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