MOSSES FROM AN OLD MANSE

By Nathaniel Hawthorne

MONSIEUR DU MIROIR



Than the gentleman above named, there is nobody, in the whole circle
of my acquaintance, whom I have more attentively studied, yet of
whom I have less real knowledge, beneath the surface which it
pleases him to present. Being anxious to discover who and what he
really is, and how connected with me, and what are to be the results
to him and to myself of the joint interest which, without any choice
on my part, seems to be permanently established between us, and
incited, furthermore, by the propensities of a student of human
nature, though doubtful whether Monsieur du Miroir have aught of
humanity but the figure,--I have determined to place a few of his
remarkable points before the public, hoping to be favored with some
clew to the explanation of his character. Nor let the reader
condemn any part of the narrative as frivolous, since a subject of
such grave reflection diffuses its importance through the minutest
particulars; and there is no judging beforehand what odd little
circumstance may do the office of a blind man's dog among the
perplexities of this dark investigation; and however extraordinary,
marvellous, preternatural, and utterly incredible some of the
meditated disclosures may appear, I pledge my honor to maintain as
sacred a regard to fact as if my testimony were given on oath and
involved the dearest interests of the personage in question. Not
that there is matter for a criminal accusation against Monsieur du