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us false to a mutual friend； as soon as his cause demanded a
vigorous vindication。 But； I rejoice to add； that better and
braver thoughts soon returned； as will now briefly be set forth。
To my note； Mr。 Scribe replied in person。
Once more we made a survey； mainly now with a view to a pecuniary
estimate。
〃I will do it for five hundred dollars；〃 said Mr。 Scribe at last；
again hat in hand。
〃Very well； Mr。 Scribe； I will think of it；〃 replied I； again
bowing him to the door。
Not unvexed by this； for the second time； unexpected response；
again he withdrew； and from my wife； and daughters again burst
the old exclamations。
The truth is； resolved how I would； at the last pinch I and my
chimney could not be parted。
So Holofernes will have his way； never mind whose heart breaks
for it〃 said my wife next morning； at breakfast； in that
half…didactic； half…reproachful way of hers； which is harder to
bear than her most energetic assault。 Holofernes； too； is with
her a pet name for any fell domestic despot。 So； whenever；
against her most ambitious innovations； those which saw me quite
across the grain； I； as in the present instance； stand with
however little steadfastness on the defence； she is sure to call
me Holofernes； and ten to one takes the first opportunity to read
aloud； with a suppressed emphasis； of an evening； the first
newspaper paragraph about some tyrannic day…laborer； who； after
being for many years the Caligula of his family； ends by beating
his long…suffering spouse to death； with a garret door wrenched
off its hinges； and then； pitching his little innocents out of
the window； suicidally turns inward towards the broken wall
scored with the butcher's and baker's bills； and so rushes
headlong to his dreadful account。
Nevertheless； for a few days； not a little to my surprise； I
heard no further reproaches。 An intense calm pervaded my wife；
but beneath which； as in the sea； there was no knowing what
portentous movements might be going on。 She frequently went
abroad； and in a direction which I thought not unsuspicious；
namely； in the direction of New Petra； a griffin…like house of
wood and stucco； in the highest style of ornamental art； graced
with four chimneys in the form of erect dragons spouting smoke
from their nostrils； the elegant modern residence of Mr。 Scribe；
which he had built for the purpose of a standing advertisement；
not more of his taste as an architect； than his solidity as a
master…mason。
At last； smoking my pipe one morning； I heard a rap at the door；
and my wife； with an air unusually quiet for her brought me a
note。 As I have no correspondents except Solomon； with whom in
his sentiments； at least； I entirely correspond； the note
occasioned me some little surprise； which was not dismissed upon
reading the following：
NEW PETRA； April 1st。
SirDuring my last examination of your chimney； possibly you may
have noted that I frequently applied my rule to it in a manner
apparently unnecessary。 Possibly； also； at the same time； you
might have observed in me more or less of perplexity； to which；
however； I refrained from giving any verbal expression。
I now feel it obligatory upon me to inform you of what was then
but a dim suspicion； and as such would have been unwise to give
utterance to； but which now； from various subsequent calculations
assuming no little probability； it may be important that you
should not remain in further ignorance of。
It is my solemn duty to warn you； sir； that there is
architectural cause to conjecture that somewhere concealed in
your chimney is a reserved space； hermetically closed； in short；
a secret chamber； or rather closet。 How long it has been there；
it is for me impossible to say。 What it contains is hid； with
itself； in darkness。 But probably a secret closet would not have
been contrived except for some extraordinary object； whether for
the concealment of treasure； or for what other purpose； may be
left to those better acquainted with the history of the house to
guess。
But enough： in making this disclosure； sir； my conscience is
eased。 Whatever step you choose to take upon it； is of course a
matter of indifference to me； though； I confess； as respects the
character of the closet； I cannot but share in a natural
curiosity。 Trusting that you may be guided aright； in determining
whether it is Christian…like knowingly to reside in a house；
hidden in which is a secret closet； I remain； with much respect；
Yours very humbly；
HIRAM SCRIBE。
My first thought upon reading this note was； not of the alleged
mystery of manner to which； at the outset； it alluded…for none
such had I at all observed in the master…mason during his
surveysbut of my late kinsman； Captain Julian Dacres； long a
ship…master and merchant in the Indian trade； who； about thirty
years ago； and at the ripe age of ninety； died a bachelor； and in
this very house； which he had built。 He was supposed to have
retired into this country with a large fortune。 But to the
general surprise； after being at great cost in building himself
this mansion； he settled down into a sedate； reserved and
inexpensive old age； which by the neighbors was thought all the
better for his heirs： but lo！ upon opening the will； his property
was found to consist but of the house and grounds； and some ten
thousand dollars in stocks； but the place； being found heavily
mortgaged； was in consequence sold。 Gossip had its day； and left
the grass quietly to creep over the captain's grave； where he
still slumbers in a privacy as unmolested as if the billows of
the Indian Ocean； instead of the billows of inland verdure；
rolled over him。 Still； I remembered long ago； hearing strange
solutions whispered by the country people for the mystery
involving his will； and； by reflex； himself； and that； too； as
well in conscience as purse。 But people who could circulate the
report （which they did）； that Captain Julian Dacres had； in his
day； been a Borneo pirate； surely were not worthy of credence in
their collateral notions。 It is queer what wild whimsies of
rumors will； like toadstools； spring up about any eccentric
stranger； who settling down among a rustic population； keeps
quietly to himself。 With some； inoffensiveness would seem a prime
cause of offense。 But what chiefly had led me to scout at these
rumors； particularly as referring to concealed treasure； was the
circumstance； that the stranger （the same who razeed the roof and
the chimney） into whose hands the estate had passed on my
kinsman's death； was of that sort of character； that had there
been the least ground for those reports； he would speedily have
tested them； by tearing down and rummaging the walls。
Nevertheless； the note of Mr。 Scribe； so strangely recalling the
memory of my kinsman； very naturally chimed in with what had been
mysterious； or at least unexplained； about him； vague f