the legend of sleepy hollow-第2章

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their　farms；　helped　to　make　hay；　mended　the　fences；　took　the

horses　to　water；　drove　the　cows　from　pasture；　and　cut　wood

for　the　winter　fire。　　He　laid　aside；　too；　all　the　dominant

dignity　and　absolute　sway　with　which　he　lorded　it　in　his

little　empire；　the　school；　and　became　wonderfully　gentle

and　ingratiating。　　He　found　favor　in　the　eyes　of　the　mothers

by　petting　the　children；　particularly　the　youngest；　and　like

the　lion　bold；　which　whilom　so　magnanimously　the　lamb　did　hold；

he　would　sit　with　a　child　on　one　knee；　and　rock　a　cradle　with

his　foot　for　whole　hours　together。



　　　　In　addition　to　his　other　vocations；　he　was　the　singing…

master　of　the　neighborhood；　and　picked　up　many　bright　shillings　

by　instructing　the　young　folks　in　psalmody。　　It　was　a　matter　of　no　

little　vanity　to　him　on　Sundays；　to　take　his　station　in　front　of　

the　church　gallery；　with　a　band　of　chosen　singers；　where；　in　his　

own　mind；　he　completely　carried　away　the　palm　from　the　parson。　　

Certain　it　is；　his　voice　resounded　far　above　all　the　rest　of　the　

congregation；　and　there　are　peculiar　quavers　still　to　be　heard　in　

that　church；　and　which　may　even　be　heard　half　a　mile　off；　quite　

to　the　opposite　side　of　the　mill…pond；　on　a　still　Sunday　morning；　

which　are　said　to　be　legitimately　descended　from　the　nose　of　

Ichabod　Crane。　　Thus；　by　divers　little　makeshifts；　in　that　

ingenious　way　which　is　commonly　denominated　〃by　hook　and　by　

crook；〃　the　worthy　pedagogue　got　on　tolerably　enough；　and　was　

thought；　by　all　who　understood　nothing　of　the　labor　of　headwork；　

to　have　a　wonderfully　easy　life　of　it。



　　　　The　schoolmaster　is　generally　a　man　of　some　importance　in　

the　female　circle　of　a　rural　neighborhood；　being　considered　a　

kind　of　idle；　gentlemanlike　personage；　of　vastly　superior　taste　

and　accomplishments　to　the　rough　country　swains；　and；　indeed；　

inferior　in　learning　only　to　the　parson。　　His　appearance；　

therefore；　is　apt　to　occasion　some　little　stir　at　the　tea…table　

of　a　farmhouse；　and　the　addition　of　a　supernumerary　dish　of　cakes　

or　sweetmeats；　or；　peradventure；　the　parade　of　a　silver　teapot。　　

Our　man　of　letters；　therefore；　was　peculiarly　happy　in　the　smiles　

of　all　the　country　damsels。　　How　he　would　figure　among　them　in　the　

churchyard；　between　services　on　Sundays；　gathering　grapes　for　

them　from　the　wild　vines　that　overran　the　surrounding　trees；　

reciting　for　their　amusement　all　the　epitaphs　on　the　tombstones；　

or　sauntering；　with　a　whole　bevy　of　them；　along　the　banks　of　the　

adjacent　mill…pond；　while　the　more　bashful　country　bumpkins　hung　

sheepishly　back；　envying　his　superior　elegance　and　address。



　　　　From　his　half…itinerant　life；　also；　he　was　a　kind　of　

traveling　gazette；　carrying　the　whole　budget　of　local　gossip　from　

house　to　house；　so　that　his　appearance　was　always　greeted　with　

satisfaction。　　He　was；　moreover；　esteemed　by　the　women　as　a　man　of　

great　erudition；　for　he　had　read　several　books　quite　through；　and　

was　a　perfect　master　of　Cotton　　Mather's　〃History　of　New　England　

Witchcraft；〃　in　which；　by　the　way；　he　most　firmly　and　potently　

believed。



　　　　He　was；　in　fact；　an　odd　mixture　of　small　shrewdness　and　

simple　credulity。　　His　appetite　for　the　marvelous；　and　his　powers　

of　digesting　it；　were　equally　extraordinary；　and　both　had　been　

increased　by　his　residence　in　this　spell…bound　region。　　No　tale　

was　too　gross　or　monstrous　for　his　capacious　swallow。　　It　was　

often　his　delight；　after　his　school　was　dismissed　in　the　

afternoon；　to　stretch　himself　on　the　rich　bed　of　clover　bordering　

the　little　brook　that　whimpered　by　his　school…house；　and　there　

con　over　old　Mather's　direful　tales；　until　the　gathering　dusk　of　

evening　made　the　printed　page　a　mere　mist　before　his　eyes。　　Then；　

as　he　wended　his　way　by　swamp　and　stream　and　awful　woodland；　to　

the　farmhouse　where　he　happened　to　be　quartered；　every　sound　of　

nature；　at　that　witching　hour；　fluttered　his　excited　

imagination；　the　moan　of　the　whip…poor…will　from　the　hillside；　

the　boding　cry　of　the　tree　toad；　that　harbinger　of　storm；　the　

dreary　hooting　of　the　screech　owl；　to　the　sudden　rustling　in　the　

thicket　of　birds　frightened　from　their　roost。　　The　fireflies；　too；　

which　sparkled　most　vividly　in　the　darkest　places；　now　and　then　

startled　him；　as　one　of　uncommon　brightness　would　stream　across　

his　path；　and　if；　by　chance；　a　huge　blockhead　of　a　beetle　came　

winging　his　blundering　flight　against　him；　the　poor　varlet　was　

ready　to　give　up　the　ghost；　with　the　idea　that　he　was　struck　with　

a　witch's　token。　　His　only　resource　on　such　occasions；　either　to　

drown　thought　or　drive　away　evil　spirits；　was　to　sing　psalm　tunes　

and　the　good　people　of　Sleepy　Hollow；　as　they　sat　by　their　doors　

of　an　evening；　were　often　filled　with　awe　at　hearing　his　nasal　

melody；　〃in　linked　sweetness　long　drawn　out；〃　floating　from　the　

distant　hill；　or　along　the　dusky　road。



　　　　Another　of　his　sources　of　fearful　pleasure　was　to　pass　long　

winter　evenings　with　the　old　Dutch　wives；　as　they　sat　spinning　by　

the　fire；　with　a　row　of　apples　roasting　and　spluttering　along　the　

hearth；　and　listen　to　their　marvellous　tales　of　ghosts　and　

goblins；　and　haunted　fields；　and　haunted　brooks；　and　haunted　

bridges；　and　haunted　houses；　and　particularly　of　the　headless　

horseman；　or　Galloping　Hessian　of　the　Hollow；　as　they　sometimes　

called　him。　　He　would　delight　them　equally　by　his　anecdotes　of　

witchcraft；　and　of　the　direful　omens　and　portentous　sights　and　

sounds　in　the　air；　which　prevailed　in　the　earlier　times　of　

Connecticut；　and　would　frighten　them　woefully　with　speculations　

upon　comets　and　shooting　stars；　and　with　the　alarming　fact　that　

the　world　did　absolutely　turn　round；　and　that　they　were　half　the　

time　topsy…turvy！



　　　　But　if　there　was　a　pleasure　in　all　this；　while　snugly　

cuddling　in　the　chimney　corner　of　a　chamber　that　was　all　of　a　

ruddy　glow　from　the　crackling　wood　fire；　and　where；　of　course；　no　

spectre　dared　to　show　its　face；　it　was　dearly　purchased　by　the　

terrors　of　his　subsequent　walk　homewards。　　What　fearful　shapes　and　

shadows　beset　his　path；　amidst　the　dim　and　ghastly　glare　of　a　

snowy　night！　　With　what　wistful　look　did　he　eye　every　trembling　

ray　of　light　streaming　across　the　waste　fields　from　some　distant　

window！　　How　often　was　he　appalled　by　some　shrub　covered　with　

snow；　which；　like　a　sheeted　spectre；　beset　his　very　path！　　How　

often　did　he　shrink　with　curdling　awe　at　the　sound　of　his　own　

steps　on　the　frosty　crust　beneath　his　feet；　and　dread　to　look　

over　his　shoulder；　lest　he　should　behold　some　uncouth　being　

tramping　close　behind　him！　and　how　often　was　he　thrown　into　

complete　dismay　by　some　rushing　blast；　howling　among　the　trees；　

in　the　idea　that　it　was　the　Galloping　Hessian　on　one　of　his　

nightly　scourings！



　　　　All　these；　however；　were　mere　terrors　of　the　night；　phantoms　

of　the　mind　that　walk　in　darkness；　and　though　he　had　seen　many　

spectres　in　his　time；　and　been　more　than　once　beset　by　Satan　in　

divers　shapes；　in　his　lonely　perambulations；　yet　daylight　put　an　

end　to　all　these　evils；　and　he　would　have　passed　a　pleasant　life　

of　it；　in　despite　of　the　Devil　and　all　his　works；　if　his　path　had　

not　been　crossed　by　a　being　that　causes　more　perplexity　to　mortal　

man　than　ghosts；　goblins；　and　the　whole　race　of　witches　put　

together；　and　that　wasa　woman。



　　　　Among　the　musical　disciples　who　assembled；　one　evening　in　

each　week；　to　receive　his　instructions　in　psalmody；　was　Katrina　

Van　Tassel；　the　daughter　and　only　child　of　a　substantial　Dutch　

farmer。　　She　was　a　booming　lass　of　fresh　eighteen；　plump　as　a　

partridge；　ripe　and　melting　and　rosy…cheeked　as　one　of　her　

father's　peaches；　and　universally　famed；　not　merely　for　her　

beauty；　but　her　vast　expectations。　　She　was　withal　a　little　of　a　

coquette；　as　might　be　perceived　even　in　her　dress；　which　was　a　

mixture　of　ancient　and　modern　fashions；　as　most　suited　to　set　of　

her　charms。　　She　wore　the　ornaments　of　pure　yellow　gold；　which　her　

great…great…grandmother　had　brought　over　from　Saar　dam；　the　

tempting　stomacher　of　the　olden　time；　and　withal　a　provokingly　

short　petticoat；　to　display　the　prettiest　foot　and　ankle　in　the　

country　round。



　　　　Ichahod　Crane　had　a　soft　and　foolish　heart　towards　the　sex；　

and　it　is　not　to　be　wondered　at；　that　so　tempting　a　morsel　soon　

found　favor　in　his　eyes；　more　especially　after　he　had　visited　her　

in　her　paternal　mansion。　　Old　Baltus　Van　Tassel　was　a　perfect　

picture　of　a　thriving；　contented；　liberal…hearted　farmer。　　He　

seldom；　it　is　true；　sent　either　his　eyes　or　his　thoughts　beyond　

the　boundaries　of　his　own　farm；　but　within　those　everything　was　

snug；　happy　and　well…conditioned。　　He　was　satisfied　with　his　

wealth；　but　not　proud　of　it；　and　piqued　himself　upon　the　hearty　

abundance；　rather　than　the　style　in　which　he　lived。　　His　

stronghold　was　situated　on　the　banks　of　the　Hudson；　in　one　of　

those　green；　sheltered；　fertile　nooks　in　which　the　Dutch　farmers　

are　so　fond　of　nestling。　　A　great　elm　tree　spread　its　broad　

branches　over　it；　at　the　foot　of　which　bubbled　up　a　spring　of　the　

softest　and　sweetest　water；　in　a　little　well　formed　of　a　barrel；　

and　then　stole　sparkling　away　through　the　grass；　to　a　neighboring　

brook；　that　babbled　　along　among　alders　and　dwarf　willows。　　Hard　

by　the　farmhouse　was　a　vast　barn；　that　might　have　served　for　a　

church；　every　window　and　crevice　of　which　seemed　bursting

forth　with　the　treasures　of　the　farm；　the　flail　was　busily　

resounding　within　it　from　morning　to　night；　swallows　and　martins　

skimmed　twittering　about　the　eaves；　an　rows　of　pigeons；　some　with　

one　eye　turned　up；　as　if　watching　the　weather；　some　with　their　

heads　under　their　wings　or　buried　in　their　bosoms；　and　others　

swelling；　and　cooing；　and　bowing　about　their　dames；　were　enjoying　

the　sunshine　on　the　roof。　　Sleek　unwieldy　porkers　were　grunting　in　

the　repose　and　abundance　of　their　pens；　from　whence　sallied　

forth；　now　and　then；　troops　of　sucking　pigs；　as　if　to　snuff　the　

air。　　A　stately　squadron　of　snowy　geese　were　riding　in　an　

adjoining　pond；　convoying　whole　fleets　of　ducks；　regiments　of　

turkeys　were　gobbling　through　the　farmyard；　and　Guinea　fowls　

fretting　about　it；　like　ill…tempered　housewives；　with　their　

peevish；　discontented　cry。　　Before　the　barn　door　strutted　the　

gallant　cock；　that　pattern　of　a　husband；　a　warrior　and　a　fine　

gentleman；　clapping　his　burnished　wings　and　crowing　in　the　pride　

and　gladness　of　his　heart；　sometimes　tearing　up　the　earth　with　

his　feet；　and　then　generously　calling　his　ever…hungry　family　of　

wives　and　children　to　enjoy　the　rich　morsel　which　he　had　

discovered。



　　　　The　pedagogue's　mouth　watered　as　he　looked　upon　this　

sumptuous　promise　of　luxurious　winter　fare。　　In　his　devouring　

mind's　eye；　he　pictured　to　himself　every　roasting…pig　running　

about　with　a　pudding　in　his　belly；　and　an　app