Мхи старой усадьбы
Young Goodman Brown
Itwasnowdeepduskintheforest,anddeepestinthatpartofitwherethesetwowerejourneying.Asnearlyascouldbediscerned,thesecondtravellerwasaboutfiftyyearsold,apparentlyinthesamerankoflifeasGoodmanBrown,andbearingaconsiderableresemblancetohim,thoughperhapsmoreinexpressionthanfeatures.Stilltheymighthavebeentakenforfatherandson.Andyet,thoughtheelderpersonwasassimplycladastheyounger,andassimpleinmannertoo,hehadanindescribableairofonewhoknewtheworld,andwhowouldnothavefeltabashedatthegovernor’sdinnertableorinKingWilliam’scourt,wereitpossiblethathisaffairsshouldcallhimthither.Buttheonlythingabouthimthatcouldbefixeduponasremarkablewashisstaff,whichborethelikenessofagreatblacksnake,socuriouslywroughtthatitmightalmostbeseentotwistandwriggleitselflikealivingserpent.This,ofcourse,musthavebeenanoculardeception,assistedbytheuncertainlight.
"Come,GoodmanBrown,"criedhisfellow-traveller,"thisisadullpaceforthebeginningofajourney.Takemystaff,ifyouaresosoonweary."
"Friend,"saidtheother,exchanginghisslowpaceforafullstop,"havingkeptcovenantbymeetingtheehere,itismypurposenowtoreturnwhenceIcame.Ihavescruplestouchingthematterthouwot’stof."
"Sayestthouso?"repliedheoftheserpent,smilingapart."Letuswalkon,nevertheless,reasoningaswego;andifIconvincetheenotthoushaltturnback.Wearebutalittlewayintheforestyet.
