the legend of sleepy hollow-第6部分

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　　　　The　immediate　cause；　however；　of　the　prevalence　of　

supernatural　stories　in　these　parts；　was　doubtless　owing　to　the　

vicinity　of　Sleepy　Hollow。　　There　was　a　contagion　in　the　very　air　

that　blew　from　that　haunted　region；　it　breathed　forth　an　

atmosphere　of　dreams　and　fancies　infecting　all　the　land。　　Several　

of　the　Sleepy　Hollow　people　were　present　at　Van　Tassel's；　and；　as　

usual；　were　doling　out　their　wild　and　wonderful　legends。　　Many　

dismal　tales　were　told　about　funeral　trains；　and　mourning　cries　

and　wailings　heard　and　seen　about　the　great　tree　where　the　

unfortunate　Major　Andre　was　taken；　and　which　stood　in　the　

neighborhood。　　Some　mention　was　made　also　of　the　woman　in　white；　

that　haunted　the　dark　glen　at　Raven　Rock；　and　was　often　heard　to　

shriek　on　winter　nights　before　a　storm；　having　perished　there　in　

the　snow。　　The　chief　part　of　the　stories；　however；　turned　upon　the　

favorite　spectre　of　Sleepy　Hollow；　the　Headless　Horseman；　who　had　

been　heard　several　times　of　late；　patrolling　the　country；　and；　it　

was　said；　tethered　his　horse　nightly　among　the　graves　in　the　

churchyard。



　　　　The　sequestered　situation　of　this　church　seems　always　to　

have　made　it　a　favorite　haunt　of　troubled　spirits。　　It　stands　on　a　

knoll；　surrounded　by　locust；　trees　and　lofty　elms；　from　among　

which　its　decent；　whitewashed　walls　shine　modestly　forth；　like　

Christian　purity　beaming　through　the　shades　of　retirement。　　A　

gentle　slope　descends　from　it　to　a　silver　sheet　of　water；　

bordered　by　high　trees；　between　which；　peeps　may　be　caught　at　the　

blue　hills　of　the　Hudson。　　To　look　upon　its　grass…grown　yard；　

where　the　sunbeams　seem　to　sleep　so　quietly；　one　would　think　that　

there　at　least　the　dead　might　rest　in　peace。　　On　one　side　of　the　

church　extends　a　wide　woody　dell；　along　which　raves　a　large　brook　

among　broken　rocks　and　trunks　of　fallen　trees。　　Over　a　deep　black　

part　of　the　stream；　not　far　from　the　church；　was　formerly　thrown　

a　wooden　bridge；　the　road　that　led　to　it；　and　the　bridge　itself；　

were　thickly　shaded　by　overhanging　trees；　which　cast　a　gloom　

about　it；　even　in　the　daytime；　but　occasioned　a　fearful　darkness　

at　night。　　Such　was　one　of　the　favorite　haunts　of　the　Headless　

Horseman；　and　the　place　where　he　was　most　frequently　encountered。　　

The　tale　was　told　of　old　Brouwer；　a　most　heretical　disbeliever　in　

ghosts；　how　he　met　the　Horseman　returning　from　his　foray　into　

Sleepy　Hollow；　and　was　obliged　to　get　up　behind　him；　how　they　

galloped　over　bush　and　brake；　over　hill　and　swamp；　until　they　

reached　the　bridge；　when　the　Horseman　suddenly　turned　into　a　

skeleton；　threw　old　Brouwer　into　the　brook；　and　sprang　away　over　

the　tree…tops　with　a　clap　of　thunder。



　　　　This　story　was　immediately　matched　by　a　thrice　marvellous　

adventure　of　Brom　Bones；　who　made　light　of　the　Galloping　Hessian　

as　an　arrant　jockey。　　He　affirmed　that　on　returning　one　night　from　

the　neighboring　village　of　Sing　Sing；　he　had　been　overtaken　by　

this　midnight　trooper；　that　he　had　offered　to　race　with　him　for　a　

bowl　of　punch；　and　should　have　won　it　too；　for　Daredevil　beat　the　

goblin　horse　all　hollow；　but　just　as　they　came　to　the　church　

bridge；　the　Hessian　bolted；　and　vanished　in　a　flash　of　fire。



　　　　All　these　tales；　told　in　that　drowsy　undertone　with　which　

men　talk　in　the　dark；　the　countenances　of　the　listeners　only　now　

and　then　receiving　a　casual　gleam　from　the　glare　of　a　pipe；　sank　

deep　in　the　mind　of　Ichabod。　　He　repaid　them　in　kind　with　large　

extracts　from　his　invaluable　author；　Cotton　Mather；　and　added　

many　marvellous　events　that　had　taken　place　in　his　native　State　

of　Connecticut；　and　fearful　sights　which　he　had　seen　in　his　

nightly　walks　about　Sleepy　Hollow。



　　　　The　revel　now　gradually　broke　up。　　The　old　farmers　gathered　

together　their　families　in　their　wagons；　and　were　heard　for　some　

time　rattling　along　the　hollow　roads；　and　over　the　distant　hills。　　

Some　of　the　damsels　mounted　on　pillions　behind　their　favorite　

swains；　and　their　light…hearted　laughter；　mingling　with　the　

clatter　of　hoofs；　echoed　along　the　silent　woodlands；　sounding　

fainter　and　fainter；　until　they　gradually　died　away；　and　the　

late　scene　of　noise　and　frolic　was　all　silent　and　deserted。　　

Ichabod　only　lingered　behind；　according　to　the　custom　of　country　

lovers；　to　have　a　tete…a…tete　with　the　heiress；　fully　convinced　

that　he　was　now　on　the　high　road　to　success。　　What　passed　at　this　

interview　I　will　not　pretend　to　say；　for　in　fact　I　do　not　know。　　

Something；　however；　I　fear　me；　must　have　gone　wrong；　for　he　

certainly　sallied　forth；　after　no　very　great　interval；　with　an　

air　quite　desolate　and　chapfallen。　　Oh；　these　women！　these　women！　　

Could　that　girl　have　been　playing　off　any　of　her　coquettish　tricks？

Was　her　encouragement　of　the　poor　pedagogue　all　a　mere　sham　to

secure　her　conquest　of　his　rival？　Heaven　only　knows；　not　I！

Let　it　suffice　to　say；　Ichabod　stole　forth　with　the　air　of　

one　who　had　been　sacking　a　henroost；　rather　than　a　fair　lady's　

heart。　　Without　looking　to　the　right　or　left　to　notice　the　scene　

of　rural　wealth；　on　which　he　had　so　often　gloated；　he　went　

straight　to　the　stable；　and　with　several　hearty　cuffs　and　kicks　

roused　his　steed　most　uncourteously　from　the　comfortable　quarters　

in　which　he　was　soundly　sleeping；　dreaming　of　mountains　of　corn　

and　oats；　and　whole　valleys　of　timothy　and　clover。



　　　　It　was　the　very　witching　time　of　night　　that　Ichabod；　heavy　

hearted　and　crest…fallen；　pursued　his　travels　homewards；　along　

the　sides　of　the　lofty　hills　which　rise　above　Tarry　Town；　and　

which　he　had　traversed　so　cheerily　in　the　afternoon。　　The　hour　was　

as　dismal　as　himself。　　Far　below　him　the　Tappan　Zee　spread　its　

dusky　and　indistinct　waste　of　waters；　with　here　and　there　the　

tall　mast　of　a　sloop；　riding　quietly　at　anchor　under　the　land。　　In　

the　dead　hush　of　midnight；　he　could　even　hear　the　barking　of　the　

watchdog　from　the　opposite　shore　of　the　Hudson；　but　it　was　so　

vague　and　faint　as　only　to　give　an　idea　of　his　distance　from　this　

faithful　companion　of　man。　　Now　and　then；　too；　the　long…drawn　

crowing　of　a　cock；　accidentally　awakened；　would　sound　far；　far　

off；　from　some　farmhouse　away　among　the　hillsbut　it　was　like　a　

dreaming　sound　in　his　ear。　　No　signs　of　life　occurred　near　him；　

but　occasionally　the　melancholy　chirp　of　a　cricket；　or　perhaps　

the　guttural　twang　of　a　bull…frog　from　a　neighboring　marsh；　as　if　

sleeping　uncomfortably　and　turning　suddenly　in　his　bed。



　　　　All　the　stories　of　ghosts　and　goblins　that　he　had　heard　in　

the　afternoon　now　came　crowding　upon　his　recollection。　　The　night　

grew　darker　and　darker；　the　stars　seemed　to　sink　deeper　in　the　

sky；　and　driving　clouds　occasionally　hid　them　from　his　sight。　　He　

had　never　felt　so　lonely　and　dismal。　　He　was；　moreover；　

approaching　the　very　place　where　many　of　the　scenes　of　the　ghost　

stories　had　been　laid。　　In　the　centre　of　the　road　stood　an　

enormous　tulip…tree；　which　towered　like　a　giant　above　all　the　

other　trees　of　the　neighborhood；　and　formed　a　kind　of　landmark。　　

Its　limbs　were　gnarled　and　fantastic；　large　enough　to　form　trunks　

for　ordinary　trees；　twisting　down　almost　to　the　earth；　and　rising　

again　into　the　air。　　It　was　connected　with　the　tragical　story　of　

the　unfortunate　Andre；　who　had　been　taken　prisoner　hard　by；　and　

was　universally　known　by　the　name　of　Major　Andre's　tree。　　The　

common　people　regarded　it　with　a　mixture　of　respect　and　

superstition；　partly　out　of　sympathy　for　the　fate　of　its　ill…

starred　namesake；　and　partly　from　the　tales　of　strange　sights；　

and　doleful　lamentations；　told　concerning　it。



　　　　As　Ichabod　approached　this　fearful　tree；　he　began　to　

whistle；　he　thought　his　whistle　was　answered；　it　was　but　a　blast　

sweeping　sharply　through　the　dry　branches。　　As　he　approached　a　

little　nearer；　he　thought　he　saw　something　white；　hanging　in　the　

midst　of　the　tree：　　he　paused；　and　ceased　whistling　but；　on　

looking　more　narrowly；　perceived　that　it　was　a　place　where　the　

tree　had　been　scathed　by　lightning；　and　the　white　wood　laid　bare。　　

Suddenly　he　heard　a　groanhis　teeth　chattered；　and　his　knees　

smote　against　the　saddle：　　it　was　but　the　rubbing　of　one　huge　

bough　upon　another；　as　they　were　swayed　about　by　the　breeze。　　He　

passed　the　tree　in　safety；　but　new　perils　lay　before　him。



　　　　About　two　hundred　yards　from　the　tree；　a　small　brook　crossed　

the　road；　and　ran　into　a　marshy　and　thickly…wooded　glen；　known　by　

the　name　of　Wiley's　Swamp。　　A　few　rough　logs；　laid　side　by　side；　

served　for　a　bridge　over　this　stream。　　On　that　side　of　the　road　

where　the　brook　entered　the　wood；　a　group　of　oaks　and　chestnuts；　

matted　thick　with　wild　grape…vines；　threw　a　cavernous　gloom　over　

it。　　To　pass　this　bridge　was　the　severest　trial。　　It　was　at　this　

identical　spot　that　the　unfortunate　Andre　was　captured；　and　under　

the　covert　of　those　chestnuts　and　vines　were　the　sturdy　yeomen　

concealed　who　surprised　him。　　This　has　ever　since　been　considered　

a　haunted　stream；　and　fearful　are　the　feelings　of　the　school…boy　

who　has　to　pass　it　alone　after　dark。



　　　　As　he　approached　the　stream；　his　heart　began　to　thump　he　

summoned　up；　however；　all　his　resolution；　gave　his　horse　half　a　

score　of　kicks　in　the　ribs；　and　attempted　to　dash　briskly　across　

the　bridge；　but　instead　of　starting　forward；　the　perverse　old　

animal　made　a　lateral　movement；　and　ran　broadside　against　the　

fence。　　Ichabod；　whose　fears　increased　with　the　delay；　jerked　the　

reins　on　the　other　side；　and　kicked　lustily　with　the　contrary　

foot：　　it　was　all　in　vain；　his　steed　started；　it　is　true；　but　it　

was　only　to　plunge　to　the　opposite　side　of　the　road　into　a　

thicket　of　brambles　and　alder…bushes。　　The　schoolmaster　now　

bestowed　both　whip　and　heel　upon　the　starveling　ribs　of　old　

Gunpowder；　who　dashed　forward；　snuffling　and　snorting；　but　came　

to　a　stand　just　by　the　bridge；　with　a