The same phantoms , though fainter in the daylight , still flitted about , the cottage and mingled among the crowd of familiar faces that were drawn thither by the news of Ralph Cranfield 's return to bid him welcome for his mother 's sake . There they found him , a tall , dark , stately man of foreign aspect , courteous in demeanor and mild of speech , yet with an abstracted eye which seemed often to snatch a glance at the invisible . Meantime , the widow Cranfield went bustling about the house full of joy that she again had somebody to love and be careful of , and for whom she might vex and tease herself with the petty troubles of daily life . It was nearly noon when she looked forth from the door and descried three personages of note coming along the street through the hot sunshine and the masses of elm-tree shade . At length they reached her gate and undid the latch . `` See , Ralph ! '' exclaimed she , with maternal pride ; `` here is Squire Hawkwood and the two other selectmen coming on purpose to see you . Now , do tell them a good long story about what you have seen in foreign parts . '' The foremost of the three visitors , Squire Hawkwood , was a very pompous but excellent old gentleman , the head and prime-mover in all the affairs of the village , and universally acknowledged to be one of the sagest men on earth . He wore , according to a fashion even then becoming antiquated , a three-cornered hat , and carried a silver-headed cane the use of which seemed to be rather for flourishing in the air than for assisting the progress of his legs . His two companions were elderly and respectable yeomen who , retaining an ante-Revolutionary reverence for rank and hereditary wealth , kept a little in the squire 's rear . As they approached along the pathway Ralph Cranfield sat in an oaken elbow-chair half unconsciously gazing at the three visitors and enveloping their homely figures in the misty romance that pervaded his mental world . `` Here , '' thought he , smiling at the conceit -- `` here come three elderly personages , and the first of the three is a venerable sage with a staff . What if this embassy should bring me the message of my fate ? '' While Squire Hawkwood and his colleagues entered , Ralph rose from his seat and advanced a few steps to receive them , and his stately figure and dark countenance as he bent courteously toward his guests had a natural dignity contrasting well with the bustling importance of the squire . The old gentleman , according to invariable custom , gave an elaborate preliminary flourish with his cane in the air , then removed his three-cornered hat in order to wipe his brow , and finally proceeded to make known his errand . `` My colleagues and myself , '' began the squire , `` are burdened with momentous duties , being jointly selectmen of this village . Our minds for the space of three days past have been laboriously bent on the selection of a suitable person to fill a most important office and take upon himself a charge and rule which , wisely considered , may be ranked no lower than those of kings and potentates . And whereas you , our native townsman , are of good natural intellect and well cultivated by foreign travel , and that certain vagaries and fantasies of your youth are doubtless long ago corrected , -- taking all these matters , I say , into due consideration , we are of opinion that Providence hath sent you hither at this juncture for our very purpose . '' During this harangue Cranfield gazed fixedly at the speaker , as if he beheld something mysterious and unearthly in his pompous little figure , and as if the squire had worn the flowing robes of an ancient sage instead of a square-skirted coat , flapped waistcoat , velvet breeches and silk stockings .
Nor was his wonder without sufficient cause , for the flourish of the squire 's staff , marvellous to relate , had described precisely the signal in the air which was to ratify the message of the prophetic sage whom XXXXX had sought around the world .
Cranfield Hawkwood Providence Ralph daylight days noon potentates prime-mover yeomen