第14章

Itwassorrowfultobeholdhowthefinegentlemanbegantofade

backintoascarecrowwhileMotherRigbyshooktheashesoutofthe

pipeandproceededtoreplenishitfromhertobacco-box。

“Dickon。”criedshe，inherhigh，sharptone，“anothercoalfor

thispipe！”

Nosoonersaidthantheintenselyredspeckoffirewasglowing

withinthepipe-bowl；andthescarecrow，withoutwaitingforthe

witch’sbidding，appliedthetubetohislipsanddrewinafewshort，

convulsivewhiffs，whichsoon，however，becameregularandequable。

“Now，mineownheart’sdarling。”quothMotherRigby，“whatever

mayhappentothee，thoumuststicktothypipe。Thylifeisinit；

andthat，atleast，thouknowestwell，ifthouknowestnoughtbesides。

Sticktothypipe，Isay！Smoke，puff，blowthycloud；andtellthe

people，ifanyquestionbemade，thatitisforthyhealth，andthat

sothephysicianorderstheetodo。And，sweetone，whenthoushalt

findthypipegettinglow，goapartintosomecorner，and(first

fillingthyselfwithsmoke)crysharply，’Dickon，afreshpipeof

tobacco！’and，’Dickon，anothercoalformypipe！’andhaveitinto

thyprettymouthasspeedilyasmaybe。Else，insteadofagallant

gentlemaninagold-lacedcoat，thouwiltbebutajumbleofsticks

andtatteredclothes，andabagofstraw，andawitheredpumpkin！

Nowdepart，mytreasure，andgoodluckgowiththee！”

“Neverfear，mother！”saidthefigure，inastoutvoice，and

sendingforthacourageouswhiffofsmoke，“Iwillthrive，ifan

honestmanandagentlemanmay！”

“Oh，thouwiltbethedeathofme！”criedtheoldwitch，

convulsedwithlaughter。“Thatwaswellsaid。Ifanhonestmananda

gentlemanmay！Thouplayestthyparttoperfection。Getalongwith

theeforasmartfellow；andIwillwageronthyhead，asamanof

pithandsubstance，withabrainandwhattheycallaheart，andall

elsethatamanshouldhave，againstanyotherthingontwolegs。I

holdmyselfabetterwitchthanyesterday，forthysake。DidnotI

makethee？AndIdefyanywitchinNewEnglandtomakesuchanother！

Here；takemystaffalongwiththee！”

Thestaff，thoughitwasbutaplainoakenstick，immediately

tooktheaspectofagold-headedcane。

“Thatgoldheadhasasmuchsenseinitasthineown。”said

MotherRigby，“anditwillguidetheestraighttoworshipfulMaster

Gookin’sdoor。Gettheegone，myprettypet，mydarling，myprecious

one，mytreasure；andifanyaskthyname，itisFeathertop。For

thouhastafeatherinthyhat，andIhavethrustahandfulof

feathersintothehollowofthyhead，andthywig，too，isofthe

fashiontheycallFeathertop-sobeFeathertopthyname！”

And，issuingfromthecottage，Feathertopstrodemanfullytowards

town。MotherRigbystoodatthethreshold，wellpleasedtoseehowthe

sunbeamsglistenedonhim，asifallhismagnificencewerereal，and

howdiligentlyandlovinglyhesmokedhispipe，andhowhandsomely

hewalked，inspiteofalittlestiffnessofhislegs。Shewatchedhim

untiloutofsight，andthrewawitchbenedictionafterherdarling，

whenaturnoftheroadsnatchedhimfromherview。

Betimesintheforenoon，whentheprincipalstreetofthe

neighboringtownwasjustatitsacmeoflifeandbustle，astranger

ofverydistinguishedfigurewasseenonthesidewalk。Hisportas

wellashisgarmentsbetokenednothingshortofnobility。Heworea

richly-embroideredplum-coloredcoat，awaistcoatofcostlyvelvet，

magnificentlyadornedwithgoldenfoliage，apairofsplendid

scarletbreeches，andthefinestandglossiestofwhitesilk

stockings。Hisheadwascoveredwithaperuke，sodaintilypowdered

andadjustedthatitwouldhavebeensacrilegetodisorderitwitha

hat；which，therefore(anditwasagold-lacedhat，setoffwitha

snowyfeather)，hecarriedbeneathhisarm。Onthebreastofhis

coatglistenedastar。Hemanagedhisgold-headedcanewithanairy

grace，peculiartothefinegentlemenoftheperiod；and，togive

thehighestpossiblefinishtohisequipment，hehadlacerufflesat

hiswrist，ofamostetherealdelicacy，sufficientlyavouchinghow

idleandaristocraticmustbethehandswhichtheyhalfconcealed。

Itwasaremarkablepointintheaccoutrementofthisbrilliant

personagethatheheldinhislefthandafantastickindofapipe，

withanexquisitelypaintedbowlandanambermouthpiece。Thishe

appliedtohislipsasoftenaseveryfiveorsixpaces，andinhaleda

deepwhiffofsmoke，which，afterbeingretainedamomentinhis

lungs，mightbeseentoeddygracefullyfromhismouthandnostrils。

Asmaywellbesupposed，thestreetwasallastirtofindoutthe

stranger’sname。

“Itissomegreatnobleman，beyondquestion。”saidoneofthe

towns-people。“Doyouseethestarathisbreast？”

“Nay；itistoobrighttobeseen。”saidanother。“Yes；hemust

needsbeanobleman，asyousay。Butbywhatconveyance，thinkyou，

canhislordshiphavevoyagedortravelledhither？Therehasbeenno

vesselfromtheoldcountryforamonthpast；andifhehavearrived

overlandfromthesouthward，praywherearehisattendantsand

equipage？”

“Heneedsnoequipagetosetoffhisrank。”remarkedathird。“If

hecameamongusinrags，nobilitywouldshinethroughaholeinhis

elbow。Ineversawsuchdignityofaspect。HehastheoldNormanblood

inhisveins，Iwarranthim。”

“IrathertakehimtobeaDutchman，oroneofyourhigh

Germans。”saidanothercitizen。“Themenofthosecountrieshave

alwaysthepipeattheirmouths。”

“AndsohasaTurk。”answeredhiscompanion。“But，inmy

judgment，thisstrangerhathbeenbredattheFrenchcourt，andhath

therelearnedpolitenessandgraceofmanner，whichnoneunderstandso

wellasthenobilityofFrance。Thatgait，now！Avulgarspectator

mightdeemitstiff-hemightcallitahitchandjerk-but，tomy

eye，ithathanunspeakablemajesty，andmusthavebeenacquiredby

constantobservationofthedeportmentoftheGrandMonarque。The

stranger’scharacterandofficeareevidentenough。HeisaFrench

ambassador，cometotreatwithourrulersaboutthecessionof

Canada。”

“MoreprobablyaSpaniard。”saidanother，“andhencehisyellow

complexion；or，mostlikely，heisfromtheHavana，orfromsome

portontheSpanishMain，andcomestomakeinvestigationaboutthe

piracieswhichourgovernmentisthoughttoconniveat。Thosesettlers

inPeruandMexicohaveskinsasyellowasthegoldwhichtheydigout

oftheirmines。”

“Yellowornot。”criedalady，“heisabeautifulman！sotall，

soslender！suchafine，nobleface，withsowell-shapedanose，and

allthatdelicacyofexpressionaboutthemouth！And，blessme，how

brighthisstaris！Itpositivelyshootsoutflames！”

“Sodoyoureyes，fairlady。”saidthestranger，withabowanda

flourishofhispipe；forhewasjustpassingattheinstant。“Uponmy

honor，theyhavequitedazzledme。”

“Waseversooriginalandexquisiteacompliment？”murmuredthe

lady，inanecstasyofdelight。

Amidthegeneraladmirationexcitedbythestranger’sappearance，

therewereonlytwodissentingvoices。Onewasthatofan

impertinentcur，which，aftersnuffingattheheelsofthe

glisteningfigure，putitstailbetweenitslegsandskulkedinto

itsmaster’sbackyard，vociferatinganexecrablehowl。Theother

dissentientwasayoungchild，whosqualledatthefulleststretch

ofhislungs，andbabbledsomeunintelligiblenonsenseabouta

pumpkin。

Feathertopmeanwhilepursuedhiswayalongthestreet。Exceptfor

thefewcomplimentarywordstothelady，andnowandthenaslight

inclinationoftheheadinrequitaloftheprofoundreverencesof

thebystanders，heseemedwhollyabsorbedinhispipe。Thereneededno

otherproofofhisrankandconsequencethantheperfectequanimity

withwhichhecomportedhimself，whilethecuriosityandadmirationof

thetownswelledalmostintoclamoraroundhim。Withacrowdgathering

behindhisfootsteps，hefinallyreachedthemansion-houseofthe

worshipfulJusticeGookin，enteredthegate，ascendedthestepsofthe

frontdoor，andknocked。Intheinterim，beforehissummonswas

answered，thestrangerwasobservedtoshaketheashesoutofhis

pipe。

“Whatdidhesayinthatsharpvoice？”inquiredoneofthe

spectators。

“Nay，Iknownot。”answeredhisfriend。“Butthesundazzlesmy

eyesstrangely。Howdimandfadedhislordshiplooksallofa

sudden！Blessmywits，whatisthematterwithme？”

“Thewonderis，saidtheother，“thathispipe，whichwasout

onlyaninstantago，shouldbeallalightagain，andwiththe

reddestcoalIeversaw。Thereissomethingmysteriousaboutthis

stranger。Whatawhiffofsmokewasthat！Dimandfadeddidyoucall

him？Why，asheturnsaboutthestaronhisbreastisallablaze。”

“Itis，indeed。”saidhiscompanion；“anditwillgoneartodazzle

prettyPollyGookin，whomIseepeepingatitoutofthechamber

window。”

Thedoorbeingnowopened，Feathertopturnedtothecrowd，madea

statelybendofhisbodylikeagreatmanacknowledgingthe

reverenceofthemeanersort，andvanishedintothehouse。Therewasa

mysteriouskindofasmile，ifitmightnotbetterbecalledagrinor

grimace，uponhisvisage；but，ofallthethrongthatbeheldhim，

notanindividualappearstohavepossessedinsightenoughtodetect

theillusivecharacterofthestrangerexceptalittlechildandacur

dog。

Ourlegendherelosessomewhatofitscontinuity，and，passingover

thepreliminaryexplanationbetweenFeathertopandthemerchant，

goesinquestoftheprettyPollyGookin。Shewasadamselofa

soft，roundfigure，withlighthairandblueeyes，andafair，rosy

face，whichseemedneitherveryshrewdnorverysimple。Thisyoung

ladyhadcaughtaglimpseoftheglisteningstrangerwhilestandingat

thethreshold，andhadforthwithputonalacedcap，astringof

beads，herfinestkerchief，andherstiffestdamaskpetticoatin

preparationfortheinterview。Hurryingfromherchambertothe

parlor，shehadeversincebeenviewingherselfinthelarge

looking-glassandpractisingprettyairs-nowasmile，nowa

ceremoniousdignityofaspect，andnowasoftersmilethantheformer，

kissingherhandlikewise，tossingherhead，andmanagingherfan；

whilewithinthemirroranunsubstantiallittlemaidrepeatedevery

gestureanddidallthefoolishthingsthatPollydid，butwithout

makingherashamedofthem。Inshort，itwasthefaultofpretty

Polly’sabilityratherthanherwillifshefailedtobeascomplete

anartificeastheillustriousFeathertophimself；and，whenshe

thustamperedwithherownsimplicity，thewitch’sphantommight

wellhopetowinher。

NosoonerdidPollyhearherfather’sgoutyfootstepsapproaching

theparlordoor，accompaniedwiththestiffclatterofFeathertop’s

high-heeledshoes，thansheseatedherselfboltuprightandinnocently

beganwarblingasong。

“Polly！daughterPolly！”criedtheoldmerchant。“Comehither，

child。”

MasterGookin’saspect，asheopenedthedoor，wasdoubtfuland

troubled。