A brilliant scientist cannot tolerate the birthmark on his wife's lovely face... A beloved minister wears a frightening black veil... A mysterious guest arrives on a night of destruction... In these strangely modern short stories, Hawthorne explores the "power of darkness" hidden deep within the human soul. Nine fascinating—and haunting—tales: Young Goodman Brown * The Minister's Black Veil * Feathertop * Wakefield * The Ambitious Guest * The Wives of the Dead * The Birthamrk * Roger Malvin's Burial * My Kinsman, Major Molineux