FREEThe Ancestral Footstep (fragment) Outlines of an English Romance
by Hawthorne, Nathaniel, 1804-1864
"The Ancestral Footstep" by Nathaniel Hawthorne is an unfinished romance written in the late 19th century. The narrative revolves around Middleton, an American descendant of an ancient English family, who embarks on a quest to uncover family secrets linked to a blood-stained footprint left at his ancestral home. As he travels through England, the themes of identity, ancestry, and the haunting echoes of the past are interwoven with his encounters, particularly with an enigmatic old man and a mysterious young lady, Alice. At the start of the story, Middleton reflects on his travels through the idyllic English countryside, filled with hope and excitement in his search for his ancestral home, while simultaneously contemplating the odds against him. His journey introduces him to various characters, including an intriguing old man with whom he shares a connection, and a young woman whose presence fascinates him. As Middleton navigates these relationships, he becomes increasingly aware of the weight of history that surrounds him, including the dark legacies of a family divided by conflict and betrayal. The opening establishes a richly atmospheric setting that foreshadows the revelations and conflicts that Middleton faces as he delves deeper into the mysteries of his lineage. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Automated conservative edition review 2026-10-20T13:04:18.398Z (historical-original-en-v2), Philippines scope. English historical author Hawthorne, Nathaniel, died 1864; original-language author allowlist, matching sole EPUB/catalog creator, no credited contributors, no extra artwork, no flagged editorial/translation/copyright cues in isolated text. US public-domain source label and retained Gutenberg license; EPUB CRC passed. This is rule-based screening, not a worldwide rights opinion or a claim of manual review. Source: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/8429; Philippine term reference https://www.ipophil.gov.ph/copyright/. EPUB SHA256 5973bf5a86e21b9c49aafc6ddccf5e0fa3fc06c455ebdaa0ee26c3160d3ddf20; RDF SHA256 9f1276d5934e73dcfc63f0553fabfd52f5aabb53fe68ebfb8e310d9628bf1b2f.
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