第60章

“Wife。”saidMr。Lindsey，afterafitofsilence，“seewhata

quantityofsnowthechildrenhavebroughtinontheirfeet！Ithas

madequiteapuddleherebeforethestove。PraytellDoratobring

sometowelsandsopitup！”

byNathanielHawthorne

THEREISACERTAINCHURCHinthecityofNewYorkwhichIhave

alwaysregardedwithpeculiarinterest，onaccountofamarriagethere

solemnized，underverysingularcircumstances，inmygrandmother’s

girlhood。Thatvenerableladychancedtobeaspectatorofthe

scene，andeveraftermadeitherfavoritenarrative。Whetherthe

edificenowstandingonthesamesitebetheidenticalonetowhich

shereferred，Iamnotantiquarianenoughtoknow；norwoulditbe

worthwhiletocorrectmyself，perhaps，ofanagreeableerror，by

readingthedateofitserectiononthetabletoverthedoor。Itis

astatelychurch，surroundedbyaninclosureoftheloveliestgreen，

withinwhichappearurns，pillars，obelisks，andotherformsof

monumentalmarble，thetributesofprivateaffection，ormoresplendid

memorialsofhistoricdust。Withsuchaplace，thoughthetumultof

thecityrollsbeneathitstower，onewouldbewillingtoconnectsome

legendaryinterest。

Themarriagemightbeconsideredastheresultofanearly

engagement，thoughtherehadbeentwointermediateweddingsonthe

lady’spart，andfortyyearsofcelibacyonthatofthegentleman。

Atsixty-five，Mr。Ellenwoodwasashy，butnotquiteasecluded

man；selfish，likeallmenwhobroodovertheirownhearts，yet

manifestingonrareoccasionsaveinofgeneroussentiment；a

scholarthroughoutlife，thoughalwaysanindolentone，becausehis

studieshadnodefiniteobject，eitherofpublicadvantageorpersonal

ambition；agentleman，highbredandfastidiouslydelicate，yet

sometimesrequiringaconsiderablerelaxation，inhisbehalf，ofthe

commonrulesofsociety。

Intruth，thereweresomanyanomaliesinhischaracter，andthough

shrinkingwithdiseasedsensibilityfrompublicnotice，ithadbeen

hisfatalitysooftentobecomethetopicoftheday，bysomewild

eccentricityofconduct，thatpeoplesearchedhislineageforan

hereditarytaintofinsanity。Buttherewasnoneedofthis。His

capriceshadtheirorigininamindthatlackedthesupportofan

engrossingpurpose，andinfeelingsthatpreyeduponthemselvesfor

wantofotherfood。Ifheweremad，itwastheconsequence，andnot

thecause，ofanaimlessandabortivelife。

Thewidowwasascompleteacontrasttoherthirdbridegroom，in

everythingbutage，ascanwellbeconceived。Compelledto

relinquishherfirstengagement，shehadbeenunitedtoamanoftwice

herownyears，towhomshebecameanexemplarywife，andbywhose

deathshewasleftinpossessionofasplendidfortune。Asouthern

gentleman，considerablyyoungerthanherself，succeededtoherhand，

andcarriedhertoCharleston，where，aftermanyuncomfortable

years，shefoundherselfagainawidow。Itwouldhavebeensingular，

ifanyuncommondelicacyoffeelinghadsurvivedthroughsuchalife

asMrs。Dabney’s；itcouldnotbutbecrushedandkilledbyher

earlydisappointment，thecolddutyofherfirstmarriage，the

dislocationoftheheart’sprinciples，consequentonasecondunion

andtheunkindnessofhersouthernhusband，whichhadinevitably

drivenhertoconnecttheideaofhisdeathwiththatofher

comfort。Tobebrief，shewasthatwisest，butunloveliest，varietyof

woman，aphilosopher，bearingtroublesoftheheartwithequanimity，

dispensingwithallthatshouldhavebeenherhappiness，andmaking

thebestofwhatremained。Sageinmostmatters，thewidowwasperhaps

themoreamiablefortheonefrailtythatmadeherridiculous。Being

childless，shecouldnotremainbeautifulbyproxy，inthepersonofa

daughter；shethereforerefusedtogrowoldandugly，onany

consideration；shestruggledwithTime，andheld