stories by modern american authors-第45节

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that　remained　was　to　ascertain　the　precise　spot　where　the　treasure

lay　buried；　for　otherwise　he　might　dig　at　random　in　the

neighborhood　of　the　crosses；　without　coming　upon　the　spoils；　and　he

had　already　had　enough　of　such　profitless　labor。　　Here；　however；

the　old　negro　was　perfectly　at　a　loss；　and　indeed　perplexed　him　by

a　variety　of　opinions；　for　his　recollections　were　all　confused。

Sometimes　he　declared　it　must　have　been　at　the　foot　of　a　mulberry

tree　hard　by；　then　beside　a　great　white　stone；　then　under　a　small

green　knoll；　a　short　distance　from　the　ledge　of　rocks；　until　at

length　Wolfert　became　as　bewildered　as　himself。



The　shadows　of　evening　were　now　spreading　themselves　over　the

woods；　and　rock　and　tree　began　to　mingle　together。　　It　was

evidently　too　late　to　attempt　anything　further　at　present；　and；

indeed；　Wolfert　had　come　unprovided　with　implements　to　prosecute

his　researches。　　Satisfied；　therefore；　with　having　ascertained　the

place；　he　took　note　of　all　its　landmarks；　that　he　might　recognize

it　again；　and　set　out　on　his　return　homeward；　resolved　to　prosecute

this　golden　enterprise　without　delay。



The　leading　anxiety　which　had　hitherto　absorbed　every　feeling　being

now　in　some　measure　appeased；　fancy　began　to　wander；　and　to　conjure

up　a　thousand　shapes　and　chimeras　as　he　returned　through　this

haunted　region。　　Pirates　hanging　in　chains　seemed　to　swing　from

every　tree；　and　he　almost　expected　to　see　some　Spanish　don；　with

his　throat　cut　from　ear　to　ear；　rising　slowly　out　of　the　ground；

and　shaking　the　ghost　of　a　money　bag。



Their　way　back　lay　through　the　desolate　garden；　and　Wolfert's

nerves　had　arrived　at　so　sensitive　a　state　that　the　flitting　of　a

bird；　the　rustling　of　a　leaf；　or　the　falling　of　a　nut　was　enough　to

startle　him。　　As　they　entered　the　confines　of　the　garden；　they

caught　sight　of　a　figure　at　a　distance　advancing　slowly　up　one　of

the　walks；　and　bending　under　the　weight　of　a　burden。　　They　paused

and　regarded　him　attentively。　　He　wore　what　appeared　to　be　a　woolen

cap；　and；　still　more　alarming；　of　a　most　sanguinary　red。



The　figure　moved　slowly　on；　ascended　the　bank；　and　stopped　at　the

very　door　of　the　sepulchral　vault。　　Just　before　entering　it　he

looked　around。　　What　was　the　affright　of　Wolfert　when　he　recognized

the　grisly　visage　of　the　drowned　buccaneer！　　He　uttered　an

ejaculation　of　horror。　　The　figure　slowly　raised　his　iron　fist　and

shook　it　with　a　terrible　menace。　　Wolfert　did　not　pause　to　see　any

more；　but　hurried　off　as　fast　as　his　legs　could　carry　him；　nor　was

Sam　slow　in　following　at　his　heels；　having　all　his　ancient　terrors

revived。　　Away；　then；　did　they　scramble　through　bush　and　brake；

horribly　frightened　at　every　bramble　that　tugged　at　their　skirts；

nor　did　they　pause　to　breathe　until　they　had　blundered　their　way

through　this　perilous　wood；　and　fairly　reached　the　highroad　to　the

city。



Several　days　elapsed　before　Wolfert　could　summon　courage　enough　to

prosecute　the　enterprise；　so　much　had　he　been　dismayed　by　the

apparition；　whether　living　or　dead；　of　the　grisly　buccaneer。　　In

the　meantime；　what　a　conflict　of　mind　did　he　suffer！　　He　neglected

all　his　concerns；　was　moody　and　restless　all　day；　lost　his

appetite；　wandered　in　his　thoughts　and　words；　and　committed　a

thousand　blunders。　　His　rest　was　broken；　and　when　he　fell　asleep

the　nightmare；　in　shape　of　a　huge　money　bag；　sat　squatted　upon　his

breast。　　He　babbled　about　incalculable　sums；　fancied　himself

engaged　in　money　digging；　threw　the　bedclothes　right　and　left；　in

the　idea　that　he　was　shoveling　away　the　dirt；　groped　under　the　bed

in　quest　of　the　treasure；　and　lugged　forth；　as　he　supposed；　an

inestimable　pot　of　gold。



Dame　Webber　and　her　daughter　were　in　despair　at　what　they　conceived

a　returning　touch　of　insanity。　　There　are　two　family　oracles；　one

or　other　of　which　Dutch　housewives　consult　in　all　cases　of　great

doubt　and　perplexity；the　dominie　and　the　doctor。　　In　the　present

instance　they　repaired　to　the　doctor。　　There　was　at　that　time　a

little　dark；　moldy　man　of　medicine；　famous　among　the　old　wives　of

the　Manhattoes　for　his　skill；　not　only　in　the　healing　art；　but　in

all　matters　of　strange　and　mysterious　nature。　　His　name　was　Dr。

Knipperhausen；　but　he　was　more　commonly　known　by　the　appellation　of

the　〃High　German　Doctor。〃＇1＇　　To　him　did　the　poor　women　repair　for

counsel　and　assistance　touching　the　mental　vagaries　of　Wolfert

Webber。





＇1＇　The　same；　no　doubt；　of　whom　mention　is　made　in　the　history　of

Dolph　Heyliger。





They　found　the　doctor　seated　in　his　little　study；　clad　in　his　dark

camlet＇1＇　robe　of　knowledge；　with　his　black　velvet　cap；　after　the

manner　of　Boerhaave；＇2＇　Van　Helmont；＇3＇　and　other　medical　sages；　a

pair　of　green　spectacles　set　in　black　horn　upon　his　clubbed　nose；

and　poring　over　a　German　folio　that　reflected　back　the　darkness　of

his　physiognomy。　　The　doctor　listened　to　their　statement　of　the

symptoms　of　Wolfert's　malady　with　profound　attention；　but　when　they

came　to　mention　his　raving　about　buried　money　the　little　man

pricked　up　his　ears。　　Alas；　poor　women！　they　little　knew　the　aid

they　had　called　in。





＇1＇　A　fabric　made　of　goat's　hair　and　silk；　or　wool　and　cotton。



＇2＇　Hermann　Boerhaave　（1668…1738）；　a　celebrated　Dutch　physician　and

philosopher。



＇3＇　Jan　Baptista　Van　Helmont　（1577…1644）；　a　celebrated　Flemish

physician　and　chemist。





Dr。　Knipperhausen　had　been　half　his　life　engaged　in　seeking　the

short　cuts　to　fortune；　in　quest　of　which　so　many　a　long　lifetime　is

wasted。　　He　had　passed　some　years　of　his　youth　among　the　Harz＇1＇

mountains　of　Germany；　and　had　derived　much　valuable　instruction

from　the　miners　touching　the　mode　of　seeking　treasure　buried　in　the

earth。　　He　had　prosecuted　his　studies；　also；　under　a　traveling　sage

who　united　the　mysteries　of　medicine　with　magic　and　legerdemain。

His　mind；　therefore；　had　become　stored　with　all　kinds　of　mystic

lore；　he　had　dabbled　a　little　in　astrology；　alchemy；　divination；＇2＇

knew　how　to　detect　stolen　money；　and　to　tell　where　springs　of　water

lay　hidden；　in　a　word；　by　the　dark　nature　of　his　knowledge　he　had

acquired　the　name　of　the　〃High　German　Doctor；〃　which　is　pretty

nearly　equivalent　to　that　of　necromancer。　　The　doctor　had　often

heard　rumors　of　treasure　being　buried　in　various　parts　of　the

island；　and　had　long　been　anxious　to　get　on　the　traces　of　it。　　No

sooner　were　Wolfert's　waking　and　sleeping　vagaries　confided　to　him

than　he　beheld　in　them　the　confirmed　symptoms　of　a　case　of　money

digging；　and　lost　no　time　in　probing　it　to　the　bottom。　　Wolfert　had

long　been　sorely　oppressed　in　mind　by　the　golden　secret；　and　as　a

family　physician　is　a　kind　of　father　confessor；　he　was　glad　of　any

opportunity　of　unburdening　himself。　　So　far　from　curing；　the　doctor

caught　the　malady　from　his　patient。　　The　circumstances　unfolded　to

him　awakened　all　his　cupidity；　he　had　not　a　doubt　of　money　being

buried　somewhere　in　the　neighborhood　of　the　mysterious　crosses；　and

offered　to　join　Wolfert　in　the　search。　　He　informed　him　that　much

secrecy　and　caution　must　be　observed　in　enterprises　of　the　kind；

that　money　is　only　to　be　dug　for　at　night；　with　certain　forms　and

ceremonies　and　burning　of　drugs；　the　repeating　of　mystic　words；

and；　above　all；　that　the　seekers　must　first　be　provided　with　a

divining　rod；＇3＇　which　had　the　wonderful　property　of　pointing　to

the　very　spot　on　the　surface　of　the　earth　under　which　treasure　lay

hidden。　　As　the　doctor　had　given　much　of　his　mind　to　these　matters

he　charged　himself　with　all　the　necessary　preparations；　and；　as　the

quarter　of　the　moon　was　propitious；　he　undertook　to　have　the

divining　rod　ready　by　a　certain　night。





＇1＇　A　mountain　chain　in　northwestern　Germany；　between　the　Elbe　and

the　Weser。



＇2＇　Astrology；　alchemy；　and　divination　were　three　imaginary　arts。

The　first　pretended　to　judge　of　the　influence　of　the　stars　on　human

affairs；　and　to　foretell　events　by　their　positions　and　aspects；　the

second　aimed　to　transmute　the　baser　metals　into　gold；　and　to　find　a

universal　remedy　for　diseases；　while　the　third　dealt　with　the

discovery　of　secret　or　future　events　by　preternatural　means。



＇3＇　A　divining　rod　is　a　rod　used　by　those　who　pretend　to　discover

water　or　metals　underground。　　It　is　commonly　made　of　witch　hazel；

with　forked　branches。





Wolfert's　heart　leaped　with　joy　at　having　met　with　so　learned　and

able　a　coadjutor。　　Everything　went　on　secretly　but　swimmingly。　　The

doctor　had　many　consultations　with　his　patient；　and　the　good　women

of　the　household　lauded　the　comforting　effect　of　his　visits。　　In

the　meantime　the　wonderful　divining　rod；　that　great　key　to　nature's

secrets；　was　duly　prepared。　　The　doctor　had　thumbed　over　all　his

books　of　knowledge　for　the　occasion；　and　the　black　fisherman　was

engaged　to　take　them　in　his　skiff　to　the　scene　of　enterprise；　to

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