The Minister's Black Veil by Nathaniel Hawthorne
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finally, the deputies returned abashed to_their constituents, pronouncing the matter too weighty to_be handled, except by a council of_the churches, if, indeed, it might_not require a general synod .

but there_was one person in_the village unappalled by_the awe with_which the black veil had impressed all beside herself . when_the deputies returned without an explanation, or even venturing to demand one, she, with_the calm energy of her character, determined to chase away the strange cloud that appeared to_be settling round Mr Hooper, every moment more darkly than before . as his plighted wife, it should_be her privilege to_know what the black veil concealed . at_the minister's first visit, therefore, she entered upon_the_subject with a direct simplicity, which made the task easier both for him and her . after he had seated himself, she fixed her eyes steadfastly upon_the veil, but could discern nothing of_the dreadful gloom that had so overawed the multitude: it_was but a double fold of crape, hanging down from_his forehead to_his mouth, and slightly stirring with_his breath .

" no," said she aloud, and smiling, " there_is nothing terrible in_this piece of crape, except that_it hides a face which I_am always glad to look upon . come, good sir, let the sun shine from behind the cloud . first lay aside your black veil: then tell me why you put it on ."

Mr Hooper's smile glimmered faintly .

" there_is an hour to_come," said he, " when all of us shall cast aside our veils . take it not amiss, beloved friend, if I wear this piece of crape till then ."

" your words are a mystery, too," returned the young lady ." take away the veil from_them, at_least ."

" Elizabeth, i_will," said he, " so_far as my vow may suffer me . know, then, this veil is a type and a symbol, and I_am bound to wear it ever, both in light and darkness, in solitude and before_the gaze of multitudes, and as with strangers, so with my familiar friends . no mortal eye will see it withdrawn . this dismal shade must separate me from_the world: even you, Elizabeth, can never come behind it ! "

" what grievous affliction hath befallen you," she earnestly inquired, " that you_should thus darken your eyes forever ? "

" if_it be a sign of mourning," replied Mr Hooper, "I, perhaps, like most other mortals, have sorrows dark enough to_be typified by a black veil ."

" but what if_the world will not believe that_it_is the type of an innocent sorrow ? " urged Elizabeth ." beloved and respected as_you_are, there_may_be whispers that you hide your face under the consciousness of secret sin . for_the sake of your holy office, do away this scandal ! "

the color rose into her cheeks as she intimated the nature of_the rumors that were already abroad in_the village . but Mr Hooper's mildness did_not forsake him . he even smiled again-- that same sad smile, which always appeared like a faint glimmering of light, proceeding from_the obscurity beneath the veil .

" if I hide my face for sorrow, there_is cause enough," he merely replied; " and if I cover it for secret sin, what mortal might_not do_the same ? "

and with_this gentle, but unconquerable obstinacy did he resist all her entreaties . at_length Elizabeth sat silent . for a few_moments she appeared lost in thought, considering, probably, what new methods might_be tried to withdraw her lover from so dark a fantasy, which, if_it had no other meaning, was perhaps a symptom of mental disease . though of a firmer character than his own, the tears rolled down her cheeks . but, in an instant, as it were, a new feeling took the place of sorrow: her eyes were fixed insensibly on_the black veil, when, like a sudden twilight in_the air, its terrors fell around her . she arose, and stood trembling before him .

" and do_you feel it then, at last ? " said he mournfully .

she made no reply, but covered her eyes with her hand, and turned to leave the room . he rushed forward and caught her arm .

" have patience with me, Elizabeth ! " cried he, passionately ." do_not desert me, though this veil must_be between_us here on earth . be mine, and hereafter there shall be no veil over my face, no darkness between our souls ! it_is but a mortal veil-- it_is_not for eternity ! O ! you_know not how lonely I_am, and how frightened, to_be alone behind my black veil . do_not leave me in_this miserable obscurity forever ! "

" lift the veil but once, and look me in_the face," said she .

" never ! it cannot_be ! " replied Mr Hooper .

" then farewell ! " said Elizabeth .

she withdrew her arm from_his grasp, and slowly departed, pausing at_the door, to_give one long shuddering gaze, that seemed almost to penetrate the mystery of_the black veil . but, even amid his grief, Mr Hooper smiled to_think that only a material emblem had separated him from happiness, though the horrors, which it shadowed forth, must_be drawn darkly between_the fondest of lovers .

from_that_time no attempts were made to remove Mr Hooper's black veil, or, by a direct appeal, to discover the secret which it_was supposed to hide . by persons who claimed a superiority to popular prejudice, it_was reckoned merely an eccentric whim, such as often mingles with_the sober actions of men otherwise rational, and tinges them all with its own semblance of insanity . but with_the multitude, good Mr Hooper was irreparably a bugbear . he_could_not walk the street with any peace of mind, so conscious was he that_the gentle and timid would turn aside to avoid him, and_that others would make it a point of hardihood to throw themselves in_his way . the impertinence of_the latter class compelled him to_give up his customary walk at sunset to_the burial ground; for when he leaned pensively over the gate, there would always be faces behind the gravestones, peeping at his black veil .a fable went the rounds that_the stare of_the dead people drove him thence . it grieved him, to_the very depth of_his kind heart, to observe how the children fled from_his approach, breaking up their merriest sports, while his melancholy figure was yet afar off . their instinctive dread caused him to_feel more strongly than aught else, that a preternatural horror was interwoven with_the threads of_the black crape . in truth, his own antipathy to_the veil was known to_be so great, that he never willingly passed before a mirror, nor stooped to drink at a still fountain, lest, in its peaceful bosom, he_should_be affrighted by himself . this_was what gave plausibility to_the whispers, that Mr Hooper's conscience tortured him for some great crime too horrible to_be entirely concealed, or otherwise than so obscurely intimated . thus, from beneath the black veil, there rolled a cloud into_the sunshine, an ambiguity of sin or sorrow, which enveloped the poor minister, so_that love or sympathy could never reach him . it_was said that ghost and fiend consorted with_him there . with self- shudderings and outward terrors, he walked continually in its shadow, groping darkly within his own soul, or gazing through a medium that saddened the whole world . even the lawless wind, it_was believed, respected his dreadful secret, and never blew aside the veil . but still good Mr Hooper sadly smiled at_the pale visages of_the worldly throng as he passed by .

among all its bad influences, the black veil had the one desirable effect, of making its wearer a very efficient clergyman . by_the aid of_his mysterious emblem-- for there_was no other apparent cause-- he became a man of awful power over souls that were in agony for sin . his converts always regarded him with a dread peculiar to themselves, affirming, though but figuratively, that, before he brought them to celestial light, they had_been with_him behind the black veil . its gloom, indeed, enabled him to sympathize with all dark affections .Dying sinners cried aloud for_Mr Hooper, and would_not yield their breath till he appeared; though ever, as he stooped to whisper consolation, they shuddered at_the veiled face so near their own . such were the terrors of_the black veil, even when death had bared his visage ! Strangers came long distances to attend service at his church, with_the mere idle purpose of gazing at his figure, because it_was forbidden them to behold his face . but many were made to quake ere they departed ! once, during governor Belcher's administration, Mr Hooper was appointed to preach the election sermon . covered with_his black veil, he stood before_the chief magistrate, the council, and_the representatives, and wrought so deep an impression, that_the legislative measures of_that year were characterized by all the gloom and piety of_our earliest ancestral sway .

in_this manner Mr Hooper spent a long life, irreproachable in outward act, yet shrouded in dismal suspicions; kind and loving, though unloved, and dimly feared; a man apart from men, shunned in their health and joy, but ever summoned to_their aid in mortal anguish . as years wore on, shedding their snows above his sable veil, he acquired a name throughout_the new England churches, and_they called him father Hooper . nearly all his parishioners, who were of mature age when he_was settled, had_been borne away by many a funeral: he had one congregation in_the church, and a more crowded one in_the churchyard; and having wrought so late into_the evening, and done his work so_well, it_was now good father Hooper's turn to rest .

several persons were visible by_the shaded candlelight, in_the death chamber of_the old clergyman . natural connections he had none . but there_was the decorously grave, though unmoved physician, seeking only to mitigate the last pangs of_the patient whom he_could_not save . there were the deacons, and other eminently pious members of_his church . there, also, was_the reverend Mr Clark, of Westbury, a young and zealous divine, who had ridden in haste to pray by_the bedside of_the expiring minister . there_was the nurse, no hired handmaiden of death, but one whose calm affection had endured thus long in secrecy, in solitude, amid the chill of age, and would_not perish, even at_the dying hour . who, but Elizabeth ! and there lay the hoary head of good father Hooper upon_the death pillow, with_the black veil still swathed about his brow, and reaching down over his face, so_that each more difficult gasp of_his faint breath caused it to stir . all through life that piece of crape had hung between him and_the world: it had separated him from cheerful brotherhood and woman's love, and kept him in_that saddest of all prisons, his own heart; and still it lay upon his face, as_if to deepen the gloom of_his darksome chamber, and shade him from_the sunshine of eternity .

for some_time previous, his mind had_been confused, wavering doubtfully between_the past and_the present, and hovering forward, as it were, at intervals, into_the indistinctness of_the world to_come . there had_been feverish turns, which tossed him from side to side, and wore away what little strength he had . but in_his most convulsive struggles, and in_the wildest vagaries of_his intellect, when no other thought retained its sober influence, he still showed an awful solicitude lest the black veil should slip aside . even if his bewildered soul could_have forgotten, there_was a faithful woman at_this pillow, who, with averted eyes, would_have covered that aged face, which she had last beheld in_the comeliness of manhood . at_length the death- stricken old man lay quietly in_the torpor of mental and bodily exhaustion, with an imperceptible pulse, and breath that grew fainter and fainter, except when a long, deep, and irregular inspiration seemed to prelude the flight of_his spirit .

the minister of Westbury approached the bedside .

" venerable father Hooper," said he, " the moment of your release is at hand . are_you ready for_the lifting of_the veil that shuts in_time from eternity ? "

father Hooper at first replied merely by a feeble motion of_his head; then, apprehensive, perhaps, that his meaning might_be doubted, he exerted himself to_speak .

" yea," said he, in faint accents, " my soul hath a patient weariness until that veil be lifted ."

" and_is it fitting," resumed the reverend Mr Clark, " that a man so given to prayer, of_such a blameless example, holy in deed and thought, so_far as mortal judgment may pronounce; is_it fitting that a father in_the church should leave a shadow on_his memory, that_may seem to blacken a life so pure ? I pray you, my venerable brother, let not this thing be ! suffer us to_be gladdened by your triumphant aspect as_you go to your reward . before_the veil of eternity be lifted, let me cast aside this black veil from your face ! "

and thus speaking, the reverend Mr Clark bent forward to reveal the mystery of so_many years . but, exerting a sudden energy, that made all the beholders stand aghast, father Hooper snatched both his hands from beneath the bedclothes, and pressed them strongly on_the black veil, resolute to struggle, if_the minister of Westbury would contend with adying man .

" never ! " cried the veiled clergyman ." on earth, never ! "

" dark old man ! " exclaimed the affrighted minister, " with what horrible crime upon your soul are_you now passing to_the judgment ? "

father Hooper's breath heaved; it rattled in_his throat; but, with a mighty effort, grasping forward with_his hands, he caught hold of life, and held it back till he_should speak . he even raised himself in bed; and there he sat, shivering with_the arms of death around him, while the black veil hung down, awful, at_that last moment, in_the gathered terrors of a lifetime . and yet the faint, sad smile, so often there, now seemed to glimmer from its obscurity, and linger on father Hooper's lips .

" why do_you tremble at me alone ? " cried he, turning his veiled face round the circle of pale spectators ." tremble also at each_other ! have men avoided me, and women shown no pity, and children screamed and fled, only for_my black veil ? what, but the mystery which it obscurely typifies, has_made this piece of crape so awful ? when_the friend shows his inmost heart to_his friend; the lover to_his best beloved; when man does_not vainly shrink from_the eye of_his creator, loathsomely treasuring up the secret of_his sin; then deem me a monster, for_the symbol beneath which I_have lived, and die ! I look around me, and, lo ! on every visage a black veil ! "

while his auditors shrank from one another, in mutual affright, father Hooper fell back upon his pillow, a veiled corpse, with a faint smile lingering on_the lips . still veiled, they laid him in_his coffin, and a veiled corpse they bore him to_the grave . the grass of many years has sprung up and withered on_that grave, the burial stone is moss- grown, and good Mr Hooper's face is dust; but awful is still the thought that_it mouldered beneath the black veil !

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