Легенда о Сонной Лощине
Found Among The Papers Of The Late Diedrich Knickerbocker.
Allthesetales,toldinthatdrowsyundertonewithwhichmentalkinthedark,thecountenancesofthelistenersonlynowandthenreceivingacasualgleamfromtheglareofapipe,sankdeepinthemindofIchabod.Herepaidtheminkindwithlargeextractsfromhisinvaluableauthor,CottonMather,andaddedmanymarvellouseventsthathadtakenplaceinhisnativeStateofConnecticut,andfearfulsightswhichhehadseeninhisnightlywalksaboutSleepyHollow.
Therevelnowgraduallybrokeup.Theoldfarmersgatheredtogethertheirfamiliesintheirwagons,andwereheardforsometimerattlingalongthehollowroads,andoverthedistanthills.Someofthedamselsmountedonpillionsbehindtheirfavoriteswains,andtheirlight-heartedlaughter,minglingwiththeclatterofhoofs,echoedalongthesilentwoodlands,soundingfainterandfainter,untiltheygraduallydiedaway,—andthelatesceneofnoiseandfrolicwasallsilentanddeserted.Ichabodonlylingeredbehind,accordingtothecustomofcountrylovers,tohaveatête-à-têtewiththeheiress;fullyconvincedthathewasnowonthehighroadtosuccess.WhatpassedatthisinterviewIwillnotpretendtosay,forinfactIdonotknow.Something,however,Ifearme,musthavegonewrong,forhecertainlysalliedforth,afternoverygreatinterval,withanairquitedesolateandchapfallen.
