stories by modern american authors-第75节

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with　kind　dignity　as　their　friend　and　spiritual　guide；　greeted

the　young　with　mingled　authority　and　love；　and　laid　his　hands　on

the　little　children's　heads　to　bless　them。　　Such　was　always　his

custom　on　the　Sabbath　day。　　Strange　and　bewildered　looks　repaid

him　for　his　courtesy。　　None；　as　on　former　occasions；　aspired　to

the　honor　of　walking　by　their　pastor's　side。　　Old　Squire　Saunders；

doubtless　by　an　accidental　lapse　of　memory；　neglected　to　invite

Mr。　Hooper　to　his　table；　where　the　good　clergyman　had　been　wont

to　bless　the　food；　almost　every　Sunday　since　his　settlement。　　He

returned；　therefore；　to　the　parsonage；　and；　at　the　moment　of

closing　the　door；　was　observed　to　look　back　upon　the　people；　all

of　whom　had　their　eyes　fixed　upon　the　minister。　　A　sad　smile

gleamed　faintly　from　beneath　the　black　veil；　and　flickered　about

his　mouth；　glimmering　as　he　disappeared。



〃How　strange；〃　said　a　lady；　〃that　a　simple　black　veil；　such　as

any　woman　might　wear　on　her　bonnet；　should　become　such　a　terrible

thing　on　Mr。　Hooper's　face！〃



〃Something　must　surely　be　amiss　with　Mr。　Hooper's　intellects；〃

observed　her　husband；　the　physician　of　the　village。　　〃But　the

strangest　part　of　the　affair　is　the　effect　of　this　vagary；　even

on　a　sober…minded　man　like　myself。　　The　black　veil；　though　it

covers　only　our　pastor's　face；　throws　its　influence　over　his

whole　person；　and　makes　him　ghostlike　from　head　to　foot。　　Do　you

not　feel　it　so？〃



〃Truly　do　I；〃　replied　the　lady；　〃and　I　would　not　be　alone　with

him　for　the　world。　　I　wonder　he　is　not　afraid　to　be　alone　with

himself！〃



〃Men　sometimes　are　so；〃　said　her　husband。



The　afternoon　service　was　attended　with　similar　circumstances。　　At

its　conclusion；　the　bell　tolled　for　the　funeral　of　a　young　lady。

The　relatives　and　friends　were　assembled　in　the　house；　and　the

more　distant　acquaintances　stood　about　the　door；　speaking　of　the

good　qualities　of　the　deceased；　when　their　talk　was　interrupted

by　the　appearance　of　Mr。　Hooper；　still　covered　with　his　black

veil。　　It　was　now　an　appropriate　emblem。　　The　clergyman　stepped

into　the　room　where　the　corpse　was　laid；　and　bent　over　the

coffin；　to　take　a　last　farewell　of　his　deceased　parishioner。　　As

he　stooped；　the　veil　hung　straight　down　from　his　forehead；　so

that；　if　her　eyelids　had　not　been　closed　forever；　the　dead　maiden

might　have　seen　his　face。　　Could　Mr。　Hooper　be　fearful　of　her

glance；　that　he　so　hastily　caught　back　the　black　veil？　　A　person

who　watched　the　interview　between　the　dead　and　living；　scrupled

not　to　affirm；　that；　at　the　instant　when　the　clergyman's　features

were　disclosed；　the　corpse　had　slightly　shuddered；　rustling　the

shroud　and　muslin　cap；　though　the　countenance　retained　the

composure　of　death。　　A　superstitious　old　woman　was　the　only

witness　of　this　prodigy。　　From　the　coffin　Mr。　Hooper　passed　into

the　chamber　of　the　mourners；　and　thence　to　the　head　of　the

staircase；　to　make　the　funeral　prayer。　　It　was　a　tender　and

heart…dissolving　prayer；　full　of　sorrow；　yet　so　imbued　with

celestial　hopes；　that　the　music　of　a　heavenly　harp；　swept　by　the

fingers　of　the　dead；　seemed　faintly　to　be　heard　among　the　saddest

accents　of　the　minister。　　The　people　trembled；　though　they　but

darkly　understood　him　when　he　prayed　that　they；　and　himself；　and

all　of　mortal　race；　might　be　ready；　as　he　trusted　this　young

maiden　had　been；　for　the　dreadful　hour　that　should　snatch　the

veil　from　their　faces。　　The　bearers　went　heavily　forth；　and　the

mourners　followed；　saddening　all　the　street；　with　the　dead　before

them；　and　Mr。　Hooper　in　his　black　veil　behind。



〃Why　do　you　look　back？〃　said　one　in　the　procession　to　his

partner。



〃I　had　a　fancy；〃　replied　she；　〃that　the　minister　and　the　maiden's

spirit　were　walking　hand　in　hand。〃



〃And　so　had　I；　at　the　same　moment；〃　said　the　other。



That　night；　the　handsomest　couple　in　Milford　village　were　to　be

joined　in　wedlock。　　Though　reckoned　a　melancholy　man；　Mr。　Hooper

had　a　placid　cheerfulness　for　such　occasions；　which　often　excited

a　sympathetic　smile　where　livelier　merriment　would　have　been

thrown　away。　　There　was　no　quality　of　his　disposition　which　made

him　more　beloved　than　this。　　The　company　at　the　wedding　awaited

his　arrival　with　impatience；　trusting　that　the　strange　awe；　which

had　gathered　over　him　throughout　the　day；　would　now　be　dispelled。

But　such　was　not　the　result。　　When　Mr。　Hooper　came；　the　first

thing　that　their　eyes　rested　on　was　the　same　horrible　black　veil；

which　had　added　deeper　gloom　to　the　funeral；　and　could　portend

nothing　but　evil　to　the　wedding。　　Such　was　its　immediate　effect　on

the　guests　that　a　cloud　seemed　to　have　rolled　duskily　from

beneath　the　black　crape；　and　dimmed　the　light　of　the　candles。　　The

bridal　pair　stood　up　before　the　minister。　　But　the　bride's　cold

fingers　quivered　in　the　tremulous　hand　of　the　bridegroom；　and　her

deathlike　paleness　caused　a　whisper　that　the　maiden　who　had　been

buried　a　few　hours　before　was　come　from　her　grave　to　be　married。

If　ever　another　wedding　were　so　dismal；　it　was　that　famous　one

where　they　tolled　the　wedding　knell。　　After　performing　the

ceremony；　Mr。　Hooper　raised　a　glass　of　wine　to　his　lips；　wishing

happiness　to　the　new…married　couple　in　a　strain　of　mild　pleasantry

that　ought　to　have　brightened　the　features　of　the　guests；　like　a

cheerful　gleam　from　the　hearth。　　At　that　instant；　catching　a

glimpse　of　his　figure　in　the　looking…glass；　the　black　veil

involved　his　own　spirit　in　the　horror　with　which　it　overwhelmed

all　others。　　His　frame　shuddered；　his　lips　grew　white；　he　spilt

the　untasted　wine　upon　the　carpet；　and　rushed　forth　into　the

darkness。　　For　the　Earth；　too；　had　on　her　Black　Veil。



The　next　day；　the　whole　village　of　Milford　talked　of　little　else

than　Parson　Hooper's　black　veil。　　That；　and　the　mystery　concealed

behind　it；　supplied　a　topic　for　discussion　between　acquaintances

meeting　in　the　street；　and　good　women　gossiping　at　their　open

windows。　　It　was　the　first　item　of　news　that　the　tavern…keeper

told　to　his　guests。　　The　children　babbled　of　it　on　their　way　to

school。　　One　imitative　little　imp　covered　his　face　with　an　old

black　handkerchief；　thereby　so　affrighting　his　playmates　that　the

panic　seized　himself；　and　he　well…nigh　lost　his　wits　by　his　own

waggery。



It　was　remarkable　that　all　of　the　busybodies　and　impertinent

people　in　the　parish；　not　one　ventured　to　put　the　plain　question

to　Mr。　Hooper；　wherefore　he　did　this　thing。　　Hitherto；　whenever

there　appeared　the　slightest　call　for　such　interference；　he　had

never　lacked　advisers；　nor　shown　himself　averse　to　be　guided　by

their　judgment。　　If　he　erred　at　all；　it　was　by　so　painful　a　degree

of　self…distrust；　that　even　the　mildest　censure　would　lead　him　to

consider　an　indifferent　action　as　a　crime。　　Yet；　though　so　well

acquainted　with　this　amiable　weakness；　no　individual　among　his

parishioners　chose　to　make　the　black　veil　a　subject　of　friendly

remonstrance。　　There　was　a　feeling　of　dread；　neither　plainly

confessed　nor　carefully　concealed；　which　caused　each　to　shift　the

responsibility　upon　another；　till　at　length　it　was　found

expedient　to　send　a　deputation　of　the　church；　in　order　to　deal

with　Mr。　Hooper　about　the　mystery；　before　it　should　grow　into　a

scandal。　　Never　did　an　embassy　so　ill　discharge　its　duties。　　The

minister　received　then　with　friendly　courtesy；　but　became　silent；

after　they　were　seated；　leaving　to　his　visitors　the　whole　burden

of　introducing　their　important　business。　　The　topic；　it　might　be

supposed；　was　obvious　enough。　　There　was　the　black　veil　swathed

round　Mr。　Hooper's　forehead；　and　concealing　every　feature　above

his　placid　mouth；　on　which；　at　times；　they　could　perceive　the

glimmering　of　a　melancholy　smile。　　But　that　piece　of　crape；　to

their　imagination；　seemed　to　hang　down　before　his　heart；　the

symbol　of　a　fearful　secret　between　him　and　them。　　Were　the　veil

but　cast　aside；　they　might　speak　freely　of　it；　but　not　till　then。

Thus　they　sat　a　considerable　time；　speechless；　confused；　and

shrinking　uneasily　from　Mr。　Hooper's　eye；　which　they　felt　to　be

fixed　upon　them　with　an　invisible　glance。　　Finally；　the　deputies

returned　abashed　to　their　constituents；　pronouncing　the　matter

too　weighty　to　be　handled；　except　by　a　council　of　the　churches；

if；　indeed；　it　might　not　require　a　general　synod。



But　there　was　one　person　in　the　village　unappalled　by　the　awe

with　which　the　black　veil　had　impressed　all　beside　herself。　　When

the　deputies　returned　without　an　explanation；　or　even　venturing

to　demand　one；　she；　with　the　calm　energy　of　her　character；

determined　to　chase　away　the　strange　cloud　that　appeared　to　be

settling　round　Mr。　Hooper；　every　moment　more　darkly　than　before。

As　his　plighted　wife；　it　should　be　her　privilege　to　know　what　the

black　veil　concealed。　　At　the　minister's　first　visit；　therefore；

she　entered　upon　the　subject　with　a　direct　simplicity；　which　made

the　task　easier　both　for　him　and　he