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 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 Cranfield had sought around the world . `` And what , '' inquired Ralph Cranfield , with a tremor in his voice , -- `` what may this office be , which is to equal me with kings and potentates ? '' `` No less than instructor of our village school , '' answered Squire Hawkwood ; `` the office being now vacant by the loath of the venerable Master Whitaker , after a fifty years ' incumbency . '' `` I will consider of your proposal , '' replied Ralph Cranfield , hurriedly , `` and will make known my decision within three days . '' After a few more words , the village dignitary and his companions took their leave . But to Cranfield 's fancy their images were still present , and became more and more invested with the dim awfulness of figures which had first appeared to him in a dream , and afterwards had shown themselves in his waking moments , assuming homely aspects among familiar things . His mind dwelt upon the features of the Squire , till they grew confused with those of the visionary Sage , and one appeared but the shadow of the other . The same visage , he now thought , had looked forth upon him from the Pyramid of Cheops ; the same form had beckoned to him among the colonnades of the Alhambra ; the same figure had mistily revealed itself through the ascending steam of the Great Geyser . At every effort of his memory he recognized some trait of the dreamy Messenger of Destiny , in this pompous , bustling , self-important , little great man of the village . Amid such musings Ralph Cranfield sat all day in the cottage , scarcely hearing and vaguely answering his mother 's thousand questions about his travels and adventures . At sunset he roused himself to take a stroll , and , passing the aged elm-tree , his eye was again caught by the semblance of a hand , pointing downward at the half-obliterated inscription . As Cranfield walked down the street of the village , the level sunbeams threw his shadow far before him ; and he fancied that , as his shadow walked among distant objects , so had there been a presentiment stalking in advance of him throughout his life . And when he drew near each object , over which his tall shadow had preceded him , still it proved to be -- one of the familiar recollections of his infancy and youth .
Every crook XXXXX the pathway was remembered .
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