登陆注册
14831200000010

第10章 YOUNG GOODMAN BROWN(3)

"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, "Ihad 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.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 一场潮汐一朝晨

    一场潮汐一朝晨

    故事发生在云海市,一座美丽的沿海城市。就在人们沉醉于平静休闲的生活中时,云海市突然接二连三地发生离奇的自杀事件。市刑警队的警察们不眠不休地投入案件中,可却毫无收获。公安局上层内部商讨决定派出一名优秀的女警卧底潜伏在犯罪分子内部。在行动过程中,女警偶然邂逅了一个比自己小三岁的男孩。他,是我们的男主角。在案件过程中,他阴差阳错地协助她办案。好像命运的安排,由于案件的复杂、罪犯的狡猾,男主角最终加入了消灭罪恶的队伍,成为了警方的线人。经过长达一年半多的奋战,警方终于瓦解了犯罪集团.可是,结局并不是我们想要的,主人公之间与幕后黑手的关系错综复杂。直到小说的最后,会让你感受到主人翁生命的光芒与魅力。每个人都会在小说中找到属于自己的角色,也许在你迷茫的时候它会帮助你重新找到勇气、信念与未来的美好。它不仅仅是一部警匪悬疑小说,我认为它更是一部令我们反思生命的一部著作。
  • 雪离惜

    雪离惜

    域上,别再丢下小玖了,下一世,小玖陪你一起承担。
  • 妾惊华

    妾惊华

    她冷酷无情,是暗夜的杀手,是这个世界的主宰。却抵挡不住可笑的命运!一朝穿越而来的她,秉持人不为己天诛地灭的原则而活!京都因她的到来,自此掀起了一轮腥风血雨!洞房花烛夜,凤冠红衣,龙凤红烛,却独独缺了新郎。红纱之下的她,那双清澈的犹如泉水般的凤目,闪烁着一抹寒光,今日之辱,他日必当百倍奉还。恶奴欺主,乱棍打走。嫡妹陷害,一掌打你站不起来。一个绵里藏针,带着复仇之心刻意靠近。一个笑里藏刀,怀着探寻之意曲意接纳。天下动荡,皇权之争,她助他除奸佞,破阴谋,解危难,平四方。本以为可以幸福的生活下去,才发现,他爱的另有其人……【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 大唐神朝

    大唐神朝

    隋唐十八好汉,个个不得了,秦叔宝一锏断江,李元霸一锤碎岳,尉迟恭横行万军中。作为主角的刘礼也不差,一柱擎天!
  • 位面异世战

    位面异世战

    宇宙意志势力,主要分为「无限流势力」、「游戏流势力」、「真实流势力」三大意志势力,彼此相互竞争与蜕变。男主角,在一次的下课,准备回宿舍的途中,毫无预警的突然被传送到了一处仙府前,那里有着一名银发俊美青年。了解了相关信息后,别无选择的男主角,只得答应青年的意思,前往处在于各位面中的异世界,进行他口中所谓的游历。身为「游戏流势力」的男主角,他所将面临的会是各种不同的体验与经历;他将会度过各种不同的冒险故事。让我们且看,他究竟会如何去挑战他那未知的未来。
  • 木几冗谈

    木几冗谈

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 阿修罗至尊战神

    阿修罗至尊战神

    这里是东方玄幻,却不是仙侠修真。这里有魔法武技,却没有斗气武魂。这里有的是神魔鬼怪,却没有凡夫俗子。简单点说,就是没有人。这是天龙八部的世界,八部众生,非人非神。他生下来就是高富帅,天生仙骨金身。他本想花天酒地,纨绔一生,却不想命途多舛,不得不走上了修炼成神的道路。且看阿修罗王子如何一统八部修炼成神……
  • 深爱如梦

    深爱如梦

    韩子月本是一个打工的女孩,却让李忠强沉迷于她的魅力。同时,韩子月在公司的位置越来越重,可谓身负重任,公司的生死存亡都在这一个女孩身上,牵一发而动全身。李忠强不能让她出一点意外,因为只有韩子月除了意外,整个公司的希望基本全部玩完,没有人想看到这样的结局。爱情与事业,对于这一个身材柔弱的女孩子,真是一个艰难的选择!
  • 公共道德、知识与责任(人与环境知识丛书)

    公共道德、知识与责任(人与环境知识丛书)

    《公共道德、知识与责任》是“人与环境知识”丛书之一。《公共道德、知识与责任》内容涉及公共道德、知识、责任与环境的各个侧面,文字浅显易懂,生动活泼。
  • 七城风月

    七城风月

    按年纪他该叫她一声姐姐。可他却是唯一敢直呼她大名还胡搅蛮缠非要娶她的臭小子。她是绣河庄医仙,江湖人称七姐,闻说高冷孤僻,锱铢必较,只救财神,不救瘟神。有钱便来,没钱滚蛋。不料河边洗澡被窥见玉体,还让这个油嘴滑舌的臭小子缠上?收医徒反被撩,他是财神还是瘟神?东朝北域两国秦晋,背后却是一场居心叵测的阴谋,绣河庄陷入难逃的数劫,万事变迁,俩人最终分道扬镳,各不相干。数年后,他金刀铁马,威风凛凛,手刃无数敌兵,驰骋沙场却与她不期而遇,可她已成了他眼下的东朝狗贼。生死不过他举剑一句———顾十七,你无路可走了。一世韶光,一世风月,都因你而浮沉。