YOUNG　GOODMAN　BROWN
  Young　Goodman　Brown　came　forth　at　sunset　into　the　street　at　Salem
  village；　but　put　his　head　back；　after　crossing　the　threshold；　to
  exchange　a　parting　kiss　with　his　young　wife。　And　Faith；　as　the
  wife　was　aptly　named；　thrust　her　own　pretty　head　into　the　street；
  letting　the　wind　play　with　the　pink　ribbons　of　her　cap　while　she
  called　to　Goodman　Brown。
  〃Dearest　heart；〃　whispered　she；　softly　and　rather　sadly；　when　her
  lips　were　close　to　his　ear；　〃prithee　put　off　your　journey　until
  sunrise　and　sleep　in　your　own　bed　to…night。　A　lone　woman　is
  troubled　with　such　dreams　and　such　thoughts　that　she's　afeard　of
  herself　sometimes。　Pray　tarry　with　me　this　night；　dear　husband；
  of　all　nights　in　the　year。〃
  〃My　love　and　my　Faith；〃　replied　young　Goodman　Brown；　〃of　all
  nights　in　the　year；　this　one　night　must　I　tarry　away　from　thee。
  My　journey；　as　thou　callest　it；　forth　and　back　again；　must　needs
  be　done　'twixt　now　and　sunrise。　What；　my　sweet；　pretty　wife；　dost
  thou　doubt　me　already；　and　we　but　three　months　married？〃
  〃Then　God　bless　youe！〃　said　Faith；　with　the　pink　ribbons；　〃and
  may
  you　find　all　well　whn　you　come　back。〃
  〃Amen！〃　cried　Goodman　Brown。　〃Say　thy　prayers；　dear　Faith；　and　go
  to　bed　at　dusk；　and　no　harm　will　come　to　thee。〃
  So　they　parted；　and　the　young　man　pursued　his　way　until；　being
  about　to　turn　the　corner　by　the　meeting…house；　he　looked　back　and
  saw　the　head　of　Faith　still　peeping　after　him　with　a　melancholy
  air；　in　spite　of　her　pink　ribbons。
  〃Poor　little　Faith！〃　thought　he；　for　his　heart　smote　him。　〃What　a
  wretch　am　I　to　leave　her　on　such　an　errand！　She　talks　of　dreams；
  too。　Methought　as　she　spoke　there　was　trouble　in　her　face；　as　if
  a　dream　had　warned　her　what　work　is　to　be　done　tonight。　But　no；
  no；　't　would　kill　her　to　think　it。　Well；　she's　a　blessed　angel　on
  earth；　and　after　this　one　night　I'll　cling　to　her　skirts　and
  follow　her　to　heaven。〃
  With　this　excellent　resolve　for　the　future；　Goodman　Brown　felt
  himself　justified　in　making　more　haste　on　his　present　evil
  purpose。　He　had　taken　a　dreary　road；　darkened　by　all　the
  gloomiest　trees　of　the　forest；　which　barely　stood　aside　to　let
  the　narrow　path　creep　through；　and　closed　immediately　behind。　It
  was　all　as　lonely　as　could　be；　and　there　is　this　peculiarity　in
  such　a　solitude；　that　the　traveller　knows　not　who　may　be
  concealed　by　the　innumerable　trunks　and　the　thick　boughs
  overhead；　so　that　with　lonely　footsteps　he　may　yet　be　passing
  through　an　unseen　multitude。
  〃There　may　be　a　devilish　Indian　behind　every　tree；〃　said　Goodman
  Brown　to　himself；　and　he　glanced　fearfully　behind　him　as　he
  added；　〃What　if　the　devil　himself　should　be　at　my　very　elbow！〃
  His　head　being　turned　back；　he　passed　a　crook　of　the　road；　and；
  looking　forward　again；　beheld　the　figure　of　a　man；　in　grave　and
  decent　attire；　seated　at　the　foot　of　an　old　tree。　He　arose　at
  Goodman　Brown's　approach　and　walked　onward　side　by　side　with　him。
  〃You　are　late；　Goodman　Brown；〃　said　he。　〃The　clock　of　the　Old
  South　was　striking　as　I　came　through　Boston；　and　that　is　full
  fifteen　minutes　agone。〃
  〃Faith　kept　me　back　a　while；〃　replied　the　young　man；　with　a
  tremor　in　his　voice；　caused　by　the　sudden　appearance　of　his
  companion；　though　not　wholly　unexpected。
  It　was　now　deep　dusk　in　the　forest；　and　deepest　in　that　part　of
  it　where　these　two　were　journeying。　As　nearly　as　could　be
  discerned；　the　second　traveller　was　about　fifty　years　old；
  apparently　in　the　same　rank　of　life　as　Goodman　Brown；　and　bearing
  a　considerable　resemblance　to　him；　though　perhaps　more　in
  expression　than　features。　Still　they　might　have　been　taken　for
  father　and　son。　And　yet；　though　the　elder　person　was　as　simply
  clad　as　the　younger；　and　as　simple　in　manner　too；　he　had　an
  indescribable　air　of　one　who　knew　the　world；　and　who　would　not
  have　felt　abashed　at　the　governor's　dinner　table　or　in　King
  William's　court；　were　it　possible　that　his　affairs　should　call
  him　thither。　But　the　only　thing　about　him　that　could　be　fixed
  upon　as　remarkable　was　his　staff；　which　bore　the　likeness　of　a
  great　black　snake；　so　curiously　wrought　that　it　might　almost　be
  seen　to　twist　and　wriggle　itself　like　a　living　serpent。　This；　of
  course；　must　have　been　an　ocular　deception；　assisted　by　the
  uncertain　light。
  〃Come；　Goodman　Brown；〃　cried　his　fellow…traveller；　〃this　is　a
  dull　pace　for　the　beginning　of　a　journey。　Take　my　staff；　if　you
  are　so　soon　weary。〃
  〃Friend；〃　said　the　other；　exchanging　his　slow　pace　for　a　full
  stop；　〃having　kept　covenant　by　meeting　thee　here；　it　is　my
  purpose　now　to　return　whence　I　came。　I　have　scruples　touching　the
  matter　thou　wot'st　of。〃
  〃Sayest　thou　so？〃　replied　he　of　the　serpent；　smiling　apart。　〃Let
  us　walk　on；　nevertheless；　reasoning　as　we　go；　and　if　I　convince
  thee　not　thou　shalt　turn　back。　We　are　but　a　little　way　in　the
  forest　yet。〃
  〃Too　far！　too　far！〃　exclaimed　the　goodman；　unconsciously　resuming
  his　walk。　〃My　father　never　went　into　the　woods　on　such　an　errand；
  nor　his　father　before　him。　We　have　been　a　race　of　honest　men　and
  good　Christians　since　the　days　of　the　martyrs；　and　shall　I　be　the
  first　of　the　name　of　Brown　that　ever　took　this　path　and
  kept〃
  〃Such　company；　thou　wouldst　say；〃　observed　the　elder　person；
  interpreting　his　pause。　〃Well　said；　Goodman　Brown！　I　have　been　as
  well　acquainted　with　your　family　as　with　ever　a　one　among　the
  Puritans；　and　that's　no　trifle　to　say。　I　helped　your　grandfather；
  the　constable；　when　he　lashed　the　Quaker　woman　so　smartly　through
  the　streets　of　Salem；　and　it　was　I　that　brought　your　father　a
  pitch…pine　knot；　kindled　at　my　own　hearth；　to　set　fire　to　an
  Indian　village；　in　King　Philip's　war。　They　were　my　good　friends；
  both；　and　many　a　pleasant　walk　have　we　had　along　this　path；　and
  returned　merrily　after　midnight。　I　would　fain　be　friends　with　you
  for　their　sake。〃
  〃If　it　be　as　thou　sayest；〃　replied　Goodman　Brown；　〃I　marvel　they
  never　spoke　of　these　matters；　or；　verily；　I　marvel　not；　seeing
  that　the　least　rumor　of　the　sort　would　have　driven　them　from　New
  England。　We　are　a　people　of　prayer；　and　good　works　to　boot；　and
  abide　no　such　wickedness。〃
  〃Wickedness　or　not；〃　said　the　traveller　with　the　twisted　staff；
  〃I　have　a　very　general　acquaintance　here　in　New　England。　The
  deacons　of　many　a　church　have　drunk　the　communion　wine　with　me；
  the　selectmen　of　divers　towns　make　me　their　chairman；　and　a
  majority　of　the　Great　and　General　Court　are　firm　supporters　of　my
  interest。　The　governor　and　I；　tooBut　these　are　state　secrets。〃
  〃Can　this　be　so？〃　cried　Goodman　Brown；　with　a　stare　of　amazement
  at　his　undisturbed　companion。　〃Howbeit；　I　have　nothing　to　do　with
  the　governor　and　council；　they　have　their　own　ways；　and　are　no
  rule　for　a　simple　husbandman　like　me。　But；　were　I　to　go　on　with
  thee；　how　should　I　meet　the　eye　of　that　good　old　man；　our
  minister；　at　Salem　village？　Oh；　his　voice　would　make　me　tremble
  both　Sabbath　day　and　lecture　day。〃
  Thus　far　the　elder　traveller　had　listened　with　due　gravity；　but
  now　burst　into　a　fit　of　irrepressible　mirth；　shaking　himself　so
  violently　that　his　snake…like　staff　actually　seemed　to　wriggle　in
  sympathy。
  〃Ha！　ha！　ha！〃　shouted　he　again　and　again；　then　composing　himself；
  〃Well；　go　on；　Goodman　Brown；　go　on；　but；　prithee；　don't　kill　me
  with　laughing。〃
  〃Well；　then；　to　end　the　matter　at　once；〃　said　Goodman　Brown；
  considerably　nettled；　〃there　is　my　wife；　Faith。　It　would　break
  her　dear　little　heart；　and　I'd　rather　break　my　own。〃
  〃Nay；　if　that　be　the　case；〃　answered　the　other；　〃e'en　go　thy
  ways；　Goodman　Brown。　I　would　not　for　twenty　old　women　like　the
  one　hobbling　before　us　that　Faith　should　come　to　any　harm。〃
  As　he　spoke　he　pointed　his　staff　at　a　female　figure　on　the　path；
  in　whom　Goodman　Brown　recognized　a　very　pious　and　exemplary　dame；
  who　had　taught　him　his　catechism　in　youth；　and　was　still　his
  moral　and　spiritual　adviser；　jointly　with　the　minister　and　Deacon
  Gookin。
  〃A　marvel；　truly；　that　Goody　Cloyse　should　be　so　far　in　the
  wilderness　at　nightfall；〃　said　he。　〃But　with　your　leave；　friend；
  I　shall　take　a　cut　through　the　woods　until　we　have　left　this
  Christian　woman　behind。　Being　a　stranger　to　you；　she　might　ask
  whom　I　was　consorting　with　and　whither　I　was　going。〃
  〃Be　it　so；〃　said　his　fellow…traveller。　〃Betake　you　to　the　woods；
  and　let　me　keep　the　path。〃
  Accordingly　the　young　man　turned　aside；　but　took　care　to　watch
  his　companion；　who　advanced　softly　along　the　road　until　he　had
  come　within　a　staff's　length　of　the　old　dame。　She；　meanwhile；　was
  making　the　best　of　her　way；　with　singular　speed　for　so　aged　a
  woman；　and　mumbling　some　indistinct　wordsa　prayer；
  doubtlessas　she　went。　The　traveller　put　forth　his　staff　and
  touched　her　withered　neck　with　what　seemed　the　serpent's　tail。
  〃The　devil！〃　screamed　the　pious　old　lady。
  〃Then　Goody　Cloyse　knows　her　old　friend？〃