Itwassorrowfultobeholdhowthefinegentlemanbegantofade
backintoascarecrowwhileMotherRigbyshooktheashesoutofthe
pipeandproceededtoreplenishitfromhertobacco-box。
“Dickon。”criedshe，inherhigh，sharptone，“anothercoalfor
thispipe！”
Nosoonersaidthantheintenselyredspeckoffirewasglowing
withinthepipe-bowl；andthescarecrow，withoutwaitingforthe
witch’sbidding，appliedthetubetohislipsanddrewinafewshort，
convulsivewhiffs，whichsoon，however，becameregularandequable。
“Now，mineownheart’sdarling。”quothMotherRigby，“whatever
mayhappentothee，thoumuststicktothypipe。Thylifeisinit；
andthat，atleast，thouknowestwell，ifthouknowestnoughtbesides。
Sticktothypipe，Isay！Smoke，puff，blowthycloud；andtellthe
people，ifanyquestionbemade，thatitisforthyhealth，andthat
sothephysicianorderstheetodo。And，sweetone，whenthoushalt
findthypipegettinglow，goapartintosomecorner，andfirst
fillingthyselfwithsmokecrysharply，’Dickon，afreshpipeof
tobacco！’and，’Dickon，anothercoalformypipe！’andhaveitinto
thyprettymouthasspeedilyasmaybe。Else，insteadofagallant
gentlemaninagold-lacedcoat，thouwiltbebutajumbleofsticks
andtatteredclothes，andabagofstraw，andawitheredpumpkin！
Nowdepart，mytreasure，andgoodluckgowiththee！”
“Neverfear，mother！”saidthefigure，inastoutvoice，and
sendingforthacourageouswhiffofsmoke，“Iwillthrive，ifan
honestmanandagentlemanmay！”
“Oh，thouwiltbethedeathofme！”criedtheoldwitch，
convulsedwithlaughter。“Thatwaswellsaid。Ifanhonestmananda
gentlemanmay！Thouplayestthyparttoperfection。Getalongwith
theeforasmartfellow；andIwillwageronthyhead，asamanof
pithandsubstance，withabrainandwhattheycallaheart，andall
elsethatamanshouldhave，againstanyotherthingontwolegs。I
holdmyselfabetterwitchthanyesterday，forthysake。DidnotI
makethee？AndIdefyanywitchinNewEnglandtomakesuchanother！
Here；takemystaffalongwiththee！”
Thestaff，thoughitwasbutaplainoakenstick，immediately
tooktheaspectofagold-headedcane。
“Thatgoldheadhasasmuchsenseinitasthineown。”said
MotherRigby，“anditwillguidetheestraighttoworshipfulMaster
Gookin’sdoor。Gettheegone，myprettypet，mydarling，myprecious
one，mytreasure；andifanyaskthyname，itisFeathertop。For
thouhastafeatherinthyhat，andIhavethrustahandfulof
feathersintothehollowofthyhead，andthywig，too，isofthe
fashiontheycallFeathertop-sobeFeathertopthyname！”
And，issuingfromthecottage，Feathertopstrodemanfullytowards
town。MotherRigbystoodatthethreshold，wellpleasedtoseehowthe
sunbeamsglistenedonhim，asifallhismagnificencewerereal，and
howdiligentlyandlovinglyhesmokedhispipe，andhowhandsomely
hewalked，inspiteofalittlestiffnessofhislegs。Shewatchedhim
untiloutofsight，andthrewawitchbenedictionafterherdarling，
whenaturnoftheroadsnatchedhimfromherview。
Betimesintheforenoon，whentheprincipalstreetofthe
neighboringtownwasjustatitsacmeoflifeandbustle，astranger
ofverydistinguishedfigurewasseenonthesidewalk。Hisportas
wellashisgarmentsbetokenednothingshortofnobility。Heworea
richly-embroideredplum-coloredcoat，awaistcoatofcostlyvelvet，
magnificentlyadornedwithgoldenfoliage，apairofsplendid
scarletbreeches，andthefinestandglossiestofwhitesilk
stockings。Hisheadwascoveredwithaperuke，sodaintilypowdered
andadjustedthatitwouldhavebeensacrilegetodisorderitwitha
hat；which，thereforeanditwasagold-lacedhat，setoffwitha
snowyfeather，hecarriedbeneathhisarm。Onthebreastofhis
coatglistenedastar。Hemanagedhisgold-headedcanewithanairy
grace，peculiartothefinegentlemenoftheperiod；and，togive
thehighestpossiblefinishtohisequipment，hehadlacerufflesat
hiswrist，ofamostetherealdelicacy，sufficientlyavouchinghow
idleandaristocraticmustbethehandswhichtheyhalfconcealed。
Itwasaremarkablepointintheaccoutrementofthisbrilliant
personagethatheheldinhislefthandafantastickindofapipe，
withanexquisitelypaintedbowlandanambermouthpiece。Thishe
appliedtohislipsasoftenaseveryfiveorsixpaces，andinhaleda
deepwhiffofsmoke，which，afterbeingretainedamomentinhis
lungs，mightbeseentoeddygracefullyfromhismouthandnostrils。
Asmaywellbesupposed，thestreetwasallastirtofindoutthe
stranger’sname。
“Itissomegreatnobleman，beyondquestion。”saidoneofthe
towns-people。“Doyouseethestarathisbreast？”
“Nay；itistoobrighttobeseen。”saidanother。“Yes；hemust
needsbeanobleman，asyousay。Butbywhatconveyance，thinkyou，
canhislordshiphavevoyagedortravelledhither？Therehasbeenno
vesselfromtheoldcountryforamonthpast；andifhehavearrived
overlandfromthesouthward，praywherearehisattendantsand
equipage？”
“Heneedsnoequipagetosetoffhisrank。”remarkedathird。“If
hecameamongusinrags，nobilitywouldshinethroughaholeinhis
elbow。Ineversawsuchdignityofaspect。HehastheoldNormanblood
inhisveins，Iwarranthim。”
“IrathertakehimtobeaDutchman，oroneofyourhigh
Germans。”saidanothercitizen。“Themenofthosecountrieshave
alwaysthepipeattheirmouths。”
“AndsohasaTurk。”answeredhiscompanion。“But，inmy
judgment，thisstrangerhathbeenbredattheFrenchcourt，andhath
therelearnedpolitenessandgraceofmanner，whichnoneunderstandso
wellasthenobilityofFrance。Thatgait，now！Avulgarspectator
mightdeemitstiff-hemightcallitahitchandjerk-but，tomy
eye，ithathanunspeakablemajesty，andmusthavebeenacquiredby
constantobservationofthedeportmentoftheGrandMonarque。The
stranger’scharacterandofficeareevidentenough。HeisaFrench
ambassador，cometotreatwithourrulersaboutthecessionof
Canada。”
“MoreprobablyaSpaniard。”saidanother，“andhencehisyellow
complexion；or，mostlikely，heisfromtheHavana，orfromsome
portontheSpanishMain，andcomestomakeinvestigationaboutthe
piracieswhichourgovernmentisthoughttoconniveat。Thosesettlers
inPeruandMexicohaveskinsasyellowasthegoldwhichtheydigout
oftheirmines。”
“Yellowornot。”criedalady，“heisabeautifulman！sotall，
soslender！suchafine，nobleface，withsowell-shapedanose，and
allthatdelicacyofexpressionaboutthemouth！And，blessme，how
brighthisstaris！Itpositivelyshootsoutflames！”
“Sodoyoureyes，fairlady。”saidthestranger，withabowanda
flourishofhispipe；forhewasjustpassingattheinstant。“Uponmy
honor，theyhavequitedazzledme。”
“Waseversooriginalandexquisiteacompliment？”murmuredthe
lady，inanecstasyofdelight。
Amidthegeneraladmirationexcitedbythestranger’sappearance，
therewereonlytwodissentingvoices。Onewasthatofan
impertinentcur，which，aftersnuffingattheheelsofthe
glisteningfigure，putitstailbetweenitslegsandskulkedinto
itsmaster’sbackyard，vociferatinganexecrablehowl。Theother
dissentientwasayoungchild，whosqualledatthefulleststretch
ofhislungs，andbabbledsomeunintelligiblenonsenseabouta
pumpkin。
Feathertopmeanwhilepursuedhiswayalongthestreet。Exceptfor
thefewcomplimentarywordstothelady，andnowandthenaslight
inclinationoftheheadinrequitaloftheprofoundreverencesof
thebystanders，heseemedwhollyabsorbedinhispipe。Thereneededno
otherproofofhisrankandconsequencethantheperfectequanimity
withwhichhecomportedhimself，whilethecuriosityandadmirationof
thetownswelledalmostintoclamoraroundhim。Withacrowdgathering
behindhisfootsteps，hefinallyreachedthemansion-houseofthe
worshipfulJusticeGookin，enteredthegate，ascendedthestepsofthe
frontdoor，andknocked。Intheinterim，beforehissummonswas
answered，thestrangerwasobservedtoshaketheashesoutofhis
pipe。
“Whatdidhesayinthatsharpvoice？”inquiredoneofthe
spectators。
“Nay，Iknownot。”answeredhisfriend。“Butthesundazzlesmy
eyesstrangely。Howdimandfadedhislordshiplooksallofa
sudden！Blessmywits，whatisthematterwithme？”
“Thewonderis，saidtheother，“thathispipe，whichwasout
onlyaninstantago，shouldbeallalightagain，andwiththe
reddestcoalIeversaw。Thereissomethingmysteriousaboutthis
stranger。Whatawhiffofsmokewasthat！Dimandfadeddidyoucall
him？Why，asheturnsaboutthestaronhisbreastisallablaze。”
“Itis，indeed。”saidhiscompanion；“anditwillgoneartodazzle
prettyPollyGookin，whomIseepeepingatitoutofthechamber
window。”
Thedoorbeingnowopened，Feathertopturnedtothecrowd，madea
statelybendofhisbodylikeagreatmanacknowledgingthe
reverenceofthemeanersort，andvanishedintothehouse。Therewasa
mysteriouskindofasmile，ifitmightnotbetterbecalledagrinor
grimace，uponhisvisage；but，ofallthethrongthatbeheldhim，
notanindividualappearstohavepossessedinsightenoughtodetect
theillusivecharacterofthestrangerexceptalittlechildandacur
dog。
Ourlegendherelosessomewhatofitscontinuity，and，passingover
thepreliminaryexplanationbetweenFeathertopandthemerchant，
goesinquestoftheprettyPollyGookin。Shewasadamselofa
soft，roundfigure，withlighthairandblueeyes，andafair，rosy
face，whichseemedneitherveryshrewdnorverysimple。Thisyoung
ladyhadcaughtaglimpseoftheglisteningstrangerwhilestandingat
thethreshold，andhadforthwithputonalacedcap，astringof
beads，herfinestkerchief，andherstiffestdamaskpetticoatin
preparationfortheinterview。Hurryingfromherchambertothe
parlor，shehadeversincebeenviewingherselfinthelarge
looking-glassandpractisingprettyairs-nowasmile，nowa
ceremoniousdignityofaspect，andnowasoftersmilethantheformer，
kissingherhandlikewise，tossingherhead，andmanagingherfan；
whilewithinthemirroranunsubstantiallittlemaidrepeatedevery
gestureanddidallthefoolishthingsthatPollydid，butwithout
makingherashamedofthem。Inshort，itwasthefaultofpretty
Polly’sabilityratherthanherwillifshefailedtobeascomplete
anartificeastheillustriousFeathertophimself；and，whenshe
thustamperedwithherownsimplicity，thewitch’sphantommight
wellhopetowinher。
NosoonerdidPollyhearherfather’sgoutyfootstepsapproaching
theparlordoor，accompaniedwiththestiffclatterofFeathertop’s
high-heeledshoes，thansheseatedherselfboltuprightandinnocently
beganwarblingasong。
“Polly！daughterPolly！”criedtheoldmerchant。“Comehither，
child。”
MasterGookin’saspect，asheopenedthedoor，wasdoubtfuland
troubled。