第62章

Thusfar，theeldertravellerhadlistenedwithduegravity，but

nowburstintoafitofirrepressiblemirth，shakinghimselfso

violentlythathissnake-likestaffactuallyseemedtowrigglein

sympathy。

“Ha！ha！ha！”shoutedhe，againandagain；thencomposing

himself，“Well，goon，GoodmanBrown，goon；but，prithee，don’t

killmewithlaughing！”

“Well，then，toendthematteratonce。”saidGoodmanBrown，

considerablynettled，“thereismywife，Faith。Itwouldbreakher

dearlittleheart；andI’dratherbreakmyown！”

“Nay，ifthatbethecase。”answeredtheother，“e’engothy

ways，GoodmanBrown。Iwouldnot，fortwentyoldwomenliketheone

hobblingbeforeus，thatFaithshouldcometoanyharm。”

Ashespoke，hepointedhisstaffatafemalefigureonthepath，

inwhomGoodmanBrownrecognizedaverypiousandexemplarydame，

whohadtaughthimhiscatechisminyouth，andwasstillhismoraland

spiritualadviser，jointlywiththeministerandDeaconGookin。

“Amarvel，truly，thatGoodyCloyseshouldbesofarinthe

wilderness，atnight-fall！”saidhe。“But，withyourleave，friend，

Ishalltakeacutthroughthewoods，untilwehaveleftthis

Christianwomanbehind。Beingastrangertoyou，shemightaskwhom

Iwasconsortingwith，andwhitherIwasgoing。”

“Beitso。”saidhisfellow-traveller。“Betakeyoutothewoods，

andletmekeepthepath。”

Accordingly，theyoungmanturnedaside，buttookcaretowatchhis

companion，whoadvancedsoftlyalongtheroad，untilhehadcome

withinastaff’slengthoftheolddame。She，meanwhile，wasmaking

thebestofherway，withsingularspeedforsoagedawoman，and

mumblingsomeindistinctwords，aprayer，doubtless，asshewent。

Thetravellerputforthhisstaff，andtouchedherwitheredneck

withwhatseemedtheserpent’stail。

“Thedevil！”screamedthepiousoldlady。

“ThenGoodyCloyseknowsheroldfriend？”observedthetraveller，

confrontingher，andleaningonhiswrithingstick。

“Ah，forsooth，andisityourworship，indeed？”criedthegood

dame。“Yea，trulyisit，andintheveryimageofmyoldgossip，

GoodmanBrown，thegrandfatherofthesillyfellowthatnowis。But，

wouldyourworshipbelieveit？mybroomstickhathstrangely

disappeared，stolen，asIsuspect，bythatunhangedwitch，GoodyCory，

andthat，too，whenIwasallanointedwiththejuiceofsmallage

andcinque-foilandwolf’s-bane“-

“Mingledwithfinewheatandthefatofanew-bornbabe。”said

theshapeofoldGoodmanBrown。

“Ah，yourworshipknowstherecipe。”criedtheoldlady，cackling

aloud。“So，asIwassaying，beingallreadyforthemeeting，andno

horsetorideon，Imadeupmymindtofootit；fortheytellme，

thereisaniceyoungmantobetakenintocommuniontonight。But

nowyourgoodworshipwilllendmeyourarm，andweshallbethere

inatwinkling。”

“Thatcanhardlybe。”answeredherfriend。“Imaynotspareyou

myarm，GoodyCloyse，buthereismystaff，ifyouwill。”

Sosaying，hethrewitdownatherfeet，where，perhaps，itassumed

life，beingoneoftherodswhichitsownerhadformerlylentto

EgyptianMagi。Ofthisfact，however，GoodmanBrowncouldnottake

cognizance。Hehadcastuphiseyesinastonishment，andlooking

downagain，beheldneitherGoodyCloysenortheserpentinestaff，

buthisfellow-travelleralone，whowaitedforhimascalmlyasif

nothinghadhappened。

“Thatoldwomantaughtmemycatechism！”saidtheyoungman；and

therewasaworldofmeaninginthissimplecomment。

Theycontinuedtowalkonward，whiletheeldertravellerexhorted

hiscompaniontomakegoodspeedandpersevereinthepath，

discoursingsoaptly，thathisargumentsseemedrathertospringupin

thebosomofhisauditor，thantobesuggestedbyhimself。Asthey

went，hepluckedabranchofmaple，toserveforawalking-stick，

andbegantostripitofthetwigsandlittleboughs，whichwerewet

witheveningdew。Themomenthisfingerstouchedthem，theybecame

strangelywitheredanddriedup，aswithawe