Мхи старой усадьбы
Young Goodman Brown
Thencameastrongerswellofthosefamiliartones,hearddailyinthesunshineatSalemvillage,butneveruntilnowfromacloudofnightTherewasonevoiceofayoungwoman,utteringlamentations,yetwithanuncertainsorrow,andentreatingforsomefavor,which,perhaps,itwouldgrievehertoobtain;andalltheunseenmultitude,bothsaintsandsinners,seemedtoencourageheronward.
"Faith!"shoutedGoodmanBrown,inavoiceofagonyanddesperation;andtheechoesoftheforestmockedhim,crying,"Faith!Faith!"asifbewilderedwretcheswereseekingherallthroughthewilderness.
Thecryofgrief,rage,andterrorwasyetpiercingthenight,whentheunhappyhusbandheldhisbreathforaresponse.Therewasascream,drownedimmediatelyinaloudermurmurofvoices,fadingintofar-offlaughter,asthedarkcloudsweptaway,leavingtheclearandsilentskyaboveGoodmanBrown.Butsomethingflutteredlightlydownthroughtheairandcaughtonthebranchofatree.Theyoungmanseizedit,andbeheldapinkribbon.
"MyFaithisgone!"criedhe,afteronestupefiedmoment."Thereisnogoodonearth;andsinisbutaname.Come,devil;fortotheeisthisworldgiven."
And,maddenedwithdespair,sothathelaughedloudandlong,didGoodmanBrowngrasphisstaffandsetforthagain,atsucharatethatheseemedtoflyalongtheforestpathratherthantowalkorrun.Theroadgrewwilderanddrearierandmorefaintlytraced,andvanishedatlength,leavinghimintheheartofthedarkwilderness,stillrushingonwardwiththeinstinctthatguidesmortalmantoevil.
