the legend of sleepy hollow-第2章

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embarrassment　in　getting　out；　an　idea　most　probably　borrowed　by　

the　architect；　Yost　Van　Houten；　from　the　mystery　of　an　eelpot。　　

The　schoolhouse　stood　in　a　rather　lonely　but　pleasant　situation；　

just　at　the　foot　of　a　woody　hill；　with　a　brook　running　close　by；　

and　a　formidable　birch…tree　growing　at　one　end　of　it。　　From　hence　

the　low　murmur　of　his　pupils'　voices；　conning　over　their　lessons；　

might　be　heard　in　a　drowsy　summer's　day；　like　the　hum　of　a　

beehive；　interrupted　now　and　then　by　the　authoritative　voice　of　

the　master；　in　the　tone　of　menace　or　command；　or；　peradventure；　

by　the　appalling　sound　of　the　birch；　as　he　urged　some　tardy　

loiterer　along　the　flowery　path　of　knowledge。　　Truth　to　say；　he　

was　a　conscientious　man；　and　ever　bore　in　mind　the　golden　maxim；　

〃Spare　the　rod　and　spoil　the　child。〃　Ichabod　Crane's　scholars　

certainly　were　not　spoiled。



　　　　I　would　not　have　it　imagined；　however；　that　he　was　one　of　

those　cruel　potentates　of　the　school　who　joy　in　the　smart　of　

their　subjects；　on　the　contrary；　he　administered　justice　with　

discrimination　rather　than　severity；　taking　the　burden　off　the　

backs　of　the　weak；　and　laying　it　on　those　of　the　strong。　　Your　

mere　puny　stripling；　that　winced　at　the　least　flourish　of　the　

rod；　was　passed　by　with　indulgence；　but　the　claims　of　justice　

were　satisfied　by　inflicting　a　double　portion　on　some　little　

tough　wrong　headed；　broad…skirted　Dutch　urchin；　who　sulked　and　

swelled　and　grew　dogged　and　sullen　beneath　the　birch。　　All　this　he　

called　〃doing　his　duty　by　their　parents；〃　and　he　never　inflicted　

a　chastisement　without　following　it　by　the　assurance；　so　

consolatory　to　the　smarting　urchin；　that　〃he　would　remember　it　

and　thank　him　for　it　the　longest　day　he　had　to　live。〃



　　　　When　school　hours　were　over；　he　was　even　the　companion　and　

playmate　of　the　larger　boys；　and　on　holiday　afternoons　would　

convoy　some　of　the　smaller　ones　home；　who　happened　to　have　pretty　

sisters；　or　good　housewives　for　mothers；　noted　for　the　comforts　

of　the　cupboard。　　Indeed；　it　behooved　him　to　keep　on　good　terms　

with　his　pupils。　　The　revenue　arising　from　his　school　was　small；　

and　would　have　been　scarcely　sufficient　to　furnish　him　with　daily　

bread；　for　he　was　a　huge　feeder；　and；　though　lank；　had　the　

dilating　powers　of　an　anaconda；　but　to　help　out　his　maintenance；　

he　was；　according　to　country　custom　in　those　parts；　boarded　and　

lodged　at　the　houses　of　the　farmers　whose　children　he　instructed。　　

With　these　he　lived　successively　a　week　at　a　time；　thus　going　the　

rounds　of　the　neighborhood；　with　all　his　worldly　effects　tied　up　

in　a　cotton　handkerchief。



　　　　That　all　this　might　not　be　too　onerous　on　the　purses　of　his　

rustic　patrons；　who　are　apt　to　considered　the　costs　of　schooling　

a　grievous　burden；　and　schoolmasters　as　mere　drones　he　had　

various　ways　of　rendering　himself　both　useful　and　agreeable。

He　assisted　the　farmers　occasionally　in　the　lighter　labors　of

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　o