OldMatthewMaule，especially，wasknowntohaveaslittlehesitationordifficultyinrisingoutofhisgraveasanordinarymaningettingoutofbed，andwasasoftenseenatmidnightaslivingpeopleatnoonday。Thispestilentwizardinwhomhisjustpunishmentseemedtohavewroughtnomannerofamendmenthadaninveteratehabitofhauntingacertainmansion，styledtheHouseoftheSevenGables，againsttheownerofwhichhepretendedtoholdanunsettledclaimforground-rent。Theghost，itappears，——withthepertinacitywhichwasoneofhisdistinguishingcharacteristicswhilealive，——insistedthathewastherightfulproprietorofthesiteuponwhichthehousestood。Histermswere，thateithertheaforesaidground-rent，fromthedaywhenthecellarbegantobedug，shouldbepaiddown，orthemansionitselfgivenup；elsehe，theghostlycreditor，wouldhavehisfingerinalltheaffairsofthePyncheons，andmakeeverythinggowrongwiththem，thoughitshouldbeathousandyearsafterhisdeath。Itwasawildstory，perhaps，butseemednotaltogethersoincredibletothosewhocouldrememberwhataninflexiblyobstinateoldfellowthiswizardMaulehadbeen。
Now，thewizard’sgrandson，theyoungMatthewMauleofourstory，waspopularlysupposedtohaveinheritedsomeofhisancestor’squestionabletraits。Itiswonderfulhowmanyabsurditieswerepromulgatedinreferencetotheyoungman。Hewasfabled，forexample，tohaveastrangepowerofgettingintopeople’sdreams，andregulatingmattersthereaccordingtohisownfancy，prettymuchlikethestage-managerofatheatre。Therewasagreatdealoftalkamongtheneighbors，particularlythepetticoatedones，aboutwhattheycalledthewitchcraftofMaule’seye。Somesaidthathecouldlookintopeople’sminds；others，that，bythemarvellouspowerofthiseye，hecoulddrawpeopleintohisownmind，orsendthem，ifhepleased，todoerrandstohisgrandfather，inthespiritualworld；
others，again，thatitwaswhatistermedanEvilEye，andpossessedthevaluablefacultyofblightingcorn，anddryingchildrenintomummieswiththeheartburn。But，afterall，whatworkedmosttotheyoungcarpenter’sdisadvantagewas，first，thereserveandsternnessofhisnaturaldisposition，andnext，thefactofhisnotbeingachurch-communicant，andthesuspicionofhisholdinghereticaltenetsinmattersofreligionandpolity。
AfterreceivingMr。Pyncheon’smessage，thecarpentermerelytarriedtofinishasmalljob，whichhehappenedtohaveinhand，andthentookhiswaytowardstheHouseoftheSevenGables。
Thisnotededifice，thoughitsstylemightbegettingalittleoutoffashion，wasstillasrespectableafamilyresidenceasthatofanygentlemanintown。Thepresentowner，GervaysePyncheon，wassaidtohavecontractedadisliketothehouse，inconsequenceofashocktohissensibility，inearlychildhood，fromthesuddendeathofhisgrandfather。IntheveryactofrunningtoclimbColonelPyncheon’sknee，theboyhaddiscoveredtheoldPuritantobeacorpse。Onarrivingatmanhood，Mr。PyncheonhadvisitedEngland，wherehemarriedaladyoffortune，andhadsubsequentlyspentmanyyears，partlyinthemothercountry，andpartlyinvariouscitiesonthecontinentofEurope。Duringthisperiod，thefamilymansionhadbeenconsignedtothechargeofakinsman，whowasallowedtomakeithishomeforthetimebeing，inconsiderationofkeepingthepremisesinthoroughrepair。Sofaithfullyhadthiscontractbeenfulfilled，thatnow，asthecarpenterapproachedthehouse，hispractisedeyecoulddetectnothingtocriticiseinitscondition。Thepeaksofthesevengablesroseupsharply；theshingledrooflookedthoroughlywater-tight；andtheglitteringplaster-workentirelycoveredtheexteriorwalls，andsparkledintheOctobersun，asifithadbeennewonlyaweekago。