第15章

“Thisgentleman。”continuedhe，presentingthestranger，“isthe

ChevalierFeathertop-nay，Ibeghispardon，myLordFeathertop-who

hathbroughtmeatokenofremembrancefromanancientfriendofmine。

Payyourdutytohislordship，child，andhonorhimashisquality

deserves。”

Afterthesefewwordsofintroduction，theworshipfulmagistrate

immediatelyquittedtheroom。But，eveninthatbriefmoment，had

thefairPollyglancedasideatherfatherinsteadofdevotingherself

whollytothebrilliantguest，shemighthavetakenwarningofsome

mischiefnighathand。Theoldmanwasnervous，fidgety，andvery

pale。Purposingasmileofcourtesy，hehaddeformedhisfacewitha

sortofgalvanicgrin，which，whenFeathertop’sbackwasturned，he

exchangedforascowl，atthesametimeshakinghisfistand

stampinghisgoutyfoot-anincivilitywhichbroughtitsretribution

alongwithit。ThetruthappearstohavebeenthatMotherRigby’sword

ofintroduction，whateveritmightbe，hadoperatedfarmoreonthe

richmerchant’sfearsthanonhisgoodwill。Moreover，beingaman

ofwonderfullyacuteobservation，hehadnoticedthatthesepainted

figuresonthebowlofFeathertop’spipewereinmotion。Looking

moreclosely，hebecameconvincedthatthesefigureswereapartyof

littledemons，eachdulyprovidedwithhornsandatail，anddancing

handinhand，withgesturesofdiabolicalmerriment，roundthe

circumferenceofthepipebowl。Asiftoconfirmhissuspicions，while

MasterGookinusheredhisguestalongaduskypassagefromhisprivate

roomtotheparlor，thestaronFeathertop’sbreasthadscintillated

actualflames，andthrewaflickeringgleamuponthewall，the

ceiling，andthefloor。

Withsuchsinisterprognosticsmanifestingthemselvesonallhands，

itisnottobemarvelledatthatthemerchantshouldhavefeltthat

hewascommittinghisdaughtertoaveryquestionableacquaintance。He

cursed，inhissecretsoul，theinsinuatingeleganceofFeathertop’s

manners，asthisbrilliantpersonagebowed，smiled，puthishandon

hisheart，inhaledalongwhifffromhispipe，andenrichedthe

atmospherewiththesmokyvaporofafragrantandvisiblesigh。Gladly

wouldpoorMasterGookinhavethrusthisdangerousguestintothe

street；buttherewasaconstraintandterrorwithinhim。This

respectableoldgentleman，wefear，atanearlierperiodoflife，

hadgivensomepledgeorothertotheevilprinciple，andperhaps

wasnowtoredeemitbythesacrificeofhisdaughter。

Itsohappenedthattheparlordoorwaspartlyofglass，shaded

byasilkencurtain，thefoldsofwhichhungalittleawry。So

strongwasthemerchant’sinterestinwitnessingwhatwastoensue

betweenthefairPollyandthegallantFeathertopthat，afterquitting

theroom，hecouldbynomeansrefrainfrompeepingthroughthe

creviceofthecurtain。

Buttherewasnothingverymiraculoustobeseen；nothing-except

thetriflespreviouslynoticed-toconfirmtheideaofa

supernaturalperilenvironingtheprettyPolly。Thestrangeritis

truewasevidentlyathoroughandpractisedmanoftheworld，

systematicandself-possessed，andthereforethesortofapersonto

whomaparentoughtnottoconfideasimple，younggirlwithoutdue

watchfulnessfortheresult。Theworthymagistrate，whohadbeen

conversantwithalldegreesandqualitiesofmankind，couldnotbut

perceiveeverymotionandgestureofthedistinguishedFeathertopcame

initsproperplace；nothinghadbeenleftrudeornativeinhim；a

well-digestedconventionalismhadincorporateditselfthoroughly

withhissubstanceandtransformedhimintoaworkofart。Perhaps

itwasthispeculiaritythatinvestedhimwithaspeciesof

ghastlinessandawe。Itistheeffectofanythingcompletelyand

consummatelyartificial，inhumanshape，thatthepersonimpresses

usasanunrealityandashavinghardlypithenoughtocastashadow

uponthefloor。AsregardedFeathertop，allthisresultedinawild，

extravagant，andfantasticalimpression，asifhislifeandbeingwere

akintothesmokethatcurledupwardfromhispipe。

ButprettyPollyGookinfeltnotthus。Thepairwerenow

promenadingtheroom：Feathertopwithhisdaintystrideandnoless

daintygrimace；thegirlwithanativemaidenlygrace，justtouched，

notspoiled，byaslightlyaffectedmanner，whichseemedcaughtfrom

theperfectartificeofhercompanion。Thelongertheinterview

continued，themorecharmedwasprettyPolly，until，withinthe

firstquarterofanhour(astheoldmagistratenotedbyhiswatch)，

shewasevidentlybeginningtobeinlove。Norneedithavebeen

witchcraftthatsubduedherinsuchahurry；thepoorchild’sheart，

itmaybe，wassoveryferventthatitmeltedherwithitsown

warmthasreflectedfromthehollowsemblanceofalover。Nomatter

whatFeathertopsaid，hiswordsfounddepthandreverberationinher

ear；nomatterwhathedid，hisactionwasheroictohereye。Andby

thistimeitistobesupposedtherewasablushonPolly’scheek，a

tendersmileabouthermouth，andaliquidsoftnessinherglance；

whilethestarkeptcoruscatingonFeathertop’sbreast，andthelittle

demonscareeredwithmorefranticmerrimentthaneveraboutthe

circumferenceofhispipebowl。OprettyPollyGookin，whyshould

theseimpsrejoicesomadlythatasillymaiden’sheartwasaboutto

begiventoashadow！Isitsounusualamisfortune，sorarea

triumph？

ByandbyFeathertoppaused，andthrowinghimselfintoan

imposingattitude，seemedtosummonthefairgirltosurveyhisfigure

andresisthimlongerifshecould。Hisstar，hisembroidery，his

bucklesglowedatthatinstantwithunutterablesplendor；the

picturesquehuesofhisattiretookaricherdepthofcoloring；

therewasagleamandpolishoverhiswholepresencebetokeningthe

perfectwitcheryofwell-orderedmanners。Themaidenraisedhereyes

andsufferedthemtolingeruponhercompanionwithabashfuland

admiringgaze。Then，asifdesirousofjudgingwhatvalueherown

simplecomelinessmighthavesidebysidewithsomuchbrilliancy，she

castaglancetowardsthefull-lengthlooking-glassinfrontof

whichtheyhappenedtobestanding。Itwasoneofthetruestplatesin

theworldandincapableofflattery。Nosoonerdidtheimages

thereinreflectedmeetPolly’seyethansheshrieked，shrankfrom

thestranger’sside，gazedathimforamomentinthewildest

dismay，andsankinsensibleuponthefloor。Feathertoplikewisehad

lookedtowardsthemirror，andtherebeheld，nottheglittering

mockeryofhisoutsideshow，butapictureofthesordidpatchwork

ofhisrealcomposition，strippedofallwitchcraft。

Thewretchedsimulacrum！Wealmostpityhim。Hethrewuphisarms

withanexpressionofdespairthatwentfurtherthananyofhis

previousmanifestationstowardsvindicatinghisclaimstobe

reckonedhuman；for，perchancetheonlytimesincethissooftenempty

anddeceptivelifeofmortalsbeganitscourse，anillusionhadseen

andfullyrecognizeditself。

MotherRigbywasseatedbyherkitchenhearthinthetwilightof

thiseventfulday，andhadjustshakentheashesoutofanewpipe，

whensheheardahurriedtrampalongtheroad。Yetitdidnotseem

somuchthetrampofhumanfootstepsastheclatterofsticksorthe

rattlingofdrybones。

“Ha！”thoughttheoldwitch，“whatstepisthat？Whoseskeleton

isoutofitsgravenow，Iwonder？”

Afigureburstheadlongintothecottagedoor。ItwasFeathertop！

Hispipewasstillalight；thestarstillflameduponhisbreast；

theembroiderystillgloweduponhisgarments；norhadhelost，inany

degreeormannerthatcouldbeestimated，theaspectthat

assimilatedhimwithourmortalbrotherhood。Butyet，insome

indescribableway(asisthecasewithallthathasdeludeduswhen

oncefoundout)，thepoorrealitywasfeltbeneaththecunning

artifice。

“Whathasgonewrong？”demandedthewitch。“Didyondersniffling

hypocritethrustmydarlingfromhisdoor？Thevillain！I’llset

twentyfiendstotormenthimtillheoffertheehisdaughteronhis

bendedknees！”

“No，mother。”saidFeathertopdespondingly；“itwasnotthat。”

“Didthegirlscornmypreciousone？”askedMotherRigby，her

fierceeyesglowingliketwocoalsofTophet。“I’llcoverherface

withpimples！Hernoseshallbeasredasthecoalinthypipe！Her

frontteethshalldropout！Inaweekhencesheshallnotbeworththy

having！”

“Letheralone，mother。”answeredpoorFeathertop；“thegirlwas

halfwon；andmethinksakissfromhersweetlipsmighthavemademe

altogetherhuman。But。”headded，afterabriefpauseandthena

howlofself-contempt，“I’veseenmyself，mother！I’veseenmyselffor

thewretched，ragged，emptythingIam！I’llexistnolonger！”

Snatchingthepipefromhismouth，heflungitwithallhismight

againstthechimney，andatthesameinstantsankuponthefloor，a

medleyofstrawandtatteredgarments，withsomesticksprotruding

fromtheheap，andashrivelledpumpkininthemidst。Theeyeholes

werenowlustreless；buttherudely-carvedgap，thatjustbeforehad

beenamouth，stillseemedtotwistitselfintoadespairinggrin，and

wassofarhuman。

“Poorfellow！”quothMotherRigby，witharuefulglanceatthe

relicsofherill-fatedcontrivance。“Mypoor，dear，pretty

Feathertop！Therearethousandsuponthousandsofcoxcombsand

charlatansintheworld，madeupofjustsuchajumbleofwornout，

forgotten，andgood-for-nothingtrashashewas！Yettheyliveinfair

repute，andneverseethemselvesforwhattheyare。Andwhyshould

mypoorpuppetbetheonlyonetoknowhimselfandperishforit？”

Whilethusmuttering，thewitchhadfilledafreshpipeoftobacco，

andheldthestembetweenherfingers，asdoubtfulwhethertothrust

itintoherownmouthorFeathertop’s。

“PoorFeathertop！”shecontinued。“Icouldeasilygivehim

anotherchanceandsendhimforthagaintomorrow。Butno；hisfeelings

aretootender，hissensibilitiestoodeep。Heseemstohavetoo

muchhearttobustleforhisownadvantageinsuchanemptyand

heartlessworld。Well！well！I’llmakeascarecrowofhimafterall。

’Tisaninnocentandusefulvocation，andwillsuitmydarlingwell；

and，ifeachofhishumanbrethrenhadasfitaone，’twouldbethe

betterformankind；andasforthispipeoftobacco，Ineeditmore

thanhe。”

Sosaying，MotherRigbyputthestembetweenherlips。“Dickon！”

criedshe，inherhigh，sharptone，“anothercoalformypipe！”

byNathanielHawthorne

NOTLONGAFTERColonelShutehadassumedthegovernmentof

MassachusettsBay，nownearlyahundredandtwentyyearsago，a

youngladyofrankandfortunearrivedfromEngland，toclaimhis

protectionasherguardian。Hewasherdistantrelative，butthe

nearestwhohadsurvivedthegradualextinctionofherfamily；sothat

nomoreeligiblesheltercouldbefoundfortherichandhigh-born

LadyEleanoreRochcliffethanwithintheProvinceHouseofa

transatlanticcolony。TheconsortofGovernorShute，moreover，had

beenasamothertoherchildhood，andwasnowanxioustoreceiveher，

inthehopethatabeautifulyoungwomanwouldbeexposedto

infinitelylessperilfromtheprimitivesocietyofNewEnglandthan

amidtheartificesandcorruptionsofacourt。Ifeitherthe

Governororhisladyhadespeciallyconsultedtheirowncomfort，

theywouldprobablyhavesoughttodevolvetheresponsibilityonother

hands；since，withsomenobleandsplendidtraitsofcharacter，Lady

Eleanorewasremarkableforaharsh，unyieldingpride，ahaughty

consciousnessofherhereditaryandpersonaladvantages，whichmade

heralmostincapableofcontrol。Judgingfrommanytraditionary

anecdotes，thispeculiartemperwashardlylessthanamonomania；

or，iftheactswhichitinspiredwerethoseofasaneperson，it

seemedduefromProvidencethatpridesosinfulshouldbefollowed

byasseverearetribution。Thattingeofthemarvellous，whichis

thrownoversomanyofthesehalf-forgottenlegends，hasprobably

impartedanadditionalwildnesstothestrangestoryofLady

EleanoreRochcliffe。