Thusfar，theeldertravellerhadlistenedwithduegravity，but
nowburstintoafitofirrepressiblemirth，shakinghimselfso
violentlythathissnake-likestaffactuallyseemedtowrigglein
sympathy。
“Ha！ha！ha！”shoutedhe，againandagain；thencomposing
himself，“Well，goon，GoodmanBrown，goon；but，prithee，don’t
killmewithlaughing！”
“Well，then，toendthematteratonce。”saidGoodmanBrown，
considerablynettled，“thereismywife，Faith。Itwouldbreakher
dearlittleheart；andI’dratherbreakmyown！”
“Nay，ifthatbethecase。”answeredtheother，“e’engothy
ways，GoodmanBrown。Iwouldnot，fortwentyoldwomenliketheone
hobblingbeforeus，thatFaithshouldcometoanyharm。”
Ashespoke，hepointedhisstaffatafemalefigureonthepath，
inwhomGoodmanBrownrecognizedaverypiousandexemplarydame，
whohadtaughthimhiscatechisminyouth，andwasstillhismoraland
spiritualadviser，jointlywiththeministerandDeaconGookin。
“Amarvel，truly，thatGoodyCloyseshouldbesofarinthe
wilderness，atnight-fall！”saidhe。“But，withyourleave，friend，
Ishalltakeacutthroughthewoods，untilwehaveleftthis
Christianwomanbehind。Beingastrangertoyou，shemightaskwhom
Iwasconsortingwith，andwhitherIwasgoing。”
“Beitso。”saidhisfellow-traveller。“Betakeyoutothewoods，
andletmekeepthepath。”
Accordingly，theyoungmanturnedaside，buttookcaretowatchhis
companion，whoadvancedsoftlyalongtheroad，untilhehadcome
withinastaff’slengthoftheolddame。She，meanwhile，wasmaking
thebestofherway，withsingularspeedforsoagedawoman，and
mumblingsomeindistinctwords，aprayer，doubtless，asshewent。
Thetravellerputforthhisstaff，andtouchedherwitheredneck
withwhatseemedtheserpent’stail。
“Thedevil！”screamedthepiousoldlady。
“ThenGoodyCloyseknowsheroldfriend？”observedthetraveller，
confrontingher，andleaningonhiswrithingstick。
“Ah，forsooth，andisityourworship，indeed？”criedthegood
dame。“Yea，trulyisit，andintheveryimageofmyoldgossip，
GoodmanBrown，thegrandfatherofthesillyfellowthatnowis。But，
wouldyourworshipbelieveit？mybroomstickhathstrangely
disappeared，stolen，asIsuspect，bythatunhangedwitch，GoodyCory，
andthat，too，whenIwasallanointedwiththejuiceofsmallage
andcinque-foilandwolf’s-bane“-
“Mingledwithfinewheatandthefatofanew-bornbabe。”said
theshapeofoldGoodmanBrown。
“Ah，yourworshipknowstherecipe。”criedtheoldlady，cackling
aloud。“So，asIwassaying，beingallreadyforthemeeting，andno
horsetorideon，Imadeupmymindtofootit；fortheytellme，
thereisaniceyoungmantobetakenintocommuniontonight。But
nowyourgoodworshipwilllendmeyourarm，andweshallbethere
inatwinkling。”
“Thatcanhardlybe。”answeredherfriend。“Imaynotspareyou
myarm，GoodyCloyse，buthereismystaff，ifyouwill。”
Sosaying，hethrewitdownatherfeet，where，perhaps，itassumed
life，beingoneoftherodswhichitsownerhadformerlylentto
EgyptianMagi。Ofthisfact，however，GoodmanBrowncouldnottake
cognizance。Hehadcastuphiseyesinastonishment，andlooking
downagain，beheldneitherGoodyCloysenortheserpentinestaff，
buthisfellow-travelleralone，whowaitedforhimascalmlyasif
nothinghadhappened。
“Thatoldwomantaughtmemycatechism！”saidtheyoungman；and
therewasaworldofmeaninginthissimplecomment。
Theycontinuedtowalkonward，whiletheeldertravellerexhorted
hiscompaniontomakegoodspeedandpersevereinthepath，
discoursingsoaptly，thathisargumentsseemedrathertospringupin
thebosomofhisauditor，thantobesuggestedbyhimself。Asthey
went，hepluckedabranchofmaple，toserveforawalking-stick，
andbegantostripitofthetwigsandlittleboughs，whichwerewet
witheveningdew。Themomenthisfingerstouchedthem，theybecame
strangelywitheredanddriedup，aswithaweek’ssunshine。Thusthe
pairproceeded，atagoodfreepace，untilsuddenly，inagloomy
hollowoftheroad，GoodmanBrownsathimselfdownonthestumpofa
tree，andrefusedtogoanyfarther。
“Friend。”saidhe，stubbornly，“mymindismadeup。Notanother
stepwillIbudgeonthiserrand。Whatifawretchedoldwomando
choosetogotothedevil，whenIthoughtshewasgoingtoHeaven！
IsthatanyreasonwhyIshouldquitmydearFaith，andgoafterher？”
“Youwillthinkbetterofthisby-and-by。”saidhisacquaintance，
composedly。“Sithereandrestyourselfawhile；andwhenyoufeellike
movingagain，thereismystafftohelpyoualong。”
Withoutmorewords，hethrewhiscompanionthemaplestick，andwas
asspeedilyoutofsightasifhehadvanishedintothedeepening
gloom。Theyoungmansatafewmomentsbytheroad-side，applauding
himselfgreatly，andthinkingwithhowclearaconscienceheshould
meettheminister，inhismorning-walk，norshrinkfromtheeyeof
goodoldDeaconGookin。Andwhatcalmsleepwouldbehis，thatvery
night，whichwastohavebeenspentsowickedly，butpurelyand
sweetlynow，inthearmsofFaith！Amidstthesepleasantand
praiseworthymeditations，GoodmanBrownheardthetrampofhorses
alongtheroad，anddeemeditadvisabletoconcealhimselfwithin
thevergeoftheforest，consciousoftheguiltypurposethathad
broughthimthither，thoughnowsohappilyturnedfromit。
Oncamethehoof-trampsandthevoicesoftheriders，twograveold
voices，conversingsoberlyastheydrewnear。Thesemingledsounds
appearedtopassalongtheroad，withinafewyardsoftheyoungman’s
hiding-place；butowing，doubtless，tothedepthofthegloom，atthat
particularspot，neitherthetravellersnortheirsteedswerevisible。
Thoughtheirfiguresbrushedthesmallboughsbytheway-side，it
couldnotbeseenthattheyintercepted，evenforamoment，the
faintgleamfromthestripofbrightsky，athwartwhichtheymusthave
passed。GoodmanBrownalternatelycrouchedandstoodontip-toe，
pullingasidethebranches，andthrustingforthhisheadasfaras
hedurst，withoutdiscerningsomuchasashadow。Itvexedhimthe
more，becausehecouldhavesworn，weresuchathingpossible，thathe
recognizedthevoicesoftheministerandDeaconGookin，joggingalong
quietly，astheywerewonttodo，whenboundtosomeordinationor
ecclesiasticalcouncil。Whileyetwithinhearing，oneoftheriders
stoppedtopluckaswitch。
“Ofthetwo，reverendSir。”saidthevoicelikethedeacon’s，Ihad
rathermissanordination-dinnerthantonight’smeeting。Theytell
methatsomeofourcommunityaretobeherefromFalmouthandbeyond，
andothersfromConnecticutandRhodeIsland；besidesseveralofthe
Indianpowows，who，aftertheirfashion，knowalmostasmuch
deviltryasthebestofus。Moreover，thereisagoodlyyoungwomanto
betakenintocommunion。”
“Mightywell，DeaconGookin！”repliedthesolemnoldtonesofthe
minister。“Spurup，orweshallbelate。Nothingcanbedone，you
know，untilIgetontheground。”
Thehoofsclatteredagain，andthevoices，talkingsostrangely
intheemptyair，passedonthroughtheforest，wherenochurchhad
everbeengathered，norsolitaryChristianprayed。Whither，then，
couldtheseholymenbejourneying，sodeepintotheheathen
wilderness？YoungGoodmanBrowncaughtholdofatree，forsupport，
beingreadytosinkdownontheground，faintandoverburthenedwith
theheavysicknessofhisheart。Helookeduptothesky，doubting
whethertherereallywasaHeavenabovehim。Yet，therewastheblue
arch，andthestarsbrighteninginit。
“WithHeavenabove，andFaithbelow，Iwillyetstandfirm
againstthedevil！”criedGoodmanBrown。
Whilehestillgazedupward，intothedeeparchofthefirmament，
andhadliftedhishandstopray，acloud，thoughnowindwas
stirring，hurriedacrossthezenith，andhidthebrighteningstars。
Theblueskywasstillvisible，exceptdirectlyoverhead，wherethis
blackmassofcloudwassweepingswiftlynorthward。Aloftinthe
air，asiffromthedepthsofthecloud，cameaconfusedand
doubtfulsoundofvoices。Once，thelistenerfanciedthathecould
distinguishtheaccentoftownspeopleofhisown，menandwomen，
bothpiousandungodly，manyofwhomhehadmetatthe
communion-table，andhadseenothersriotingatthetavern。Thenext
moment，soindistinctwerethesounds，hedoubtedwhetherhehadheard
aughtbutthemurmuroftheoldforest，whisperingwithoutawind。
Thencameastrongerswellofthosefamiliartones，hearddailyinthe
sunshine，atSalemvillage，butnever，untilnow，fromacloudof
night。Therewasonevoice，ofayoungwoman，utteringlamentations，
yetwithanuncertainsorrow，andentreatingforsomefavor，which，
perhaps，itwouldgrievehertoobtain。Andalltheunseen
multitude，bothsaintsandsinners，seemedtoencourageheronward。
“Faith！”shoutedGoodmanBrown，inavoiceofagonyand
desperation；andtheechoesoftheforestmockedhim，crying-
“Faith！Faith！”asifbewilderedwretcheswereseekingher，all
throughthewilderness。
Thecryofgrief，rage，andterror，wasyetpiercingthenight，
whentheunhappyhusbandheldhisbreathforaresponse。Therewasa
scream，drownedimmediatelyinaloudermurmurofvoices，fading
intofar-offlaughter，asthedarkcloudsweptaway，leavingtheclear
andsilentskyaboveGoodmanBrown。Butsomethingflutteredlightly
downthroughtheair，andcaughtonthebranchofatree。Theyoung
manseizedit，andbeheldapinkribbon。
“MyFaithisgone！”criedhe，afteronestupefiedmoment。“Thereis
nogoodonearth；andsinisbutaname。Come，devil！fortotheeis
thisworldgiven。”
Andmaddenedwithdespair，sothathelaughedloudandlong，did
GoodmanBrowngrasphisstaffandsetforthagain，atsucharate，
thatheseemedtoflyalongtheforest-path，ratherthantowalkor
run。Theroadgrewwilderanddrearier，andmorefaintlytraced，and
vanishedatlength，leavinghimintheheartofthedarkwilderness，
stillrushingonward，withtheinstinctthatguidesmortalmanto
evil。Thewholeforestwaspeopledwithfrightfulsounds；thecreaking
ofthetrees，thehowlingofwildbeasts，andtheyellofIndians；
while，sometimesthewindtolledlikeadistantchurch-bell，and
sometimesgaveabroadroararoundthetraveller，asifallNature
werelaughinghimtoscorn。Buthewashimselfthechiefhorrorofthe
scene，andshranknotfromitsotherhorrors。
“Ha！ha！ha！”roaredGoodmanBrown，whenthewindlaughedathim。
“Letushearwhichwilllaughloudest！Thinknottofrightenmewith
yourdeviltry！Comewitch，comewizard，comeIndianpowow，come
devilhimself！andherecomesGoodmanBrown。Youmayaswellfear
himashefearyou！”
Intruth，allthroughthehauntedforest，therecouldbenothing
morefrightfulthanthefigureofGoodmanBrown。Onheflew，amongthe
blackpines，brandishinghisstaffwithfrenziedgestures，now
givingventtoaninspirationofhorridblasphemy，andnowshouting
forthsuchlaughter，assetalltheechoesoftheforestlaughinglike
demonsaroundhim。Thefiendinhisownshapeislesshideous，than
whenheragesinthebreastofman。Thusspedthedemoniaconhis
course，until，quiveringamongthetrees，hesawaredlightbefore
him，aswhenthefelledtrunksandbranchesofaclearinghavebeen
setonfire，andthrowuptheirluridblazeagainstthesky，atthe
hourofmidnight。Hepaused，inalullofthetempestthathad
drivenhimonward，andheardtheswellofwhatseemedahymn，
rollingsolemnlyfromadistance，withtheweightofmanyvoices。He
knewthetune；itwasafamiliaroneinthechoirofthevillage
meetinghouse。Theversediedheavilyaway，andwaslengthenedbya
chorus，notofhumanvoices，butofallthesoundsofthebenighted
wilderness，pealinginawfulharmonytogether。GoodmanBrowncried
out；andhiscrywaslosttohisownear，byitsunisonwiththecry
ofthedesert。