guardian of midnight order； which at first prevented him from asking
his usual question。 But just when the man was about to vanish behind
the corner； Robin resolved not to lose the opportunity； and shouted
lustily after him… 〃I say； friend！ will you guide me to the house of
my kinsman； Major Molineux？〃
The watchman made no reply； but turned the corner and was gone； yet
Robin seemed to hear the sound of drowsy laughter stealing along the
solitary street。 At that moment； also； a pleasant titter saluted him
from the open window above his head； he looked up； and caught the
sparkle of a saucy eye； a round arm beckoned to him； and next he heard
light footsteps descending the staircase within。 But Robin； being of
the household of a New England clergyman； was a good youth； as well as
a shrewd one； so he resisted temptation； and fled away。
He now roamed desperately； and at random； through the town；
almost ready to believe that a spell was on him； like that by which
a wizard of his country had once kept three pursuers wandering； a
whole winter night； within twenty paces of the cottage which they
sought。 The streets lay before him； strange and desolate； and the
lights were extinguished in almost every house。 Twice； however； little
parties of men； among whom Robin distinguished individuals in
outlandish attire； came hurrying along； but though on both occasions
they paused to address him； such intercourse did not at all
enlighten his perplexity。 They did but utter a few words in some
language of which Robin knew nothing； and perceiving his inability
to answer； bestowed a curse upon him in plain English； and hastened
away。 Finally； the lad determined to knock at the door of every
mansion that might appear worthy to be occupied by his kinsman；
trusting that perseverance would overcome the fatality that had
hitherto thwarted him。 Firm in this resolve； he was passing beneath
the walls of a church； which formed the corner of two streets； when；
as he turned into the shade of its steeple； he encountered a bulky
stranger； muffled in a cloak。 The man was proceeding with the speed of
earnest business； but Robin planted himself full before him； holding
the oak cudgel with both hands across his body； as a bar to further
passage。
〃Halt； honest man； and answer me a question；〃 said he； very
resolutely。 〃Tell me； this instant； whereabouts is the dwelling of
my kinsman； Major Molineux？〃
〃Keep your tongue between your teeth； fool； and let me pass！〃
said a deep； gruff voice； which Robin partly remembered。 〃Let me pass；
I say； or I'll strike you to the earth！〃
〃No； no； neighbor！〃 cried Robin； flourishing his cudgel； and then
thrusting its larger end close to the man's muffled face。 〃No； no； I'm
not the fool you take me for； nor do you pass till I have an answer to
my question。 Whereabouts is the dwelling of my kinsman； Major
Molineux？〃
The stranger； instead of attempting to force his passage； stepped
back into the moonlight； unmuffled his face； and stared full into that
of Robin。
〃Watch here an hour； and Major Molineux will pass by；〃 said he。
Robin gazed with dismay and astonishment on the unprecedented
physiognomy of the speaker。 The forehead with its double prominence；
the broad hooked nose； the shaggy eyebrows； and fiery eyes； were those
which he had noticed at the inn； but the man's complexion had
undergone a singular； or； more properly； a two…fold change。 One side
of the face blazed an intense red； while the other was black as
midnight； the division line being in the broad bridge of the nose； and
a mouth which seemed to extend from ear to ear was black or red； in
contrast to the color of the cheek。 The effect was as if two
individual devils； a fiend of fire and a fiend of darkness； had united
themselves to form this infernal visage。 The stranger grinned in
Robin's face； muffled his parti…colored features； and was out of sight
in a moment。
〃Strange things we travellers see！〃 ejaculated Robin。
He seated himself； however； upon the steps of the church…door；
resolving to wait the appointed time for his kinsman。 A few moments
were consumed in philosophical speculations upon the species of man
who had just left him； but having settled this point shrewdly；
rationally； and satisfactorily； he was compelled to look elsewhere for
his amusement。 And first he threw his eyes along the street。 It was of
more respectable appearance than most of those into which he had
wandered； and the moon； creating； like the imaginative power； a
beautiful strangeness in familiar objects； gave something of romance
to a scene that might not have possessed it in the light of day。 The
irregular and often quaint architecture of the houses； some of whose
roofs were broken into numerous little peaks； while others ascended；
steep and narrow； into a single point； and others again were square；
the pure snow…white of some of their complexions； the aged darkness of
others； and the thousand sparklings； reflected from bright
substances in the walls of many； these matters engaged Robin's
attention for a while； and then began to grow wearisome。 Next he
endeavored to define the forms of distant objects； starting away； with
almost ghostly indistinctness； just as his eye appeared to grasp them；
and finally he took a minute survey of an edifice which stood on the
opposite side of the street； directly in front of the church…door；
where he was stationed。 It was a large； square mansion；
distinguished from its neighbors by a balcony； which rested on tall
pillars； and by an elaborate Gothic window； communicating therewith。
〃Perhaps this is the very house I have been seeking；〃 thought
Robin。
Then he strove to speed away the time； by listening to a murmur
which swept continually along the street； yet was scarcely audible；
except to an unaccustomed ear like his； it was a low； dull； dreamy
sound； compounded of many noises； each of which was at too great a
distance to be separately heard。 Robin marvelled at this snore of a
sleeping town； and marvelled more whenever its continuity was broken
by now and then a distant shout； apparently loud where it
originated。 But altogether it was a sleep…inspiring sound； and； to
shake off its drowsy influence； Robin arose； and climbed a
window…frame； that he might view the interior of the church。 There the
moonbeams came trembling in； and fell down upon the deserted pews； and
extended along the quiet aisles。 A fainter yet more awful radiance was
hovering around the pulpit； and one solitary ray had dared to rest
upon the opened page of the great Bible。 Had nature； in that deep
hour； become a worshipper in the house which man had builded？ Or was
that heavenly light the visible sanctity of the place… visible because
no earthly and impure feet were within the walls？ The scene made
Robin's heart shiver with a sensation of loneliness stronger than he
had ever felt in the remotest depths of his native woods； so he turned
away； and sat down again before the door。 There were graves around the
church； and now an uneasy thought obtruded into Robin's breast。 What
if the object of his search； which had been so often and so
strangely thwarted； were at the time mouldering in his shroud？ What if
his kinsman should glide through yonder gate； and nod and smile to him
in dimly passing by？
〃O that any breathing thing were here with me！〃 said Robin。
Recalling his thoughts from this uncomfortable track； he sent
them over forest； hill； and stream； and attempted to imagine how
that evening of ambiguity and weariness had been spent by his father's
household。 He pictured them assembled at the door； beneath the tree；
the great old tree； which had been spared for its huge twisted
trunk； and venerable shade； when a thousand leafy brethren fell。
There； at the going down of the summer sun； it was his father's custom
to perform domestic worship； that the neighbors might come and join
with him like brothers of the family； and that the wayfaring man might
pause to drink at that fountain； and keep his heart pure by freshening
the memory of home。 Robin distinguished the seat of every individual
of the little audience； he saw the good man in the midst； holding
the Scriptures in the golden light that fell from the western
clouds； he beheld him close the book； and all rise up to pray。 He
heard the old thanksgivings for daily mercies； the old supplications
for their continuance； to which he had so often listened in weariness；
but which were now among his dear remembrances。 He perceived the
slight inequality of his father's voice when he came to speak of the
absent one； he noted how his mother turned her face to the broad and
knotted trunk； how his elder brother scorned； because the beard was
rough upon his upper lip； to permit his features to be moved； how
the younger sister drew down a low hanging branch before her eyes； and
how the little one of all； whose sports had hitherto broken the
decorum of the scene； understood the prayer for her playmate； and
burst into clamorous grief。 Then he saw them go in at the door； and
when Robin would have entered also； the latch tinkled into its
place； and he was excluded from his home。
〃Am I here； or there？〃 cried Robin； starting； for all at once； when
his thoughts had become visible and audible in a dream； the long；
wide； solitary street shone out before him。
He aroused himself； and endeavored to fix his attention steadily
upon the large edifice which he had surveyed before。 But still his
mind kept vibrating between fancy and reality； by turns； the pillars
of the balcony lengthened into the tall； bare stems of pines； dwindled
down to human figures； settled again into their true shape and size；
and then commenced a new succession of changes。 For a single moment；
when he deemed himself awake； he could have sworn that a visage… one
which he seemed to remember； yet could not absolutely name as his
kinsman's… was looking towards him from the Gothic window。 A deeper
sleep wrestled with and nearly overcame him； but fled at the sound
of footsteps along