Just then , as if a spell had loosened them , down came a little shower of withering rose-leaves from the Maypole . Alas for the young lovers ! No sooner had their hearts glowed with real passion than they were sensible of something vague and unsubstantial in their former pleasures , and felt a dreary presentiment of inevitable change . From the moment that they truly loved they had subjected themselves to earth 's doom of care and sorrow and troubled joy , and had no more a home at Merry Mount . That was Edith 's mystery . Now leave we the priest to marry them , and the masquers to sport round the Maypole till the last sunbeam be withdrawn from its summit and the shadows of the forest mingle gloomily in the dance . Meanwhile , we may discover who these gay people were . Two hundred years ago , and more , the Old World and its inhabitants became mutually weary of each other . Men voyaged by thousands to the West -- some to barter glass and such like jewels for the furs of the Indian hunter , some to conquer virgin empires , and one stern band to pray . But none of these motives had much weight with the striving to communicate their mirth to the grave Indian , or masquerading in the skins of deer and wolves which they had hunted for that especial purpose . Often the whole colony were playing at Blindman 's Buff , magistrates and all with their eyes bandaged , except a single scapegoat , whom the blinded sinners pursued by the tinkling of the bells at his garments . Once , it is said , they were seen following a flower-decked corpse with merriment and festive music to his grave . But did the dead man laugh ? In their quietest times they sang ballads and told tales for the edification of their pious visitors , or perplexed them with juggling tricks , or grinned at them through horse-collars ; and when sport itself grew wearisome , they made game of their own stupidity and began a yawning-match . At the very least of these enormities the men of iron shook their heads and frowned so darkly that the revellers looked up , imagining that a momentary cloud had overcast the sunshine which was to be perpetual there . On the other hand , the Puritans affirmed that when a psalm was pealing from their place of worship the echo which the forest sent them back seemed often like the chorus of a jolly catch , closing with a roar of laughter . Who but the fiend and his bond-slaves the crew of Merry Mount had thus disturbed them ? In due time a feud arose , stern and bitter on one side , and as serious on the other as anything could be among such light spirits as had sworn allegiance to the Maypole . The future complexion of New England was involved in this important quarrel . Should the grisly saints establish their jurisdiction over the gay sinners , then would their spirits darken all the clime and make it a land of clouded visages , of hard toil , of sermon and psalm for ever ; but should the banner-staff of Merry Mount be fortunate , sunshine would break upon the hills , and flowers would beautify the forest and late posterity do homage to the Maypole .
After these authentic passages XXXXX history we return to the nuptials of the Lord and Lady of the May .
At In On for from of over that through to