young goodman brown-第2部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



there　in　a　twinkling。〃



〃That　can　hardly　be；〃　answered　her　friend。　〃I　may　not　spare　you

my　arm；　Goody　Cloyse；　but　here　is　my　staff；　if　you　will。〃



So　saying；　he　threw　it　down　at　her　feet；　where；　perhaps；　it

assumed　life；　being　one　of　the　rods　which　its　owner　had　formerly

lent　to　the　Egyptian　magi。　Of　this　fact；　however；　Goodman　Brown

could　not　take　cognizance。　He　had　cast　up　his　eyes　in

astonishment；　and；　looking　down　again；　beheld　neither　Goody

Cloyse　nor　the　serpentine　staff；　but　his　fellow…traveller　alone；

who　waited　for　him　as　calmly　as　if　nothing　had　happened。



〃That　old　woman　taught　me　my　catechism；〃　said　the　young　man；　and

there　was　a　world　of　meaning　in　this　simple　comment。



They　continued　to　walk　onward；　while　the　elder　traveller　exhorted

his　companion　to　make　good　speed　and　persevere　in　the　path；

discoursing　so　aptly　that　his　arguments　seemed　rather　to　spring

up　in　the　bosom　of　his　auditor　than　to　be　suggested　by　himself。

As　they　went；　he　plucked　a　branch　of　maple　to　serve　for　a　walking

stick；　and　began　to　strip　it　of　the　twigs　and　little　boughs；

which　were　wet　with　evening　dew。　The　moment　his　fingers　touched

them　they　became　strangely　withered　and　dried　up　as　with　a　week's

sunshine。　Thus　the　pair　proceeded；　at　a　good　free　pace；　until

suddenly；　in　a　gloomy　hollow　of　the　road；　Goodman　Brown　sat

himself　down　on　the　stump　of　a　tree　and　refused　to　go　any

farther。



〃Friend；〃　said　he；　stubbornly；　〃my　mind　is　made　up。　Not　another

step　will　I　budge　on　this　errand。　What　if　a　wretched　old　woman　do

choose　to　go　to　the　devil　when　I　thought　she　was　going　to　heaven：

is　that　any　reason　why　I　should　quit　my　dear　Faith　and　go　after

her？〃



〃You　will　think　better　of　this　by　and　by；〃　said　his　acquaintance；

composedly。　〃Sit　here　and　rest　yourself　a　while；　and　when　you

feel　like　moving　again；　there　is　my　staff　to　help　you　along。〃



Without　more　words；　he　threw　his　companion　the　maple　stick；　and

was　as　speedily　out　of　sight　as　if　he　had　vanished　into　the

deepening　gloom。　The　young　man　sat　a　few　moments　by　the　roadside；

applauding　himself　greatly；　and　thinking　with　how　clear　a

conscience　he　should　meet　the　minister　in　his　morning　walk；　nor

shrink　from　the　eye　of　good　old　Deacon　Gookin。　And　what　calm

sleep　would　be　his　that　very　night；　which　was　to　have　been　spent

so　wickedly；　but　so　purely　and　sweetly　now；　in　the　arms　of　Faith！

Amidst　these　pleasant　and　praiseworthy　meditations；　Goodman　Brown

heard　the　tramp　of　horses　along　the　road；　and　deemed　it　advisable

to　conceal　himself　within　the　verge　of　the　forest；　conscious　of

the　guilty　purpose　that　had　brought　him　thither；　though　now　so

happily　turned　from　it。



On　came　the　hoof　tramps　and　the　voices　of　the　riders；　two　grave

old　voices；　conversing　soberly　as　they　drew　near。　These　mingled

sounds　appeared　to　pass　along　the　road；　within　a　few　yards　of　the

young　man's　hiding…place；　but；　owing　doubtless　to　the　depth　of

the　gloom　at　that　particular　spot；　neither　the　travellers　nor

their　steeds　were　visible。　Though　their　figures　brushed　the　small

boughs　by　the　wayside；　it　could　not　be　seen　that　they

intercepted；　even　for　a　moment；　the　faint　gleam　from　the　strip　of

bright　sky　athwart　which　they　must　have　passed。　Goodman　Brown

alternately　crouched　and　stood　on　tiptoe；　pulling　aside　the

branches　and　thrusting　forth　his　head　as　far　as　he　durst　without

discerning　so　much　as　a　shadow。　It　vexed　him　the　more；　because　he

could　have　sworn；　were　such　a　thing　possible；　that　he　recognized

the　voices　of　the　minister　and　Deacon　Gookin；　jogging　along

quietly；　as　they　were　wont　to　do；　when　bound　to　some　ordination

or　ecclesiastical　council。　While　yet　within　hearing；　one　of　the

riders　stopped　to　pluck　a　switch。



〃Of　the　two；　reverend　sir；〃　said　the　voice　like　the　deacon's；　〃I

had　rather　miss　an　ordination　dinner　than　to…night's　meeting。

They　tell　me　that　some　of　our　community　are　to　be　here　from

Falmouth　and　beyond；　and　others　from　Connecticut　and　Rhode

Island；　besides　several　of　the　Indian　powwows；　who；　after　their

fashion；　know　almost　as　much　deviltry　as　the　best　of　us。

Moreover；　there　is　a　goodly　young　woman　to　be　taken　into

communion。〃



〃Mighty　well；　Deacon　Gookin！〃　replied　the　solemn　old　tones　of　the

minister。　〃Spur　up；　or　we　shall　be　late。　Nothing　can　be　done；　you

know；　until　I　get　on　the　ground。〃



The　hoofs　clattered　again；　and　the　voices；　talking　so　strangely

in　the　empty　air；　passed　on　through　the　forest；　where　no　church

had　ever　been　gathered　or　solitary　Christian　prayed。　Whither；

then；　could　these　holy　men　be　journeying　so　deep　into　the　heathen

wilderness？　Young　Goodman　Brown　caught　hold　of　a　tree　for

support；　being　ready　to　sink　down　on　the　ground；　faint　and

overburdened　with　the　heavy　sickness　of　his　heart。　He　looked　up

to　the　sky；　doubting　whether　there　really　was　a　heaven　above　him。

Yet　there　was　the　blue　arch；　and　the　stars　brightening　in　it。



〃With　heaven　above　and　Faith　below；　I　will　yet　stand　firm　against

the　devil！〃　cried　Goodman　Brown。



While　he　still　gazed　upward　into　the　deep　arch　of　the　firmament

and　had　lifted　his　hands　to　pray；　a　cloud；　though　no　wind　was

stirring；　hurried　across　the　zenith　and　hid　the　brightening

stars。　The　blue　sky　was　still　visible；　except　directly　overhead；

where　this　black　mass　of　cloud　was　sweeping　swiftly　northward。

Aloft　in　the　air；　as　if　from　the　depths　of　the　cloud；　came　a

confused　and　doubtful　sound　of　voices。　Once　the　listener　fancied

that　he　could　distinguish　the　accents　of　towns…people　of　his　own；

men　and　women；　both　pious　and　ungodly；　many　of　whom　he　had　met　at

the　communion　table；　and　had　seen　others　rioting　at　the　tavern。

The　next　moment；　so　indistinct　were　the　sounds；　he　doubted

whether　he　had　heard　aught　but　the　murmur　of　the　old　forest；

whispering　without　a　wind。　Then　came　a　stronger　swell　of　those

familiar　tones；　heard　daily　in　the　sunshine　at　Salem　village；　but

never　until　now　from　a　cloud　of　night　There　was　one　voice　of　a

young　woman；　uttering　lamentations；　yet　with　an　uncertain　sorrow；

and　entreating　for　some　favor；　which；　perhaps；　it　would　grieve

her　to　obtain；　and　all　the　unseen　multitude；　both　saints　and

sinners；　seemed　to　encourage　her　onward。



〃Faith！〃　shouted　Goodman　Brown；　in　a　voice　of　agony　and

desperation；　and　the　echoes　of　the　forest　mocked　him；　crying；

〃Faith！　Faith！〃　as　if　bewildered　wretches　were　seeking　her　all

through　the　wilderness。



The　cry　of　grief；　rage；　and　terror　was　yet　piercing　the　night；

when　the　unhappy　husband　held　his　breath　for　a　response。　There

was　a　scream；　drowned　immediately　in　a　louder　murmur　of　voices；

fading　into　far…off　laughter；　as　the　dark　cloud　swept　away；

leaving　the　clear　and　silent　sky　above　Goodman　Brown。　But

something　fluttered　lightly　down　through　the　air　and　caught　on

the　branch　of　a　tree。　The　young　man　seized　it；　and　beheld　a　pink

ribbon。



〃My　Faith　is　gone！〃　cried　he；　after　one　stupefied　moment。　〃There

is　no　good　on　earth；　and　sin　is　but　a　name。　Come；　devil；　for　to

thee　is　this　world　given。〃



And；　maddened　with　despair；　so　that　he　laughed　loud　and　long；　did

Goodman　Brown　grasp　his　staff　and　set　forth　again；　at　such　a　rate

that　he　seemed　to　fly　along　the　forest　path　rather　than　to　walk

or　run。　The　road　grew　wilder　and　drearier　and　more　faintly

traced；　and　vanished　at　length；　leaving　him　in　the　heart　of　the

dark　wilderness；　still　rushing　onward　with　the　instinct　that

guides　mortal　man　to　evil。　The　whole　forest　was　peopled　with

frightful　soundsthe　creaking　of　the　trees；　the　howling　of　wild

beasts；　and　the　yell　of　Indians；　while　sometimes　the　wind　tolled

like　a　distant　church　bell；　and　sometimes　gave　a　broad　roar

around　the　traveller；　as　if　all　Nature　were　laughing　him　to

scorn。　But　he　was　himself　the　chief　horror　of　the　scene；　and

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　wa