"Hawthorne, Nathaniel - The Minister's Black Veil" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hawthorne Nathaniel)

1836

TWICE-TOLD TALES

THE MINISTER'S BLACK VEIL

A PARABLE

by Nathaniel Hawthorne

THE SEXTON stood in the porch of Milford meeting-house, pulling
busily at the bell-rope. The old people of the village came stooping
along the street. Children, with bright faces, tripped merrily
beside their parents, or mimicked a graver gait, in the conscious
dignity of their Sunday clothes. Spruce bachelors looked sidelong at
the pretty maidens, and fancied that the Sabbath sunshine made them
prettier than on week days. When the throng had mostly streamed into
the porch, the sexton began to toll the bell, keeping his eye on the
Reverend Mr. Hooper's door. The first glimpse of the clergyman's
figure was the signal for the bell to cease its summons.

"But what has good Parson Hooper got upon his face?" cried the
sexton in astonishment.

All within hearing immediately turned about, and beheld the
semblance of Mr. Hooper, pacing slowly his meditative way towards
the meeting-house. With one accord they started, expressing more
wonder than if some strange minister were coming to dust the
cushions of Mr. Hooper's pulpit.

"Are you sure it is our parson?" inquired Goodman Gray of the
sexton.

"Of a certainty it is good Mr. Hooper," replied the sexton. "He was
to have exchanged pulpits with Parson Shute, of Westbury; but Parson
Shute sent to excuse himself yesterday, being to preach a funeral
sermon."

The cause of so much amazement may appear sufficiently slight.
Mr. Hooper, a gentlemanly person, of about thirty, though still a
bachelor, was dressed with due clerical neatness, as if a careful wife
had starched his band, and brushed the weekly dust from his Sunday's
garb. There was but one thing remarkable in his appearance. Swathed
about his forehead, and hanging down over his face, so low as to be
shaken by his breath, Mr. Hooper had on a black veil. On a nearer view
it seemed to consist of two folds of crape, which entirely concealed
his features, except the mouth and chin, but probably did not
intercept his sight, further than to give a darkened aspect to all
living and inanimate things. With this gloomy shade before him, good
Mr. Hooper walked onward, at a slow and quiet pace, stooping somewhat,