第 45 节
作者:泰达魔王      更新:2024-07-17 14:41      字数:9321
  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