“Wife。”saidMr。Lindsey，afterafitofsilence，“seewhata
quantityofsnowthechildrenhavebroughtinontheirfeet！Ithas
madequiteapuddleherebeforethestove。PraytellDoratobring
sometowelsandsopitup！”
byNathanielHawthorne
THEREISACERTAINCHURCHinthecityofNewYorkwhichIhave
alwaysregardedwithpeculiarinterest，onaccountofamarriagethere
solemnized，underverysingularcircumstances，inmygrandmother’s
girlhood。Thatvenerableladychancedtobeaspectatorofthe
scene，andeveraftermadeitherfavoritenarrative。Whetherthe
edificenowstandingonthesamesitebetheidenticalonetowhich
shereferred，Iamnotantiquarianenoughtoknow；norwoulditbe
worthwhiletocorrectmyself，perhaps，ofanagreeableerror，by
readingthedateofitserectiononthetabletoverthedoor。Itis
astatelychurch，surroundedbyaninclosureoftheloveliestgreen，
withinwhichappearurns，pillars，obelisks，andotherformsof
monumentalmarble，thetributesofprivateaffection，ormoresplendid
memorialsofhistoricdust。Withsuchaplace，thoughthetumultof
thecityrollsbeneathitstower，onewouldbewillingtoconnectsome
legendaryinterest。
Themarriagemightbeconsideredastheresultofanearly
engagement，thoughtherehadbeentwointermediateweddingsonthe
lady’spart，andfortyyearsofcelibacyonthatofthegentleman。
Atsixty-five，Mr。Ellenwoodwasashy，butnotquiteasecluded
man；selfish，likeallmenwhobroodovertheirownhearts，yet
manifestingonrareoccasionsaveinofgeneroussentiment；a
scholarthroughoutlife，thoughalwaysanindolentone，becausehis
studieshadnodefiniteobject，eitherofpublicadvantageorpersonal
ambition；agentleman，highbredandfastidiouslydelicate，yet
sometimesrequiringaconsiderablerelaxation，inhisbehalf，ofthe
commonrulesofsociety。
Intruth，thereweresomanyanomaliesinhischaracter，andthough
shrinkingwithdiseasedsensibilityfrompublicnotice，ithadbeen
hisfatalitysooftentobecomethetopicoftheday，bysomewild
eccentricityofconduct，thatpeoplesearchedhislineageforan
hereditarytaintofinsanity。Buttherewasnoneedofthis。His
capriceshadtheirorigininamindthatlackedthesupportofan
engrossingpurpose，andinfeelingsthatpreyeduponthemselvesfor
wantofotherfood。Ifheweremad，itwastheconsequence，andnot
thecause，ofanaimlessandabortivelife。
Thewidowwasascompleteacontrasttoherthirdbridegroom，in
everythingbutage，ascanwellbeconceived。Compelledto
relinquishherfirstengagement，shehadbeenunitedtoamanoftwice
herownyears，towhomshebecameanexemplarywife，andbywhose
deathshewasleftinpossessionofasplendidfortune。Asouthern
gentleman，considerablyyoungerthanherself，succeededtoherhand，
andcarriedhertoCharleston，where，aftermanyuncomfortable
years，shefoundherselfagainawidow。Itwouldhavebeensingular，
ifanyuncommondelicacyoffeelinghadsurvivedthroughsuchalife
asMrs。Dabney’s；itcouldnotbutbecrushedandkilledbyher
earlydisappointment，thecolddutyofherfirstmarriage，the
dislocationoftheheart’sprinciples，consequentonasecondunion
andtheunkindnessofhersouthernhusband，whichhadinevitably
drivenhertoconnecttheideaofhisdeathwiththatofher
comfort。Tobebrief，shewasthatwisest，butunloveliest，varietyof
woman，aphilosopher，bearingtroublesoftheheartwithequanimity，
dispensingwithallthatshouldhavebeenherhappiness，andmaking
thebestofwhatremained。Sageinmostmatters，thewidowwasperhaps
themoreamiablefortheonefrailtythatmadeherridiculous。Being
childless，shecouldnotremainbeautifulbyproxy，inthepersonofa
daughter；shethereforerefusedtogrowoldandugly，onany
consideration；shestruggledwithTime，andheldfastherrosesin
spiteofhim，tillthevenerablethiefappearedtohaverelinquished
thespoil，asnotworththetroubleofacquiringit。
Theapproachingmarriageofthiswomanoftheworldwithsuchan
unworldlymanasMr。EllenwoodwasannouncedsoonafterMrs。
Dabney’sreturntohernativecity。Superficialobservers，and
deeperones，seemedtoconcurinsupposingthattheladymusthave
bornenoinactivepartinarrangingtheaffair；therewere
considerationsofexpediencywhichshewouldbefarmorelikelyto
appreciatethanMr。Ellenwood；andtherewasjustthespeciousphantom
ofsentimentandromanceinthislateunionoftwoearlylovers
whichsometimesmakesafoolofawomanwhohaslosthertruefeelings
amongtheaccidentsoflife。Allthewonderwas，howthegentleman，
withhislackofworldlywisdomandagonizingconsciousnessof
ridicule，couldhavebeeninducedtotakeameasureatoncesoprudent
andsolaughable。Butwhilepeopletalkedthewedding-dayarrived。The
ceremonywastobesolemnizedaccordingtotheEpiscopalianforms，and
inopenchurch，withadegreeofpublicitythatattractedmany
spectators，whooccupiedthefrontseatsofthegalleries，andthe
pewsnearthealtarandalongthebroadaisle。Ithadbeenarranged，
orpossiblyitwasthecustomoftheday，thatthepartiesshould
proceedseparatelytochurch。Bysomeaccidentthebridegroomwasa
littlelesspunctualthanthewidowandherbridalattendants；with
whosearrival，afterthistedious，butnecessarypreface，theaction
ofourtalemaybesaidtocommence。
Theclumsywheelsofseveralold-fashionedcoacheswereheard，
andthegentlemenandladiescomposingthebridalpartycamethrough
thechurchdoorwiththesuddenandgladsomeeffectofaburstof
sunshine。Thewholegroup，excepttheprincipalfigure，wasmadeupof
youthandgayety。Astheystreamedupthebroadaisle，whilethe
pewsandpillarsseemedtobrightenoneitherside，theirstepswere
asbuoyantasiftheymistookthechurchforaball-room，andwere
readytodancehandinhandtothealtar。Sobrilliantwasthe
spectaclethatfewtooknoticeofasingularphenomenonthathad
markeditsentrance。Atthemomentwhenthebride’sfoottouchedthe
thresholdthebellswungheavilyinthetoweraboveher，andsent
forthitsdeepestknell。Thevibrationsdiedawayandreturnedwith
prolongedsolemnity，assheenteredthebodyofthechurch。
“Goodheavens！whatanomen。”whisperedayoungladytoherlover。
“Onmyhonor。”repliedthegentleman，“Ibelievethebellhasthe
goodtastetotollofitsownaccord。Whathasshetodowith
weddings？Ifyou，dearestJulia，wereapproachingthealtarthebell
wouldringoutitsmerriestpeal。Ithasonlyafuneralknellfor
her。”
Thebrideandmostofhercompanyhadbeentoomuchoccupiedwith
thebustleofentrancetohearthefirstbodingstrokeofthebell，or
atleasttoreflectonthesingularityofsuchawelcometothealtar。
Theythereforecontinuedtoadvancewithundiminishedgayety。The
gorgeousdressesofthetime，thecrimsonvelvetcoats，thegold-laced
hats，thehooppetticoats，thesilk，satin，brocade，andembroidery，
thebuckles，canes，andswords，alldisplayedtothebestadvantageon
personssuitedtosuchfinery，madethegroupappearmorelikea
bright-coloredpicturethananythingreal。Butbywhatperversityof
tastehadtheartistrepresentedhisprincipalfigureassowrinkled
anddecayed，whileyethehaddeckedheroutinthebrightestsplendor
ofattire，asiftheloveliestmaidenhadsuddenlywitheredinto
age，andbecomeamoraltothebeautifularoundher！Ontheywent，
however，andhadglitteredalongaboutathirdoftheaisle，when
anotherstrokeofthebellseemedtofillthechurchwithavisible
gloom，dimmingandobscuringthebrightpageant，tillitshoneforth
againasfromamist。
Thistimethepartywavered，stopped，andhuddledcloser
together，whileaslightscreamwasheardfromsomeoftheladies，and
aconfusedwhisperingamongthegentlemen。Thustossingtoandfro，
theymighthavebeenfancifullycomparedtoasplendidbunchof
flowers，suddenlyshakenbyapuffofwind，whichthreatenedto
scattertheleavesofanold，brown，witheredrose，onthesame
stalkwithtwodewybuds-suchbeingtheemblemofthewidowbetween
herfairyoungbridemaids。Butherheroismwasadmirable。Shehad
startedwithanirrepressibleshudder，asifthestrokeofthebell
hadfallendirectlyonherheart；then，recoveringherself，while
herattendantswereyetindismay，shetookthelead，andpacedcalmly
uptheaisle。Thebellcontinuedtoswing，strike，andvibrate，with
thesamedolefulregularityaswhenacorpseisonitswaytothe
tomb。
“Myyoungfriendsherehavetheirnervesalittleshaken。”saidthe
widow，withasmile，totheclergymanatthealtar。“Butsomany
weddingshavebeenusheredinwiththemerriestpealofthebells，and
yetturnedoutunhappily，thatIshallhopeforbetterfortuneunder
suchdifferentauspices。”
“Madam。”answeredtherector，ingreatperplexity，“thisstrange
occurrencebringstomymindamarriagesermonofthefamousBishop
Taylor，whereinheminglessomanythoughtsofmortalityandfuture
wo，that，tospeaksomewhatafterhisownrichstyle，heseemstohang
thebridalchamberinblack，andcuttheweddinggarmentoutofa
coffinpall。Andithasbeenthecustomofdiversnationstoinfuse
somethingofsadnessintotheirmarriageceremonies，sotokeep
deathinmindwhilecontractingthatengagementwhichislife’s
chiefestbusiness。Thuswemaydrawasadbutprofitablemoralfrom
thisfuneralknell。”
But，thoughtheclergymanmighthavegivenhismoralevena
keenerpoint，hedidnotfailtodispatchanattendanttoinquireinto
themystery，andstopthosesounds，sodismallyappropriatetosuch
amarriage。Abriefspaceelapsed，duringwhichthesilencewasbroken
onlybywhispers，andafewsuppressedtitterings，amongthewedding
partyandthespectators，who，afterthefirstshock，weredisposedto
drawanill-naturedmerrimentfromtheaffair。Theyounghaveless
charityforagedfolliesthantheoldforthoseofyouth。The
widow’sglancewasobservedtowander，foraninstant，towardsa
windowofthechurch，asifsearchingforthetime-wornmarblethat
shehaddedicatedtoherfirsthusband；thenhereyelidsdropped
overtheirfadedorbs，andherthoughtsweredrawnirresistiblyto
anothergrave。Twoburiedmen，withavoiceatherear，andacryafar
off，werecallinghertoliedownbesidethem。Perhaps，withmomentary
truthoffeeling，shethoughthowmuchhappierhadbeenherfate，
if，afteryearsofbliss，thebellwerenowtollingforherfuneral，
andshewerefollowedtothegravebytheoldaffectionofher
earliestlover，longherhusband。Butwhyhadshereturnedtohim，
whentheircoldheartsshrankfromeachother’sembrace？
Stillthedeath-belltolledsomournfully，thatthesunshineseemed
tofadeintheair。Awhisper，communicatedfromthosewhostood
nearestthewindows，nowspreadthroughthechurch；ahearse，witha
trainofseveralcoaches，wascreepingalongthestreet，conveying
somedeadmantothechurchyard，whilethebrideawaitedaliving
oneatthealtar。Immediatelyafter，thefootstepsofthebridegroom
andhisfriendswereheardatthedoor。Thewidowlookeddownthe
aisle，andclinchedthearmofoneofherbridemaidsinherbony
handwithsuchunconsciousviolence，thatthefairgirltrembled。
“Youfrightenme，mydearmadam！”criedshe。“ForHeaven’ssake，
whatisthematter？”
“Nothing，mydear，nothing。”saidthewidow；then，whisperingclose
toherear，“ThereisafoolishfancythatIcannotgetridof。Iam
expectingmybridegroomtocomeintothechurch，withmyfirsttwo
husbandsforgroomsmen！”