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The Adventure Of The MasonThe Adventure Of The Mason
The Adventure Of The Mason
There was once upon a time a poor mason, or bricklayer, in Granada, who
kept all the saints` days and holidays, and Saint Monday into the bargain, and
yet, with all his devotion, he grew poorer and poorer, and could scarcely earn
bread for his numerous family. One night he was roused from his first sleep by
a knocking at his door. He opened it, and beheld before him a tall, meagre,
cadaverous-looking priest.
"Hark ye, honest friend!" said the stranger; "I have observed that you
are a good Christian, and one to be trusted; will you undertake a job this
very night?"
"With all my heart, Senor Padre, on condition that I am paid
accordingly."
"That you shall be; but you must suffer yourself to be blindfolded."
To this the mason made no objection; so, being hoodwinked, he was led by
the priest through various rough lanes and winding passages, until they
stopped before the portal of a house. The priest then applied a key, turned a
creaking lock, and opened what sounded like a ponderous door. They entered,
the door was closed and bolted, and the mason was conducted through an echoing
corridor, and a spacious hall, to an interior part of the building. Here the
bandage was removed from his eyes, and he found himself in a patio, or
court, dimly lighted by a single lamp. In the centre was the dry basin of an
old Moorish fountain, under which the priest requested him to form a small
vault, bricks and mortar being at hand for the purpose. He accordingly worked
all night, but without finishing the job. Just before daybreak the priest put
a piece of gold into his hand, and having again blindfolded him, conducted him
back to his dwelling.
"Are you willing," said he, "to return and complete your work?"
"Gladly, Senor Padre, provided I am so well paid."
"Well, then, to-morrow at midnight I will call again."
He did so, and the vault was completed.
"Now," said the priest, "you must help me to bring forth the bodies that
are to be buried in this vault."
The poor mason`s hair rose on his head at these words: he followed the
priest, with trembling steps, into a retired chamber of the mansion, expecting
to behold some ghastly spectacle of death, but was relieved on perceiving
three or four portly jars standing in one corner. They were evidently full of
money, and it was with great labor that he and the priest carried them forth
and consigned them to their tomb. The vault was then closed, the pavement
replaced, and all traces of the work were obliterated. The mason was again
hoodwinked and led forth by a route different from that by which he had come.
After they had wandered for a long time through a perplexed maze of lanes
and alleys, they halted. The priest then put two pieces of gold into his hand.
"Wait here," said he, "until you hear the cathedral bell toll for matins. If
you presume to uncover your eyes before that time, evil will befall you." So
saying, he departed.
The mason waited faithfully, amusing himself by weighing the gold pieces
in his hand, and clinking them against each other. The moment the cathedral
bell rang its matin peal, he uncovered his eyes, and found himself on the
banks of the Xenil; whence he made the best of his way home, and revelled with
his family for a whole fortnight on the profits of his two nights` work; after
which, he was as poor as ever.
He continued to work a little, and pray a good deal, and keep saints`
days and holidays, from year to year, while his family grew up as gaunt and
ragged as a crew of gipsies. As he was seated one evening at the door of his
hovel, he was accosted by a rich old curmudgeon, who was noted for owning many
houses, and being a griping landlord. The man of money eyed him for a moment
from beneath a pair of anxious shagged eyebrows.
"I am told, friend, that you are very poor."
"There is no denying the fact, senor-it speaks for itself."
"I presume then, that you will be glad of a job, and will work cheap."
"As cheap, my master, as any mason in Granada."
"That`s what I want. I have an old house fallen into decay, which costs
me more money than it is worth to keep it in repair, for nobody will live in
it; so I must contrive to patch it up and keep it together at as small expense
as possible."
The mason was accordingly conducted to a large deserted house that seemed
going to ruin. Passing through several empty halls and chambers, he entered an
inner court, where his eye was caught by an old Moorish fountain. He paused
for a moment, for a dreaming recollection of the place came over him.
"Pray," said he, "who occupied this house formerly?"
"A pest upon him!" cried the landlord, "it was an old miserly priest, who
cared for nobody but himself. He was said to be immensely rich, and, having
no relations, it was thought he would leave all his treasures to the church.
He died suddenly, and the priests and friars thronged to take possession of
his wealth; but nothing could they find but a few ducats in a leathern purse.
The worst luck has fallen on me, for, since his death, the old fellow
continues to occupy my house without paying rent, and there is no taking the
law of a dead man. The people pretend to hear the clinking of gold all night
in the chamber where the old priest slept, as if he were counting over his
money, and sometimes a groaning and moaning about the court. Whether true or
false, these stories have brought a bad name on my house, and not a tenant
will remain in it."
"Enough," said the mason sturdily, "let me live in your house rent-free
until some better tenant present, and I will engage to put it in repair, and
to quiet the troubled spirit that disturbs it. I am a good Christian and a
poor man, and am not to be daunted by the Devil himself, even though he should
come in the shape of a big bag of money!"
The offer of the honest mason was gladly accepted; he moved with his
family into the house, and fulfilled all his engagements. By little and little
he restored it to its former state; the clinking of gold was no more heard at
night in the chamber of the defunct priest, but began to be heard by day in
the pocket of the living mason. In a word, he increased rapidly in wealth, to
the admiration of all his neighbors, and became one of the richest men in
Granada: he gave large sums to the church, by way, no doubt, of satisfying his
conscience, and never revealed the secret of the vault until on his deathbed
to his son and heir.
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