第6章

“Yes，oneortwo，betweentimes，“headmitted。

“Ishan’tdieofsurprise。Didyoutellhimwhoyouwas？“

“No-o，tobehonest，Ididn’t。Hewassoveryanxioustofindout，that——well，Idodged。IthinkhebelievedIwasgoingtovisitCaptainDaniels。“

“Goodenough！IfIwasgovernorofthisstateIwouldn’tsendanyThanksgivin’proclamationsdownthisway。I’djustwriteEmPetersandDidamaRogersandacouplemorelikethemandsavemyselfthetrouble。They’dhaveallIwantedtoproclaimspreadfromoneendofthecountytotheotherinless’naday，andapeckortwoofextryspitchedinforgoodmeasure。I’mawfulgladyoudidn’ttellEmulousyouwastheminister。Yousee，Trumet’sTrumet，and，considerin’everything，maybeit’sjustaswellnobodyknowsaboutyourbein’shutupinthatstudy。Notbutwhat’twasallright，youknow，but——“

“Iunderstand。I’mnotproudofit。Still，someonemayhaveseenmecomehere。“

“No，no，theydidn’t。ThisfogisasthickasInjun-mealpuddin’。

Nobodysawyou。“

“Well，“withsomehesitation，“theyoungladywhowasherewithyou——“

“Oh，GraceVanHorne！She’sallright。Shewon’ttell。Sheain’tthatkind。“

“VanHorne？Thatdoesn’tsoundlikeaNewEnglandname。“

“’Tisn’t。HerfolkscomefromJerseysomewheres。ButshewasadoptedbyoldCap’nHammond，whokeepsthetaverndownonthebayshorebythepacketwharf，andshe’slivedinTrumetsinceshewassixyearsold。HerfatherwasTeunisVanHorne，andhewasmateonCap’nEben’scoastin’schoonerandwasdrownedoffHatteras。Ebenwassavedjustbytheskinofhisteethandgotabrokenhipandreligionwhileithappened。Hiship’sbetterexceptthathe’ssomelame；buthisreligion’sbeenmoreandmorefeverisheversince。

He’soneoftheheadCome-Outers，andbuilttheirchapelwithhisownmoney。Youmustn’tthinkI’mspeakin’lightlyofreligion，norofCap’nEben，either。He’sadeargoodsoulaseverwas，butheisthenarrowestkindofCome-Outer。Hiscreedisjustaboutaswideasthechapeldoor，andthat’sasnarrowasthewayleadin’tosalvation；itIStheway，too，sotheCome-Outersthink。“

“WhatareCome-Outers？Somenewsect？“

“Sakesalive！Haven’tyouheardofCome-Outers？Cat’sfoot！

Well，you’llhearof’emoftenenoughfromnowon。They’refolkswhousedtogotoourchurch，theRegular，butleftbecausetheserviceswastooworldly，withorgansandchoirsingin’，andtheroadtoparadisetooeasy。Noneedformetotellyouanymore。

You’lllearn。“

Mr。Ellerywasinterested。HehadbeeninTrumetbutoncebefore，ontheoccasionwhenhepreachedhistrialsermon，andofthatmemorablevisitrememberedlittleexceptthesermonitself，thepewsfilledwithcaptainsandtheirfamilies，andtheawe-inspiringpersonalityofCaptainElkanahDaniels，whohadbeenhishost。Toayoungman，theinkuponhisdiplomafromthetheologicalschoolstillfresh，atrialsermonisaweightymatter，andthepreachingofitweightierstill。Hehadrehearseditoverandoverinprivate，haddelivereditalmostthroughclinchedteeth，andhadreturnedtohisroomintheBostonboardinghousewiththeconvictionthatitwasanutterfailure。CaptainElkanahandthegraciousMissAnnabel，hisdaughter，hadbeenkindenoughtoexpressgratification，andtheirpraisealonesavedhimfromdespair。Then，tohisamazement，thecallhadcome。OfcasualconversationatthechurchandabouttheDaniels’stablehecouldrecallnothing。Sotherewasanotherreligiousorganizationintownandthatmadeupofsecedersfromhisownchurch。Hewassurprised。

“Er——thisMissVanHorne？“heasked。“Isshea——Come-Outer？“

Mrs。Coffinnodded。

“Yes，“shesaid。“She’sone。Couldn’tbeanythingelseandlivewithherUncleEben，asshecallshim。“

Theministerexperiencedacuriousfeelingofdisappointmentandchagrin。Thisyoungperson，alreadypredisposedtoregardaclergymanofhisdenominationwithdisapproval，hadseenhimforthefirsttimeundermosthumiliatingcircumstances。Andheshouldneverhavetheopportunitytoregainherfavor，orhisownself-

respect，byhiseffortsinthepulpit。Nomatterhowwellhemightpreachshewouldneverhearhim。

“HasthisCaptainHammondnochildrenofhisown？“heasked。

Keziah’sanswerwasshortforher。

“Yes，“shesaid。“One。“

“Ah！anotherdaughter？“

“No，ason。Name’sNathaniel，andhe’saseacaptain。He’sonhiswayfromSurinamtoNewYorknow。Theyexpecthimtomakeportmostanytime，Ibelieve。Now，Mr。Ellery，Is’posewe’vegottoarrangeforyoursupperandstayin’overnight；andwiththishousetheway’tisandall，Idon’tsee——“

ButtheministerwasstillinterestedintheHammondhousehold。

“ThisNathanielHammond？“heasked。“Youdon’tseementhusiasticoverhim。Isheablacksheep？“

Thisreplyalsowasshort，butemphatic。

“No，“saidKeziah。“He’safineman。“

Thensheresumedhersemisoliloquyconcerninghercompanion’sentertainment。

“Iguess，“shesaid，“thatthebestthingforyoutodowillbetogotoCap’nElkanah’s。They’llberealgladtoseeyou，Iknow，andyou’llbeintimeforsupper，forElkanahandAnnabelhavebeentoDenboroandthey’llbelatehome。Theycankeepyouovernight，too，forit’sabighousewithlotsofrooms。Then，afterbreakfastto-morrowyoucomerighthere。I’llhavethingssomewherenearshipshapebythen，Iguess，thoughthecleanin’llhavetobemainlyalickandapromiseuntilIcanreallygetatit。Yourtrunk’llbehereonthecoach，Is’pose，andthat’llbethroughearlyintheforenoon。GetonyourhatandcoatandI’llgowithyoutoElkanah’s。“

TheyoungmandemurredalittleatthrustinghimselfuponthehospitalityoftheDaniels’shome，butKeziahassuredhimthathisunexpectedcomingwouldcausenotrouble。Soheenteredthenowdarkstudyandcameoutwearinghiscoatandcarryinghishatandvaliseinhishand。

“I’msureI’meversomuchobligedtoyou，“hesaid。“And，aswearegoingtobemoreorlesstogether——oratleastIguessasmuchfromwhatyousay——wouldyoumindifIsuggestamutualintroduction。I’mJohnEllery；youknowthatalready。Andyou——“

Keziahstoppedshortonherwaytothedoor。

“Well，Ideclare！“sheexclaimed。“IfIain’ttheveryworst！

Factis，youdroppedinsoaheadoftimeandinsuchairregularsortofway，thatIneveroncethoughtofintroducin’anybody；andI’msureGracedidn’t。I’mKeziahCoffin，andCap’nElkanahandI

signedarticles，sotospeak，thismornin’，andI’mgoin’tokeephouseforyou。“

SheexplainedthereasonupsettingtheformerarrangementbywhichLuraniaPhelpswastohavehadtheposition。

“SoI’mtokeephouseforyou，“sheconcluded。Adding：“Foraspell，anyhow。“

“Whydoyousaythat？“askedtheminister。

“Well，youmightnotlikeme。Youmaybeparticular，youknow。“

“IthinkIcanrunthatrisk。“

“Yes；well，youcan’ttell。OrImightnotlikeyou。Yousee，I’mprettyparticularmyself，“sheaddedwithalaugh。

AttheDaniels’sdoorKeziahturnedhernewchargeovertoMatildaSnow，thehiredgirl。Itwasanindicationofthefamily’ssocialpositionthattheykept“hiredhelp。“ThiswasunusualinTrumetinthosedays，evenamongthewelltodo。

“Goodnight，“saidtheyoungman，extendinghishand。“Goodnight，Miss——orisitMrs——Coffin？“

“Mrs。Goodnight。“

“She’sawidow，“explainedMatilda。“Husbanddied’foreshecomebackheretolive。Guesshedidn’tamounttomuch；shenevermentionshisname。“

“TherewasonethingImeanttotellher，“musedtheminister，hesitatingonthethreshold。“Imeanttotellhernottoattemptanycleaningupattheparsonageto-night。To-morrowwilldojustaswell。“

“HeavenstoBetsy！“sniffedthe“hiredhelp，“speakingfromthedepthsofpersonalconviction，“nobodybutabornfoolwouldcleanhouseinthenight，’speciallyafterthecleanin’she’sbeendoin’

atherownplace。Iguessyouneedn’tworry。“

SoMr。Ellerydidnotworry。Andyet，untilthreeo’clockofthefollowingmorning，thedulllightofawhale-oillanternilluminatedtheroomsoftheparsonageasKeziahscrubbedandsweptandwashed，givingtothemustyplacethe“lickandpromise“shehadprophesied。Ifthespidershadpreparedthoseascensionrobes，theycouldhaveusedthemthatnight。

AfterbreakfastthewagonsbelongingtotheWellmouthfurnituredealerdroveinatthegateofthelittlehouseoppositeCaptainElkanah’s，andKeziahsaw，withafeelingofhomesicknesswhichshehidbeneathsmilesandarattleofconversation，thewornhouseholdtreasureswhichhadbeenhers，andherbrother’sbeforeher，carriedawayoutofherlife。Thenhertrunkswereloadedonthetailboardsofthewagons，tobeleftattheparsonage，andwithasighandaquickbrushofherhandacrosshereyes，shelockedthedoorforthelasttimeandwalkedbrisklydowntheroad。SoonafterwardsJohnEllery，undertheeminentlyrespectableescortofCaptainElkanahandMissAnnabel，emergedfromtheDaniels’sgateandfollowedher。Mrs。DidamaRogers，thankfulforaclearatmosphereandanunobstructedview，sawthempassandrecognizedthestranger。And，withinaquarterofanhour，she，arrayedinahurriedcallingcostume，wasspreadingthenewsalongthemainroad。The“TrumetDailyAdvertiser“had，sotospeak，issuedanextra。

ThusthenewministercametoTrumetandthusKeziahCoffinbecamehishousekeeper。Sheentereduponherdutieswiththewhole-

heartedenergypeculiartoher。Shewasusedtohardwork，and，asshewouldhavesaid，feltlonesomewithoutit。Shecleanedthatparsonagefromtoptobottom。Everyblindwasthrownopenandthespringsunshinepouredinuponthebraidedmatsandtheragcarpets。Dustflewincloudsforthefirstdayortwo，butitflewoutofwindowsanddoorsandwasnotallowedtosettlewithin。Theoldblackwalnutfurnitureglistenedwithoil。Themirrorsandthecrockerysparkledfrombathsofhotwaterandsoap。EvenSt。

Stephen，intheengravingsonthedining-roomwall，wasforcedtoamartyrdomofthefullestpublicity，becausethespotsandsmearsontheglasscoveringhissufferingswereviolentlyremoved。Inthesleepingroomsupstairsthefeatherbedswerebeatenandaired，thesheetsandblanketsandpatchworkcomfortersexposedtothelight，andthewindowcurtainsdraggeddownandlefttoflapontheclothesline。Thesmellofmustydampnessdisappearedfromthediningroomandthewholesomeodorsofoutdoorsandofgoodthingscookingtookitsplace。

Keziah，inthemidstofherlabors，foundtimetocoachheremployerandcompanioninTrumetways，andparticularlyinthewayswhichTrumetexpecteditsclergymentotravel。Onthemorningfollowinghisfirstnightintheparsonage，heexpressedhimselfasfeelingtheneedofexercise。Hethoughtheshouldtakeawalk。

“Well，“saidhishousekeeperfromherstationoppositehimatthebreakfasttable，“ifIwasyouIwouldn’ttaketoolongaone。

You’dbetterbebackherebyten，anyhow。Wherewasyouthinkin’

ofgoin’？“

Mr。Elleryhadnoparticulardestinationinmind。Hewouldliketoseesomethingofthevillageand，perhaps，ifshecouldgivehimthenamesofafewofhisparishioners，hemightmakeafewcalls。

Keziahshookherhead。

“Graciousgoodness！“sheexclaimed。“Iwouldn’tadviseyoutodothat。Youain’tbeenherelongenoughtomakeforenooncalls。Ifyoushouldcatchsomeofthewomeninthistownwithapronsandcalicoon，they’dneverforgiveyouinthisworld。Waittillafternoon；they’llbeexpectin’youthenandthey’llberiggedoutintheirbestbibsandtuckers。S’poseyoufoundAnnabelDanielswithherhairdoneupincurlpapers；whatdoyouthinkwouldhappen？Mornin’sarenotimeforministers’calls。EvenoldMr。

Langleynevermadecallsintheforenoon——andhe’dbeenherethirty-oddyears。“

“Allright，youknowbest。Muchobligedfortheadvice。ThenI’llsimplytakemywalkandleavethecallsuntillater。“

“I’dbebackbyten，though。Folks’llbegincallin’onyoubythattime。“

“Theywill？Doesn’ttheruleworkbothways？“

“Notwithnewministersitdon’t。Cat’sfoot！Youdon’ts’poseDidamaRogersandLavinyPepperandtheirkind’llwaitanylonger’ntheycanhelpaforetheycometoseewhatyoulooklike，doyou？“

“Well，theymusthaveseenmewhenIpreachedherebefore。I

remember——“

“Mercyonus！thatwasinmeetin’。Meetin’sdiff’rent。Alltheycouldsaytoyouthenwashowmuchtheylikedyoursermon。Theysaythattoeveryministerthatcomes，nomatterhowtheymaypickhimtopiecesafterwards。Butheretheycanaskyouquestions；