Nathaniel Hawthorne 
The Lily’s Quest (From ’Twice Told Tales’) 

’The Lily’s Quest (From ’Twice Told Tales’)’ by Nathaniel Hawthorne tells the tale of Adam and Lily, an engaged couple who find themselves taking a stroll on the estate that will soon be their home. Followed by a man in black, a relative of Lily’s, he recounts tales of violence and despair that have occurred on the grounds each time the young couple stops to plan the additions they’d like to build. Through this tale, Hawthorne examines the idea that one’s happiness may, unfortunately, be tied with sadness of the past.