“Thisgentleman。”continuedhe，presentingthestranger，“isthe
ChevalierFeathertop-nay，Ibeghispardon，myLordFeathertop-who
hathbroughtmeatokenofremembrancefromanancientfriendofmine。
Payyourdutytohislordship，child，andhonorhimashisquality
deserves。”
Afterthesefewwordsofintroduction，theworshipfulmagistrate
immediatelyquittedtheroom。But，eveninthatbriefmoment，had
thefairPollyglancedasideatherfatherinsteadofdevotingherself
whollytothebrilliantguest，shemighthavetakenwarningofsome
mischiefnighathand。Theoldmanwasnervous，fidgety，andvery
pale。Purposingasmileofcourtesy，hehaddeformedhisfacewitha
sortofgalvanicgrin，which，whenFeathertop’sbackwasturned，he
exchangedforascowl，atthesametimeshakinghisfistand
stampinghisgoutyfoot-anincivilitywhichbroughtitsretribution
alongwithit。ThetruthappearstohavebeenthatMotherRigby’sword
ofintroduction，whateveritmightbe，hadoperatedfarmoreonthe
richmerchant’sfearsthanonhisgoodwill。Moreover，beingaman
ofwonderfullyacuteobservation，hehadnoticedthatthesepainted
figuresonthebowlofFeathertop’spipewereinmotion。Looking
moreclosely，hebecameconvincedthatthesefigureswereapartyof
littledemons，eachdulyprovidedwithhornsandatail，anddancing
handinhand，withgesturesofdiabolicalmerriment，roundthe
circumferenceofthepipebowl。Asiftoconfirmhissuspicions，while
MasterGookinusheredhisguestalongaduskypassagefromhisprivate
roomtotheparlor，thestaronFeathertop’sbreasthadscintillated
actualflames，andthrewaflickeringgleamuponthewall，the
ceiling，andthefloor。
Withsuchsinisterprognosticsmanifestingthemselvesonallhands，
itisnottobemarvelledatthatthemerchantshouldhavefeltthat
hewascommittinghisdaughtertoaveryquestionableacquaintance。He
cursed，inhissecretsoul，theinsinuatingeleganceofFeathertop’s
manners，asthisbrilliantpersonagebowed，smiled，puthishandon
hisheart，inhaledalongwhifffromhispipe，andenrichedthe
atmospherewiththesmokyvaporofafragrantandvisiblesigh。Gladly
wouldpoorMasterGookinhavethrusthisdangerousguestintothe
street；buttherewasaconstraintandterrorwithinhim。This
respectableoldgentleman，wefear，atanearlierperiodoflife，
hadgivensomepledgeorothertotheevilprinciple，andperhaps
wasnowtoredeemitbythesacrificeofhisdaughter。
Itsohappenedthattheparlordoorwaspartlyofglass，shaded
byasilkencurtain，thefoldsofwhichhungalittleawry。So
strongwasthemerchant’sinterestinwitnessingwhatwastoensue
betweenthefairPollyandthegallantFeathertopthat，afterquitting
theroom，hecouldbynomeansrefrainfrompeepingthroughthe
creviceofthecurtain。
Buttherewasnothingverymiraculoustobeseen；nothing-except
thetriflespreviouslynoticed-toconfirmtheideaofa
supernaturalperilenvironingtheprettyPolly。Thestrangeritis
truewasevidentlyathoroughandpractisedmanoftheworld，
systematicandself-possessed，andthereforethesortofapersonto
whomaparentoughtnottoconfideasimple，younggirlwithoutdue
watchfulnessfortheresult。Theworthymagistrate，whohadbeen
conversantwithalldegreesandqualitiesofmankind，couldnotbut
perceiveeverymotionandgestureofthedistinguishedFeathertopcame
initsproperplace；nothinghadbeenleftrudeornativeinhim；a
well-digestedconventionalismhadincorporateditselfthoroughly
withhissubstanceandtransformedhimintoaworkofart。Perhaps
itwasthispeculiaritythatinvestedhimwithaspeciesof
ghastlinessandawe。Itistheeffectofanythingcompletelyand
consummatelyartificial，inhumanshape，thatthepersonimpresses
usasanunrealityandashavinghardlypithenoughtocastashadow
uponthefloor。AsregardedFeathertop，allthisresultedinawild，
extravagant，andfantasticalimpression，asifhislifeandbeingwere
akintothesmokethatcurledupwardfromhispipe。
ButprettyPollyGookinfeltnotthus。Thepairwerenow
promenadingtheroom：Feathertopwithhisdaintystrideandnoless
daintygrimace；thegirlwithanativemaidenlygrace，justtouched，
notspoiled，byaslightlyaffectedmanner，whichseemedcaughtfrom
theperfectartificeofhercompanion。Thelongertheinterview
continued，themorecharmedwasprettyPolly，until，withinthe
firstquarterofanhour(astheoldmagistratenotedbyhiswatch)，
shewasevidentlybeginningtobeinlove。Norneedithavebeen
witchcraftthatsubduedherinsuchahurry；thepoorchild’sheart，
itmaybe，wassoveryferventthatitmeltedherwithitsown
warmthasreflectedfromthehollowsemblanceofalover。Nomatter
whatFeathertopsaid，hiswordsfounddepthandreverberationinher
ear；nomatterwhathedid，hisactionwasheroictohereye。Andby
thistimeitistobesupposedtherewasablushonPolly’scheek，a
tendersmileabouthermouth，andaliquidsoftnessinherglance；
whilethestarkeptcoruscatingonFeathertop’sbreast，andthelittle
demonscareeredwithmorefranticmerrimentthaneveraboutthe
circumferenceofhispipebowl。OprettyPollyGookin，whyshould
theseimpsrejoicesomadlythatasillymaiden’sheartwasaboutto
begiventoashadow！Isitsounusualamisfortune，sorarea
triumph？
ByandbyFeathertoppaused，andthrowinghimselfintoan
imposingattitude，seemedtosummonthefairgirltosurveyhisfigure
andresisthimlongerifshecould。Hisstar，hisembroidery，his
bucklesglowedatthatinstantwithunutterablesplendor；the
picturesquehuesofhisattiretookaricherdepthofcoloring；
therewasagleamandpolishoverhiswholepresencebetokeningthe
perfectwitcheryofwell-orderedmanners。Themaidenraisedhereyes
andsufferedthemtolingeruponhercompanionwithabashfuland
admiringgaze。Then，asifdesirousofjudgingwhatvalueherown
simplecomelinessmighthavesidebysidewithsomuchbrilliancy，she
castaglancetowardsthefull-lengthlooking-glassinfrontof
whichtheyhappenedtobestanding。Itwasoneofthetruestplatesin
theworldandincapableofflattery。Nosoonerdidtheimages
thereinreflectedmeetPolly’seyethansheshrieked，shrankfrom
thestranger’sside，gazedathimforamomentinthewildest
dismay，andsankinsensibleuponthefloor。Feathertoplikewisehad
lookedtowardsthemirror，andtherebeheld，nottheglittering
mockeryofhisoutsideshow，butapictureofthesordidpatchwork
ofhisrealcomposition，strippedofallwitchcraft。
Thewretchedsimulacrum！Wealmostpityhim。Hethrewuphisarms
withanexpressionofdespairthatwentfurtherthananyofhis
previousmanifestationstowardsvindicatinghisclaimstobe
reckonedhuman；for，perchancetheonlytimesincethissooftenempty
anddeceptivelifeofmortalsbeganitscourse，anillusionhadseen
andfullyrecognizeditself。
MotherRigbywasseatedbyherkitchenhearthinthetwilightof
thiseventfulday，andhadjustshakentheashesoutofanewpipe，
whensheheardahurriedtrampalongtheroad。Yetitdidnotseem
somuchthetrampofhumanfootstepsastheclatterofsticksorthe
rattlingofdrybones。
“Ha！”thoughttheoldwitch，“whatstepisthat？Whoseskeleton
isoutofitsgravenow，Iwonder？”
Afigureburstheadlongintothecottagedoor。ItwasFeathertop！
Hispipewasstillalight；thestarstillflameduponhisbreast；
theembroiderystillgloweduponhisgarments；norhadhelost，inany
degreeormannerthatcouldbeestimated，theaspectthat
assimilatedhimwithourmortalbrotherhood。Butyet，insome
indescribableway(asisthecasewithallthathasdeludeduswhen
oncefoundout)，thepoorrealitywasfeltbeneaththecunning
artifice。
“Whathasgonewrong？”demandedthewitch。“Didyondersniffling
hypocritethrustmydarlingfromhisdoor？Thevillain！I’llset
twentyfiendstotormenthimtillheoffertheehisdaughteronhis
bendedknees！”
“No，mother。”saidFeathertopdespondingly；“itwasnotthat。”
“Didthegirlscornmypreciousone？”askedMotherRigby，her
fierceeyesglowingliketwocoalsofTophet。“I’llcoverherface
withpimples！Hernoseshallbeasredasthecoalinthypipe！Her
frontteethshalldropout！Inaweekhencesheshallnotbeworththy
having！”
“Letheralone，mother。”answeredpoorFeathertop；“thegirlwas
halfwon；andmethinksakissfromhersweetlipsmighthavemademe
altogetherhuman。But。”headded，afterabriefpauseandthena
howlofself-contempt，“I’veseenmyself，mother！I’veseenmyselffor
thewretched，ragged，emptythingIam！I’llexistnolonger！”
Snatchingthepipefromhismouth，heflungitwithallhismight
againstthechimney，andatthesameinstantsankuponthefloor，a
medleyofstrawandtatteredgarments，withsomesticksprotruding
fromtheheap，andashrivelledpumpkininthemidst。Theeyeholes
werenowlustreless；buttherudely-carvedgap，thatjustbeforehad
beenamouth，stillseemedtotwistitselfintoadespairinggrin，and
wassofarhuman。
“Poorfellow！”quothMotherRigby，witharuefulglanceatthe
relicsofherill-fatedcontrivance。“Mypoor，dear，pretty
Feathertop！Therearethousandsuponthousandsofcoxcombsand
charlatansintheworld，madeupofjustsuchajumbleofwornout，
forgotten，andgood-for-nothingtrashashewas！Yettheyliveinfair
repute，andneverseethemselvesforwhattheyare。Andwhyshould
mypoorpuppetbetheonlyonetoknowhimselfandperishforit？”
Whilethusmuttering，thewitchhadfilledafreshpipeoftobacco，
andheldthestembetweenherfingers，asdoubtfulwhethertothrust
itintoherownmouthorFeathertop’s。
“PoorFeathertop！”shecontinued。“Icouldeasilygivehim
anotherchanceandsendhimforthagaintomorrow。Butno；hisfeelings
aretootender，hissensibilitiestoodeep。Heseemstohavetoo
muchhearttobustleforhisownadvantageinsuchanemptyand
heartlessworld。Well！well！I’llmakeascarecrowofhimafterall。
’Tisaninnocentandusefulvocation，andwillsuitmydarlingwell；
and，ifeachofhishumanbrethrenhadasfitaone，’twouldbethe
betterformankind；andasforthispipeoftobacco，Ineeditmore
thanhe。”
Sosaying，MotherRigbyputthestembetweenherlips。“Dickon！”
criedshe，inherhigh，sharptone，“anothercoalformypipe！”
byNathanielHawthorne
NOTLONGAFTERColonelShutehadassumedthegovernmentof
MassachusettsBay，nownearlyahundredandtwentyyearsago，a
youngladyofrankandfortunearrivedfromEngland，toclaimhis
protectionasherguardian。Hewasherdistantrelative，butthe
nearestwhohadsurvivedthegradualextinctionofherfamily；sothat
nomoreeligiblesheltercouldbefoundfortherichandhigh-born
LadyEleanoreRochcliffethanwithintheProvinceHouseofa
transatlanticcolony。TheconsortofGovernorShute，moreover，had
beenasamothertoherchildhood，andwasnowanxioustoreceiveher，
inthehopethatabeautifulyoungwomanwouldbeexposedto
infinitelylessperilfromtheprimitivesocietyofNewEnglandthan
amidtheartificesandcorruptionsofacourt。Ifeitherthe
Governororhisladyhadespeciallyconsultedtheirowncomfort，
theywouldprobablyhavesoughttodevolvetheresponsibilityonother
hands；since，withsomenobleandsplendidtraitsofcharacter，Lady
Eleanorewasremarkableforaharsh，unyieldingpride，ahaughty
consciousnessofherhereditaryandpersonaladvantages，whichmade
heralmostincapableofcontrol。Judgingfrommanytraditionary
anecdotes，thispeculiartemperwashardlylessthanamonomania；
or，iftheactswhichitinspiredwerethoseofasaneperson，it
seemedduefromProvidencethatpridesosinfulshouldbefollowed
byasseverearetribution。Thattingeofthemarvellous，whichis
thrownoversomanyofthesehalf-forgottenlegends，hasprobably
impartedanadditionalwildnesstothestrangestoryofLady
EleanoreRochcliffe。
