LEVEL 1

The House of the Seven Gables

The House of the Seven Gables is the home of an important
family: the Pyncheons. They have the house and a lot of land, but
no money and many problems. Is there a curse on the family? This
is a story about money, murder, and love.
Penguin Readers are simplified texts which provide a step-by-step
approach to the joys of reading for pleasure.

Series Editors: Andy Hopkins and Jocelyn Potter

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American English

Number of words (excluding activities): 4,134

Cover illustration by Peter Garriock

Audio CD pack also available

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PE N GU I N R E A D E R S

The House of the Seven Gables

Nathaniel Hawthorne
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Introduction
Oh, you didnt get my letter! Phoebe said. I want to visit you
for a week or two.
Lets talk about it, Hepzibah said. This house is cold and
dark.Youre young. Its not the right place for you.
Hepzibah Pyncheon is an old woman, and she has money
problems. She is opening a small store, and Phoebe, her young
cousin, wants to work for her. One morning, Hepzibahs
sick brother suddenly walks into the kitchen in the House
of the Seven Gables. But where did he come from? Why was
he away from home for thirty years? And why does Judge
Pyncheon want to talk to him?
Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804 64) is a very famous American
writer. He lived in New England with his two sisters and his
mother. He was a good student, and later he had a good job
in an office. But Hawthorne wanted to write stories about
people in their new, young country. Americans were not
British or European, but what were they? What were their
problems? How did they think? What was in their hearts?
What was right or wrong for them? Hawthorne thought
about these questions.
Hawthorne finished four important books in the 1850s:
The Scarlet Letter, The House of the Seven Gables, The Blithedale
Romance, and The Marble Faun. In these books, he answers
his difficult questions about people. He writes about good
people and bad people, happy days and unhappy days. Many
people read Hawthornes books today because he teaches
us about Americans at an important time in the story of the
United States.

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It was a dark old house.

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Chapter 1 The Store

Miss Hepzibah Pyncheon lived in the House of the
Seven Gables, on Pyncheon Street. It was a dark old
house. There was a small room in the front gable and
today, for the first time in many years, that room was a
store again.
Hepzibah did not want to work in the store. It was
very difficult for her. The people in the town did not
like her. She was old, and her face was not beautiful.
But she needed money. She needed food!
She went into the store and her first customer
arrived. It was young Mr. Holgrave! He lived in one of
the seven gables. He took pictures, usually of peoples
faces. Hepzibah started to cry.
Ah, Mr. Holgrave, I cannot do this. Im old, and
only a woman. My father and mother and sister are
dead. I want to go too.
Oh, no! the young man answered. This is a good
day for the Pyncheons. I can say that because were
friends.
Holgrave wanted some biscuits, but Hepzibah did
not take any money from her only friend. Holgrave
went away with his biscuits, and Hepzibah started to
cry again.
People here are cold, she thought. They arent
going to buy from me.
Then the door opened again. It was only a little
schoolboy. He asked for a biscuit from the window.
Hepzibah did not take any money from her customer.

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But then he came back and asked again for a biscuit!

This time Hepzibah took his money. She needed it. But
that morning Hepzibah did not make a lot of money.
In the afternoon, a man stopped in Pyncheon Street.
He looked at the old house, and at the store window. He
smiled at Hepzibah. It was her cousin, Judge Pyncheon!
Hepzibah did not love her cousin. He had a cold face,
and she did not like his smile. She was afraid of him.
She went into a room at the back of the house and
looked at an old picture of Colonel Pyncheon. He had
the same cold face! Why did he build the House of the
Seven Gables? He took the land for the house from
Matthew Maule, the wizard. Then Maule cursed the
Colonel and his family. The Colonel finished his house,
but he was dead in his chair the same day! Was it the
wizards curse?
There was a customer in the store again. It was an old
man with white hair. Mr.Venner did little jobs for people.
He was slow, but he was smart about many things.
Youre working, Hepzibah! This is good, Mr.
Venner said. Smile for the customers. Its important!
But she was an unhappy person, in an unhappy house.
Then Mr. Venner asked her, When is he coming
home?
Who is coming home? Hepzibah said, with a white
face.
Ah, you dont want to talk about it. Then, goodbye.
That afternoon Hepzibah had many customers, but
she did not make a lot of money. The schoolboy came
again and asked for biscuits.
Take them, she said. Then she closed the store.

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Why did he build the House of the Seven Gables?

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At the same time, a bus stopped on Pyncheon Street.

A young girl said goodbye to the driver and went to
the front door of the house. Hepzibah watched her.
Who is it? she thought. The girl was young and
happy. She was at the door of the House of the Seven
Gables, but she was not afraid.
Hepzibah opened the door. It was her little cousin
Phoebe, from the country!
Cousin Phoebe! Come in! What are you doing here?
Oh, you didnt get my letter! Phoebe said. I want
to visit you for a week or two.
Lets talk about it, Hepzibah said. This house is
cold and dark. Youre young. Its not the right place for
you.
Cousin Hepzibah, maybe youre right. But I want
to work and do things for you, Phoebe said.
Yes, youre a good girl, Hepzibah answered. Im
going to ask the man of the house about this.
Who is that? Phoebe asked.
Did you never hear of Clifford Pyncheon?
Hepzibah asked. Hes my brother!
I know the name, Phoebe answered. But hes dead!
Maybe he was, Hepzibah said. But in this old
house dead people can come back again!
Chapter 2

Phoebe at Home

The morning light came into Phoebes bedroom. She

went to the window and looked down at the garden.
Those white flowers are very beautiful, she
thought. She went down to the garden, and she took

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some flowers back to her room. Now this bedroom is

mine, she thought.
She opened her door and started to go down again.
Hepzibah called to her.
Phoebe! Come into my room! Look at this.
Phoebe went in and Hepzibah opened her hand.
Phoebe looked at a very small picture of a beautiful
young man.
He has a childs face! Phoebe said.
The old woman started to cry.
Dont cry, Cousin, Phoebe said. Come, lets go to
the kitchen.
In the kitchen, Hepzibah was quiet. Phoebe worked
well.
I can hear a customer in the store, Hepzibah said.
Can I go, Cousin, please? Phoebe asked.
You, child! Hepzibah said. What can a country
girl know about work in a store?
But Hepzibah did not stop Phoebe. She watched her
at work with a difficult customer. Phoebe finished and
smiled.
You can stay, Hepzibah said. Youre good in the
house and good in the store, too!
Oh, thank you, Cousin Hepzibah! Phoebe said.
Phoebe worked all day in the store. Customers came
and went. Then they closed the store for the night.
Phoebe said, Cousin, we need biscuits again, and
people are asking for fruit. But look at our money!
You did well, Phoebe, Hepzibah said. Youre a good
worker. The Pyncheons arent good workers, because we
have this house and land. But is it our land, or not?

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