shrank　not　from　its　other　horrors。
  〃Ha！　ha！　ha！〃　roared　Goodman　Brown　when　the　wind　laughed　at　him。
  〃Let　us　hear　which　will　laugh　loudest。　Think　not　to　frighten　me
  with　your　deviltry。　Come　witch；　come　wizard；　come　Indian　powwow；
  come　devil　himself；　and　here　comes　Goodman　Brown。　You　may　as　well
  fear　him　as　he　fear　you。〃
  In　truth；　all　through　the　haunted　forest　there　could　be　nothing
  more　frightful　than　the　figure　of　Goodman　Brown。　On　he　flew　among
  the　black　pines；　brandishing　his　staff　with　frenzied　gestures；
  now　giving　vent　to　an　inspiration　of　horrid　blasphemy；　and　now
  shouting　forth　such　laughter　as　set　all　the　echoes　of　the　forest
  laughing　like　demons　around　him。　The　fiend　in　his　own　shape　is
  less　hideous　than　when　he　rages　in　the　breast　of　man。　Thus　sped
  the　demoniac　on　his　course；　until；　quivering　among　the　trees；　he
  saw　a　red　light　before　him；　as　when　the　felled　trunks　and
  branches　of　a　clearing　have　been　set　on　fire；　and　throw　up　their
  lurid　blaze　against　the　sky；　at　the　hour　of　midnight。　He　paused；
  in　a　lull　of　the　tempest　that　had　driven　him　onward；　and　heard
  the　swell　of　what　seemed　a　hymn；　rolling　solemnly　from　a　distance
  with　the　weight　of　many　voices。　He　knew　the　tune；　it　was　a
  familiar　one　in　the　choir　of　the　village　meeting…house。　The　verse
  died　heavily　away；　and　was　lengthened　by　a　chorus；　not　of　human
  voices；　but　of　all　the　sounds　of　the　benighted　wilderness　pealing
  in　awful　harmony　together。　Goodman　Brown　cried　out；　and　his　cry
  was　lost　to　his　own　ear　by　its　unison　with　the　cry　of　the　desert。
  In　the　interval　of　silence　he　stole　forward　until　the　light
  glared　full　upon　his　eyes。　At　one　extremity　of　an　open　space；
  hemmed　in　by　the　dark　wall　of　the　forest；　arose　a　rock；　bearing
  some　rude；　natural　resemblance　either　to　an　alter　or　a　pulpit；
  and　surrounded　by　four　blazing　pines；　their　tops　aflame；　their
  stems　untouched；　like　candles　at　an　evening　meeting。　The　mass　of
  foliage　that　had　overgrown　the　summit　of　the　rock　was　all　on
  fire；　blazing　high　into　the　night　and　fitfully　illuminating　the
  whole　field。　Each　pendent　twig　and　leafy　festoon　was　in　a　blaze。
  As　the　red　light　arose　and　fell；　a　numerous　congregation
  alternately　shone　forth；　then　disappeared　in　shadow；　and　again
  grew；　as　it　were；　out　of　the　darkness；　peopling　the　heart　of　the
  solitary　woods　at　once。
  〃A　grave　and　dark…clad　company；〃　quoth　Goodman　Brown。
  In　truth　they　were　such。　Among　them；　quivering　to　and　fro　between
  gloom　and　splendor；　appeared　faces　that　would　be　seen　next　day　at
  the　council　board　of　the　province；　and　others　which；　Sabbath
  after　Sabbath；　looked　devoutly　heavenward；　and　benignantly　over
  the　crowded　pews；　from　the　holiest　pulpits　in　the　land。　Some
  affirm　that　the　lady　of　the　governor　was　there。　At　least　there
  were　high　dames　well　known　to　her；　and　wives　of　honored　husbands；
  and　widows；　a　great　multitude；　and　ancient　maidens；　all　of
  excellent　repute；　and　fair　young　girls；　who　trembled　lest　their
  mothers　should　espy　them。　Either　the　sudden　gleams　of　light
  flashing　over　the　obscure　field　bedazzled　Goodman　Brown；　or　he
  recognized　a　score　of　the　church　members　of　Salem　village　famous
  for　their　especial　sanctity。　Good　old　Deacon　Gookin　had　arrived；
  and　waited　at　the　skirts　of　that　venerable　saint；　his　revered
  pastor。　But；　irreverently　consorting　with　these　grave；　reputable；
  and　pious　people；　these　elders　of　the　church；　these　chaste　dames
  and　dewy　virgins；　there　were　men　of　dissolute　lives　and　women　of
  spotted　fame；　wretches　given　over　to　all　mean　and　filthy　vice；
  and　suspected　even　of　horrid　crimes。　It　was　strange　to　see　that
  the　good　shrank　not　from　the　wicked；　nor　were　the　sinners　abashed
  by　the　saints。　Scattered　also　among　their　pale…faced　enemies　were
  the　Indian　priests；　or　powwows；　who　had　often　scared　their　native
  forest　with　more　hideous　incantations　than　any　known　to　English
  witchcraft。
  〃But　where　is　Faith？〃　thought　Goodman　Brown；　and；　as　hope　came
  into　his　heart；　he　trembled。
  Another　verse　of　the　hymn　arose；　a　slow　and　mournful　strain；　such
  as　the　pious　love；　but　joined　to　words　which　expressed　all　that
  our　nature　can　conceive　of　sin；　and　darkly　hinted　at　far　more。
  Unfathomable　to　mere　mortals　is　the　lore　of　fiends。　Verse　after
  verse　was　sung；　and　still　the　chorus　of　the　desert　swelled
  between　like　the　deepest　tone　of　a　mighty　organ；　and　with　the
  final　peal　of　that　dreadful　anthem　there　came　a　sound；　as　if　the
  roaring　wind；　the　rushing　streams；　the　howling　beasts；　and　every
  other　voice　of　the　unconcerted　wilderness　were　mingling　and
  according　with　the　voice　of　guilty　man　in　homage　to　the　prince　of
  all。　The　four　blazing　pines　threw　up　a　loftier　flame；　and
  obscurely　discovered　shapes　and　visages　of　horror　on　the　smoke
  wreaths　above　the　impious　assembly。　At　the　same　moment　the　fire
  on　the　rock　shot　redly　forth　and　formed　a　glowing　arch　above　its
  base；　where　now　appeared　a　figure。　With　reverence　be　it　spoken；
  the　figure　bore　no　slight　similitude；　both　in　garb　and　manner；　to
  some　grave　divine　of　the　New　England　churches。
  〃Bring　forth　the　converts！〃　cried　a　voice　that　echoed　through　the
  field　and　rolled　into　the　forest。
  At　the　word；　Goodman　Brown　stepped　forth　from　the　shadow　of　the
  trees　and　approached　the　congregation；　with　whom　he　felt　a
  loathful　brotherhood　by　the　sympathy　of　all　that　was　wicked　in
  his　heart。　He　could　have　well…nigh　sworn　that　the　shape　of　his
  own　dead　father　beckoned　him　to　advance；　looking　downward　from　a
  smoke　wreath；　while　a　woman；　with　dim　features　of　despair；　threw
  out　her　hand　to　warn　him　back。　Was　it　his　mother？　But　he　had　no
  power　to　retreat　one　step；　nor　to　resist；　even　in　thought；　when
  the　minister　and　good　old　Deacon　Gookin　seized　his　arms　and　led
  him　to　the　blazing　rock。　Thither　came　also　the　slender　form　of　a
  veiled　female；　led　between　Goody　Cloyse；　that　pious　teacher　of
  the　catechism；　and　Martha　Carrier；　who　had　received　the　devil's
  promise　to　be　queen　of　hell。　A　rampant　hag　was　she。　And　there
  stood　the　proselytes　beneath　the　canopy　of　fire。
  〃Welcome；　my　children；〃　said　the　dark　figure；　〃to　the　communion
  of　your　race。　Ye　have　found　thus　young　your　nature　and　your
  destiny。　My　children；　look　behind　you！〃
  They　turned；　and　flashing　forth；　as　it　were；　in　a　sheet　of　flame；
  the　fiend　worshippers　were　seen；　the　smile　of　welcome　gleamed
  darkly　on　every　visage。
  〃There；〃　resumed　the　sable　form；　〃are　all　whom　ye　have　reverenced
  from　youth。　Ye　deemed　them　holier　than　yourselves；　and　shrank
  from　your　own　sin；　contrasting　it　with　their　lives　of
  righteousness　and　prayerful　aspirations　heavenward。　Yet　here　are
  they　all　in　my　worshipping　assembly。　This　night　it　shall　be
  granted　you　to　know　their　secret　deeds：　how　hoary…bearded　elders
  of　the　church　have　whispered　wanton　words　to　the　young　maids　of
  their　households；　how　many　a　woman；　eager　for　widows'　weeds；　has
  given　her　husband　a　drink　at　bedtime　and　let　him　sleep　his　last
  sleep　in　her　bosom；　how　beardless　youths　have　made　haste　to
  inherit　their　fathers'　wealth；　and　how　fair　damselsblush　not；
  sweet　oneshave　dug　little　graves　in　the　garden；　and　bidden　me；
  the　sole　guest　to　an　infant's　funeral。　By　the　sympathy　of　your
  human　hearts　for　sin　ye　shall　scent　out　all　the　placeswhether
  in　church；　bedchamber；　street；　field；　or　forestwhere　crime　has
  been　committed；　and　shall　exult　to　behold　the　whole　earth　one
  stain　of　guilt；　one　mighty　blood　spot。　Far　more　than　this。　It
  shall　be　yours　to　penetrate；　in　every　bosom；　the　deep　mystery　of
  sin；　the　fountain　of　all　wicked　arts；　and　which　inexhaustibly
  supplies　more　evil　impulses　than　human　powerthan　my　power　at
  its　utmostcan　make　manifest　in　deeds。　And　now；　my　children；
  look　upon　each　other。〃
  They　did　so；　and；　by　the　blaze　of　the　hell…kindled　torches；　the
  wretched　man　beheld　his　Faith；　and　the　wife　her　husband；
  trembling　before　that　unhallowed　altar。
  〃Lo；　there　ye　stand；　my　children；〃　said　the　figure；　in　a　deep　and
  solemn　tone；　almost　sad　with　its　despairing　awfulness；　as　if　his
  once　angelic　nature　could　yet　mourn　for　our　miserable　race。
  〃Depending　upon　one　another's　hearts；　ye　had　still　hoped　that
  virtue　were　not　all　a　dream。　Now　are　ye　undeceived。　Evil　is　the
  nature　of　mankind。　Evil　must　be　your　only　happiness。　Welcome
  again；　my　children；　to　the　communion　of　your　race。〃
  〃Welcome；〃　repeated　the　fiend　worshippers；　in　one　cry　of　despair
  and　triumph。
  And　there　they　stood；　the　only　pair；　as　it　seemed；　who　were　yet
  hesitating　on　the　verge　of　wickedness　in　this　dark　world。　A　basin
  was　hollowed；　naturally；　in　the　rock。　Did　it　contain　water；
  reddened　by　the　lurid　light？　or　was　it　blood？　or；　perchance；　a
  liquid　flame？　Herein　did　the　shape　of　evil　dip　his　hand　and
  prepare　to　lay　the　mark　of　baptism　upon　their　foreheads；　that
  they　might　be　partakers　of　the　mystery　of　sin；　more　conscious　of
  the　secret　guilt　of　others；　both　in　deed　and　thought；　than　they
  could　now　b