stories by modern american authors-第31节

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wonderful　hardness；　had　plainly　been　subjected　to　some　mineralizing

processperhaps　that　of　the　bichloride　of　mercury。　　This　box　was

three　feet　and　a　half　long；　three　feet　broad；　and　two　and　a　half

feet　deep。　　It　was　firmly　secured　by　bands　of　wrought　iron；

riveted；　and　forming　a　kind　of　open　trelliswork　over　the　whole。　　On

each　side　of　the　chest；　near　the　top；　were　three　rings　of　ironsix

in　allby　means　of　which　a　firm　hold　could　be　obtained　by　six

persons。　　Our　utmost　united　endeavors　served　only　to　disturb　the

coffer　very　slightly　in　its　bed。　　We　at　once　saw　the　impossibility

of　removing　so　great　a　weight。　　Luckily；　the　sole　fastenings　of　the

lid　consisted　of　two　sliding　bolts。　　These　we　drew　backtrembling

and　panting　with　anxiety。　　In　an　instant；　a　treasure　of

incalculable　value　lay　gleaming　before　us。　　As　the　rays　of　the

lanterns　fell　within　the　pit；　there　flashed　upward　a　glow　and　a

glare；　from　a　confused　heap　of　gold　and　of　jewels；　that　absolutely

dazzled　our　eyes。



I　shall　not　pretend　to　describe　the　feelings　with　which　I　gazed。

Amazement　was；　of　course；　predominant。　　Legrand　appeared　exhausted

with　excitement；　and　spoke　very　few　words。　　Jupiter's　countenance

wore；　for　some　minutes；　as　deadly　a　pallor　as　it　is　possible；　in

the　nature　of　things；　for　any　negro's　visage　to　assume。　　He　seemed

stupefiedthunderstricken。　　Presently　he　fell　upon　his　knees　in

the　pit；　and　burying　his　naked　arms　up　to　the　elbows　in　gold；　let

them　there　remain；　as　if　enjoying　the　luxury　of　a　bath。　　At　length；

with　a　deep　sigh；　he　exclaimed；　as　if　in　a　soliloquy：



〃And　dis　all　cum　of　de　goole…bug！　de　putty　goole…bug！　de　poor

little　goole…bug；　what　I　boosed　in　that　sabage　kind　oh　style！

Ain't　you　shamed　oh　yourself；　nigger？answer　me　dat！〃



It　became　necessary；　at　last；　that　I　should　arouse　both　master　and

valet　to　the　expediency　of　removing　the　treasure。　　It　was　growing

late；　and　it　behooved　us　to　make　exertion；　that　we　might　get

everything　housed　before　daylight。　　It　was　difficult　to　say　what

should　he　done；　and　much　time　was　spent　in　deliberationso

confused　were　the　ideas　of　all。　　We；　finally；　lightened　the　box　by

removing　two　thirds　of　its　contents；　when　we　were　enabled；　with

some　trouble；　to　raise　it　from　the　hole。　　The　articles　taken　out

were　deposited　among　the　brambles；　and　the　dog　left　to　guard　them；

with　strict　orders　from　Jupiter　neither；　upon　any　pretense；　to　stir

from　the　spot；　nor　to　open　his　mouth　until　our　return。　　We　then

hurriedly　made　for　home　with　the　chest；　reaching　the　hut　in　safety；

but　after　excessive　toil；　at　one　o'clock　in　the　morning。　　Worn　out

as　we　were；　it　was　not　in　human　nature　to　do　more　immediately。　　We

rested　until　two；　and　had　supper；　starting　for　the　hills

immediately　afterwards；　armed　with　three　stout　sacks；　which；　by

good　luck；　were　upon　the　premises。　　A　little　before　four　we　arrived

at　the　pit；　divided　the　remainder　of　the　booty；　as　equally　as　might

be；　among　us；　and；　leaving　the　holes　unfilled；　again　set　out　for

the　hut；　at　which；　for　the　second　time；　we　deposited　our　golden

burdens；　just　as　the　first　faint　streaks　of　the　dawn　gleamed　from

over　the　treetops　in　the　east。



We　were　now　thoroughly　broken　down；　but　the　intense　excitement　of

the　time　denied　us　repose。　　After　an　unquiet　slumber　of　some　three

or　four　hours'　duration；　we　arose；　as　if　by　preconcert；　to　make

examination　of　our　treasure。



The　chest　had　been　full　to　the　brim；　and　we　spent　the　whole　day；

and　the　greater　part　of　the　next　night；　in　a　scrutiny　of　its

contents。　　There　had　been　nothing　like　order　or　arrangement。

Everything　had　been　heaped　in　promiscuously。　　Having　assorted　all

with　care；　we　found　ourselves　possessed　of　even　vaster　wealth　than

we　had　at　first　supposed。　　In　coin　there　was　rather　more　than　four

hundred　and　fifty　thousand　dollarsestimating　the　value　of　the

pieces；　as　accurately　as　we　could；　by　the　tables　of　the　period。

There　was　not　a　particle　of　silver。　　All　was　gold　of　antique　date

and　of　great　varietyFrench；　Spanish；　and　German　money；　with　a　few

English　guineas；　and　some　counters；　of　which　we　had　never　seen

specimens　before。　　There　were　several　very　large　and　heavy　coins；

so　worn　that　we　could　make　nothing　of　their　inscriptions。　　There

was　no　American　money。　　The　value　of　the　jewels　we　found　more

difficulty　in　estimating。　　There　were　diamondssome　of　them

exceedingly　large　and　finea　hundred　and　ten　in　all；　and　not　one

of　them　small；　eighteen　rubies　of　remarkable　brilliancy；three

hundred　and　ten　emeralds；　all　very　beautiful；　and　twenty…one

sapphires；　with　an　opal。　　These　stones　had　all　been　broken　from

their　settings　and　thrown　loose　in　the　chest。　　The　settings

themselves；　which　we　picked　out　from　among　the　other　gold；　appeared

to　have　been　beaten　up　with　hammers；　as　if　to　prevent

identification。　　Besides　all　this；　there　was　a　vast　quantity　of

solid　gold　ornaments；　nearly　two　hundred　massive　finger　and　ears

rings；　rich　chainsthirty　of　these；　if　I　remember；　eighty…three

very　large　and　heavy　crucifixes；　five　gold　censers　of　great　value；

a　prodigious　golden　punch　bowl；　ornamented　with　richly　chased　vine

leaves　and　Bacchanalian　figures；　with　two　sword　handles　exquisitely

embossed；　and　many　other　smaller　articles　which　I　cannot　recollect。

The　weight　of　these　valuables　exceeded　three　hundred　and　fifty

pounds　avoirdupois；　and　in　this　estimate　I　have　not　included　one

hundred　and　ninety…seven　superb　gold　watches；　three　of　the　number

being　worth　each　five　hundred　dollars；　if　one。　　Many　of　them　were

very　old；　and　as　timekeepers　valueless；　the　works　having　suffered；

more　or　less；　from　corrosionbut　all　were　richly　jeweled　and　in

cases　of　great　worth。　　We　estimated　the　entire　contents　of　the

chest；　that　night；　at　a　million　and　a　half　of　dollars；　and　upon　the

subsequent　disposal　of　the　trinkets　and　jewels　（a　few　being

retained　for　our　own　use）；　it　was　found　that　we　had　greatly

undervalued　the　treasure。



When；　at　length；　we　had　concluded　our　examination；　and　the　intense

excitement　of　the　time　had；　in　some　measure；　subsided；　Legrand；　who

saw　that　I　was　dying　with　impatience　for　a　solution　of　this　most

extraordinary　riddle；　entered　into　a　full　detail　of　all　the

circumstances　connected　with　it。



〃You　remember；〃　said　he；　〃the　night　when　I　handed　you　the　rough

sketch　I　had　made　of　the　scarabaeus。　　You　recollect；　also；　that　I

became　quite　vexed　at　you　for　insisting　that　my　drawing　resembled　a

death's　head。　　When　you　first　made　this　assertion　I　thought　you

were　jesting；　but　afterwards　I　called　to　mind　the　peculiar　spots　on

the　back　of　the　insect；　and　admitted　to　myself　that　your　remark　had

some　little　foundation　in　fact。　　Still；　the　sneer　at　my　graphic

powers　irritated　mefor　I　am　considered　a　good　artistand；

therefore；　when　you　handed　me　the　scrap　of　parchment；　I　was　about

to　crumple　it　up　and　throw　it　angrily　into　the　fire。〃



〃The　scrap　of　paper；　you　mean；〃　said　I。



〃No；　it　had　much　of　the　appearance　of　paper；　and　at　first　I

supposed　it　to　be　such；　but　when　I　came　to　draw　upon　it；　I

discovered　it　at　once　to　be　a　piece　of　very　thin　parchment。　　It　was

quite　dirty；　you　remember。　　Well；　as　I　was　in　the　very　act　of

crumpling　it　up；　my　glance　fell　upon　the　sketch　at　which　you　had

been　looking；　and　you　may　imagine　my　astonishment　when　I　perceived；

in　fact；　the　figure　of　a　death's　head　just　where；　it　seemed　to　me；

I　had　made　the　drawing　of　the　beetle。　　For　a　moment　I　was　too　much

amazed　to　think　with　accuracy。　　I　knew　that　my　design　was　very

different　in　detail　from　thisalthough　there　was　a　certain

similarity　in　general　outline。　　Presently　I　took　a　candle；　and

seating　myself　at　the　other　end　of　the　room；　proceeded　to

scrutinize　the　parchment　more　closely。　　Upon　turning　it　over；　I　saw

my　own　sketch　upon　the　reverse；　just　as　I　had　made　it。　　My　first

idea；　now；　was　mere　surprise　at　the　really　remarkable　similarity　of

outlineat　the　singular　coincidence　involved　in　the　fact　that；

unknown　to　me；　there　should　have　been　a　skull　upon　the　other　side

of　the　parchment；　immediately　beneath　my　figure　of　the　scarabaeus；

and　that　this　skull；　not　only　in　outline；　but　in　size；　should　so

closely　resemble　my　drawing。　　I　say　the　singularity　of　this

coincidence　absolutely　stupefied　me　for　a　time。　　This　is　the　usual

effect　of　such　coincidences。　　The　mind　struggles　to　establish　a

connectiona　sequence　of　cause　and　effectand；　being　unable　to　do

so；　suffers　a　species　of　temporary　paralysis。　　But；　when　I

recovered　from　this　stupor；　there　dawned　upon　me　gradually　a

conviction　which　startled　me　even　far　more　than　the　coincidence。　　I

began　distinctly；　positively；　to　remember　that　there　had　been　NO

drawing　upon　the　parchment；　when　I　made　my　sketch　of　the

scarabaeus。　　I　became　perfectly　certain　of　this；　for　I　recollected

turning　up　first　one　side　and　then　the　other；　in　search　of　the

cleanest　spot。　　Had　the　skull　been　then　there；　of　course　I　could

not　have　failed