the legend of sleepy hollow-第3章

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　　　　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　apple　in　his　mouth；　the　

pigeons　were　snugly　put　to　bed　in　a　comfortable　pie；　and　tucked　

in　with　a　coverlet　of　crust；　the　geese　were　swimming　in　their　own　

gravy；　and　the　ducks　pairing　cosily　in　dishes；　like　snug　married　

couples；　with　a　decent　competency　of　onion　sauce。　　In　the　porkers　

he　saw　carved　out　the　future　sleek　side　of　bacon；　and　juicy　

relishing　ham；　not　a　turkey　but　he　beheld　daintily　trussed　up；　

with　its　gizzard　under　its　wing；　and；　peradventure；　a　necklace　of　

savory　sausages；　and　even　bright　chanticleer　himself　lay　

sprawling　on　his　back；　in　a　side　dish；　with　uplifted　claws；　as　if　

craving　that　quarter　which　his　chivalrous　spirit　disdained　to　ask　

while　living。



　　　　As　the　enraptured　Ichabod　fancied　all　this；　and　as　he　rolled　

his　great　green　eyes　over　the　fat　meadow　lands；　the　rich　fields　

of　wheat；　of　rye；　of　buckwheat；　and　Indian　corn；　and　the　orchards　

burdened　with　ruddy　fruit；　which　surrounded　the　warm　tenement　of　

Van　Tassel；　his　heart　yearned　after　the　damsel　who　was　to　inherit　

these　domains；　and　his　imagination　expanded　with　the　idea；　how　

they　might　be　readily　turned　into　cash；　and　the　money　invested　in　

immense　tracts　of　wild　land；　and　shingle　palaces　in　the　

wilderness。　　Nay；　his　busy　fancy　already　realized　his　hopes；　and　

presented　to　him　the　blooming　Katrina；　with　a　whole　family　of　

children；　mounted　on　the　top　of　a　wagon　loaded　with　household　

trumpery；　with　pots　and　kettles　dangling　beneath；　and　he　beheld　

himself　bestriding　a　pacing　mare；　with　a　colt　at　her　heels；　

setting　out　for　Kentucky；　Tennessee；　or　the　Lord　knows　where！



　　　　When　he　entered　the　house；　the　conquest　of　his　heart　was　

complete。　　It　was　one　of　those　spacious　farmhouses；　with　high…

ridged　but　lowly　sloping　roofs；　built　in　the　style　handed　down　

from　the　first　Dutch　settlers；　the　low　projecting　eaves　forming　a　

piazza　along　the　front；　capable　of　being　closed　up　in　bad　

weather。　　Under　this　were　hung　f