The House of the Seven Gables

Jaffrey framed Clifford to seize control of the family estate. When their father Gerald refused to sell the house, a violent argument ensued and Gerald died from what appeared to be a heart attack or fall. Jaffrey, despite believing Clifford was innocent, used the opportunity to accuse his brother of murder. This allowed Jaffrey to pursue the legendary hidden treasure without opposition, as Gerald's will left the house to Hepzibah while providing income to the other children. By removing Clifford through false imprisonment, Jaffrey eliminated his main rival for the property.

Maule's curse was invoked by Matthew Maule when Colonel Jaffrey Pyncheon falsely accused him of witchcraft in the late 17th century, leading to his hanging and the seizure of his land. Before dying, Maule cursed Jaffrey and his descendants, vowing that the Pyncheons would never find peace or happiness in the house built on stolen land. The curse haunts the family for 160 years, creating an atmosphere of fear and tragedy. Clifford renews this curse against Jaffrey before being led away to prison, and it ultimately contributes to Jaffrey's downfall when the revelation of Maule's identity triggers his fatal collapse.

In 1841, Clifford was assigned a new cellmate who claimed to be Matthew Maule, a man sharing the name of the carpenter hanged 160 years earlier. This prisoner and Clifford became close friends during their incarceration. After his release, the man adopted the name Holgrave and became an abolitionist who rented a room from Hepzibah. The true identity of Holgrave is later revealed to indeed be Matthew Maule's descendant or possibly the man himself, giving him a personal stake in the family's multigenerational conflict.

No, there is no hidden treasure. The treasure legend was a complete fabrication used by Clifford and Matthew Maule as a strategic ruse. When Clifford returns from prison, Maule spreads rumors that Clifford is searching for gold and a secret stairway in the house. This manipulated Jaffrey into believing Clifford was still scheming to seize wealth. In reality, the treasure tale was designed to pressure Jaffrey into signing a document that would clear Clifford's name, forcing Jaffrey to reveal his guilt and transfer the estate's wealth to Clifford in exchange for his silence.

Jaffrey dies from shock and the psychological weight of the Maule curse. When Clifford reveals that there is no treasure, that the entire story was a scheme to expose Jaffrey's crimes, Jaffrey realizes he has been outmaneuvered. More devastatingly, he learns that the man he thought was an abolitionist renter is actually Matthew Maule (or his descendant), the very person whose family curse has haunted the Pyncheons for generations. The combination of this revelation, the collapse of his schemes, and the curse's fulfillment causes Jaffrey to collapse and die.

Hepzibah inherits the house through her father Gerald's will. When Gerald dies during the argument over selling the property, his will divides the family assets: he leaves the house itself to Hepzibah while providing annual incomes to all three children. However, Jaffrey excludes himself from the inheritance and instead seals the doors and windows, effectively exiling Hepzibah and trapping her in the property she technically owns. She remains there for two decades, rarely leaving, until Clifford's return clears the family name.

Clifford and Matthew Maule devised a multi-layered plan to prove Jaffrey's guilt. First, Maule (as Holgrave) spreads rumors that Clifford is tearing up the house searching for treasure. This convinces Jaffrey that Clifford is still dangerous and scheming. When Jaffrey visits and hears banging, he believes Clifford is looking for gold. The final stage involves Clifford revealing there is no treasure, the entire story was fabricated. This forces Jaffrey to sign a document clearing Clifford's name in exchange for keeping quiet about Jaffrey's crimes, effectively blackmailing his brother into confession.

Hepzibah opens a shop out of desperate necessity. Cut off from the family fortune by Jaffrey's sealing of the house, she has no income to maintain the property or feed herself. When her distant cousin's daughter Phoebe arrives, Hepzibah converts a room into a small shop. Phoebe's charm and business sense make the shop successful, bringing money back into the household and giving Hepzibah a purpose during her two decades of isolation. The shop represents her struggle to preserve the family legacy despite being trapped in the house.

Deacon Foster commits suicide because Jaffrey refuses to repay a loan he borrowed from Foster. Foster arrives at the house demanding repayment of the money he lent Jaffrey, who was involved in risky slave-trade investments. When Jaffrey refuses or is unable to pay, Foster, desperate and overwhelmed, kills himself in the hallway. His suicide creates the chaos that allows Hepzibah to accuse Jaffrey of murder and ultimately pressures Jaffrey into signing the document that clears Clifford's name.

Phoebe and Holgrave marry after the truth is revealed. Throughout the story, Phoebe defends Holgrave when Hepzibah evicts him, unaware of his true identity as Matthew Maule. Once Jaffrey is defeated and the family name is cleared, their relationship can openly flourish. The marriage represents the uniting of the two families, the Pyncheons and the Maule descendants, in a fresh start, symbolically ending the long-standing conflict that began with the original betrayal and curse.