stories by modern american authors-第74节

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back。　　Do　help　me　up；　DaytonI'm　falling！〃



I　felt　mightily　inclined　to　let　the　villain　drop；　but　it　did　not

suit　my　purpose　to　be　hung　for　murder；　so　I　swung　him　back　again　on

the　sward；　where　he　fell　panting　and　exhausted。



〃Will　you　quit　the　place　to…night？〃　I　said。　　〃You'd　better。　　By

heaven；　if　you　don't；　I'll　tell　all　the　men　in　the　village；　and

we'll　lynch　you；　as　sure　as　your　name　is　Brake。〃



〃I'll　goI'll　go；〃　he　groaned。　　〃I　swear　never　to　trouble　you

again。〃



〃You　ought　to　be　hanged；　you　villain。　　Be　off！〃



He　slunk　away　through　the　trees　like　a　beaten　dog；　and　I　went　home

in　a　state　bordering　on　despair。　　I　found　Elsie　crying。　　She　was

sitting　by　the　window　as　of　old。　　I　knew　now　why　she　gazed　so

constantly　at　the　west。　　It　was　her　Mecca。　　Something　in　my　face；　I

suppose；　told　her　that　I　was　laboring　under　great　excitement。　　She

rose　startled　as　soon　as　I　entered　the　room。



〃Elsie；〃　said　I；　〃I　am　come　to　take　you　home。〃



〃Home？　　Why；　I　AM　at　home；　am　I　not？　　What　do　you　mean？〃



〃No。　　This　is　no　longer　your　home。　　You　have　deceived　me。　　You　are

a　Mormon。　　I　know　all。　　You　have　become　a　convert　to　that　apostle

of　hell；　Brigham　Young；　and　you　cannot　live　with　me。　　I　love　you

still；　Elsie；　dearly；　butyou　must　go　and　live　with　your　father。〃







Nathaniel　Hawthorne



The　Minister's　Black　Veil





A　PARABLE＇1＇





＇1＇　Another　clergyman　in　New　England；　Mr。　Joseph　Moody；　of　York；

Maine；　made　himself　remarkable　by　the　same　eccentricity　that　is

here　related　of　the　Reverend　Mr。　Hooper。　　In　his　case；　however；

the　symbol　had　a　different　import。　　In　early　life　he　had

accidentally　killed　a　beloved　friend；　and　from　that　day　till

the　hour　of　his　own　death；　he　hid　his　face　from　men。





The　sexton　stood　in　the　porch　of　Milford　meeting…house；　pulling

busily　at　the　bell…rope。　　The　old　people　of　the　village　came

stooping　along　the　street。　　Children；　with　bright　faces；　tripped

merrily　beside　their　parents；　or　mimicked　a　graver　gait；　in　the

conscious　dignity　of　their　Sunday　clothes。　　Spruce　bachelors

looked　sidelong　at　the　pretty　maidens；　and　fancied　that　the

Sabbath　sunshine　made　them　prettier　than　on　week　days。　　When　the

throng　had　mostly　streamed　into　the　porch；　the　sexton　began　to

toll　the　bell；　keeping　his　eye　on　the　Reverend　Mr。　Hooper's　door。

The　first　glimpse　of　the　clergyman's　figure　was　the　signal　for

the　bell　to　cease　its　summons。



〃But　what　has　good　Parson　Hooper　got　upon　his　face？〃　cried　the

sexton　in　astonishment。



All　within　hearing　immediately　turned　about；　and　beheld　the

semblance　of　Mr。　Hooper；　pacing　slowly　his　meditative　way　towards

the　meetinghouse。　　With　one　accord　they　started；　expressing　more

wonder　than　if　some　strange　minister　were　coming　to　dust　the

cushions　of　Mr。　Hooper's　pulpit。



〃Are　you　sure　it　is　our　parson？〃　inquired　Goodman　Gray　of　the

sexton。



〃Of　a　certainty　it　is　good　Mr。　Hooper；〃　replied　the　sexton。　　〃He

was　to　have　exchanged　pulpits　with　Parson　Shute；　of　Westbury；　but

Parson　Shute　sent　to　excuse　himself　yesterday；　being　to　preach　a

funeral　sermon。〃



The　cause　of　so　much　amazement　may　appear　sufficiently　slight。

Mr。　Hooper；　a　gentlemanly　person；　of　about　thirty；　though　still　a

bachelor；　was　dressed　with　due　clerical　neatness；　as　if　a　careful

wife　had　starched　his　band；　and　brushed　the　weekly　dust　from　his

Sunday's　garb。　　There　was　but　one　thing　remarkable　in　his

appearance。　　Swathed　about　his　forehead；　and　hanging　down　over　his

face；　so　low　as　to　be　shaken　by　his　breath；　Mr。　Hooper　had　on　a

black　veil。　　On　a　nearer　view　it　seemed　to　consist　of　two　folds　of

crape；　which　entirely　concealed　his　features；　except　the　mouth

and　chin；　but　probably　did　not　intercept　his　sight；　further　than

to　give　a　darkened　aspect　to　all　living　and　inanimate　things。

With　this　gloomy　shade　before　him；　good　Mr。　Hooper　walked　onward；

at　a　slow　and　quiet　pace；　stooping　somewhat；　and　looking　on　the

ground；　as　is　customary　with　abstracted　men；　yet　nodding　kindly　to

those　of　his　parishioners　who　still　waited　on　the　meeting…house

steps。　　But　so　wonder…struck　were　they　that　his　greeting　hardly

met　with　a　return。



〃I　can't　really　feel　as　if　good　Mr。　Hooper's　face　was　behind　that

piece　of　crape；〃　said　the　sexton。



〃I　don't　like　it；〃　muttered　an　old　woman；　as　she　hobbled　into　the

meeting…house。　　〃He　has　changed　himself　into　something　awful；　only

by　hiding　his　face。〃



〃Our　parson　has　gone　mad！〃　cried　Goodman　Gray；　following　him

across　the　threshold。



A　rumor　of　some　unaccountable　phenomenon　had　preceded　Mr。　Hooper

into　the　meeting…house；　and　set　all　the　congregation　astir。　　Few

could　refrain　from　twisting　their　heads　towards　the　door；　many

stood　upright；　and　turned　directly　about；　while　several　little

boys　clambered　upon　the　seats；　and　came　down　again　with　a

terrible　racket。　　There　was　a　general　bustle；　a　rustling　of　the

women's　gowns　and　shuffling　of　the　men's　feet；　greatly　at

variance　with　that　hushed　repose　which　should　attend　the　entrance

of　the　minister。　　But　Mr。　Hooper　appeared　not　to　notice　the

perturbation　of　his　people。　　He　entered　with　an　almost　noiseless

step；　bent　his　head　mildly　to　the　pews　on　each　side；　and　bowed　as

he　passed　his　oldest　parishioner；　a　white…haired　great　grandsire；

who　occupied　an　arm…chair　in　the　centre　of　the　aisle。　　It　was

strange　to　observe　how　slowly　this　venerable　man　became　conscious

of　something　singular　in　the　appearance　of　his　pastor。　　He　seemed

not　fully　to　partake　of　the　prevailing　wonder；　till　Mr。　Hooper

had　ascended　the　stairs；　and　showed　himself　in　the　pulpit；　face

to　face　with　his　congregation；　except　for　the　black　veil。　　That

mysterious　emblem　was　never　once　withdrawn。　　It　shook　with　his

measured　breath；　as　he　gave　out　the　psalm；　it　threw　its　obscurity

between　him　and　the　holy　page；　as　he　read　the　Scriptures；　and

while　he　prayed；　the　veil　lay　heavily　on　his　uplifted

countenance。　　Did　he　seek　to　hide　it　from　the　dread　Being　whom　he

was　addressing？



Such　was　the　effect　of　this　simple　piece　of　crape；　that　more

than　one　woman　of　delicate　nerves　was　forced　to　leave　the

meeting…house。　　Yet　perhaps　the　pale…faced　congregation　was　almost

as　fearful　a　sight　to　the　minister；　as　his　black　veil　to　them。



Mr。　Hooper　had　the　reputation　of　a　good　preacher；　but　not　an

energetic　one：　he　strove　to　win　his　people　heavenward　by　mild；

persuasive　influences；　rather　than　to　drive　them　thither　by　the

thunders　of　the　Word。　　The　sermon　which　he　now　delivered　was

marked　by　the　same　characteristics　of　style　and　manner　as　the

general　series　of　his　pulpit　oratory。　　But　there　was　something；

either　in　the　sentiment　of　the　discourse　itself；　or　in　the

imagination　of　the　auditors；　which　made　it　greatly　the　most

powerful　effort　that　they　had　ever　heard　from　their　pastor's

lips。　　It　was　tinged；　rather　more　darkly　than　usual；　with　the

gentle　gloom　of　Mr。　Hooper's　temperament。　　The　subject　had

reference　to　secret　sin；　and　those　sad　mysteries　which　we　hide

from　our　nearest　and　dearest；　and　would　fain　conceal　from　our　own

consciousness；　even　forgetting　that　the　Omniscient　can　detect

them。　　A　subtle　power　was　breathed　into　his　words。　　Each　member　of

the　congregation；　the　most　innocent　girl；　and　the　man　of　hardened

breast；　felt　as　if　the　preacher　had　crept　upon　them；　behind　his

awful　veil；　and　discovered　their　hoarded　iniquity　of　deed　or

thought。　　Many　spread　their　clasped　hands　on　their　bosoms。　　There

was　nothing　terrible　in　what　Mr。　Hooper　said；　at　least；　no

violence；　and　yet；　with　every　tremor　of　his　melancholy　voice；　the

hearers　quaked。　　An　unsought　pathos　came　hand　in　hand　with　awe。　　So

sensible　were　the　audience　of　some　unwonted　attribute　in　their

minister；　that　they　longed　for　a　breath　of　wind　to　blow　aside　the

veil；　almost　believing　that　a　stranger's　visage　would　be

discovered；　though　the　form；　gesture；　and　voice　were　those　of　Mr。

Hooper。



At　the　close　of　the　services；　the　people　hurried　out　with

indecorous　confusion；　eager　to　communicate　their　pent…up

amazement；　and　conscious　of　lighter　spirits　the　moment　they　lost

sight　of　the　black　veil。　　Some　gathered　in　little　circles；　huddled

closely　together；　with　their　mouths　all　whispering　in　the　centre；

some　went　homeward　alone；　wrapt　in　silent　meditation；　some　talked

loudly；　and　profaned　the　Sabbath　day　with　ostentatious　laughter。

A　few　shook　their　sagacious　heads；　intimating　that　they　could

penetrate　the　mystery；　while　one　or　two　affirmed　that　there　was

no　mystery　at　all；　but　only　that　Mr。　Hooper's　eyes　were　so

weakened　by　the　midnight　lamp；　as　to　require　a　shade。　　After　a

brief　interval；　forth　came　good　Mr。　Hooper　also；　in　the　rear　of

his　flock。　　Turning　his　veiled　face　from　one　group　to　another；　he

paid　due　reverence　to　the　hoary　heads；　saluted　the　middle　aged

with　kind　dignity　as　their　friend　and　spiritual　guide；　greeted

the　young　with　mingled　authority　and　love；　and　la