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，tosomegravedivineoftheNewEnglandchurches。
“Bringforththeconverts！”criedavoice，thatechoedthrough
thefieldandrolledintotheforest。
Attheword，GoodmanBrownsteppedforthfromtheshadowofthe
trees，andapproachedthecongregation，withwhomhefeltaloathful
brotherhood，bythesympathyofallthatwaswickedinhisheart。He
couldhavewellnighsworn，thattheshapeofhisowndeadfather
beckonedhimtoadvance，lookingdownwardfromasmoke-wreath，whilea
woman，withdimfeaturesofdespair，threwoutherhandtowarnhim
back。Wasithismother？Buthehadnopowertoretreatonestep，
nortoresist，eveninthought，whentheministerandgoodold
DeaconGookinseizedhisarms，andledhimtotheblazingrock。
Thithercamealsotheslenderformofaveiledfemale，ledbetween
GoodyCloyse，thatpiousteacherofthecatechism，andMarthaCarrier，
whohadreceivedthedevil’spromisetobequeenofhell。Arampant
hagwasshe！Andtherestoodtheproselytes，beneaththecanopyof
fire。
“Welcome，mychildren。”saidthedarkfigure，“tothecommunion
ofyourrace！Yehavefound，thusyoung，yournatureandyourdestiny。
Mychildren，lookbehindyou！”
Theyturned；andflashingforth，asitwere，inasheetofflame，
thefiend-worshipperswereseen；thesmileofwelcomegleameddarkly
oneveryvisage。
“There。”resumedthesableform，“areallwhomyehavereverenced
fromyouth。Yedeemedthemholierthanyourselves，andshrankfrom
yourownsin，contrastingitwiththeirlivesofrighteousness，and
prayerfulaspirationsheavenward。Yet，herearetheyall，inmy
worshippingassembly！Thisnightitshallbegrantedyoutoknowtheir
secretdeeds；howhoary-beardedeldersofthechurchhavewhispered
wantonwordstotheyoungmaidsoftheirhouseholds；howmanyawoman，
eagerforwidow’sweeds，hasgivenherhusbandadrinkatbed-time，
andlethimsleephislastsleepinherbosom；howbeardlessyouth
havemadehastetoinherittheirfather’swealth；andhowfair
damsels-blushnot，sweetones-haveduglittlegravesinthe
garden，andbiddenme，thesoleguest，toaninfant’sfuneral。By
thesympathyofyourhumanheartsforsin，yeshallscentoutall
theplaces-whetherinchurch，bed-chamber，street，field，orforest-
wherecrimehasbeencommitted，andshallexulttobeholdthewhole
earthonestainofguilt，onemightyblood-spot。Farmorethanthis！
Itshallbeyourstopenetrate，ineverybosom，thedeepmysteryof
sin，thefountainofallwickedarts，andwhichinexhaustiblysupplies
moreevilimpulsesthanhumanpower-thanmypoweratitsutmost-
canmakemanifestindeeds。Andnow，mychildren，lookuponeach
other。”
Theydidso；and，bytheblazeofthehell-kindledtorches，the
wretchedmanbeheldhisFaith，andthewifeherhusband，trembling
beforethatunhallowedaltar。
“Lo！thereyestand，mychildren。”saidthefigure，inadeepand
solemntone，almostsad，withitsdespairingawfulness，asifhisonce
angelicnaturecouldyetmournforourmiserablerace。“Dependingupon
oneanother’shearts，yehadstillhopedthatvirtuewerenotalla
dream！Nowareyeundeceived！Evilisthenatureofmankind。Evilmust
beyouronlyhappiness。Welcome，again，mychildren，tothe
communionofyourrace！”
“Welcome！”repeatedthefiend-worshippers，inonecryofdespair
andtriumph。
Andtheretheystood，theonlypair，asitseemed，whowereyet
hesitatingonthevergeofwickedness，inthisdarkworld。Abasinwas
hollowed，naturally，intherock。Diditcontainwater，reddenedby
theluridlight？orwasitblood？or，perchance，aliquidflame？
HereindidtheShapeofEvildiphishand，andpreparetolaythemark
ofbaptismupontheirforeheads，thattheymightbepartakersofthe
mysteryofsin，moreconsciousofthesecretguiltofothers，both
indeedandthought，thantheycouldnowbeoftheirown。The
husbandcastonelookathispalewife，andFaithathim。What
pollutedwretcheswouldthenextglanceshowthemtoeachother，
shudderingalikeatwhattheydisclosedandwhattheysaw！
“Faith！Faith！”criedthehusband。“LookuptoHeaven，andresist
theWickedOne！”
WhetherFaithobeyed，heknewnot。Hardlyhadhespoken，whenhe
foundhimselfamidcalmnightandsolitude，listeningtoaroarofthe
wind，whichdiedheavilyawaythroughtheforest。Hestaggeredagainst
therock，andfeltitchillanddamp，whileahangingtwig，thathad
beenallonfire，besprinkledhischeekwiththecoldestdew。
Thenextmorning，youngGoodmanBrowncameslowlyintothestreet
ofSalemvillage，staringaroundhimlikeabewilderedman。Thegood
oldministerwastakingawalkalongthegraveyard，togetanappetite
forbreakfastandmeditatehissermon，andbestowedablessing，as
hepassed，onGoodmanBrown。Heshrankfromthevenerablesaint，asif
toavoidananathema。OldDeaconGookinwasatdomesticworship，and
theholywordsofhisprayerwereheardthroughtheopenwindow。“What
Goddoththewizardprayto？”quothGoodmanBrown。GoodyCloyse，
thatexcellentoldChristian，stoodintheearlysunshine，ather
ownlattice，catechisingalittlegirl，whohadbroughtherapint
ofmorning’smilk。GoodmanBrownsnatchedawaythechild，asfrom
thegraspofthefiendhimself。Turningthecornerbythe
meeting-house，hespiedtheheadofFaith，withthepinkribbons，
gazinganxiouslyforth，andburstingintosuchjoyatsightofhim，
thatsheskiptalongthestreet，andalmostkissedherhusband
beforethewholevillage。ButGoodmanBrownlookedsternlyandsadly
intoherface，andpassedonwithoutagreeting。
HadGoodmanBrownfallenasleepintheforest，andonlydreameda
wilddreamofawitch-meeting？
Beitso，ifyouwill。But，alas！itwasadreamofevilomenfor
youngGoodmanBrown。Astern，asad，adarklymeditative，a
distrustful，ifnotadesperateman，didhebecome，fromthenight
ofthatfearfuldream。OntheSabbath-day，whenthecongregation
weresingingaholypsalm，hecouldnotlisten，becauseananthemof
sinrushedloudlyuponhisear，anddrownedalltheblessedstrain。
Whentheministerspokefromthepulpit，withpowerandfervid
eloquence，andwithhishandontheopenBible，ofthesacredtruths
ofourreligion，andofsaint-likelivesandtriumphantdeaths，andof
futureblissormiseryunutterable，thendidGoodmanBrownturn
pale，dreadinglesttheroofshouldthunderdownuponthegray
blasphemerandhishearers。Often，awakingsuddenlyatmidnight，he
shrankfromthebosomofFaith，andatmorningoreventide，whenthe
familykneltdownatprayer，hescowled，andmutteredtohimself，
andgazedsternlyathiswife，andturnedaway。Andwhenhehad
livedlong，andwasbornetohisgrave，ahoarycorpse，followedby
Faith，anagedwoman，andchildrenandgrandchildren，agoodly
procession，besidesneighbors，notafew，theycarvednohopefulverse
uponhistombstone；forhisdyinghourwasgloom。