ey do not understand his motive for wearing the veil, the townspeople are conditioned to believe it is perverse. Thus, the judgmental tendency within all humans becomes an impediment for arriving at Truth.
             In blatant opposition to the woman's response, Hawthorne indirectly comments on the hierarchy of the townspeople through the reaction of the oldest parishioner. Hawthorne characteristically lends his voice to the narrator in order to point out what he, as author, believes is noteworthy. For example, his narrator remarks, "It was strange to observe, how slowly this venerable man became conscious of something singular in the appearance of his pastor. He seemed not fully to partake of the prevailing wonder" (1281). The peculiarity of this instance is never explained fully by the narrator, but its inclusion in the story mystifies the reader, nonetheless. As the oldest, most respected townsmen, his reaction to the veil should have been echoed by his fellow townspeople. (As the story progresses, the reader will learn of only one other character, Elizabeth, who emulates this response.) Instead, Hawthorne discreetly jeers at the foolishness of the majority for their misunderstanding.
             Underneath their misunderstanding exist the accompanying reactions to the Minister's black veil, which emphasize man's inherent fascination with gossip. For instance, the loquacity of the townspeople is best illustrated by the testimony of a superstitious woman involving the veil. While keeping his distance from the story,
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