The bearers went heavily forth, and the mourners followed, saddeningall the street, with the dead before them, and Mr. Hooper in his blackveil behind.
"Why do you look back?" said one in the procession to his partner.
I had a fancy," replied she, "that the minister and the maiden'sspirit were walking hand in hand.""And so had I, at the same moment," said the other.
That night, the handsomest couple in Milford village were to bejoined in wedlock. Though reckoned a melancholy man, Mr. Hooper hada placid cheerfulness for such occasions, which often excited asympathetic smile where livelier merriment would have been thrownaway. There was no quality of his disposition which made him morebeloved than this. The company at the wedding awaited his arrival withimpatience, trusting that the strange awe, which had gathered over himthroughout the day, would now be dispelled. But such was not theresult. When Mr. Hooper came, the first thing that their eyes restedon was the same horrible black veil, which had added deeper gloom tothe funeral, and could portend nothing but evil to the wedding. Suchwas its immediate effect on the guests that a cloud seemed to haverolled duskily from beneath the black crape, and dimmed the light ofthe candles. The bridal pair stood up before the minister. But thebride's cold fingers quivered in the tremulous hand of the bridegroom,and her deathlike paleness caused a whisper that the maiden who hadbeen buried a few hours before was come from her grave to bemarried. If ever another wedding were so dismal, it was that famousone where they tolled the wedding knell. After performing theceremony, Mr. Hooper raised a glass of wine to his lips, wishinghappiness to the new-married couple in a strain of mild pleasantrythat ought to have brightened the features of the guests, like acheerful gleam from the hearth. At that instant, catching a glimpse ofhis figure in the looking-glass, the black veil involved his ownspirit in the horror with which it overwhelmed all others. His frameshuddered, his lips grew white, he spilt the untasted wine upon thecarpet, and rushed forth into the darkness. For the Earth, too, had onher Black Veil.
The next day, the whole village of Milford talked of little elsethan Parson Hooper's black veil. That, and the mystery concealedbehind it, supplied a topic for discussion between acquaintancesmeeting in the street, and good women gossiping at their open windows.
It was the first item of news that the tavern-keeper told to hisguests. The children babbled of it on their way to school. Oneimitative little imp covered his face with an old blackhandkerchief, thereby so affrighting his playmates that the panicseized himself, and he well-nigh lost his wits by his own waggery.
It was remarkable that of all the busybodies and impertinent peoplein the parish, not one ventured to put the plain question to Mr.
Hooper, wherefore he did this thing. Hitherto, whenever there appearedthe slightest call for such interference, he had never lackedadvisers, nor shown himself adverse to be guided by their judgment. Ifhe erred at all, it was by so painful a degree of self-distrust,that even the mildest censure would lead him to consider anindifferent action as a crime. Yet, though so well acquainted withthis amiable weakness, no individual among his parishioners chose tomake the black veil a subject of friendly remonstrance. There was afeeling of dread, neither plainly confessed nor carefully concealed,which caused each to shift the responsibility upon another, till atlength it was found expedient to send a deputation of the church, inorder to deal with Mr. Hooper about the mystery, before it should growinto a scandal. Never did an embassy so ill discharge its duties.
The minister received them with friendly courtesy, but becamesilent, after they were seated, leaving to his visitors the wholeburden of introducing their important business. The topic, it might besupposed, was obvious enough. There was the black veil swathed roundMr. Hooper's forehead, and concealing every feature above his placidmouth, on which, at times, they could perceive the glimmering of amelancholy smile. But that piece of crape, to their imagination,seemed to hang down before his heart, the symbol of a fearful secretbetween him and them. Were the veil but cast aside, they might speakfreely of it, but not till then. Thus they sat a considerable time,speechless, confused, and shrinking uneasily from Mr. Hooper's eye,which they felt to be fixed upon them with an invisible glance.
Finally, the deputies returned abashed to their constituents,pronouncing the matter too weighty to be handled, except by acouncil of the churches, if, indeed, it might not require a generalsynod.
But there was one person in the village unappalled by the awewith which the black veil had impressed all beside herself. When thedeputies returned without an explanation, or even venturing todemand one, she, with the calm energy of her character, determinedto chase away the strange cloud that appeared to be settling round Mr.
Hooper, every moment more darkly than before. As his plighted wife, itshould be her privilege to know what the black veil concealed. Atthe minister's first visit, therefore, she entered upon the subjectwith a direct simplicity, which made the task easier both for himand her. After he had seated himself, she fixed her eyes steadfastlyupon the veil, but could discern nothing of the dreadful gloom thathad so overawed the multitude: it was but a double fold of crape,hanging down from his forehead to his mouth, and slightly stirringwith his breath.
"No," said she aloud, and smiling, "there is nothing terrible inthis piece of crape, except that it hides a face which I am alwaysglad to look upon. Come, good sir, let the sun shine from behind thecloud. First lay aside your black veil: then tell me why you put iton."Mr. Hooper's smile glimmered faintly.
