young goodman brown-第3部分

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fire；　blazing　high　into　the　night　and　fitfully　illuminating　the

whole　field。　Each　pendent　twig　and　leafy　festoon　was　in　a　blaze。

As　the　red　light　arose　and　fell；　a　numerous　congregation

alternately　shone　forth；　then　disappeared　in　shadow；　and　again

grew；　as　it　were；　out　of　the　darkness；　peopling　the　heart　of　the

solitary　woods　at　once。



〃A　grave　and　dark…clad　company；〃　quoth　Goodman　Brown。



In　truth　they　were　such。　Among　them；　quivering　to　and　fro　between

gloom　and　splendor；　appeared　faces　that　would　be　seen　next　day　at

the　council　board　of　the　province；　and　others　which；　Sabbath

after　Sabbath；　looked　devoutly　heavenward；　and　benignantly　over

the　crowded　pews；　from　the　holiest　pulpits　in　the　land。　Some

affirm　that　the　lady　of　the　governor　was　there。　At　least　there

were　high　dames　well　known　to　her；　and　wives　of　honored　husbands；

and　widows；　a　great　multitude；　and　ancient　maidens；　all　of

excellent　repute；　and　fair　young　girls；　who　trembled　lest　their

mothers　should　espy　them。　Either　the　sudden　gleams　of　light

flashing　over　the　obscure　field　bedazzled　Goodman　Brown；　or　he

recognized　a　score　of　the　church　members　of　Salem　village　famous

for　their　especial　sanctity。　Good　old　Deacon　Gookin　had　arrived；

and　waited　at　the　skirts　of　that　venerable　saint；　his　revered

pastor。　But；　irreverently　consorting　with　these　grave；　reputable；

and　pious　people；　these　elders　of　the　church；　these　chaste　dames

and　dewy　virgins；　there　were　men　of　dissolute　lives　and　women　of

spotted　fame；　wretches　given　over　to　all　mean　and　filthy　vice；

and　suspected　even　of　horrid　crimes。　It　was　strange　to　see　that

the　good　shrank　not　from　the　wicked；　nor　were　the　sinners　abashed

by　the　saints。　Scattered　also　among　their　pale…faced　enemies　were

the　Indian　priests；　or　powwows；　who　had　often　scared　their　native

forest　with　more　hideous　incantations　than　any　known　to　English

witchcraft。



〃But　where　is　Faith？〃　thought　Goodman　Brown；　and；　as　hope　came

into　his　heart；　he　trembled。



Another　verse　of　the　hymn　arose；　a　slow　and　mournful　strain；　such

as　the　pious　love；　but　joined　to　words　which　expressed　all　that

our　nature　can　conceive　of　sin；　and　darkly　hinted　at　far　more。

Unfathomable　to　mere　mortals　is　the　lore　of　fiends。　Verse　after

verse　was　sung；　and　still　the　chorus　of　the　desert　swelled

between　like　the　deepest　tone　of　a　mighty　organ；　and　with　the

final　peal　of　that　dreadful　anthem　there　came　a　sound；　as　if　the

roaring　wind；　the　rushing　streams；　the　howling　beasts；　and　every

other　voice　of　the　unconcerted　wilderness　were　mingling　and

according　with　the　voice　of　guilty　man　in　homage　to　the　prince　of

all。　The　four　blazing　pines　threw　up　a　loftier　flame；　and

obscurely　discovered　shapes　and　visages　of　horror　on　the　smoke

wreaths　above　the　impious　assembly。　At　the　same　moment　the　fire

on　the　rock　shot　redly　forth　and　formed　a　glowing　arch　above　its

base；　where　now　appeared　a　figure。　With　reverence　be　it　spoken；

the　figure　bore　no　slight　similitude；　both　in　garb　and　manner；　to

some　grave　divine　of　the　New　England　churches。



〃Bring　forth　the　converts！〃　cried　a　voice　that　echoed　through　the

field　and　rolled　into　the　forest。



At　the　word；　Goodman　Brown　stepped　forth　from　the　shadow　of　the

trees　and　approached　the　congregation；　with　whom　he　felt　a

loathful　brotherhood　by　the　sympathy　of　all　that　was　wicked　in

his　heart。　He　could　have　well…nigh　sworn　that　the　shape　of　his

own　dead　father　beckoned　him　to　advance；　looking　downward　from　a

smoke　wreath；　while　a　woman；　with　dim　features　of　despair；　threw

out　her　hand　to　warn　him　back。　Was　it　his　mother？　But　he　had　no

power　to　retreat　one　step；　nor　to　resist；　even　in　thought；　when

the　minister　and　good　old　Deacon　Gookin　seized　his　arms　and　led

him　to　the　blazing　rock。　Thither　came　also　the　slender　form　of　a

veiled　female；　led　between　Goody　Cloyse；　that　pious　teacher　of

the　catechism；　and　Martha　Carrier；　who　had　received　the　devil's

promise　to　be　queen　of　hell。　A　rampant　hag　was　she。　And　there

stood　the　proselytes　beneath　the　canopy　of　fire。



〃Welcome；　my　children；〃　said　the　dark　figure；　〃to　the　communion

of　your　race。　Ye　have　found　thus　young　your　nature　and　your

destiny。　My　children；　look　behind　you！〃



They　turned；　and　flashing　forth；　as　it　were；　in　a　sheet　of　flame；

the　fiend　worshippers　were　seen；　the　smile　of　welcome　gleamed

darkly　on　every　visage。



〃There；〃　resumed　the　sable　form；　〃are　all　whom　ye　have　reverenced

from　youth。　Ye　deemed　them　holier　than　yourselves；　and　shrank

from　your　own　sin；　contrasting　it　with　their　lives　of

righteousness　and　prayerful　aspirations　heavenward。　Yet　here　are

they　all　in　my　worshipping　assembly。　This　night　it　shall　be

granted　you　to　know　their　secret　deeds：　how　hoary…bearded　elders

of　the　church　have　whispered　wanton　words　to　the　young　maids　of

their　households；　how　many　a　woman；　eager　for　widows'　weeds；　has

given　her　husband　a　drink　at　bedtime　and　let　him　sleep　his　last

sleep　in　her　bosom；　how　beardless　youths　have　made　haste　to

inherit　their　fathers'　wealth；　and　how　fair　damselsblush　not；

sweet　oneshave　dug　little　graves　in　the　garden；　and　bidden　me；

the　sole　guest　to　an　infant's　funeral。　By　the　sympathy　of　your

human　hearts　for　sin　ye　shall　scent　out　all　the　placeswhether

in　church；　bedchamber；　street；　field；　or　forestwhere　crime　has

been　committed；　and　shall　exult　to　behold　the　whole　earth　one

stain　of　guilt；　one　mighty　blood　spot。　Far　more　than　this。　It

shall　be　yours　to　penetrate；　in　every　bosom；　the　deep　mystery　of

sin；　the　fountain　of　all　wicked　arts；　and　which　inexhaustibly

supplies　more　evil　impulses　than　human　powerthan　my　power　at

its　utmostcan　make　manifest　in　deeds。　And　now；　my　children；

look　upon　each　other。〃



They　did　so；　and；　by　the　blaze　of　the　hell…kindled　torches；　the

wretched　man　beheld　his　Faith；　and　the　wife　her　husband；

trembling　before　that　unhallowed　altar。



〃Lo；　there　ye　stand；　my　children；〃　said　the　figure；　in　a　deep　and

solemn　tone；　almost　sad　with　its　despairing　awfulness；　as　if　his

once　angelic　nature　could　yet　mourn　for　our　miserable　race。

〃Depending　upon　one　another's　hearts；　ye　had　still　hoped　that

virtue　were　not　all　a　dream。　Now　are　ye　undeceived。　Evil　is　the

nature　of　mankind。　Evil　must　be　your　only　happiness。　Welcome

again；　my　children；　to　the　communion　of　your　race。〃



〃Welcome；〃　repeated　the　fiend　worshippers；　in　one　cry　of　despair

and　triumph。



And　there　they　stood；　the　only　pair；　as　it　seemed；　who　were　yet

hesitating　on　the　verge　of　wickedness　in　this　dark　world。　A　basin

was　hollowed；　naturally；　in　the　rock。　Did　it　contain　water；

reddened　by　the　lurid　light？　or　was　it　blood？　or；　perchance；　a

liquid　flame？　Herein　did　the　shape　of　evil　dip　his　hand　and

prepare　to　lay　the　mark　of　baptism　upon　their　foreheads；　that

they　might　be　partakers　of　the　mystery　of　sin；　more　conscious　of

the　secret　guilt　of　others；　both　in　deed　and　thought；　than　they

could　now　be　of　their　own。　The　husband　cast　one　look　at　his　pale

wife；　and　Faith　at　him。　What　polluted　wretches　would　the　next

glance　show　them　to　each　other；　shuddering　alike　at　what　they

disclosed　and　what　they　saw！



〃Faith！　Faith！〃　cried　the　husband；　〃look　up　to　heaven；　and　resist

the　wicked　one。〃



Whether　Faith　obeyed　he　knew　not。　Hardly　had　he　spoken　when　he

found　himself　amid　calm　night　and　solitude；　listening　to　a　roar

of　the　wind　which　died　heavily　away　through　the　forest。　He

staggered　against　the　rock；　and　felt　it　chill　and　damp；　while　a

hanging　twig；　that　had　been　all　on　fire；　besprinkled　his　cheek

with　the　coldest　dew。



The　next　morning　young　Goodman　Brown　came　slowly　into　the　street

of　Salem　village；　staring　around　him　like　a　bewildered　man。　The

good　old　minister　was　taking　a　walk　along　the　graveyard　to　get　an

appetite　for　breakfast　and　meditate　his　sermon；　and　bestowed　a

blessing；　as　he　passed；　on　Goodman　Brown。　He　shrank　from　the

venerable　saint　as　if　to　avoid　an　anathema。　Old　Deacon　Gookin　was

at　domestic　worship；　and　the　holy　words　of　his　prayer　were　heard

through　the　open　window。　〃What　God　doth　the　wizard　pray　to？〃

quoth　Goodman　Brown。　Goody　Cloyse；　that　excellent　old　Christian；

stood　in　the　early　sunshine　at　her　own　lattice；　catechizing　a

little　girl　who　had　brought　her　a　pint　of　morning's　milk。　Goodman

Brown　snatched　away　the　child　as　from　the　grasp　of　the　fiend

himself。　Turning　the　corner　by　the　meeting…house；　he　spied　the

head　of　Faith；　with　the　pink　ribbons；　gazing　anxiously　forth；　and

bursting　into　such　joy　at　sight　of　him　that　she　skipped　along　the

street　and　almost　kissed　her　husband　before　the　whole　village。

But　Goodman　Brown　looked　sternly　and　sadly　into　her　face；　and

passed　on　without　a　greeting。



Had　Goodman　Brown　fallen　asleep　in　the　forest　and　only　dreamed　a

wild　dream　of　a　witch…meeting？



Be　it　so　if　you　will；　but；　alas！　it　was　a　dream　of　evil　omen　for

young　Goodman　Brown。　A　stern；　a　sad；　a　darkly　meditative；　a

distrustful；　if　not　a　desperate　man　did　he　become　from　the　night

of　that　fearful　dream。　On　the　Sabbath　day；　when　the　congregation

were　singing　a　holy　psalm；　he　could　not　listen　because　an　anthem

of　sin　rushed　loudly　upon　his　ear　and　drowned　all　the　blessed

strain。　When　the　minister　spoke　from　the　pulpit　with　power　and

fervid　eloquence；　and；　with　his　hand　on　the　open　Bible；　of　the

sacred　truths　of　our　religion；　and　of　saint…like　lives　and

triumphant　deaths；　and　of　future　bliss　or　misery　unutterable；

then　did　Goodman　Brown　turn　pale；　dreading　lest　the　roof　should

thunder　down　upon　the　gray　blasphemer　and　his　hearers。　Often；

waking　suddenly　at　midnight；　he　shrank　from　the　bosom　of　Faith；

and　at　morning　or　eventide；　when　the　family　knelt　down　at　prayer；

he　scowled　and　muttered　to　himself；　and　gazed　sternly　at　his

wife；　and　turned　away。　And　when　he　had　lived　long；　and　was　borne

to　his　grave　a　hoary　corpse；　followed　by　Faith；　an　aged　woman；

and　children　and　grandchildren；　a