The House of the Seven Gables

Early the next morning, posies beam bright red from the roof. Uncle Venner goes to the back stoop to collect the scraps for his pig that Hepzibah always leaves for him, but there are no scraps to be found. Holgrave is there, however, and he leans out his window to speak briefly with Uncle Venner.

Various townspeople pass by the house, with one woman banging on the shop door, perturbed that it is not open for business, and others stop by the shop, too. One of the townspeople sees the judge’s card at the doorstep of the house, with yesterday’s schedule scrawled on it, and decides to take it to the police.

In the meantime, Phoebe returns to the house, but she is unable to get in. She goes around to the garden, finally finding a door that opens when she knocks, and she goes inside.

It is so dark that Phoebe cannot see her surroundings. A hand reaches out: It is Holgrave’s, and he brings her into a room full of sunshine.

Though Holgrave is very warm and seems particularly happy, he tells Phoebe that Hepzibah and Clifford have disappeared and that

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