“Sotheytellme。”saidDominicus。
“Ineversawamanlooksoyellowandthinasthesquiredoes。”
continuedthetoll-gatherer。“SaysItomyself，tonight，he’smore
likeaghostoranoldmummythangoodfleshandblood。”
Thepedlarstrainedhiseyesthroughthetwilight，andcouldjust
discernthehorsemannowfaraheadonthevillageroad。Heseemedto
recognizetherearofMr。Higginbotham；butthroughtheevening
shadows，andamidthedustfromthehorse’sfeet，thefigure
appeareddimandunsubstantial；asiftheshapeofthemysterious
oldmanwerefaintlymouldedofdarknessandgraylight。Dominicus
shivered。
“Mr。Higginbothamhascomebackfromtheotherworld，bywayofthe
Kimballtonturnpike。”thoughthe。
Heshookthereinsandrodeforward，keepingaboutthesame
distanceintherearofthegrayoldshadow，tillthelatterwas
concealedbyabendoftheroad。Onreachingthispoint，thepedlarno
longersawthemanonhorseback，butfoundhimselfattheheadof
thevillagestreet，notfarfromanumberofstoresandtwotaverns，
clusteredroundthemeeting-housesteeple。Onhisleftwereastone
wallandagate，theboundaryofawood-lot，beyondwhichlayan
orchard，fartherstill，amowingfield，andlastofall，ahouse。
ThesewerethepremisesofMr。Higginbotham，whosedwellingstood
besidetheoldhighway，buthadbeenleftinthebackgroundbythe
Kimballtonturnpike。Dominicusknewtheplace；andthelittlemare
stoppedshortbyinstinct；forhewasnotconsciousoftightening
thereins。
“Forthesoulofme，Icannotgetbythisgate！”saidhe，
trembling。“Inevershallbemyownmanagain，tillIseewhether
Mr。HigginbothamishangingontheSt。Michael’spear-tree！”
Heleapedfromthecart，gavethereinaturnroundthegate
post，andranalongthegreenpathofthewood-lotasifOldNickwere
chasingbehind。Justthenthevillageclocktolledeight，andas
eachdeepstrokefell，Dominicusgaveafreshboundandflewfaster
thanbefore，till，diminthesolitarycentreoftheorchard，hesaw
thefatedpear-tree。Onegreatbranchstretchedfromtheoldcontorted
trunkacrossthepath，andthrewthedarkestshadowonthatone
spot。Butsomethingseemedtostrugglebeneaththebranch！
Thepedlarhadneverpretendedtomorecouragethanbefitsamanof
peaceableoccupation，norcouldheaccountforhisvaloronthisawful
emergency。Certainitis，however，thatherushedforward，
prostratedasturdyIrishmanwiththebuttendofhiswhip，andfound-
notindeedhangingontheSt。Michael’spear-tree，buttrembling
beneathit，withahalterroundhisneck-theold，identicalMr。
Higginbotham！
“Mr。Higginbotham。”saidDominicustremulously，“you’reanhonest
man，andI’lltakeyourwordforit。Haveyoubeenhangedornot？”
Iftheriddlebenotalreadyguessed，afewwordswillexplain
thesimplemachinerybywhichthis“comingevent“wasmadeto“cast
itsshadowbefore。”Threemenhadplottedtherobberyandmurderof
Mr。Higginbotham；twoofthem，successively，lostcourageandfled，
eachdelayingthecrimeonenightbytheirdisappearance；thethird
wasintheactofperpetration，whenachampion，blindlyobeyingthe
calloffate，liketheheroesofoldromance，appearedintheperson
ofDominicusPike。
Itonlyremainstosay，thatMr。Higginbothamtookthepedlar
intohighfavor，sanctionedhisaddressestothepretty
schoolmistress，andsettledhiswholepropertyontheirchildren，
allowingthemselvestheinterest。Induetime，theoldgentleman
cappedtheclimaxofhisfavors，bydyingaChristiandeath，inbed，
sincewhichmelancholyeventDominicusPikehasremovedfrom
Kimballton，andestablishedalargetobaccomanufactoryinmynative
village。
byNathanielHawthorne
AFTERTHEKINGSofGreatBritainhadassumedtherightof
appointingthecolonialgovernors，themeasuresofthelatterseldom
metwiththereadyandgeneralapprobationwhichhadbeenpaidto
thoseoftheirpredecessors，undertheoriginalcharters。Thepeople
lookedwithmostjealousscrutinytotheexerciseofpowerwhichdid
notemanatefromthemselves，andtheyusuallyrewardedtheirrulers
withslendergratitudeforthecompliancesbywhich，insoftening
theirinstructionsfrombeyondthesea，theyhadincurredthe
reprehensionofthosewhogavethem。TheannalsofMassachusettsBay
willinformus，thatofsixgovernorsinthespaceofaboutforty
yearsfromthesurrenderoftheoldcharter，underJamesII，two
wereimprisonedbyapopularinsurrection；athird，asHutchinson
inclinestobelieve，wasdrivenfromtheprovincebythewhizzingofa
musketball；afourth，intheopinionofthesamehistorian，was
hastenedtohisgravebycontinualbickeringswiththeHouseof
Representatives；andtheremainingtwo，aswellastheirsuccessors，
tilltheRevolution，werefavoredwithfewandbriefintervalsof
peacefulsway。Theinferiormembersofthecourtparty，intimesof
highpoliticalexcitement，ledscarcelyamoredesirablelife。These
remarksmayserveasaprefacetothefollowingadventures，which
chanceduponasummernight，notfarfromahundredyearsago。The
reader，inordertoavoidalonganddrydetailofcolonialaffairs，
isrequestedtodispensewithanaccountofthetrainofcircumstances
thathadcausedmuchtemporaryinflammationofthepopularmind。
Itwasnearnineo’clockofamoonlightevening，whenaboat
crossedtheferrywithasinglepassenger，whohadobtainedhis
conveyanceatthatunusualhourbythepromiseofanextrafare。While
hestoodonthelandingplace，searchingineitherpocketforthe
meansoffulfillinghisagreement，theferrymanliftedalantern，by
theaidofwhich，andthenewly-risenmoon，hetookaveryaccurate
surveyofthestranger’sfigure。Hewasayouthofbarelyeighteen
years，evidentlycountry-bred，andnow，asitshouldseem，uponhis
firstvisittotown。Hewascladinacoarsegraycoat，wellworn，but
inexcellentrepair；hisunder-garmentsweredurablyconstructedof
leather，andfittedtighttoapairofserviceableandwell-shaped
limbs；hisstockingsofblueyarnweretheincontrovertibleworkof
amotherorasister；andonhisheadwasathree-corneredhat，
whichinitsbetterdayshadperhapsshelteredthegraverbrowof
thelad’sfather。Underhisleftarmwasaheavycudgel，formedof
anoaksapling，andretainingapartofthehardenedroot；andhis
equipmentwascompletedbyawallet，notsoabundantlystockedasto
incommodethevigorousshouldersonwhichithung。Brown，curly
hair，well-shapedfeatures，andbright，cheerfuleyes，werenature’s
gifts，andworthallthatartcouldhavedoneforhisadornment。
Theyouth，oneofwhosenameswasRobin，finallydrewfromhis
pocketthehalfofalittleprovincebilloffiveshillings，which，in
thedepreciationofthatsortofcurrency，didbutsatisfythe
ferryman’sdemand，withthesurplusofasexangularpieceof
parchment，valuedatthreepence。Hethenwalkedforwardintothe
town，withaslightastepasifhisday’sjourneyhadnotalready
exceededthirtymiles，andwithaseageraneyeasifhewereentering
Londoncity，insteadofthelittlemetropolisofaNewEnglandcolony。
BeforeRobinhadproceededfar，however，itoccurredtohimthathe
knewnotwhithertodirecthissteps；sohepaused，andlookedup
anddownthenarrowstreet，scrutinizingthesmallandmeanwooden
buildingsthatwerescatteredoneitherside。
“Thislowhovelcannotbemykinsman’sdwelling。”thoughthe，
“noryonderoldhouse，wherethemoonlightentersatthebroken
casement；andtrulyIseenonehereaboutsthatmightbeworthyofhim。
Itwouldhavebeenwisetoinquiremywayoftheferryman，and
doubtlesshewouldhavegonewithme，andearnedashillingfromthe
majorforhispains。ButthenextmanImeetwilldoaswell。”
Heresumedhiswalk，andwasgladtoperceivethatthestreetnow
becamewider，andthehousesmorerespectableintheirappearance。
Hesoondiscernedafiguremovingonmoderatelyinadvance，and
hastenedhisstepstoovertakeit。AsRobindrewnigh，hesawthatthe
passengerwasamaninyears，withafullperiwigofgrayhair，a
wide-skirtedcoatofdarkcloth，andsilkstockingsrolledabovehis
knees。Hecarriedalongandpolishedcane，whichhestruckdown
perpendicularlybeforehim，ateverystep；andatregularintervalshe
utteredtwosuccessivehems，ofapeculiarlysolemnandsepulchral
intonation。Havingmadetheseobservations，Robinlaidholdofthe
skirtoftheoldman’scoat，justwhenthelightfromtheopendoor
andwindowsofabarber’sshopfelluponboththeirfigures。“Good
eveningtoyou，honoredsir。”saidhe，makingalowbow，andstill
retaininghisholdoftheskirt。“Iprayyoutellmewhereaboutsis
thedwellingofmykinsman，MajorMolineux。”
Theyouth’squestionwasutteredveryloudly；andoneofthe
barbers，whoserazorwasdescendingonawell-soapedchin，andanother
whowasdressingaRamillieswig，lefttheiroccupations，andcame
tothedoor。Thecitizen，inthemeantime，turnedalong-favored
countenanceuponRobin，andansweredhiminatoneofexcessive
angerandannoyance。Histwosepulchralhems，however，brokeinto
theverycentreofhisrebuke，withmostsingulareffect，likea
thoughtofthecoldgraveobtrudingamongwrathfulpassions。
“Letgomygarment，fellow！Itellyou，Iknownotthemanyou
speakof。What！Ihaveauthority，Ihave-hem，hem-authority；and
ifthisbetherespectyoushowforyourbetters，yourfeetshallbe
broughtacquaintedwiththestocksbydaylight，tomorrowmorning！”
Robinreleasedtheoldman’sskirt，andhastenedaway，pursuedby
anill-manneredroaroflaughterfromthebarber’sshop。Hewasat
firstconsiderablysurprisedbytheresultofhisquestion，but，being
ashrewdyouth，soonthoughthimselfabletoaccountforthemystery。
Thisissomecountryrepresentative。”washisconclusion，“who
hasneverseentheinsideofmykinsman’sdoor，andlacksthebreeding
toanswerastrangercivilly。Themanisold，orverily-Imightbe
temptedtoturnbackandsmitehimonthenose。Ah，Robin，Robin！even
thebarber’sboyslaughatyouchoosingsuchaguide！Youwillbe
wiserintime，friendRobin。”
Henowbecameentangledinasuccessionofcrookedandnarrow
streets，whichcrossedeachother，andmeanderedatnogreat
distancefromthewater-side。Thesmelloftarwasobvioustohis
nostrils，themastsofvesselspiercedthemoonlightabovethetopsof
thebuildings，andthenumeroussigns，whichRobinpausedtoread，
informedhimthathewasnearthecentreofbusiness。Butthe
streetswereempty，theshopswereclosed，andlightswerevisible
onlyinthesecondstoriesofafewdwelling-houses。Atlength，onthe
cornerofanarrowlane，throughwhichhewaspassing，hebeheldthe
broadcountenanceofaBritishheroswingingbeforethedoorofan
inn，whenceproceededthevoicesofmanyguests。Thecasementofone
ofthelowerwindowswasthrownback，andaverythincurtain
permittedRobintodistinguishapartyatsupper，rounda
well-furnishedtable。Thefragranceofthegoodcheersteamedforth
intotheouterair，andtheyouthcouldnotfailtorecollectthatthe
lastremnantofhistravellingstockofprovisionhadyieldedtohis
morningappetite，andthatnoonhadfound，andlefthim，dinnerless。
“O，thataparchmentthree-pennymightgivemearighttosit
downatyondertable！”saidRobin，withasigh。“Butthemajorwill
makemewelcometothebestofhisvictuals；soIwillevenstep
boldlyin，andinquiremywaytohisdwelling。”