-- the bright , bright gold ! Methinks I can remember my last glance at it just as the iron-plated lid fell down . And ever since , being seventy years , it has been blazing in secret and gathering its splendor against this glorious moment . It will flash upon us like the noonday sun . '' `` Then shade your eyes , Mr. Peter ! '' said Tabitha , with somewhat less patience than usual . `` But , for mercy 's sake , do turn the key ! '' And with a strong effort of both hands Peter did force the rusty key through the intricacies of the rusty lock . Mr. Brown , in the mean time , had drawn near and thrust his eager visage between those of the other two at the instant that Peter threw up the lid . No sudden blaze illuminated the kitchen . `` What 's here ? '' exclaimed Tabitha , adjusting her spectacles and holding the lamp over the open chest . `` Old Peter Goldthwaite 's hoard of old rags ! '' `` Pretty much so , Tabby , '' said Mr. Brown , lifting a handful of the treasure . Oh what a ghost of dead and buried wealth had Peter Goldthwaite raised to scare himself out of his scanty wits withal ! Here was the semblance of an incalculable sum , enough to purchase the whole town and build every street anew , but which , vast as it was , no sane man would have given a solid sixpence for . What , then , in sober earnest , were the delusive treasures of the chest ? Why , here were old provincial bills of credit and treasury notes and bills of land-banks , and all other bubbles of the sort , from the first issue -- above a century and a half ago -- down nearly to the Revolution . Bills of a thousand pounds were intermixed with parchment pennies , and worth no more than they . `` And this , then , is old Peter Goldthwaite 's treasure ! ''
XXXXX John Brown .
's being blazing drawn flash gathering given illuminated lifting said