What a happy and holy fashion it is that those who love one another should rest on the same pillow.

The line idealizes shared sleep as a small domestic sacrament: lovers “rest on the same pillow” not merely for comfort but as an emblem of intimacy, trust, and mutual belonging. Calling it both “happy” and “holy” blends sensual affection with moral or spiritual approval, suggesting that physical closeness can be a form of consecration rather than something shameful. The image also implies equality and reciprocity—two heads supported by one pillow—hinting at companionship as a shared refuge from the world. In Hawthorne’s work, such tender moments often carry an undertone of fragility, as if the sanctity of private love must be protected from social judgment or inner guilt.