young goodman brown-第3节
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shrank not from its other horrors。
〃Ha！ ha！ ha！〃 roared Goodman Brown when the wind laughed at him。
〃Let us hear which will laugh loudest。 Think not to frighten me
with your deviltry。 Come witch； come wizard； come Indian powwow；
come devil himself； and here comes Goodman Brown。 You may as well
fear him as he fear you。〃
In truth； all through the haunted forest there could be nothing
more frightful than the figure of Goodman Brown。 On he flew among
the black pines； brandishing his staff with frenzied gestures；
now giving vent to an inspiration of horrid blasphemy； and now
shouting forth such laughter as set all the echoes of the forest
laughing like demons around him。 The fiend in his own shape is
less hideous than when he rages in the breast of man。 Thus sped
the demoniac on his course； until； quivering among the trees； he
saw a red light before him； as when the felled trunks and
branches of a clearing have been set on fire； and throw up their
lurid blaze against the sky； at the hour of midnight。 He paused；
in a lull of the tempest that had driven him onward； and heard
the swell of what seemed a hymn； rolling solemnly from a distance
with the weight of many voices。 He knew the tune； it was a
familiar one in the choir of the village meeting…house。 The verse
died heavily away； and was lengthened by a chorus； not of human
voices； but of all the sounds of the benighted wilderness pealing
in awful harmony together。 Goodman Brown cried out； and his cry
was lost to his own ear by its unison with the cry of the desert。
In the interval of silence he stole forward until the light
glared full upon his eyes。 At one extremity of an open space；
hemmed in by the dark wall of the forest； arose a rock； bearing
some rude； natural resemblance either to an alter or a pulpit；
and surrounded by four blazing pines； their tops aflame； their
stems untouched； like candles at an evening meeting。 The mass of
foliage that had overgrown the summit of the rock was all on
fire； blazing high into the night and fitfully illuminating the
whole field。 Each pendent twig and leafy festoon was in a blaze。
As the red light arose and fell； a numerous congregation
alternately shone forth； then disappeared in shadow； and again
grew； as it were； out of the darkness； peopling the heart of the
solitary woods at once。
〃A grave and dark…clad company；〃 quoth Goodman Brown。
In truth they were such。 Among them； quivering to and fro between
gloom and splendor； appeared faces that would be seen next day at
the council board of the province； and others which； Sabbath
after Sabbath； looked devoutly heavenward； and benignantly over
the crowded pews； from the holiest pulpits in the land。 Some
affirm that the lady of the governor was there。 At least there
were high dames well known to her； and wives of honored husbands；
and widows； a great multitude； and ancient maidens； all of
excellent repute； and fair young girls； who trembled lest their
mothers should espy them。 Either the sudden gleams of light
flashing over the obscure field bedazzled Goodman Brown； or he
recognized a score of the church members of Salem village famous
for their especial sanctity。 Good old Deacon Gookin had arrived；
and waited at the skirts of that venerable saint； his revered
pastor。 But； irreverently consorting with these grave； reputable；
and pious people； these elders of the church； these chaste dames
and dewy virgins； there were men of dissolute lives and women of
spotted fame； wretches given over to all mean and filthy vice；
and suspected even of horrid crimes。 It was strange to see that
the good shrank not from the wicked； nor were the sinners abashed
by the saints。 Scattered also among their pale…faced enemies were
the Indian priests； or powwows； who had often scared their native
forest with more hideous incantations than any known to English
witchcraft。
〃But where is Faith？〃 thought Goodman Brown； and； as hope came
into his heart； he trembled。
Another verse of the hymn arose； a slow and mournful strain； such
as the pious love； but joined to words which expressed all that
our nature can conceive of sin； and darkly hinted at far more。
Unfathomable to mere mortals is the lore of fiends。 Verse after
verse was sung； and still the chorus of the desert swelled
between like the deepest tone of a mighty organ； and with the
final peal of that dreadful anthem there came a sound； as if the
roaring wind； the rushing streams； the howling beasts； and every
other voice of the unconcerted wilderness were mingling and
according with the voice of guilty man in homage to the prince of
all。 The four blazing pines threw up a loftier flame； and
obscurely discovered shapes and visages of horror on the smoke
wreaths above the impious assembly。 At the same moment the fire
on the rock shot redly forth and formed a glowing arch above its
base； where now appeared a figure。 With reverence be it spoken；
the figure bore no slight similitude； both in garb and manner； to
some grave divine of the New England churches。
〃Bring forth the converts！〃 cried a voice that echoed through the
field and rolled into the forest。
At the word； Goodman Brown stepped forth from the shadow of the
trees and approached the congregation； with whom he felt a
loathful brotherhood by the sympathy of all that was wicked in
his heart。 He could have well…nigh sworn that the shape of his
own dead father beckoned him to advance； looking downward from a
smoke wreath； while a woman； with dim features of despair； threw
out her hand to warn him back。 Was it his mother？ But he had no
power to retreat one step； nor to resist； even in thought； when
the minister and good old Deacon Gookin seized his arms and led
him to the blazing rock。 Thither came also the slender form of a
veiled female； led between Goody Cloyse； that pious teacher of
the catechism； and Martha Carrier； who had received the devil's
promise to be queen of hell。 A rampant hag was she。 And there
stood the proselytes beneath the canopy of fire。
〃Welcome； my children；〃 said the dark figure； 〃to the communion
of your race。 Ye have found thus young your nature and your
destiny。 My children； look behind you！〃
They turned； and flashing forth； as it were； in a sheet of flame；
the fiend worshippers were seen； the smile of welcome gleamed
darkly on every visage。
〃There；〃 resumed the sable form； 〃are all whom ye have reverenced
from youth。 Ye deemed them holier than yourselves； and shrank
from your own sin； contrasting it with their lives of
righteousness and prayerful aspirations heavenward。 Yet here are
they all in my worshipping assembly。 This night it shall be
granted you to know their secret deeds： how hoary…bearded elders
of the church have whispered wanton words to the young maids of
their households； how many a woman； eager for widows' weeds； has
given her husband a drink at bedtime and let him sleep his last
sleep in her bosom； how beardless youths have made haste to
inherit their fathers' wealth； and how fair damselsblush not；
sweet oneshave dug little graves in the garden； and bidden me；
the sole guest to an infant's funeral。 By the sympathy of your
human hearts for sin ye shall scent out all the placeswhether
in church； bedchamber； street； field； or forestwhere crime has
been committed； and shall exult to behold the whole earth one
stain of guilt； one mighty blood spot。 Far more than this。 It
shall be yours to penetrate； in every bosom； the deep mystery of
sin； the fountain of all wicked arts； and which inexhaustibly
supplies more evil impulses than human powerthan my power at
its utmostcan make manifest in deeds。 And now； my children；
look upon each other。〃
They did so； and； by the blaze of the hell…kindled torches； the
wretched man beheld his Faith； and the wife her husband；
trembling before that unhallowed altar。
〃Lo； there ye stand； my children；〃 said the figure； in a deep and
solemn tone； almost sad with its despairing awfulness； as if his
once angelic nature could yet mourn for our miserable race。
〃Depending upon one another's hearts； ye had still hoped that
virtue were not all a dream。 Now are ye undeceived。 Evil is the
nature of mankind。 Evil must be your only happiness。 Welcome
again； my children； to the communion of your race。〃
〃Welcome；〃 repeated the fiend worshippers； in one cry of despair
and triumph。
And there they stood； the only pair； as it seemed； who were yet
hesitating on the verge of wickedness in this dark world。 A basin
was hollowed； naturally； in the rock。 Did it contain water；
reddened by the lurid light？ or was it blood？ or； perchance； a
liquid flame？ Herein did the shape of evil dip his hand and
prepare to lay the mark of baptism upon their foreheads； that
they might be partakers of the mystery of sin； more conscious of
the secret guilt of others； both in deed and thought； than they
could now b
