the great stone face-第5部分

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to　the　illustrious　three；　and　record　another　failure　of　your

hopes。　Forin　shame　and　sadness　do　I　speak　it；　ErnestI　am　not

worthy　to　be　typified　by　yonder　benign　and　majestic　image。〃



〃And　why？〃　asked　Ernest。　He　pointed　to　the　volume。　〃Are　not　those

thoughts　divine？〃



〃They　have　a　strain　of　the　Divinity；〃　replied　the　poet。　〃You　can

hear　in　them　the　far…off　echo　of　a　heavenly　song。　But　my　life；

dear　Ernest；　has　not　corresponded　with　my　thought。　I　have　had

grand　dreams；　but　they　have　been　only　dreams；　because　I　have

livedand　that；　too；　by　my　own　choiceamong　poor　and　mean

realities。　Sometimes　evenshall　I　dare　to　say　it？I　lack　faith

in　the　grandeur；　the　beauty；　and　the　goodness；　which　my　own　words

are　said　to　have　made　more　evident　in　nature　and　in　human　life。

Why；　then；　pure　seeker　of　the　good　and　true；　shouldst　thou　hope

to　find　me；　in　yonder　image　of　the　divine？〃



The　poet　spoke　sadly；　and　his　eyes　were　dim　with　tears。　So；

likewise；　were　those　of　Ernest。



At　the　hour　of　sunset；　as　had　long　been　his　frequent　custom；

Ernest　was　to　discourse　to　an　assemblage　of　the　neighboring

inhabitants　in　the　open　air。　He　and　the　poet；　arm　in　arm；　still

talking　together　as　they　went　along；　proceeded　to　the　spot。　It

was　a　small　nook　among　the　hills；　with　a　gray　precipice　behind；

the　stern　front　of　which　was　relieved　by　the　pleasant　foliage　of

many　creeping　plants　that　made　a　tapestry　for　the　naked　rock；　by

hanging　their　festoons　from　all　its　rugged　angles。　At　a　small

elevation　above　the　ground；　set　in　a　rich　framework　of　verdure；

there　appeared　a　niche；　spacious　enough　to　admit　a　human　figure；

with　freedom　for　such　gestures　as　spontaneously　accompany　earnest

thought　and　genuine　emotion。　Into　this　natural　pulpit　Ernest

ascended；　and　threw　a　look　of　familiar　kindness　around　upon　his

audience。　They　stood；　or　sat；　or　reclined　upon　the　grass；　as

seemed　good　to　each；　with　the　departing　sunshine　falling

obliquely　over　them；　and　mingling　its　subdued　cheerfulness　with

the　solemnity　of　a　grove　of　ancient　trees；　beneath　and　amid　the

boughs　of　which　the　golden　rays　were　constrained　to　pass。　In

another　direction　was　seen　the　Great　Stone　Face；　with　the　same

cheer；　combined　with　the　same　solemnity；　in　its　benignant　aspect。



Ernest　began　to　speak；　giving　to　the　people　of　what　was　in　his

heart　and　mind。　His　words　had　power；　because　they　accorded　with

his　thoughts；　and　his　thoughts　had　reality　and　depth；　because

they　harmonized　with　the　life　which　he　had　always　lived。　It　was

not　mere　breath　that　this　preacher　uttered；　they　were　the　words

of　life；　because　a　life　of　good　deeds　and　holy　love　was　melted

into　them。　Pearls；　pure　and　rich；　had　been　dissolved　into　this

precious　draught。　The　poet；　as　he　listened；　felt　that　the　being

and　character　of　Ernest　were　a　nobler　strain　of　poetry　than　he

had　ever　written。　His　eyes　glistening　with　tears；　he　gazed

reverentially　at　the　venerable　man；　and　said　within　himself　that

never　was　there　an　aspect　so　worthy　of　a　prophet　and　a　sage　as

that　mild；　sweet；　thoughtful　countenance；　with　the　glory　of　white

hair　diffused　about　it。　At　a　distance；　but　distinctly　to　be　seen；

high　up　in　the　golden　light　of　the　setting　sun；　appeared　the

Great　Stone　Face；　with　hoary　mists　around　it；　like　the　white

hairs　around　the　brow　of　Ernest。　Its　look　of　grand　beneficence

seemed　to　embrace　the　world。



At　that　moment；　in　sympathy　with　a　thought　which　he　was　about　to

utter；　the　face　of　Ernest　assumed　a　grandeur　of　expression；　so

imbued　with　benevolence；　that　the　poet；　by　an　irresistible

impulse；　threw　his　arms　aloft　and　shouted；〃Behold！　Behold！　Ernest

is　himself　the　likeness　of　the　Great　Stone　Face！〃



Then　all　the　people　looked；　and　saw　that　what　the　deep…sighted

poet　said　was　true。　The　prophecy　was　fulfilled。　But　Ernest；

having　finished　what　he　had　to　say；　took　the　poet's　arm；　and

walked　slowly　homeward；　still　hoping　that　some　wiser　and　better

man　than　himself　would　by　and　by　appear；　bearing　a　resemblance　to

the　GREAT　STONE　FACE。