	O
purpose	O
.	O

Matthew	O
Maule	O
,	O
on	O
the	O
other	O
hand	O
,	O
though	O
an	O
obscure	O
man	O
,	O
was	O
stubborn	O
in	O
the	O
defence	O
of	O
what	O
he	O
considered	O
his	O
right	O
;	O
and	O
,	O
for	O
several	O
years	O
,	O
he	O
succeeded	O
in	O
protecting	O
the	O
acre	O
or	O
two	O
of	O
earth	O
which	O
,	O
with	O
his	O
own	O
toil	O
,	O
he	O
had	O
hewn	O
out	O
of	O
the	O
primeval	O
forest	O
,	O
to	O
be	O
his	O
garden	O
ground	O
and	O
homestead	O
.	O

No	O
written	O
record	O
of	O
this	O
dispute	O
is	O
known	O
to	O
be	O
in	O
existence	O
.	O

Our	O
acquaintance	O
with	O
the	O
whole	O
subject	O
is	O
derived	O
chiefly	O
from	O
tradition	O
.	O

It	O
would	O
be	O
bold	O
,	O
therefore	O
,	O
and	O
possibly	O
unjust	O
,	O
to	O
venture	O
a	O
decisive	O
opinion	O
as	O
to	O
its	O
merits	O
;	O
although	O
it	O
appears	O
to	O
have	O
been	O
at	O
least	O
a	O
matter	O
of	O
doubt	O
,	O
whether	O
Colonel	O
Pyncheon	O
's	O
claim	O
were	O
not	O
unduly	O
stretched	O
,	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
make	O
it	O
cover	O
the	O
small	O
metes	O
and	O
bounds	O
of	O
Matthew	O
Maule	O
.	O

What	O
greatly	O
strengthens	O
such	O
a	O
suspicion	O
is	O
the	O
fact	O
that	O
this	O
controversy	O
between	O
two	O
ill-matched	O
antagonists	O
--	O
at	O
a	O
period	O
,	O
moreover	O
,	O
laud	O
it	O
as	O
we	O
may	O
,	O
when	O
personal	O
influence	O
had	O
far	O
more	O
weight	O
than	O
now	O
--	O
remained	O
for	O
years	O
undecided	O
,	O
and	O
came	O
to	O
a	O
close	O
only	O
with	O
the	O
death	EVENT
of	O
the	O
party	O
occupying	O
the	O
disputed	O
soil	O
.	O

The	O
mode	O
of	O
his	O
death	EVENT
,	O
too	O
,	O
affects	O
the	O
mind	O
differently	O
,	O
in	O
our	O
day	O
,	O
from	O
what	O
it	O
did	O
a	O
century	O
and	O
a	O
half	O
ago	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
a	O
death	EVENT
that	O
blasted	EVENT
with	O
strange	O
horror	O
the	O
humble	O
name	O
of	O
the	O
dweller	O
in	O
the	O
cottage	O
,	O
and	O
made	O
it	O
seem	O
almost	O
a	O
religious	O
act	O
to	O
drive	O
the	O
plough	O
over	O
the	O
little	O
area	O
of	O
his	O
habitation	O
,	O
and	O
obliterate	O
his	O
place	O
and	O
memory	O
from	O
among	O
men	O
.	O

Old	O
Matthew	O
Maule	O
,	O
in	O
a	O
word	O
,	O
was	O
executed	EVENT
for	O
the	O
crime	O
of	O
witchcraft	O
.	O

He	O
was	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
martyrs	O
to	O
that	O
terrible	O
delusion	O
,	O
which	O
should	O
teach	O
us	O
,	O
among	O
its	O
other	O
morals	O
,	O
that	O
the	O
influential	O
classes	O
,	O
and	O
those	O
who	O
take	O
upon	O
themselves	O
to	O
be	O
leaders	O
of	O
the	O
people	O
,	O
are	O
fully	O
liable	O
to	O
all	O
the	O
passionate	O
error	O
that	O
has	O
ever	O
characterized	O
the	O
maddest	O
mob	O
.	O

Clergymen	O
,	O
judges	O
,	O
statesmen	O
,	O
--	O
the	O
wisest	O
,	O
calmest	O
,	O
holiest	O
persons	O
of	O
their	O
day	O
stood	O
in	O
the	O
inner	O
circle	O
round	O
about	O
the	O
gallows	O
,	O
loudest	O
to	O
applaud	O
the	O
work	O
of	O
blood	O
,	O
latest	O
to	O
confess	O
themselves	O
miserably	O
deceived	O
.	O

If	O
any	O
one	O
part	O
of	O
their	O
proceedings	O
can	O
be	O
said	O
to	O
deserve	O
less	O
blame	O
than	O
another	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
the	O
singular	O
indiscrimination	O
with	O
which	O
they	O
persecuted	O
,	O
not	O
merely	O
the	O
poor	O
and	O
aged	O
,	O
as	O
in	O
former	O
judicial	O
massacres	O
,	O
but	O
people	O
of	O
all	O
ranks	O
;	O
their	O
own	O
equals	O
,	O
brethren	O
,	O
and	O
wives	O
.	O

Amid	O
the	O
disorder	O
of	O
such	O
various	O
ruin	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
not	O
strange	O
that	O
a	O
man	O
of	O
inconsiderable	O
note	O
,	O
like	O
Maule	O
,	O
should	O
have	O
trodden	EVENT
the	O
martyr	O
's	O
path	O
to	O
the	O
hill	O
of	O
execution	O
almost	O
unremarked	O
in	O
the	O
throng	O
of	O
his	O
fellow	O
sufferers	O
.	O

But	O
,	O
in	O
after	O
days	O
,	O
when	O
the	O
frenzy	O
of	O
that	O
hideous	O
epoch	O
had	O
subsided	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
remembered	O
how	O
loudly	O
Colonel	O
Pyncheon	O
had	O
joined	O
in	O
the	O
general	O
cry	O
,	O
to	O
purge	O
the	O
land	O
from	O
witchcraft	O
;	O
nor	O
did	O
it	O
fail	O
to	O
be	O
whispered	O
,	O
that	O
there	O
was	O
an	O
invidious	O
acrimony	O
in	O
the	O
zeal	O
with	O
which	O
he	O
had	O
sought	O
the	O
condemnation	O
of	O
Matthew	O
Maule	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
well	O
known	O
that	O
the	O
victim	O
had	O
recognized	O
the	O
bitterness	O
of	O
personal	O
enmity	O
in	O
his	O
persecutor	O
's	O
conduct	O
towards	O
him	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
he	O
declared	O
himself	O
hunted	O
to	O
death	O
for	O
his	O
spoil	O
.	O

At	O
the	O
moment	O
of	O
execution	EVENT
--	O
with	O
the	O
halter	O
about	O
his	O
neck	O
,	O
and	O
while	O
Colonel	O
Pyncheon	O
sat	O
on	O
horseback	O
,	O
grimly	O
gazing	EVENT
at	O
the	O
scene	O
Maule	O
had	O
addressed	EVENT
him	O
from	O
the	O
scaffold	O
,	O
and	O
uttered	O
a	O
prophecy	EVENT
,	O
of	O
which	O
history	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
fireside	O
tradition	O
,	O
has	O
preserved	O
the	O
very	O
words	O
.	O

"	O
God	O
,	O
"	O
said	EVENT
the	O
dying	O
man	O
,	O
pointing	EVENT
his	O
finger	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
ghastly	O
look	EVENT
,	O
at	O
the	O
undismayed	O
countenance	O
of	O
his	O
enemy	O
,	O
--	O
"	O
God	O
will	O
give	O
him	O
blood	O
to	O
drink	O
!	O
"	O

After	O
the	O
reputed	O
wizard	O
's	O
death	EVENT
,	O
his	O
humble	O
homestead	O
had	O
fallen	O
an	O
easy	O
spoil	O
into	O
Colonel	O
Pyncheon	O
's	O
grasp	EVENT
.	O

When	O
it	O
was	O
understood	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
that	O
the	O
Colonel	O
intended	O
to	O
erect	O
a	O
family	O
mansion-spacious	O
,	O
ponderously	O
framed	O
of	O
oaken	O
timber	O
,	O
and	O
calculated	O
to	O
endure	O
for	O
many	O
generations	O
of	O
his	O
posterity	O
over	O
the	O
spot	O
first	O
covered	O
by	O
the	O
log-built	O
hut	O
of	O
Matthew	O
Maule	O
,	O
there	O
was	O
much	O
shaking	O
of	O
the	O
head	O
among	O
the	O
village	O
gossips	O
.	O

Without	O
absolutely	O
expressing	O
a	O
doubt	O
whether	O
the	O
stalwart	O
Puritan	O
had	O
acted	O
as	O
a	O
man	O
of	O
conscience	O
and	O
integrity	O
throughout	O
the	O
proceedings	O
which	O
have	O
been	O
sketched	O
,	O
they	O
,	O
nevertheless	O
,	O
hinted	O
that	O
he	O
was	O
about	O
to	O
build	O
his	O
house	O
over	O
an	O
unquiet	O
grave	O
.	O

His	O
home	O
would	O
include	O
the	O
home	O
of	O
the	O
dead	O
and	O
buried	O
wizard	O
,	O
and	O
would	O
thus	O
afford	O
the	O
ghost	O
of	O
the	O
latter	O
a	O
kind	O
of	O
privilege	O
to	O
haunt	O
its	O
new	O
apartments	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
chambers	O
into	O
which	O
future	O
bridegrooms	O
were	O
to	O
lead	O
their	O
brides	O
,	O
and	O
where	O
children	O
of	O
the	O
Pyncheon	O
blood	O
were	O
to	O
be	O
born	O
.	O

The	O
terror	O
and	O
ugliness	O
of	O
Maule	O
's	O
crime	EVENT
,	O
and	O
the	O
wretchedness	O
of	O
his	O
punishment	EVENT
,	O
would	O
darken	O
the	O
freshly	O
plastered	O
walls	O
,	O
and	O
infect	O
them	O
early	O
with	O
the	O
scent	O
of	O
an	O
old	O
and	O
melancholy	O
house	O
.	O

Why	O
,	O
then	O
,	O
--	O
while	O
so	O
much	O
of	O
the	O
soil	O
around	O
him	O
was	O
bestrewn	O
with	O
the	O
virgin	O
forest	O
leaves	O
,	O
--	O
why	O
should	O
Colonel	O
Pyncheon	O
prefer	O
a	O
site	O
that	O
had	O
already	O
been	O
accurst	O
?	O

But	O
the	O
Puritan	O
soldier	O
and	O
magistrate	O
was	O
not	O
a	O
man	O
to	O
be	O
turned	O
aside	O
from	O
his	O
well-considered	O
scheme	O
,	O
either	O
by	O
dread	O
of	O
the	O
wizard	O
's	O
ghost	O
,	O
or	O
by	O
flimsy	O
sentimentalities	O
of	O
any	O
kind	O
,	O
however	O
specious	O
.	O

Had	O
he	O
been	O
told	O
of	O
a	O
bad	O
air	O
,	O
it	O
might	O
have	O
moved	O
him	O
somewhat	O
;	O
but	O
he	O
was	O
ready	O
to	O
encounter	O
an	O
evil	O
spirit	O
on	O
his	O
own	O
ground	O
.	O

Endowed	O
with	O
commonsense	O
,	O
as	O
massive	O
and	O
hard	O
as	O
blocks	O
of	O
granite	O
,	O
fastened	O
together	O
by	O
stern	O
rigidity	O
of	O
purpose	O
,	O
as	O
with	O
iron	O
clamps	O
,	O
he	O
followed	O
out	O
his	O
original	O
design	O
,	O
probably	O
without	O
so	O
much	O
as	O
imagining	O
an	O
objection	O
to	O
it	O
.	O

On	O
the	O
score	O
of	O
delicacy	O
,	O
or	O
any	O
scrupulousness	O
which	O
a	O
finer	O
sensibility	O
might	O
have	O
taught	O
him	O
,	O
the	O
Colonel	O
,	O
like	O
most	O
of	O
his	O
breed	O
and	O
generation	O
,	O
was	O
impenetrable	O
.	O

He	O
therefore	O
dug	EVENT
his	O
cellar	O
,	O
and	O
laid	EVENT
the	O
deep	O
foundations	O
of	O
his	O
mansion	O
,	O
on	O
the	O
square	O
of	O
earth	O
whence	O
Matthew	O
Maule	O
,	O
forty	O
years	O
before	O
,	O
had	O
first	O
swept	EVENT
away	O
the	O
fallen	O
leaves	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
a	O
curious	O
,	O
and	O
,	O
as	O
some	O
people	O
thought	O
,	O
an	O
ominous	O
fact	O
,	O
that	O
,	O
very	O
soon	O
after	O
the	O
workmen	O
began	O
their	O
operations	EVENT
,	O
the	O
spring	O
of	O
water	O
,	O
above	O
mentioned	O
,	O
entirely	O
lost	EVENT
the	O
deliciousness	O
of	O
its	O
pristine	O
quality	O
.	O

Whether	O
its	O
sources	O
were	O
disturbed	O
by	O
the	O
depth	O
of	O
the	O
new	O
cellar	O
,	O
or	O
whatever	O
subtler	O
cause	O
might	O
lurk	O
at	O
the	O
bottom	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
certain	O
that	O
the	O
water	O
of	O
Maule	O
's	O
Well	O
,	O
as	O
it	O
continued	O
to	O
be	O
called	O
,	O
grew	O
hard	EVENT
and	O
brackish	EVENT
.	O

Even	O
such	O
we	O
find	O
it	O
now	O
;	O
and	O
any	O
old	O
woman	O
of	O
the	O
neighborhood	O
will	O
certify	O
that	O
it	O
is	O
productive	O
of	O
intestinal	O
mischief	O
to	O
those	O
who	O
quench	O
their	O
thirst	O
there	O
.	O

The	O
reader	O
may	O
deem	O
it	O
singular	O
that	O
the	O
head	O
carpenter	O
of	O
the	O
new	O
edifice	O
was	O
no	O
other	O
than	O
the	O
son	O
of	O
the	O
very	O
man	O
from	O
whose	O
dead	O
gripe	O
the	O
property	O
of	O
the	O
soil	O
had	O
been	O
wrested	EVENT
.	O

Not	O
improbably	O
he	O
was	O
the	O
best	O
workman	O
of	O
his	O
time	O
;	O
or	O
,	O
perhaps	O
,	O
the	O
Colonel	O
thought	O
it	O
expedient	O
,	O
or	O
was	O
impelled	O
by	O
some	O
better	O
feeling	O
,	O
thus	O
openly	O
to	O
cast	O
aside	O
all	O
animosity	O
against	O
the	O
race	O
of	O
his	O
fallen	O
antagonist	O
.	O

Nor	O
was	O
it	O
out	O
of	O
keeping	O
with	O
the	O
general	O
coarseness	O
and	O
matter-of-fact	O
character	O
of	O
the	O
age	O
,	O
that	O
the	O
son	O
should	O
be	O
willing	O
to	O
earn	O
an	O
honest	O
penny	O
,	O
or	O
,	O
rather	O
,	O
a	O
weighty	O
amount	O
of	O
sterling	O
pounds	O
,	O
from	O
the	O
purse	O
of	O
his	O
father	O
's	O
deadly	O
enemy	O
.	O

At	O
all	O
events	O
,	O
Thomas	O
Maule	O
became	O
the	O
architect	O
of	O
the	O
House	O
of	O
the	O
Seven	O
Gables	O
,	O
and	O
performed	O
his	O
duty	O
so	O
faithfully	O
that	O
the	O
timber	O
framework	O
fastened	O
by	O
his	O
hands	O
still	O
holds	O
together	O
.	O