YoungGoodmanBrowntextWord文件下载.docx

1、twixt now and sunrise. What, my sweet, pretty wife, cost thou doubt me already, and we but three months married!“Then, God bless you!” said Faith, with the pink ribbons, “and may you find all well, when you come back.” “Amen!” cried Goodman Brown. “Say thy prayers, dear Faith, and go to bed at dusk,

2、 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

3、 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 to-night. But, no, no! twould kill her to think it. Well; shes a blessed angel on earth; a

4、nd after this one night, Ill 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 s

5、tood 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 footstep

6、s, 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,

7、 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 Browns 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 Bo

8、ston; and that is full fifteen minutes agone.” “Faith kept me back awhile,” 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 journ

9、eying. 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,

10、 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 would not have felt abashed （shamed） at the governors dinner-table, or in King Williams court, were it possible that his affairs should call him thither

11、. 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 （眼睛的） deception, ass

12、isted 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 （appointment） by meeting thee here

13、, it is my purpose now to return whence （= where） I came. I have scruples, touching the matter thou wotst 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 t

14、he 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

15、 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 thats no trifle to say. I helped your grandfather, th

16、e 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 Philips war. They were my good friends, both; and many a pleasant walk have we had along

17、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 （真正地）, I marvel not, seeing that the least rumor of the sort would have driven them from New-En

18、gland. We are a people of prayer, and good works, to boot （引导）, 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,

19、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 （However）, I have no

20、thing 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

21、!Thus far, the elder traveller had listened with due gravity, but now burst into a fit of irrepressible mirth （高兴）, shaking himself so violently, that his snake-like staff actually seemed to wriggle in sympathy. “Ha! ha!” shouted he, again and again; then composing himself, “Well, go on, Goodman Bro

22、wn, go on; but pry thee, dont kill me with laughing!“Well, then, to end the matter at once,” said Goodman Brown, considerably nettled （upset）, “there is my wife, Faith. It would break her dear little heart; and Id rather break my own!“Nay, if that be the case,” answered the other, “een go thy ways,

23、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 （教义问答）, in youth

24、, 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 night-fall!” said he. “But, with your leave, friend, I shall take a cut through the woods, until we have left this Christian woman

25、behind. Bring 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 （专心于） 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 al

26、ong the road, until he had come within a staffs 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 words, a prayer, doubtless, as she went. The traveller put forth his staff, and touched her withered neck with

27、 what seemed the serpents tail. “The devil!” screamed the pious old lady. “Then Goody Cloyse knows her old friend?” observed the traveller, confronting her, and leaning on his writhing stick. “Ah, forsooth （真的,的确,确实）, and is it your worship, indeed?” cried the good dame. “Yea, truly is it, and in th

28、e very image of my odd gossip, Goodman Brown, the grandfather of the silly fellow that now is. Butwould your worship believe it?my broomstick hath strangely disappeared, stolen, as I suspect, by that unhanged witch, Goody Cory, and that, too, when I was all anointed （涂、抹） with the juice of smallage

29、and cinque-foil and wolfs-bane” “Mingled with fine wheat and the fat of a new-born babe,” said the shape of old Goodman Brown. “Ah, your worship knows the receipt,” cried the old lady, cackling aloud. “So, as I was saying, being all ready for the meeting, and no horse to ride on, I made up my mind to foot it; for they tell me, there is a nice young man to be taken into communion to-night. But now your good worship will lend me your arm, and we shall be there in a twinkling.” “That can hardly be,” answered her frie