the legend of sleepy hollow-第8节

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they　dashed　through　thick　and　thin；　stones　flying　and　sparks　

flashing　at　every　bound。　　Ichabod's　flimsy　garments　fluttered　in　

the　air；　as　he　stretched　his　long　lank　body　away　over　his　horse's　

head；　in　the　eagerness　of　his　flight。



　　　　They　had　now　reached　the　road　which　turns　off　to　Sleepy　

Hollow；　but　Gunpowder；　who　seemed　possessed　with　a　demon；　instead　

of　keeping　up　it；　made　an　opposite　turn；　and　plunged　headlong　

down　hill　to　the　left。　　This　road　leads　through　a　sandy　hollow　

shaded　by　trees　for　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　where　it　crosses　

the　bridge　famous　in　goblin　story；　and　just　beyond　swells　the　

green　knoll　on　which　stands　the　whitewashed　church。



　　　　As　yet　the　panic　of　the　steed　had　given　his　unskilful　rider　

an　apparent　advantage　in　the　chase；　but　just　as　he　had　got　half　

way　through　the　hollow；　the　girths　of　the　saddle　gave　way；　and　he　

felt　it　slipping　from　under　him。　　He　seized　it　by　the　pommel；　and　

endeavored　to　hold　it　firm；　but　in　vain；　and　had　just　time　to　

save　himself　by　clasping　old　Gunpowder　round　the　neck；　when　the　

saddle　fell　to　the　earth；　and　he　heard　it　trampled　under　foot　by　

his　pursuer。　　For　a　moment　the　terror　of　Hans　Van　Ripper's　wrath　

passed　across　his　mind；　for　it　was　his　Sunday　saddle；　but　this　

was　no　time　for　petty　fears；　the　goblin　was　hard　on　his　haunches；　

and　（unskilful　rider　that　he　was！）　he　had　much　ado　to　maintain　

his　seat；　sometimes　slipping　on　one　side；　sometimes　on　another；　

and　sometimes　jolted　on　the　high　ridge　of　his　horse's　backbone；　

with　a　violence　that　he　verily　feared　would　cleave　him　asunder。



　　　　An　opening；　in　the　trees　now　cheered　him　with　the　hopes　that　

the　church　bridge　was　at　hand。　　The　wavering　reflection　of　a　

silver　star　in　the　bosom　of　the　brook　told　him　that　he　was　not　

mistaken。　　He　saw　the　walls　of　the　church　dimly　glaring　under　the　

trees　beyond。　　He　recollected　the　place　where　Brom　Bones'　ghostly　

competitor　had　disappeard。　　〃If　I　can　but　reach　that　bridge；〃　

thought　Ichabod；　〃　I　am　safe。〃　Just　then　he　heard　the　black　steed　

panting　and　blowing　close　behind　him；　he　even　fancied　that　he　

felt　his　hot　breath。　　Another　convulsive　kick　in　the　ribs；　and　old　

Gunpowder　sprang　upon　the　bridge；　he　thundered　over　the　

resounding　planks；　he　gained　the　opposite　side；　and　now　Ichabod　

cast　a　look　behind　to　see　if　his　pursuer　should　vanish；　according　

to　rule；　in　a　flash　of　fire　and　brimstone。　　Just　then　he　saw　the　

goblin　rising　in　his　stirrups；　and　in　the　very　act　of　hurling　his　

head　at　him。　　Ichabod　endeavored　to　dodge　the　horrible　missile；　

but　too　late。　　It　encountered　his　cranium　with　a　tremendous　

crash；　he　was　tumbled　headlong　into　the　dust；　and　Gunpowder；　

the　black　steed；　and　the　goblin　rider；　passed　by　like　a　whirlwind。



　　　　The　next　morning　the　old　horse　was　found　without　his　saddle；　

and　with　the　bridle　under　his　feet；　soberly　cropping　the　grass　at　

his　master's　gate。　　Ichabod　did　not　make　his　appearance　at　

breakfast；　dinner…hour　came；　but　no　Ichabod。　　The　boys　assembled　

at　the　schoolhouse；　and　strolled　idly　about　the　banks　of　the　

brook；　but　no　schoolmaster。　　Hans　Van　Ripper　now　began　to　feel　

some　uneasiness　about　the　fate　of　poor　Ichabod；　and　his　saddle。　　

An　inquiry　was　set　on　foot；　and　after　diligent　investigation　they　

came　upon　his　traces。　　In　one　part　of　the　road　leading　to　the　

church　was　found　the　saddle　trampled　in　the　dirt；　the　tracks　of　

horses'　hoofs　deeply　dented　in　the　road；　and　evidently　at　furious　

speed；　were　traced　to　the　bridge；　beyond　which；　on　the　bank　of　a　

broad　part　o？the　brook；　where　the　water　ran　deep　and　black；　was　

found　the　hat　of　the　unfortunate　Ichabod；　and　close　beside　it　a　

shattered　pumpkin。



　　　　The　brook　was　searched；　but　the　body　of　the　schoolmaster　was　

not　to　be　discovered。　　Hans　Van　Ripper　as　executor　of　his　estate；　

examined　the　bundle　which　contained　all　his　worldly　effects。　　They　

consisted　of　　two　shirts　and　a　half；　two　stocks　for　the　neck；　a　

pair　or　two　of　worsted　stockings；　an　old　pair　of　corduroy　small…

clothes；　a　rusty　razor；　a　book　of　psalm　tunes　full　of　dog's…ears；　

and　a　broken　pitch…pipe。　　As　to　the　books　and　furniture　of　the　

schoolhouse；　they　belonged　to　the　community；　excepting　Cotton　

Mather's　History　of　Witchcraft；　a　New　England　Almanac；　and

book　of　dreams　and　fortune…telling；　in　which　last　was　a　sheet　of　

foolscap　much　scribbled　and　blotted　in　several　fruitless　attempts　

to　make　a　copy　of　verses　in　honor　of　the　heiress　of　Van　Tassel。　　

These　magic　books　and　the　poetic　scrawl　were　forthwith　consigned　

to　the　flames　by　Hans　Van　Ripper；　who；　from　that　time　forward；　

determined　to　send　his　children　no　more　to　school；　observing　that　

he　never　knew　any　good　come　of　this　same　reading　and　writing。　　

Whatever　money　the　schoolmaster　possessed；　and　he　had　received　

his　quarter's　pay　but　a　day　or　two　before；　he　must　have　had　about　

his　person　at　the　time　of　his　disappearance。



　　　　The　mysterious　event　caused　much　speculation　at　the　church　

on　the　following　Sunday。　　Knots　of　gazers　and　gossips　were　

collected　in　the　churchyard；　at　the　bridge；　and　at　the　spot　where　

the　hat　and　pumpkin　had　been　found。　　The　stories　of　Brouwer；　of　

Bones；　and　a　whole　budget　of　others　were　called　to　mind；　and　when　

they　had　diligently　considered　them　all；　and　compared　them　with　

the　symptoms　of　the　present　case；　they　shook　their　heads；　and　

came　to　the　conclusion　chat　Ichabod　had　been　carried　off　by　the　

Galloping　Hessian。　　As　he　was　a　bachelor；　and　in　nobody's　debt；　

nobody　troubled　his　head　any　more　about　him；　the　school　was　

removed　to　a　different　quarter　of　the　Hollow；　and　another　

pedagogue　reigned　in　his　stead。



　　　　It　is　true；　an　old　farmer；　who　had　been　down　to　New　York　on　

a　visit　several　years　after；　and　from　whom　this　account　of　the　

ghostly　adventure　was　received；　brought　home　the　intelligence　

that　Ichabod　Crane　was　still　alive；　that　he　had　left　the　

neighborhood　partly　through　fear　of　the　goblin　and　Hans　Van　

Ripper；　and　partly　in　mortification　at　having　been　suddenly　

dismissed　by　the　heiress；　that　he　had　changed　his　quarters　to　a　

distant　part　of　the　country；　had　kept　school　and　studied　law　at　

the　same　time；　had　been　admitted　to　the　bar；　turned　politician；　

electioneered；　written　for　the　newspapers；　and　finally　had　been　

made　a　justice　of　the　ten　pound　court。　　Brom　Bones；　too；　who；　

shortly　after　his　rival's　disappearance　conducted　the　blooming　

Katrina　in　triumph　to　the　altar；　was　observed　to　look　exceedingly　

knowing　whenever　the　story　of　Ichabod　was　related；　and　always　

burst　into　a　hearty　laugh　at　the　mention　of　the　pumpkin；　which　

led　some　to　suspect　that　he　knew　more　about　the　matter　than　he　

chose　to　tell。



　　　　The　old　country　wives；　however；　who　are　the　best　judges　of　

these　matters；　maintain　to　this　day　that　Ichabod　was　spirited　

away　by　supernatural　means；　and　it　is　a　favorite　story　often　told　

about　the　neighborhood　round　the　winter　evening　fire。　　The　bridge　

became　more　than　ever　an　object　of　superstitious　awe；　and　that　

may　be　the　reason　why　the　road　has　been　altered　of　late　years；　so　

as　to　approach　the　church　by　the　border　of　the　mill…pond。　　The　

schoolhouse　being　deserted　soon　fell　to　decay；　and　was　reported　

to　be　haunted　by　the　ghost　of　the　unfortunate　pedagogue　and

the　plough…boy；　loitering　homeward　of　a　still　summer　evening；　

has　often　fancied　his　voice　at　a　distance；　chanting　a　melancholy　

psalm　tune　among　the　tranquil　solitudes　of　Sleepy　Hollow。









End