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 towards 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 Lath 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 XXXXX 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 Cranfield had sought around the world .
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