“Mensometimesareso。”saidherhusband。
Theafternoonservicewasattendedwithsimilarcircumstances。At
itsconclusion，thebelltolledforthefuneralofayounglady。The
relativesandfriendswereassembledinthehouse，andthemore
distantacquaintancesstoodaboutthedoor，speakingofthegood
qualitiesofthedeceased，whentheirtalkwasinterruptedbythe
appearanceofMr。Hooper，stillcoveredwithhisblackveil。Itwas
nowanappropriateemblem。Theclergymansteppedintotheroomwhere
thecorpsewaslaid，andbentoverthecoffin，totakealastfarewell
ofhisdeceasedparishioner。Ashestooped，theveilhungstraight
downfromhisforehead，sothat，ifhereyelidshadnotbeenclosed
forever，thedeadmaidenmighthaveseenhisface。CouldMr。Hooperbe
fearfulofherglance，thathesohastilycaughtbacktheblack
veil？Apersonwhowatchedtheinterviewbetweenthedeadand
living，scruplednottoaffirm，that，attheinstantwhenthe
clergyman’sfeaturesweredisclosed，thecorpsehadslightly
shuddered，rustlingtheshroudandmuslincap，thoughthe
countenanceretainedthecomposureofdeath。Asuperstitiousoldwoman
wastheonlywitnessofthisprodigy。FromthecoffinMr。Hooper
passedintothechamberofthemourners，andthencetotheheadofthe
staircase，tomakethefuneralprayer。Itwasatenderand
heart-dissolvingprayer，fullofsorrow，yetsoimbuedwith
celestialhopes，thatthemusicofaheavenlyharp，sweptbythe
fingersofthedead，seemedfaintlytobeheardamongthesaddest
accentsoftheminister。Thepeopletrembled，thoughtheybutdarkly
understoodhimwhenheprayedthatthey，andhimself，andallof
mortalrace，mightbeready，ashetrustedthisyoungmaidenhadbeen，
forthedreadfulhourthatshouldsnatchtheveilfromtheirfaces。
Thebearerswentheavilyforth，andthemournersfollowed，saddening
allthestreet，withthedeadbeforethem，andMr。Hooperinhisblack
veilbehind。
“Whydoyoulookback？”saidoneintheprocessiontohispartner。
Ihadafancy。”repliedshe，“thattheministerandthemaiden’s
spiritwerewalkinghandinhand。”
“AndsohadI，atthesamemoment。”saidtheother。
Thatnight，thehandsomestcoupleinMilfordvillageweretobe
joinedinwedlock。Thoughreckonedamelancholyman，Mr。Hooperhad
aplacidcheerfulnessforsuchoccasions，whichoftenexciteda
sympatheticsmilewhereliveliermerrimentwouldhavebeenthrown
away。Therewasnoqualityofhisdispositionwhichmadehimmore
belovedthanthis。Thecompanyattheweddingawaitedhisarrivalwith
impatience，trustingthatthestrangeawe，whichhadgatheredoverhim
throughouttheday，wouldnowbedispelled。Butsuchwasnotthe
result。WhenMr。Hoopercame，thefirstthingthattheireyesrested
onwasthesamehorribleblackveil，whichhadaddeddeepergloomto
thefuneral，andcouldportendnothingbuteviltothewedding。Such
wasitsimmediateeffectonthegueststhatacloudseemedtohave
rolledduskilyfrombeneaththeblackcrape，anddimmedthelightof
thecandles。Thebridalpairstoodupbeforetheminister。Butthe
bride’scoldfingersquiveredinthetremuloushandofthebridegroom，
andherdeathlikepalenesscausedawhisperthatthemaidenwhohad
beenburiedafewhoursbeforewascomefromhergravetobe
married。Ifeveranotherweddingweresodismal，itwasthatfamous
onewheretheytolledtheweddingknell。Afterperformingthe
ceremony，Mr。Hooperraisedaglassofwinetohislips，wishing
happinesstothenew-marriedcoupleinastrainofmildpleasantry
thatoughttohavebrightenedthefeaturesoftheguests，likea
cheerfulgleamfromthehearth。Atthatinstant，catchingaglimpseof
hisfigureinthelooking-glass，theblackveilinvolvedhisown
spiritinthehorrorwithwhichitoverwhelmedallothers。Hisframe
shuddered，hislipsgrewwhite，hespilttheuntastedwineuponthe
carpet，andrushedforthintothedarkness。FortheEarth，too，hadon
herBlackVeil。
Thenextday，thewholevillageofMilfordtalkedoflittleelse
thanParsonHooper’sblackveil。That，andthemysteryconcealed
behindit，suppliedatopicfordiscussionbetweenacquaintances
meetinginthestreet，andgoodwomengossipingattheiropenwindows。
Itwasthefirstitemofnewsthatthetavern-keepertoldtohis
guests。Thechildrenbabbledofitontheirwaytoschool。One
imitativelittleimpcoveredhisfacewithanoldblack
handkerchief，therebysoaffrightinghisplaymatesthatthepanic
seizedhimself，andhewell-nighlosthiswitsbyhisownwaggery。
Itwasremarkablethatofallthebusybodiesandimpertinentpeople
intheparish，notoneventuredtoputtheplainquestiontoMr。
Hooper，whereforehedidthisthing。Hitherto，wheneverthereappeared
theslightestcallforsuchinterference，hehadneverlacked
advisers，norshownhimselfadversetobeguidedbytheirjudgment。If
heerredatall，itwasbysopainfuladegreeofself-distrust，
thateventhemildestcensurewouldleadhimtoconsideran
indifferentactionasacrime。Yet，thoughsowellacquaintedwith
thisamiableweakness，noindividualamonghisparishionerschoseto
maketheblackveilasubjectoffriendlyremonstrance。Therewasa
feelingofdread，neitherplainlyconfessednorcarefullyconcealed，
whichcausedeachtoshifttheresponsibilityuponanother，tillat
lengthitwasfoundexpedienttosendadeputationofthechurch，in
ordertodealwithMr。Hooperaboutthemystery，beforeitshouldgrow
intoascandal。Neverdidanembassysoilldischargeitsduties。
Theministerreceivedthemwithfriendlycourtesy，butbecame
silent，aftertheywereseated，leavingtohisvisitorsthewhole
burdenofintroducingtheirimportantbusiness。Thetopic，itmightbe
supposed，wasobviousenough。Therewastheblackveilswathedround
Mr。Hooper’sforehead，andconcealingeveryfeatureabovehisplacid
mouth，onwhich，attimes，theycouldperceivetheglimmeringofa
melancholysmile。Butthatpieceofcrape，totheirimagination，
seemedtohangdownbeforehisheart，thesymbolofafearfulsecret
betweenhimandthem。Weretheveilbutcastaside，theymightspeak
freelyofit，butnottillthen。Thustheysataconsiderabletime，
speechless，confused，andshrinkinguneasilyfromMr。Hooper’seye，
whichtheyfelttobefixeduponthemwithaninvisibleglance。
Finally，thedeputiesreturnedabashedtotheirconstituents，
pronouncingthemattertooweightytobehandled，exceptbya
councilofthechurches，if，indeed，itmightnotrequireageneral
synod。
Buttherewasonepersoninthevillageunappalledbytheawe
withwhichtheblackveilhadimpressedallbesideherself。Whenthe
deputiesreturnedwithoutanexplanation，orevenventuringto
demandone，she，withthecalmenergyofhercharacter，determined
tochaseawaythestrangecloudthatappearedtobesettlingroundMr。
Hooper，everymomentmoredarklythanbefore。Ashisplightedwife，it
shouldbeherprivilegetoknowwhattheblackveilconcealed。At
theminister’sfirstvisit，therefore，sheentereduponthesubject
withadirectsimplicity，whichmadethetaskeasierbothforhim
andher。Afterhehadseatedhimself，shefixedhereyessteadfastly
upontheveil，butcoulddiscernnothingofthedreadfulgloomthat
hadsooverawedthemultitude：itwasbutadoublefoldofcrape，
hangingdownfromhisforeheadtohismouth，andslightlystirring
withhisbreath。
“No。”saidshealoud，andsmiling，“thereisnothingterriblein
thispieceofcrape，exceptthatithidesafacewhichIamalways
gladtolookupon。Come，goodsir，letthesunshinefrombehindthe
cloud。Firstlayasideyourblackveil：thentellmewhyyouputit
on。”
Mr。Hooper’ssmileglimmeredfaintly。
“Thereisanhourtocome。”saidhe，“whenallofusshallcast
asideourveils。Takeitnotamiss，belovedfriend，ifIwearthis
pieceofcrapetillthen。”
“Yourwordsareamystery，too。”returnedtheyounglady。“Take
awaytheveilfromthem，atleast。”
“Elizabeth，Iwill。”saidhe，“sofarasmyvowmaysufferme。
Know，then，thisveilisatypeandasymbol，andIamboundtowear
itever，bothinlightanddarkness，insolitudeandbeforethegaze
ofmultitudes，andaswithstrangers，sowithmyfamiliarfriends。
Nomortaleyewillseeitwithdrawn。Thisdismalshademustseparate
mefromtheworld：evenyou，Elizabeth，cannevercomebehindit！”
“Whatgrievousafflictionhathbefallenyou。”sheearnestly
inquired，“thatyoushouldthusdarkenyoureyesforever？”
“Ifitbeasignofmourning。”repliedMr。Hooper，“I，perhaps，
likemostothermortals，havesorrowsdarkenoughtobetypifiedby
ablackveil。”
“Butwhatiftheworldwillnotbelievethatitisthetypeofan
innocentsorrow？”urgedElizabeth。“Belovedandrespectedasyou
are，theremaybewhispersthatyouhideyourfaceunderthe
consciousnessofsecretsin。Forthesakeofyourholyoffice，doaway
thisscandal！”
Thecolorroseintohercheeksassheintimatedthenatureofthe
rumorsthatwerealreadyabroadinthevillage。ButMr。Hooper’s
mildnessdidnotforsakehim。Heevensmiledagain-thatsamesad
smile，whichalwaysappearedlikeafaintglimmeringoflight，
proceedingfromtheobscuritybeneaththeveil。
“IfIhidemyfaceforsorrow，thereiscauseenough。”hemerely
replied；“andifIcoveritforsecretsin，whatmortalmightnotdo
thesame？”
Andwiththisgentle，butunconquerableobstinacydidheresistall
herentreaties。AtlengthElizabethsatsilent。Forafewmoments
sheappearedlostinthought，considering，probably，whatnew
methodsmightbetriedtowithdrawherloverfromsodarkafantasy，
which，ifithadnoothermeaning，wasperhapsasymptomofmental
disease。Thoughofafirmercharacterthanhisown，thetearsrolled
downhercheeks。But，inaninstant，asitwere，anewfeelingtook
theplaceofsorrow：hereyeswerefixedinsensiblyontheblackveil，
when，likeasuddentwilightintheair，itsterrorsfellaround
her。Shearose，andstoodtremblingbeforehim。
“Anddoyoufeelitthen，atlast？”saidhemournfully。
Shemadenoreply，butcoveredhereyeswithherhand，andturned
toleavetheroom。Herushedforwardandcaughtherarm。
“Havepatiencewithme，Elizabeth！”criedhe，passionately。“Donot
desertme，thoughthisveilmustbebetweenushereonearth。Bemine，
andhereafterthereshallbenoveilovermyface，nodarknessbetween
oursouls！Itisbutamortalveil-itisnotforeternity！O！you
knownothowlonelyIam，andhowfrightened，tobealonebehindmy
blackveil。Donotleavemeinthismiserableobscurityforever！”
“Lifttheveilbutonce，andlookmeintheface。”saidshe。
“Never！Itcannotbe！”repliedMr。Hooper。
“Thenfarewell！”saidElizabeth。
Shewithdrewherarmfromhisgrasp，andslowlydeparted，pausing
atthedoor，togiveonelongshudderinggaze，thatseemedalmostto
penetratethemysteryoftheblackveil。But，evenamidhisgrief，Mr。
Hoopersmiledtothinkthatonlyamaterialemblemhadseparatedhim
fromhappiness，thoughthehorrors，whichitshadowedforth，mustbe
drawndarklybetweenthefondestoflovers。
FromthattimenoattemptsweremadetoremoveMr。Hooper’sblack
veil，or，byadirectappeal，todiscoverthesecretwhichitwas
supposedtohide。Bypersonswhoclaimedasuperioritytopopular
prejudice，itwasreckonedmerelyaneccentricwhim，suchasoften
mingleswiththesoberactionsofmenotherwiserational，andtinges
themallwithitsownsemblanceofinsanity。Butwiththemultitude，
goodMr。Hooperwasirreparablyabugbear。Hecouldnotwalkthe
streetwithanypeaceofmind，soconsciouswashethatthegentleand
timidwouldturnasidetoavoidhim，andthatotherswouldmakeita
pointofhardihoodtothrowthemselvesinhisway。Theimpertinenceof
thelatterclasscompelledhimtogiveuphiscustomarywalkatsunset
totheburialground；forwhenheleanedpensivelyoverthegate，
therewouldalwaysbefacesbehindthegravestones，peepingathis
blackveil。Afablewenttheroundsthatthestareofthedead