Thewatchmanmadenoreply，butturnedthecornerandwasgone；yet
Robinseemedtohearthesoundofdrowsylaughterstealingalongthe
solitarystreet。Atthatmoment，also，apleasanttittersalutedhim
fromtheopenwindowabovehishead；helookedup，andcaughtthe
sparkleofasaucyeye；aroundarmbeckonedtohim，andnextheheard
lightfootstepsdescendingthestaircasewithin。ButRobin，beingof
thehouseholdofaNewEnglandclergyman，wasagoodyouth，aswellas
ashrewdone；soheresistedtemptation，andfledaway。
Henowroameddesperately，andatrandom，throughthetown，
almostreadytobelievethataspellwasonhim，likethatbywhich
awizardofhiscountryhadoncekeptthreepursuerswandering，a
wholewinternight，withintwentypacesofthecottagewhichthey
sought。Thestreetslaybeforehim，strangeanddesolate，andthe
lightswereextinguishedinalmosteveryhouse。Twice，however，little
partiesofmen，amongwhomRobindistinguishedindividualsin
outlandishattire，camehurryingalong；butthoughonbothoccasions
theypausedtoaddresshim，suchintercoursedidnotatall
enlightenhisperplexity。Theydidbututterafewwordsinsome
languageofwhichRobinknewnothing，andperceivinghisinability
toanswer，bestowedacurseuponhiminplainEnglish，andhastened
away。Finally，theladdeterminedtoknockatthedoorofevery
mansionthatmightappearworthytobeoccupiedbyhiskinsman，
trustingthatperseverancewouldovercomethefatalitythathad
hithertothwartedhim。Firminthisresolve，hewaspassingbeneath
thewallsofachurch，whichformedthecorneroftwostreets，when，
asheturnedintotheshadeofitssteeple，heencounteredabulky
stranger，muffledinacloak。Themanwasproceedingwiththespeedof
earnestbusiness，butRobinplantedhimselffullbeforehim，holding
theoakcudgelwithbothhandsacrosshisbody，asabartofurther
passage。
“Halt，honestman，andanswermeaquestion。”saidhe，very
resolutely。“Tellme，thisinstant，whereaboutsisthedwellingof
mykinsman，MajorMolineux？”
“Keepyourtonguebetweenyourteeth，fool，andletmepass！”
saidadeep，gruffvoice，whichRobinpartlyremembered。“Letmepass，
Isay，orI’llstrikeyoutotheearth！”
“No，no，neighbor！”criedRobin，flourishinghiscudgel，andthen
thrustingitslargerendclosetotheman’smuffledface。“No，no，I’m
notthefoolyoutakemefor，nordoyoupasstillIhaveananswerto
myquestion。Whereaboutsisthedwellingofmykinsman，Major
Molineux？”
Thestranger，insteadofattemptingtoforcehispassage，stepped
backintothemoonlight，unmuffledhisface，andstaredfullintothat
ofRobin。
“Watchhereanhour，andMajorMolineuxwillpassby。”saidhe。
Robingazedwithdismayandastonishmentontheunprecedented
physiognomyofthespeaker。Theforeheadwithitsdoubleprominence，
thebroadhookednose，theshaggyeyebrows，andfieryeyes，werethose
whichhehadnoticedattheinn，buttheman’scomplexionhad
undergoneasingular，or，moreproperly，atwo-foldchange。Oneside
ofthefaceblazedanintensered，whiletheotherwasblackas
midnight，thedivisionlinebeinginthebroadbridgeofthenose；and
amouthwhichseemedtoextendfromeartoearwasblackorred，in
contrasttothecolorofthecheek。Theeffectwasasiftwo
individualdevils，afiendoffireandafiendofdarkness，hadunited
themselvestoformthisinfernalvisage。Thestrangergrinnedin
Robin’sface，muffledhisparti-coloredfeatures，andwasoutofsight
inamoment。
“Strangethingswetravellerssee！”ejaculatedRobin。
Heseatedhimself，however，uponthestepsofthechurch-door，
resolvingtowaittheappointedtimeforhiskinsman。Afewmoments
wereconsumedinphilosophicalspeculationsuponthespeciesofman
whohadjustlefthim；buthavingsettledthispointshrewdly，
rationally，andsatisfactorily，hewascompelledtolookelsewherefor
hisamusement。Andfirsthethrewhiseyesalongthestreet。Itwasof
morerespectableappearancethanmostofthoseintowhichhehad
wandered，andthemoon，creating，liketheimaginativepower，a
beautifulstrangenessinfamiliarobjects，gavesomethingofromance
toascenethatmightnothavepossesseditinthelightofday。The
irregularandoftenquaintarchitectureofthehouses，someofwhose
roofswerebrokenintonumerouslittlepeaks，whileothersascended，
steepandnarrow，intoasinglepoint，andothersagainweresquare；
thepuresnow-whiteofsomeoftheircomplexions，theageddarknessof
others，andthethousandsparklings，reflectedfrombright
substancesinthewallsofmany；thesemattersengagedRobin’s
attentionforawhile，andthenbegantogrowwearisome。Nexthe
endeavoredtodefinetheformsofdistantobjects，startingaway，with
almostghostlyindistinctness，justashiseyeappearedtograspthem；
andfinallyhetookaminutesurveyofanedificewhichstoodonthe
oppositesideofthestreet，directlyinfrontofthechurch-door，
wherehewasstationed。Itwasalarge，squaremansion，
distinguishedfromitsneighborsbyabalcony，whichrestedontall
pillars，andbyanelaborateGothicwindow，communicatingtherewith。
“PerhapsthisistheveryhouseIhavebeenseeking。”thought
Robin。
Thenhestrovetospeedawaythetime，bylisteningtoamurmur
whichsweptcontinuallyalongthestreet，yetwasscarcelyaudible，
excepttoanunaccustomedearlikehis；itwasalow，dull，dreamy
sound，compoundedofmanynoises，eachofwhichwasattoogreata
distancetobeseparatelyheard。Robinmarvelledatthissnoreofa
sleepingtown，andmarvelledmorewheneveritscontinuitywasbroken
bynowandthenadistantshout，apparentlyloudwhereit
originated。Butaltogetheritwasasleep-inspiringsound，and，to
shakeoffitsdrowsyinfluence，Robinarose，andclimbeda
window-frame，thathemightviewtheinteriorofthechurch。Therethe
moonbeamscametremblingin，andfelldownuponthedesertedpews，and
extendedalongthequietaisles。Afainteryetmoreawfulradiancewas
hoveringaroundthepulpit，andonesolitaryrayhaddaredtorest
upontheopenedpageofthegreatBible。Hadnature，inthatdeep
hour，becomeaworshipperinthehousewhichmanhadbuilded？Orwas
thatheavenlylightthevisiblesanctityoftheplace-visiblebecause
noearthlyandimpurefeetwerewithinthewalls？Thescenemade
Robin’sheartshiverwithasensationoflonelinessstrongerthanhe
hadeverfeltintheremotestdepthsofhisnativewoods；soheturned
away，andsatdownagainbeforethedoor。Thereweregravesaroundthe
church，andnowanuneasythoughtobtrudedintoRobin’sbreast。What
iftheobjectofhissearch，whichhadbeensooftenandso
strangelythwarted，wereatthetimemoulderinginhisshroud？Whatif
hiskinsmanshouldglidethroughyondergate，andnodandsmiletohim
indimlypassingby？
“Othatanybreathingthingwereherewithme！”saidRobin。
Recallinghisthoughtsfromthisuncomfortabletrack，hesent
themoverforest，hill，andstream，andattemptedtoimaginehow
thateveningofambiguityandwearinesshadbeenspentbyhisfather’s
household。Hepicturedthemassembledatthedoor，beneaththetree，
thegreatoldtree，whichhadbeensparedforitshugetwisted
trunk，andvenerableshade，whenathousandleafybrethrenfell。
There，atthegoingdownofthesummersun，itwashisfather’scustom
toperformdomesticworship，thattheneighborsmightcomeandjoin
withhimlikebrothersofthefamily，andthatthewayfaringmanmight
pausetodrinkatthatfountain，andkeephisheartpurebyfreshening
thememoryofhome。Robindistinguishedtheseatofeveryindividual
ofthelittleaudience；hesawthegoodmaninthemidst，holding
theScripturesinthegoldenlightthatfellfromthewestern
clouds；hebeheldhimclosethebook，andallriseuptopray。He
heardtheoldthanksgivingsfordailymercies，theoldsupplications
fortheircontinuance，towhichhehadsooftenlistenedinweariness，
butwhichwerenowamonghisdearremembrances。Heperceivedthe
slightinequalityofhisfather’svoicewhenhecametospeakofthe
absentone；henotedhowhismotherturnedherfacetothebroadand
knottedtrunk；howhiselderbrotherscorned，becausethebeardwas
roughuponhisupperlip，topermithisfeaturestobemoved；how
theyoungersisterdrewdownalowhangingbranchbeforehereyes；and
howthelittleoneofall，whosesportshadhithertobrokenthe
decorumofthescene，understoodtheprayerforherplaymate，and
burstintoclamorousgrief。Thenhesawthemgoinatthedoor；and
whenRobinwouldhaveenteredalso，thelatchtinkledintoits
place，andhewasexcludedfromhishome。
“AmIhere，orthere？”criedRobin，starting；forallatonce，when
histhoughtshadbecomevisibleandaudibleinadream，thelong，
wide，solitarystreetshoneoutbeforehim。
Hearousedhimself，andendeavoredtofixhisattentionsteadily
uponthelargeedificewhichhehadsurveyedbefore。Butstillhis
mindkeptvibratingbetweenfancyandreality；byturns，thepillars
ofthebalconylengthenedintothetall，barestemsofpines，dwindled
downtohumanfigures，settledagainintotheirtrueshapeandsize，
andthencommencedanewsuccessionofchanges。Forasinglemoment，
whenhedeemedhimselfawake，hecouldhaveswornthatavisage-one
whichheseemedtoremember，yetcouldnotabsolutelynameashis
kinsman’s-waslookingtowardshimfromtheGothicwindow。Adeeper
sleepwrestledwithandnearlyovercamehim，butfledatthesound
offootstepsalongtheoppositepavement。Robinrubbedhiseyes，
discernedamanpassingatthefootofthebalcony，andaddressed
himinaloud，peevish，andlamentablecry。
“Hallo，friend！mustIwaithereallnightformykinsman，Major
Molineux？”
Thesleepingechoesawoke，andansweredthevoice；andthe
passenger，barelyabletodiscernafiguresittingintheoblique
shadeofthesteeple，traversedthestreettoobtainanearerview。He
washimselfagentlemaninhisprime，ofopen，intelligent，
cheerful，andaltogetherprepossessingcountenance。Perceivinga
countryyouth，apparentlyhomelessandwithoutfriends，heaccosted
himinatoneofrealkindness，whichhadbecomestrangetoRobin’s
ears。
“Well，mygoodlad，whyareyousittinghere？”inquiredhe。“Can
Ibeofservicetoyouinanyway？”
“Iamafraidnot，sir。”repliedRobin，despondingly；“yetIshall
takeitkindly，ifyou’llanswermeasinglequestion。I’vebeen
searching，halfthenight，foroneMajorMolineux；now，sir，is
therereallysuchapersonintheseparts，oramIdreaming？”
“MajorMolineux！Thenameisnotaltogetherstrangetome。”said
thegentleman，smiling。“Haveyouanyobjectiontotellingmethe
natureofyourbusinesswithhim？”
ThenRobinbrieflyrelatedthathisfatherwasaclergyman，settled
onasmallsalary，atalongdistancebackinthecountry，andthathe
andMajorMolineuxwerebrothers’children。Themajor，having
inheritedriches，andacquiredcivilandmilitaryrank，hadvisited
hiscousin，ingreatpomp，ayearortwobefore；hadmanifestedmuch
interestinRobinandanelderbrother，and，beingchildless
himself，hadthrownouthintsrespectingthefutureestablishmentof
oneoftheminlife。Theelderbrotherwasdestinedtosucceedto
thefarmwhichhisfathercultivatedintheintervalofsacredduties；
itwasthereforedeterminedthatRobinshouldprofitbyhis
kinsman’sgenerousintentions，especiallyasheseemedtoberather
thefavorite，andwasthoughttopossessothernecessaryendowments。
“ForIhavethenameofbeingashrewdyouth。”observedRobin，in
thispartofhisstory。
