stories by modern american authors-第67部分

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was　to　have　exchanged　pulpits　with　Parson　Shute；　of　Westbury；　but

Parson　Shute　sent　to　excuse　himself　yesterday；　being　to　preach　a

funeral　sermon。〃



The　cause　of　so　much　amazement　may　appear　sufficiently　slight。

Mr。　Hooper；　a　gentlemanly　person；　of　about　thirty；　though　still　a

bachelor；　was　dressed　with　due　clerical　neatness；　as　if　a　careful

wife　had　starched　his　band；　and　brushed　the　weekly　dust　from　his

Sunday's　garb。　　There　was　but　one　thing　remarkable　in　his

appearance。　　Swathed　about　his　forehead；　and　hanging　down　over　his

face；　so　low　as　to　be　shaken　by　his　breath；　Mr。　Hooper　had　on　a

black　veil。　　On　a　nearer　view　it　seemed　to　consist　of　two　folds　of

crape；　which　entirely　concealed　his　features；　except　the　mouth

and　chin；　but　probably　did　not　intercept　his　sight；　further　than

to　give　a　darkened　aspect　to　all　living　and　inanimate　things。

With　this　gloomy　shade　before　him；　good　Mr。　Hooper　walked　onward；

at　a　slow　and　quiet　pace；　stooping　somewhat；　and　looking　on　the

ground；　as　is　customary　with　abstracted　men；　yet　nodding　kindly　to

those　of　his　parishioners　who　still　waited　on　the　meeting…house

steps。　　But　so　wonder…struck　were　they　that　his　greeting　hardly

met　with　a　return。



〃I　can't　really　feel　as　if　good　Mr。　Hooper's　face　was　behind　that

piece　of　crape；〃　said　the　sexton。



〃I　don't　like　it；〃　muttered　an　old　woman；　as　she　hobbled　into　the

meeting…house。　　〃He　has　changed　himself　into　something　awful；　only

by　hiding　his　face。〃



〃Our　parson　has　gone　mad！〃　cried　Goodman　Gray；　following　him

across　the　threshold。



A　rumor　of　some　unaccountable　phenomenon　had　preceded　Mr。　Hooper

into　the　meeting…house；　and　set　all　the　congregation　astir。　　Few

could　refrain　from　twisting　their　heads　towards　the　door；　many

stood　upright；　and　turned　directly　about；　while　several　little

boys　clambered　upon　the　seats；　and　came　down　again　with　a

terrible　racket。　　There　was　a　general　bustle；　a　rustling　of　the

women's　gowns　and　shuffling　of　the　men's　feet；　greatly　at

variance　with　that　hushed　repose　which　should　attend　the　entrance

of　the　minister。　　But　Mr。　Hooper　appeared　not　to　notice　the

perturbation　of　his　people。　　He　entered　with　an　almost　noiseless

step；　bent　his　head　mildly　to　the　pews　on　each　side；　and　bowed　as

he　passed　his　oldest　parishioner；　a　white…haired　great　grandsire；

who　occupied　an　arm…chair　in　the　centre　of　the　aisle。　　It　was

strange　to　observe　how　slowly　this　venerable　man　became　conscious

of　something　singular　in　the　appearance　of　his　pastor。　　He　seemed

not　fully　to　partake　of　the　prevailing　wonder；　till　Mr。　Hooper

had　ascended　the　stairs；　and　showed　himself　in　the　pulpit；　face

to　face　with　his　congregation；　except　for　the　black　veil。　　That

mysterious　emblem　was　never　once　withdrawn。　　It　shook　with　his

measured　breath；　as　he　gave　out　the　psalm；　it　threw　its　obscurity

between　him　and　the　holy　page；　as　he　read　the　Scriptures；　and

while　he　prayed；　the　veil　lay　heavily　on　his　uplifted

countenance。　　Did　he　seek　to　hide　it　from　the　dread　Being　whom　he

was　addressing？



Such　was　the　effect　of　this　simple　piece　of　crape；　that　more

than　one　woman　of　delicate　nerves　was　forced　to　leave　the

meeting…house。　　Yet　perhaps　the　pale…faced　congregation　was　almost

as　fearful　a　sight　to　the　minister；　as　his　black　veil　to　them。



Mr。　Hooper　had　the　reputation　of　a　good　preacher；　but　not　an

energetic　one：　he　strove　to　win　his　people　heavenward　by　mild；

persuasive　influences；　rather　than　to　drive　them　thither　by　the

thunders　of　the　Word。　　The　sermon　which　he　now　delivered　was

marked　by　the　same　characteristics　of　style　and　manner　as　the

general　series　of　his　pulpit　oratory。　　But　there　was　something；

either　in　the　sentiment　of　the　discourse　itself；　or　in　the

imagination　of　the　auditors；　which　made　it　greatly　the　most

powerful　effort　that　they　had　ever　heard　from　their　pastor's

lips。　　It　was　tinged；　rather　more　darkly　than　usual；　with　the

gentle　gloom　of　Mr。　Hooper's　temperament。　　The　subject　had

reference　to　secret　sin；　and　those　sad　mysteries　which　we　hide

from　our　nearest　and　dearest；　and　would　fain　conceal　from　our　own

consciousness；　even　forgetting　that　the　Omniscient　can　detect

them。　　A　subtle　power　was　breathed　into　his　words。　　Each　member　of

the　congregation；　the　most　innocent　girl；　and　the　man　of　hardened

breast；　felt　as　if　the　preacher　had　crept　upon　them；　behind　his

awful　veil；　and　discovered　their　hoarded　iniquity　of　deed　or

thought。　　Many　spread　their　clasped　hands　on　their　bosoms。　　There

was　nothing　terrible　in　what　Mr。　Hooper　said；　at　least；　no

violence；　and　yet；　with　every　tremor　of　his　melancholy　voice；　the

hearers　quaked。　　An　unsought　pathos　came　hand　in　hand　with　awe。　　So

sensible　were　the　audience　of　some　unwonted　attribute　in　their

minister；　that　they　longed　for　a　breath　of　wind　to　blow　aside　the

veil；　almost　believing　that　a　stranger's　visage　would　be

discovered；　though　the　form；　gesture；　and　voice　were　those　of　Mr。

Hooper。



At　the　close　of　the　services；　the　people　hurried　out　with

indecorous　confusion；　eager　to　communicate　their　pent…up

amazement；　and　conscious　of　lighter　spirits　the　moment　they　lost

sight　of　the　black　veil。　　Some　gathered　in　little　circles；　huddled

closely　together；　with　their　mouths　all　whispering　in　the　centre；

some　went　homeward　alone；　wrapt　in　silent　meditation；　some　talked

loudly；　and　profaned　the　Sabbath　day　with　ostentatious　laughter。

A　few　shook　their　sagacious　heads；　intimating　that　they　could

penetrate　the　mystery；　while　one　or　two　affirmed　that　there　was

no　mystery　at　all；　but　only　that　Mr。　Hooper's　eyes　were　so

weakened　by　the　midnight　lamp；　as　to　require　a　shade。　　After　a

brief　interval；　forth　came　good　Mr。　Hooper　also；　in　the　rear　of

his　flock。　　Turning　his　veiled　face　from　one　group　to　another；　he

paid　due　reverence　to　the　hoary　heads；　saluted　the　middle　aged

with　kind　dignity　as　their　friend　and　spiritual　guide；　greeted

the　young　with　mingled　authority　and　love；　and　laid　his　hands　on

the　little　children's　heads　to　bless　them。　　Such　was　always　his

custom　on　the　Sabbath　day。　　Strange　and　bewildered　looks　repaid

him　for　his　courtesy。　　None；　as　on　former　occasions；　aspired　to

the　honor　of　walking　by　their　pastor's　side。　　Old　Squire　Saunders；

doubtless　by　an　accidental　lapse　of　memory；　neglected　to　invite

Mr。　Hooper　to　his　table；　where　the　good　clergyman　had　been　wont

to　bless　the　food；　almost　every　Sunday　since　his　settlement。　　He

returned；　therefore；　to　the　parsonage；　and；　at　the　moment　of

closing　the　door；　was　observed　to　look　back　upon　the　people；　all

of　whom　had　their　eyes　fixed　upon　the　minister。　　A　sad　smile

gleamed　faintly　from　beneath　the　black　veil；　and　flickered　about

his　mouth；　glimmering　as　he　disappeared。



〃How　strange；〃　said　a　lady；　〃that　a　simple　black　veil；　such　as

any　woman　might　wear　on　her　bonnet；　should　become　such　a　terrible

thing　on　Mr。　Hooper's　face！〃



〃Something　must　surely　be　amiss　with　Mr。　Hooper's　intellects；〃

observed　her　husband；　the　physician　of　the　village。　　〃But　the

strangest　part　of　the　affair　is　the　effect　of　this　vagary；　even

on　a　sober…minded　man　like　myself。　　The　black　veil；　though　it

covers　only　our　pastor's　face；　throws　its　influence　over　his

whole　person；　and　makes　him　ghostlike　from　head　to　foot。　　Do　you

not　feel　it　so？〃



〃Truly　do　I；〃　replied　the　lady；　〃and　I　would　not　be　alone　with

him　for　the　world。　　I　wonder　he　is　not　afraid　to　be　alone　with

himself！〃



〃Men　sometimes　are　so；〃　said　her　husband。



The　afternoon　service　was　attended　with　similar　circumstances。　　At

its　conclusion；　the　bell　tolled　for　the　funeral　of　a　young　lady。

The　relatives　and　friends　were　assembled　in　the　house；　and　the

more　distant　acquaintances　stood　about　the　door；　speaking　of　the

good　qualities　of　the　deceased；　when　their　talk　was　interrupted

by　the　appearance　of　Mr。　Hooper；　still　covered　with　his　black

veil。　　It　was　now　an　appropriate　emblem。　　The　clergyman　stepped

into　the　room　where　the　corpse　was　laid；　and　bent　over　the

coffin；　to　take　a　last　farewell　of　his　deceased　parishioner。　　As

he　stooped；　the　veil　hung　straight　down　from　his　forehead；　so

that；　if　her　eyelids　had　not　been　closed　forever；　the　dead　maiden

might　have　seen　his　face。　　Could　Mr。　Hooper　be　fearful　of　her

glance；　that　he　so　hastily　caught　back　the　black　veil？　　A　person

who　watched　the　interview　between　the　dead　and　living；　scrupled

not　to　affirm；　that；　at　the　instant　when　the　clergyman's　features

were　disclosed；　the　corpse　had　slightly　shuddered；　rustling　the

shroud　and　muslin　cap；　though　the　countenance　retained　the

composure　of　death。　　A　superstitious　old　woman　was　the　only

witness　of　this　prodigy。　　From　the　coffin　Mr。　Hooper　passed　into

the　chamber　of　the　mourners；　and　thence　to　the　head　of　the

staircase；　to　make　the　funeral　prayer。　　It　was　a　tender　and

heart…dissolving　prayer；　full　of　sorrow；　yet　so　imbued　with

celestial　hopes；　that　the　music　of　a　heavenly　harp；　swept　by　the

fingers　of　the　dead；　seemed　faintly　to　be　heard　among　the　saddest

accents　of　the　minister。　　The　people　trembled；　though　they　but

darkly　understood　him　when　he　prayed　that　they；　and　himself；　and

all　of　mortal　race；　might　be　ready；　as　he　trusted　this　young

maiden　had　been；　for　the　dreadful　hour　that　should　snatch　the

veil　from　their　faces。　　The　bearers　went　heavily　forth；　and　the

mourners　followed；　saddening　all　the　street；　with　the　dead　before

them；　and　Mr。　Hooper　in　his　black　veil　behind。



〃Why　do　you　look　back？〃　said　one　in　the　procession　to　his

partner。



〃I　had　a　fancy；〃　replied　she；　〃that　the　minister　and　the　maiden's

spirit　were　walking　hand　in　hand。〃



〃And　so　had　I；　at　the　same　moment；〃　said　the　other。



That　night；　the　handsomest　couple　in　Milford　village　were　to　be

joined　in　wedlock。　　Though　reckoned　a　melancholy　man；　Mr。　Hooper

had　a　placid　cheerfulness　for　such　occasions；　which　often　excited

a　sympathetic　smile　where　livelier