第63章

Intheintervalofsilence，hestoleforward，untilthelight

glaredfulluponhiseyes。Atoneextremityofanopenspace，hemmed

inbythedarkwalloftheforest，arosearock，bearingsomerude，

naturalresemblanceeithertoanaltarorapulpit，andsurrounded

byfourblazingpines，theirtopsaflame，theirstemsuntouched，

likecandlesataneveningmeeting。Themassoffoliage，thathad

overgrownthesummitoftherock，wasallonfire，blazinghighinto

thenight，andfitfullyilluminatingthewholefield。Eachpendant

twigandleafyfestoonwasinablaze。Astheredlightaroseand

fell，anumerouscongregationalternatelyshoneforth，then

disappearedinshadow，andagaingrew，asitwere，outofthe

darkness，peoplingtheheartofthesolitarywoodsatonce。

“Agraveanddark-cladcompany！”quothGoodmanBrown。

Intruth，theyweresuch。Amongthem，quiveringtoandfro，between

gloomandsplendor，appearedfacesthatwouldbeseen，nextday，at

thecouncil-boardoftheprovince，andotherswhich，Sabbathafter

Sabbath，lookeddevoutlyheavenward，andbenignantlyoverthe

crowdedpews，fromtheholiestpulpitsintheland。Someaffirm，

thattheladyofthegovernorwasthere。Atleast，therewerehigh

dameswellknowntoher，andwivesofhonoredhusbands，andwidows，

agreatmultitude，andancientmaidens，allofexcellentrepute，and

fairyounggirls，whotrembledlesttheirmothersshouldespythem。

Eitherthesuddengleamsoflight，flashingovertheobscurefield，

bedazzledGoodmanBrown，orherecognizedascoreofthe

church-membersofSalemvillage，famousfortheirespecialsanctity。

GoodoldDeaconGookinhadarrived，andwaitedattheskirtsofthat

venerablesaint，hisreverendpastor。But，irreverentlyconsorting

withthesegrave，reputable，andpiouspeople，theseeldersofthe

church，thesechastedamesanddewyvirgins，thereweremenof

dissolutelivesandwomenofspottedfame，wretchesgivenoverto

allmeanandfilthyvice，andsuspectedevenofhorridcrimes。It

wasstrangetosee，thatthegoodshranknotfromthewicked，norwere

thesinnersabashedbythesaints。Scattered，also，amongtheir

palefacedenemies，weretheIndianpriests，orpowows，whohadoften

scaredtheirnativeforestwithmorehideousincantationsthanany

knowntoEnglishwitchcraft。

“But，whereisFaith？”thoughtGoodmanBrown；and，ashopecame

intohisheart，hetrembled。

Anotherverseofthehymnarose，aslowandmournfulstrain，such

asthepiouslove，butjoinedtowordswhichexpressedallthatour

naturecanconceiveofsin，anddarklyhintedatfarmore。

Unfathomabletomeremortalsistheloreoffiends。Verseafter

versewassung，andstillthechorusofthedesertswelledbetween，

likethedeepesttoneofamightyorgan。And，withthefinalpealof

thatdreadfulanthem，therecameasound，asiftheroaringwind，

therushingstreams，thehowlingbeasts，andeveryothervoiceof

theunconvertedwilderness，wereminglingandaccordingwiththevoice

ofguiltyman，inhomagetotheprinceofall。Thefourblazing

pinesthrewupaloftierflame，andobscurelydiscoveredshapesand

visagesofhorroronthesmoke-wreaths，abovetheimpiousassembly。At

thesamemoment，thefireontherockshotredlyforth，andformeda

glowingarchaboveitsbase，wherenowappearedafigure。With

reverencebeitspoken，theapparitionborenoslightsimilitude，both

ingarbandmanner，tosomegravediv