The Sabbath sunshine made people who went to Milford meeting-house on Sunday morning prettier than on week days, such as the old people who came along the street, the children who came with their parents or imitated a graver gait, and the spruce bachelors who looked at the pretty maidens. When Reverend Hooper came in the Milford meeting-house, the sexton who began to toll the bell kept his eyes on his black veil. And then, the summons of the bell ceased. After that, all people who were in the meeting-house turned around their heads to behold the semblance of Mr. Hooper. Goodman Gray of the sexton doubted that Mr. Hooper was their parson or not. Mr. Hooper, who was thirty, was still a bachelor and dressed neatly, as if he had a careful wife to take care of him. He walked slowly and quietly, stooped, and nodded to people who were still waiting for him. However, he did not get returns because he had a black veil on his face. Reverend Hooper put on a black veil to force the members of his congregation to confront their own hypocrisy. No one could have guessed that each of their lives was about to change because of the sudden appearance in their midst of a Black Veil. .
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There was lots of price that Reverend Hooper had to pay because he had decided to wear the black veil. An old woman muttered that she did not like the black veil, and she thought that he had changed himself into something awful. Goodman Gray was another one who did not like the black veil. He cried that Mr. Hooper had gone mad. The children were afraid of him. And then, a woman was forced to leave the meeting-house because of the simple piece of crape. People did not want to see him and talk with him, and most of them hurried to leave the meeting-house. An old squire saunders did not invite Mr. Hooper to his table as usual. After that, people who were in the funeral thought that Mr. Hooper made the funeral much more sorrowful, and people who were in the wedding party thought that it was the most famous, dismal wedding in the world because of the black veil.
