stories by modern american authors-第46节

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work　with　spade　and　pickax　in　unearthing　the　treasure；　and　to

freight　his　bark　with　the　weighty　spoils　they　were　certain　of

finding。



At　length　the　appointed　night　arrived　for　this　perilous

undertaking。　　Before　Wolfert　left　his　home　he　counseled　his　wife

and　daughter　to　go　to　bed；　and　feel　no　alarm　if　he　should　not

return　during　the　night。　　Like　reasonable　women；　on　being　told　not

to　feel　alarm　they　fell　immediately　into　a　panic。　　They　saw　at　once

by　his　manner　that　something　unusual　was　in　agitation；　all　their

fears　about　the　unsettled　state　of　his　mind　were　revived　with

tenfold　force；　they　hung　about　him；　entreating　him　not　to　expose

himself　to　the　night　air；　but　all　in　vain。　　When　once　Wolfert　was

mounted　on　his　hobby；＇1＇　it　was　no　easy　manner　to　get　him　out　of

the　saddle。　　It　was　a　clear；　starlight　night　when　he　issued　out　of

the　portal　of　the　Webber　palace。　　He　wore　a　large　flapped　hat；　tied

under　the　chin　with　a　handkerchief　of　his　daughter's；　to　secure　him

from　the　night　damp；　while　Dame　Webber　threw　her　long　red　cloak

about　his　shoulders；　and　fastened　it　round　his　neck。





＇1＇　Hobby；　or　hobbyhorse；　a　favorite　theme　of　thought；　hence；　〃to

mount　a　hobby〃　is　to　follow　a　favorite　pursuit。





The　doctor　had　been　no　less　carefully　armed　and　accoutered　by　his

housekeeper；　the　vigilant　Frau　Ilsy；　and　sallied　forth　in　his

camlet　robe　by　way　of　surcoat；＇1＇　his　black　velvet　cap　under　his

cocked　hat；　a　thick　clasped　book　under　his　arm；　a　basket　of　drugs

and　dried　herbs　in　one　hand；　and　in　the　other　the　miraculous　rod　of

divination。





＇1＇　Overcoat。





The　great　church　clock　struck　ten　as　Wolfert　and　the　doctor　passed

by　the　churchyard；　and　the　watchman　bawled　in　hoarse　voice　a　long

and　doleful　〃All's　well！〃　　A　deep　sleep　had　already　fallen　upon

this　primitive　little　burgh；　nothing　disturbed　this　awful　silence

excepting　now　and　then　the　bark　of　some　profligate；　night…walking

dog；　or　the　serenade　of　some　romantic　cat。　　It　is　true　Wolfert

fancied　more　than　once　that　he　heard　the　sound　of　a　stealthy

footfall　at　a　distance　behind　them；　but　it　might　have　been　merely

the　echo　of　their　own　steps　along　the　quiet　streets。　　He　thought

also　at　one　time　that　he　saw　a　tall　figure　skulking　after　them；

stopping　when　they　stopped　and　moving　on　as　they　proceeded；　but　the

dim　and　uncertain　lamplight　threw　such　vague　gleams　and　shadows

that　this　might　all　have　been　mere　fancy。



They　found　the　old　fisherman　waiting　for　them；　smoking　his　pipe　in

the　stern　of　the　skiff；　which　was　moored　just　in　front　of　his

little　cabin。　　A　pickax　and　spade　were　lying　in　the　bottom　of　the

boat；　with　a　dark　lantern；　and　a　stone　bottle　of　good　Dutch

courage；＇1＇　in　which　honest　Sam　no　doubt　put　even　more　faith　than

Dr。　Knipperhausen　in　his　drugs。





＇1＇　Dutch　courage　is　courage　that　results　from　indulgence　in　Dutch

gin　or　Hollands；　here　applied　to　the　gin　itself。





Thus；　then；　did　these　three　worthies　embark　in　their　cockleshell　of

a　skiff　upon　this　nocturnal　expedition；　with　a　wisdom　and　valor

equaled　only　by　the　three　wise　men　of　Gotham；＇1＇　who　adventured　to

sea　in　a　bowl。　　The　tide　was　rising　and　running　rapidly　up　the

Sound。　　The　current　bore　them　along；　almost　without　the　aid　of　an

oar。　　The　profile　of　the　town　lay　all　in　shadow。　　Here　and　there　a

light　feebly　glimmered　from　some　sick　chamber；　or　from　the　cabin

window　of　some　vessel　at　anchor　in　the　stream。　　Not　a　cloud

obscured　the　deep；　starry　firmament；　the　lights　of　which　wavered　on

the　surface　of　the　placid　river；　and　a　shooting　meteor；　streaking

its　pale　course　in　the　very　direction　they　were　taking；　was

interpreted　by　the　doctor　into　a　most　propitious　omen。





　　　　　＇1＇　〃Three　wise　men　of　Gotham；

　　　　　　　　　　They　went　to　sea　in　a　bowl

　　　　　　　　　　And　if　the　bowl　had　been　stronger；

　　　　　　　　　　My　tale　had　been　longer。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Mother　Goose　Melody。





＇1＇　Gotham　was　a　village　proverbial　for　the　blundering　simplicity　of

its　inhabitants。　　At　first　the　name　referred　to　an　English　village。

Irving　applied　it　to　New　York　City。





In　a　little　while　they　glided　by　the　point　of　Corlear's　Hook；　with

the　rural　inn　which　had　been　the　scene　of　such　night　adventures。

The　family　had　retired　to　rest；　and　the　house　was　dark　and　still。

Wolfert　felt　a　chill　pass　over　him　as　they　passed　the　point　where

the　buccaneer　had　disappeared。　　He　pointed　it　out　to　Dr。

Knipperhausen。　　While　regarding　it　they　thought　they　saw　a　boat

actually　lurking　at　the　very　place；　but　the　shore　cast　such　a

shadow　over　the　border　of　the　water　that　they　could　discern　nothing

distinctly。　　They　had　not　proceeded　far　when　they　heard　the　low

sounds　of　distant　oars；　as　if　cautiously　pulled。　　Sam　plied　his

oars　with　redoubled　vigor；　and　knowing　all　the　eddies　and　currents

of　the　stream；　soon　left　their　followers；　if　such　they　were；　far

astern。　　In　a　little　while　they　stretched　across　Turtle　Bay　and

Kip's　Bay；＇1＇　then　shrouded　themselves　in　the　deep　shadows　of　the

Manhattan　shore；　and　glided　swiftly　along；　secure　from　observation。

At　length　the　negro　shot　his　skiff　into　a　little　cove；　darkly

embowered　by　trees；　and　made　it　fast　to　the　well…known　iron　ring。

They　now　landed；　and　lighting　the　lantern　gathered　their　various

implements　and　proceeded　slowly　through　the　bushes。　　Every　sound

startled　them；　even　that　of　their　own　footsteps　among　the　dry

leaves；　and　the　hooting　of　a　screech　owl；　from　the　shattered

chimney　of　the　neighboring　ruin；　made　their　blood　run　cold。





＇1＇　A　small　bay　in　the　East　River　below　Corlear's　Hook。





In　spite　of　all　Wolfert's　caution　in　taking　note　of　the　landmarks；

it　was　some　time　before　they　could　find　the　open　place　among　the

trees；　where　the　treasure　was　supposed　to　be　buried。　　At　length

they　came　to　the　ledge　of　rock；　and　on　examining　its　surface　by　the

aid　of　the　lantern；　Wolfert　recognized　the　three　mystic　crosses。

Their　hearts　beat　quick；　for　the　momentous　trial　was　at　hand　that

was　to　determine　their　hopes。



The　lantern　was　now　held　by　Wolfert　Webber；　while　the　doctor

produced　the　divining　rod。　　It　was　a　forked　twig；　one　end　of　which

was　grasped　firmly　in　each　hand；　while　the　center；　forming　the

stem；　pointed　perpendicularly　upward。　　The　doctor　moved　his　wand

about；　within　a　certain　distance　of　the　earth；　from　place　to　place；

but　for　some　time　without　any　effect；　while　Wolfert　kept　the　light

of　the　lantern　turned　full　upon　it；　and　watched　it　with　the　most

breathless　interest。　　At　length　the　rod　began　slowly　to　turn。　　The

doctor　grasped　it　with　greater　earnestness；　his　hands　trembling

with　the　agitation　of　his　mind。　　The　wand　continued　to　turn

gradually；　until　at　length　the　stem　had　reversed　its　position；　and

pointed　perpendicularly　downward；　and　remained　pointing　to　one　spot

as　fixedly　as　the　needle　to　the　pole。



〃This　is　the　spot！〃　said　the　doctor；　in　an　almost　inaudible　tone。



Wolfert's　heart　was　in　his　throat。



〃Shall　I　dig？〃　said　the　negro；　grasping　the　spade。



〃Pots　tausend；＇1＇　no！〃　replied　the　little　doctor　hastily。　　He　now

ordered　his　companions　to　keep　close　by　him；　and　to　maintain　the

most　inflexible　silence；　that　certain　precautions　must　be　taken　and

ceremonies　used　to　prevent　the　evil　spirits　which　kept　about　buried

treasure　from　doing　them　any　harm。　　He　then　drew　a　circle　about　the

place；　enough　to　include　the　whole　party。　　He　next　gathered　dry

twigs　and　leaves　and　made　a　fire；　upon　which　he　threw　certain　drugs

and　dried　herbs　which　he　had　brought　in　his　basket。　　A　thick　smoke

rose；　diffusing　a　potent　odor　savoring　marvelously　of　brimstone　and

asafetida；　which；　however　grateful　it　might　be　to　the　olfactory

nerves　of　spirits；　nearly　strangled　poor　Wolfert；　and　produced　a

fit　of　coughing　and　wheezing　that　made　the　whole　grove　resound。

Dr。　Knipperhausen　then　unclasped　the　volume　which　he　had　brought

under　his　arm；　which　was　printed　in　red　and　black　characters　in

German　text。　　While　Wolfert　held　the　lantern；　the　doctor；　by　the

aid　of　his　spectacles；　read　off　several　forms　of　conjuration　in

Latin　and　German。　　He　then　ordered　Sam　to　seize　the　pickax　and

proceed　to　work。　　The　close…bound　soil　gave　obstinate　signs　of　not

having　been　disturbed　for　many　a　year。　　After　having　picked　his　way

through　the　surface；　Sam　came　to　a　bed　of　sand　and　gravel；　which　he

threw　briskly　to　right　and　left　with　the　spade。





＇1＇　A　German　exclamation　of　anger；　equivalent　to　the　English

〃zounds！〃





〃Hark！〃　said　Wolfert；　who　fancied　he　heard　a　trampling　among　the

dry　leaves　and　a　rustling　through　the　bushes。　　Sam　paused　for　a

moment；　and　they　listened。　　No　footstep　was　near。　　The　bat　flitted

by　them　in　silence；　a　bird；　roused　from　its　roost　by　the　light

which　glared　up　among　the　trees；　flew　circling　about　the　flame。　　In

the　profound　stillness　of　the　woodland　they　could　distinguish　the

current　rippling　along　the　rocky　shore；　and　the　dista