Chapter 1

           WhenatravellerinnorthcentralMassachusettstakesthewrongforkatthejunctionofAylesburypikejustbeyondDean’sCornershecomesuponalonelyandcuriouscountry. 

           Thegroundgetshigher,andthebrier-borderedstonewallspresscloserandcloseragainsttherutsofthedusty,curvingroad. Thetreesofthefrequentforestbeltsseemtoolarge,andthewildweeds,bramblesandgrassesattainaluxuriancenotoftenfoundinsettledregions. Atthesametimetheplantedfieldsappearsingularlyfewandbarren; whilethesparselyscatteredhouseswearasurprisinglyuniformaspectofage,squalor,anddilapidation. 

           Withoutknowingwhy,onehesitatestoaskdirectionsfromthegnarledsolitaryfiguresspiednowandthenoncrumblingdoorstepsoronthesloping,rock-strewnmeadows. Thosefiguresaresosilentandfurtivethatonefeelssomehowconfrontedbyforbiddenthings,withwhichitwouldbebettertohavenothingtodo. Whenariseintheroadbringsthemountainsinviewabovethedeepwoods,thefeelingofstrangeuneasinessisincreased. Thesummitsaretooroundedandsymmetricaltogiveasenseofcomfortandnaturalness,andsometimestheskysilhouetteswithespecialclearnessthequeercirclesoftallstonepillarswithwhichmostofthemarecrowned. 

           Gorgesandravinesofproblematicaldepthintersecttheway,andthecrudewoodenbridgesalwaysseemofdubioussafety. Whentheroaddipsagaintherearestretchesofmarshlandthatoneinstinctivelydislikes,andindeedalmostfearsateveningwhenunseenwhippoorwillschatterandthefirefliescomeoutinabnormalprofusiontodancetotheraucous,creepilyinsistentrhythmsofstridentlypipingbull-frogs.