| "There
may be a devilish Indian behind every tree," said
Goodman Brown to himself; and he glanced
fearfully behind him as he added, "What
if the devil himself should be at my very
elbow!"
His head being turned back, he passed
a crook of the road, and, looking forward
again, beheld the figure of a man, in grave
and decent attire, seated at the foot of
an old tree. He arose at Goodman Brown's
approach and walked onward side by side
with him. "You are late, Goodman Brown," said
he. "The clock of the Old South was
striking as I came through Boston, and
that is full fifteen minutes agone."
"Faith kept me back a while," replied
the young man, with a tremor in his voice,
caused by the sudden appearance of his
companion, though not wholly unexpected.
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