The House Of The Seven Gables Page #4

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all kinds are still to be made.

Where's that lawyer?

Dearest Clifford, you know he isn't

expected until late this afternoon.

Now, will you please come

in and eat something.

Your father and brother

have almost finished.

No thank you.

Aren't you hungry?

I'm starved.

But I prize my appetite much to have it

ruined by Jaffrey's face over the table.

Darling, don't talk like that.

Why not? Hepzibah ..

Do you know why Jaffrey is so

anxious to keep the house?

Fondness of memories.

No, fondness of gold.

He believes in all the witch's tales

about hidden treasure and Maule's curse.

Even about the old well.

Still .. the water is

brackish .. undrinkable.

Oh that's undoubtedly the ancient

sewage system seeping into it.

And yet ..

Yet what, darling?

I recall my great uncle.

He died with ..

Sudden paralysis. Throat haemorrhage.

That isn't Maule's curse.

That's the Pyncheon curse.

Greed .. wilful inhuman selfishness.

A combination of high blood-pressure

and thin-veined aristocracy.

They're haunted by conscience, not the

calcified bones of old Matthew Maule.

Oh darling.

Now you're not going to allow

black memories of the past ..

To ruin a future so bright

and shining as ours.

Isn't that a new dress?

Yes .. is it pleasing to you?

As pleasing to me as

it is becoming to you.

We'll keep it for special occasions,

our 25th and 50th anniversaries.

It'll be gone before then. Moths will

get it and it will fall to pieces.

No it won't. No more than that beautiful

warm smile of yours will ever fade.

To that proposition Mademoiselle,

I dedicate myself.

Clifford darling, don't ever grow up.

Pray forgive this interruption ..

Father would be honored by a visit

from you .. he's in the library.

A beautiful day, isn't it.

I had thought so, until a moment ago.

Now isn't that amusing.

I hadn't until a moment ago.

We really make the weather

ourselves, don't we Hepzibah?

Yes, father?

Clifford, there still remains besides

the house, a few government securities.

Very few.

Yes, yes.

However Jaffrey is confident that we

can collect these bonds immediately.

Invest them in something less secure

perhaps, but far more profitable ..

And within the year we would ..

Yes, and within the year, even that last

shred of security will have vanished.

What about your promise to me?

As the eldest son, I have always

recognized your rights.

As your father I must insist that you

refrain from questioning my authority.

I do not refer to your authority

sir .. but to your promise.

Ah .. you run from me in a moment of

weakened decision. I realize that now.

Sir, it is unthinkable ..

That the Pyncheon birth-rite should

be put upon the auction block.

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