,astonishedanddisheartenedanddetermined,overwhelmeddesperate

　　刚开始信仰坚定,当发现他妻子也在那个聚会时他很惊讶,随后对任何人或事都怀疑,认为每个人都是罪恶的,最后他心灰意冷,对生活失去信心失去信仰,终日郁郁寡欢直到死去!

　　Thestorybeginslateoneeveningin17thcenturySalem,Massachusetts,withyoungGoodmanBrownleavinghishomeandFaith,hiswifeofthreemonths,tomeetwithamysteriousfiguredeepintheforest.Astheymeetandproceedfurtherintothedarkforest,anditisbroadlyhintedthatGoodmanBrown'stravelingcompanionis,infact,theDevil,andthatthepurposeoftheirjourneyistojoininanunspecifiedbutobviouslyunholyritual.GoodmanBrowniswaveringandexpressesreluctance,yettheycontinueon.AstheyjourneyBrowndiscoversothersalsoproceedingtothemeeting,manyofthemhistownsfolkwhomhehadconsideredgoodChristiansincludinghisministeranddeaconandthewomanwhotaughthimhiscatechism.Heisastonishedanddisheartenedanddetermines,onceagain,toturnback.Butnowhehearshiswife'svoiceandrealizesthatsheisoneofthosetobeinitiatedatthemeeting.RecognizingthathehaslosthisFaith(inbothsenses),henowresolvestocarryouthisoriginalintentionandenthusiasticallyjoinstheprocession.

　　Attheceremony,carriedoutataflame-lit,cruderockyaltarinaclearingdeepintheforest,thenewconvertsarecalledtocomeforth.HeandFaithapproachthealtarand,astheyareabouttobeanointedinbloodtosealtheiralliancewithwickedness,hecriesouttoFaithtolooktoheavenandresist.Inthenextinstanthefindshimselfstandingaloneintheforest,nexttothecold,wetrock.

　　Thenarratorsuggeststhattheexperiencemighthavebeenadream,butGoodmanBrownisdeeplyshaken.Helivesouthisdaysanembitteredandsuspiciouscynic,waryofeveryonearoundhim,especiallyhiswifeFaith.Thestoryconcludeswiththisdismalstatement:

　　"Andwhenhehadlivedlong,andwasbornetohisgrave...theycarvednohopefulverseuponhistombstone,forhisdyinghourwasgloom."