60.
Wolfert Webber went to bed with a heavy heart, and it was long
before the golden visions that disturbed his brain permitted him to
sink into repose. The same visions, however, extended into his
sleeping thoughts, and assumed a more definite form. He dreamed
that he had discovered an immense treasure in the center of his
garden. At every stroke of the spade he laid bare a golden ingot;
diamond crosses sparkled out of the dust; bags of money turned up
their bellies, corpulent with pieces-of-eight[1] or venerable
doubloons; and chests wedged close with moidores,[2] ducats,[3] and
pistareens,[4] yawned before his ravished eyes, and vomited forth
their glittering contents.
[1] Spanish coins, worth about $1 each.
[2] Portuguese gold coins, valued at $6.50.
[3] Coins of gold and silver, valued at $2 and $1 respectively.
[4] Spanish silver coins, worth about $.20.
Wolfert awoke a poorer man than ever. He had no heart to go about
his daily concerns, which appeared so paltry and profitless, but
sat all day long in the chimney corner, picturing to himself ingots
and heaps of gold in the fire.
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