stories by modern american authors-第76节

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

the　task　easier　both　for　him　and　her。　　After　he　had　seated

himself；　she　fixed　her　eyes　steadfastly　upon　the　veil；　but　could

discern　nothing　of　the　dreadful　gloom　that　had　so　overawed　the

multitude：　it　was　but　a　double　fold　of　crape；　hanging　down　from

his　forehead　to　his　mouth；　and　slightly　stirring　with　his　breath。



〃No；〃　said　she　aloud；　and　smiling；　〃there　is　nothing　terrible　in

this　piece　of　crape；　except　that　it　hides　a　face　which　I　am

always　glad　to　look　upon。　　Come；　good　sir；　let　the　sun　shine　from

behind　the　cloud。　　First　lay　aside　your　black　veil：　then　tell　me

why　you　put　it　on。〃



Mr。　Hooper's　smile　glimmered　faintly。



〃There　is　an　hour　to　come；〃　said　he；　〃when　all　of　us　shall　cast

aside　our　veils。　　Take　it　not　amiss；　beloved　friend；　if　I　wear

this　piece　of　crape　till　then。〃



〃Your　words　are　a　mystery；　too；〃　returned　the　young　lady。　〃Take

away　the　veil　from　them；　at　least。〃



〃Elizabeth；　I　will；〃　said　he；　〃so　far　as　my　vow　may　suffer　me。

Know；　then；　this　veil　is　a　type　and　a　symbol；　and　I　am　bound　to

wear　it　ever；　both　in　light　and　darkness；　in　solitude　and　before

the　gaze　of　multitudes；　and　as　with　strangers；　so　with　my

familiar　friends。　　No　mortal　eye　will　see　it　withdrawn。　　This

dismal　shade　must　separate　me　from　the　world：　even　you；

Elizabeth；　can　never　come　behind　it！〃



〃What　grievous　affliction　hath　befallen　you；〃　she　earnestly

inquired；　〃that　you　should　thus　darken　your　eyes　forever？〃



〃If　it　be　a　sign　of　mourning；〃　replied　Mr。　Hooper；　〃I；　perhaps；

like　most　other　mortals；　have　sorrows　dark　enough　to　be　typified

by　a　black　veil。〃



〃But　what　if　the　world　will　not　believe　that　it　is　the　type　of　an

innocent　sorrow？〃　urged　Elizabeth。　　〃Beloved　and　respected　as　you

are；　there　may　be　whispers　that　you　hide　your　face　under　the

consciousness　of　secret　sin。　　For　the　sake　of　your　holy　office；　do

away　this　scandal！〃



The　color　rose　into　her　cheeks　as　she　intimated　the　nature　of　the

rumors　that　were　already　abroad　in　the　village。　　But　Mr。　Hooper's

mildness　did　not　forsake　him。　　He　even　smiled　againthat　same　sad

smile；　which　always　appeared　like　a　faint　glimmering　of　light；

proceeding　from　the　obscurity　beneath　the　veil。



〃If　I　hide　my　face　for　sorrow；　there　is　cause　enough；〃　he　merely

replied；　〃and　if　I　cover　it　for　secret　sin；　what　mortal　might　not

do　the　same？〃



And　with　this　gentle；　but　unconquerable　obstinacy　did　he　resist

all　her　entreaties。　　At　length　Elizabeth　sat　silent。　　For　a　few

moments　she　appeared　lost　in　thought；　considering；　probably；　what

new　methods　might　be　tried　to　withdraw　her　lover　from　so　dark　a

fantasy；　which；　if　it　had　no　other　meaning；　was　perhaps　a　symptom

of　mental　disease。　　Though　of　a　firmer　character　than　his　own；　the

tears　rolled　down　her　cheeks。　　But；　in　an　instant；　as　it　were；　a

new　feeling　took　the　place　of　sorrow：　her　eyes　were　fixed

insensibly　on　the　black　veil；　when；　like　a　sudden　twilight　in　the

air；　its　terrors　fell　around　her。　　She　arose；　and　stood　trembling

before　him。



〃And　do　you　feel　it　then；　at　last？〃　said　he　mournfully。



She　made　no　reply；　but　covered　her　eyes　with　her　hand；　and　turned

to　leave　the　room。　　He　rushed　forward　and　caught　her　arm。



〃Have　patience　with　me；　Elizabeth！〃　cried　he；　passionately。　　〃Do

not　desert　me；　though　this　veil　must　be　between　us　here　on　earth。

Be　mine；　and　hereafter　there　shall　be　no　veil　over　my　face；　no

darkness　between　our　souls！　　It　is　but　a　mortal　veilit　is　not

for　eternity！　　O！　you　know　not　how　lonely　I　am；　and　how

frightened；　to　be　alone　behind　my　black　veil。　　Do　not　leave　me　in

this　miserable　obscurity　forever！〃



〃Lift　the　veil　but　once；　and　look　me　in　the　face；〃　said　she。



〃Never！　　It　cannot　be！〃　replied　Mr。　Hooper。



〃Then　farewell！〃　said　Elizabeth。



She　withdrew　her　arm　from　his　grasp；　and　slowly　departed；　pausing

at　the　door；　to　give　one　long　shuddering　gaze；　that　seemed　almost

to　penetrate　the　mystery　of　the　black　veil。　　But；　even　amid　his

grief；　Mr。　Hooper　smiled　to　think　that　only　a　material　emblem　had

separated　him　from　happiness；　though　the　horrors；　which　it

shadowed　forth；　must　be　drawn　darkly　between　the　fondest　of

lovers。



From　that　time　no　attempts　were　made　to　remove　Mr。　Hooper's　black

veil；　or；　by　a　direct　appeal；　to　discover　the　secret　which　it　was

supposed　to　hide。　　By　persons　who　claimed　a　superiority　to　popular

prejudice；　it　was　reckoned　merely　an　eccentric　whim；　such　as

often　mingles　with　the　sober　actions　of　men　otherwise　rational；

and　tinges　them　all　with　its　own　semblance　of　insanity。　　But　with

the　multitude；　good　Mr。　Hooper　was　irreparably　a　bugbear。　　He　could

not　walk　the　street　with　any　peace　of　mind；　so　conscious　was　he

that　the　gentle　and　timid　would　turn　aside　to　avoid　him；　and　that

others　would　make　it　a　point　of　hardihood　to　throw　themselves　in

his　way。　　The　impertinence　of　the　latter　class　compelled　him　to

give　up　his　customary　walk　at　sunset　to　the　burial　ground；　for

when　he　leaned　pensively　over　the　gate；　there　would　always　be

faces　behind　the　gravestones；　peeping　at　his　black　veil。　　A　fable

went　the　rounds　that　the　stare　of　the　dead　people　drove　him

thence。　　It　grieved　him；　to　the　very　depth　of　his　kind　heart；　to

observe　how　the　children　fled　from　his　approach；　breaking　up

their　merriest　sports；　while　his　melancholy　figure　was　yet　afar

off。　　Their　instinctive　dread　caused　him　to　feel　more　strongly

than　aught　else；　that　a　preternatural　horror　was　interwoven　with

the　threads　of　the　black　crape。　　In　truth；　his　own　antipathy　to

the　veil　was　known　to　be　so　great；　that　he　never　willingly　passed

before　a　mirror；　nor　stooped　to　drink　at　a　still　fountain；　lest；

in　its　peaceful　bosom；　he　should　be　affrighted　by　himself。　　This

was　what　gave　plausibility　to　the　whispers；　that　Mr。　Hooper's

conscience　tortured　him　for　some　great　crime　too　horrible　to　be

entirely　concealed；　or　otherwise　than　so　obscurely　intimated。

Thus；　from　beneath　the　black　veil；　there　rolled　a　cloud　into　the

sunshine；　an　ambiguity　of　sin　or　sorrow；　which　enveloped　the　poor

minister；　so　that　love　or　sympathy　could　never　reach　him。　　It　was

said　that　ghost　and　fiend　consorted　with　him　there。　　With

self…shudderings　and　outward　terrors；　he　walked　continually　in

its　shadow；　groping　darkly　within　his　own　soul；　or　gazing　through

a　medium　that　saddened　the　whole　world。　　Even　the　lawless　wind；　it

was　believed；　respected　his　dreadful　secret；　and　never　blew　aside

the　veil。　　But　still　good　Mr。　Hooper　sadly　smiled　at　the　pale

visages　of　the　worldly　throng　as　he　passed　by。



Among　all　its　bad　influences；　the　black　veil　had　the　one

desirable　effect；　of　making　its　wearer　a　very　efficient

clergyman。　　By　the　aid　of　his　mysterious　emblemfor　there　was　no

other　apparent　causehe　became　a　man　of　awful　power　over　souls

that　were　in　agony　for　sin。　　His　converts　always　regarded　him　with

a　dread　peculiar　to　themselves；　affirming；　though　but

figuratively；　that；　before　he　brought　them　to　celestial　light；

they　had　been　with　him　behind　the　black　veil。　　Its　gloom；　indeed；

enabled　him　to　sympathize　with　all　dark　affections。　　Dying　sinners

cried　aloud　for　Mr。　Hooper；　and　would　not　yield　their　breath　till

he　appeared；　though　ever；　as　he　stooped　to　whisper　consolation；

they　shuddered　at　the　veiled　face　so　near　their　own。　　Such　were

the　terrors　of　the　black　veil；　even　when　Death　had　bared　his

visage！　　Strangers　came　long　distances　to　attend　service　at　his

church；　with　the　mere　idle　purpose　of　gazing　at　his　figure；

because　it　was　forbidden　them　to　behold　his　face。　　But　many　were

made　to　quake　ere　they　departed！　　Once；　during　Governor　Belcher's

administration；　Mr。　Hooper　was　appointed　to　preach　the　election

sermon。　　Covered　with　his　black　veil；　he　stood　before　the　chief

magistrate；　the　council；　and　the　representatives；　and　wrought　so

deep　an　impression；　that　the　legislative　measures　of　that　year

were　characterized　by　all　the　gloom　and　piety　of　our　earliest

ancestral　sway。



In　this　manner　Mr。　Hooper　spent　a　long　life；　irreproachable　in

outward　act；　yet　shrouded　in　dismal　suspicions；　kind　and　loving；

though　unloved；　and　dimly　feared；　a　man　apart　from　men；　shunned

in　their　health　and　joy；　but　ever　summoned　to　their　aid　in　mortal

anguish。　　As　years　wore　on；　shedding　their　snows　above　his　sable

veil；　he　acquired　a　name　throughout　the　New　England　churches；　and

they　called　him　Father　Hooper。　　Nearly　all　his　parishioners；　who

were　of　mature　age　when　he　was　settled；　had　been　borne　away　by

many　a　funeral：　he　had　one　congregation　in　the　church；　and　a　more

crowded　one　in　the　churchyard；　and　having　wrought　so　late　into

the　evening；　and　done　his　work　so　well；　it　was　now　good　Father

Hooper's　turn　to　rest。



Several　persons　were　visible　by　the　shaded　candlelight；　in　the

death　chamber　of　the　old　clergyman。　　Natural　connections　he　had

none。　　But　there　was　the　de