ethan brand-第1部分

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ETHAN　BRAND　



A　CHAPTER　FROM　AN　ABORTIVE　ROMANCE



Bartram　the　lime…burner；　a　rough；　heavy…looking　man；　begrimed

with　charcoal；　sat　watching　his　kiln　at　nightfall；　while　his

little　son　played　at　building　houses　with　the　scattered　fragments

of　marble；　when；　on　the　hill…side　below　them；　they　heard　a　roar

of　laughter；　not　mirthful；　but　slow；　and　even　solemn；　like　a　wind

shaking　the　boughs　of　the　forest。



〃Father；　what　is　that？〃　asked　the　little　boy；　leaving　his　play；

and　pressing　betwixt　his　father's　knees。



〃Oh；　some　drunken　man；　I　suppose；〃　answered　the　lime…burner；

〃some　merry　fellow　from　the　bar…room　in　the　village；　who　dared

not　laugh　loud　enough　within　doors　lest　he　should　blow　the　roof

of　the　house　off。　So　here　he　is；　shaking　his　jolly　sides　at　the

foot　of　Graylock。〃



〃But；　father；〃　said　the　child；　more　sensitive　than　the　obtuse；

middle…aged　clown；　〃he　does　not　laugh　like　a　man　that　is　glad。　So

the　noise　frightens　me！〃



〃Don't　be　a　fool；　child！〃　cried　his　father；　gruffly。　〃You　will

never　make　a　man；　I　do　believe；　there　is　too　much　of　your　mother

in　you。　I　have　known　the　rustling　of　a　leaf　startle　you。　Hark！

Here　comes　the　merry　fellow　now。　You　shall　see　that　there　is　no

harm　in　him。〃



Bartram　and　his　little　son；　while　they　were　talking　thus；　sat

watching　the　same　lime…kiln　that　had　been　the　scene　of　Ethan

Brand's　solitary　and　meditative　life；　before　he　began　his　search

for　the　Unpardonable　Sin。　Many　years；　as　we　have　seen；　had　now

elapsed；　since　that　portentous　night　when　the　IDEA　was　first

developed。　The　kiln；　however；　on　the　mountain…side；　stood

unimpaired；　and　was　in　nothing　changed　since　he　had　thrown　his

dark　thoughts　into　the　intense　glow　of　its　furnace；　and　melted

them；　as　it　were；　into　the　one　thought　that　took　possession　of

his　life。　It　was　a　rude；　round；　tower…like　structure　about　twenty

feet　high；　heavily　built　of　rough　stones；　and　with　a　hillock　of

earth　heaped　about　the　larger　part　of　its　circumference；　so　that

the　blocks　and　fragments　of　marble　might　be　drawn　by　cart…loads；

and　thrown　in　at　the　top。　There　was　an　opening　at　the　bottom　of

the　tower；　like　an　over…mouth；　but　large　enough　to　admit　a　man　in

a　stooping　posture；　and　provided　with　a　massive　iron　door。　With

the　smoke　and　jets　of　flame　issuing　from　the　chinks　and　crevices

of　this　door；　which　seemed　to　give　admittance　into　the　hill…side；

it　resembled　nothing　so　much　as　the　private　entrance　to　the

infernal　regions；　which　the　shepherds　of　the　Delectable　Mountains

were　accustomed　to　show　to　pilgrims。



There　are　many　such　lime…kilns　in　that　tract　of　country；　for　the

purpose　of　burning　the　white　marble　which　composes　a　large　part

of　the　substance　of　the　hills。　Some　of　them；　built　years　ago；　and

long　deserted；　with　weeds　growing　in　the　vacant　round　of　the

interior；　which　is　open　to　the　sky；　and　grass　and　wild…flowers

rooting　themselves　into　the　chinks　of　the　stones；　look　already

like　relics　of　antiquity；　and　may　yet　be　overspread　with　the

lichens　of　centuries　to　come。　Others；　where　the　limeburner　still

feeds　his　daily　and　night…long　fire；　afford　points　of　interest　to

the　wanderer　among　the　hills；　who　seats　himself　on　a　log　of　wood

or　a　fragment　of　marble；　to　hold　a　chat　with　the　solitary　man。　It

is　a　lonesome；　and；　when　the　character　is　inclined　to　thought；

may　be　an　intensely　thoughtful　occupation；　as　it　proved　in　the

case　of　Ethan　Brand；　who　had　mused　to　such　strange　purpose；　in

days　gone　by；　while　the　fire　in　this　very　kiln　was　burning。



The　man　who　now　watched　the　fire　was　of　a　different　order；　and

troubled　himself　with　no　thoughts　save　the　very　few　that　were

requisite　to　his　business。　At　frequent　intervals；　he　flung　back

the　clashing　weight　of　the　iron　door；　and；　turning　his　face　from

the　insufferable　glare；　thrust　in　huge　logs　of　oak；　or　stirred

the　immense　brands　with　a　long　pole。　Within　the　furnace　were　seen

the　curling　and　riotous　flames；　and　the　burning　marble；　almost

molten　with　the　intensity　of　heat；　while　without；　the　reflection

of　the　fire　quivered　on　the　dark　intricacy　of　the　surrounding

forest；　and　showed　in　the　foreground　a　bright　and　ruddy　little

picture　of　the　hut；　the　spring　beside　its　door；　the　athletic　and

coal…begrimed　figure　of　the　lime…burner；　and　the　half…frightened

child；　shrinking　into　the　protection　of　his　father's　shadow。　And

when；　again；　the　iron　door　was　closed；　then　reappeared　the　tender

light　of　the　half…full　moon；　which　vainly　strove　to　trace　out　the

indistinct　shapes　of　the　neighboring　mountains；　and；　in　the　upper

sky；　there　was　a　flitting　congregation　of　clouds；　still　faintly

tinged　with　the　rosy　sunset；　though　thus　far　down　into　the　valley

the　sunshine　had　vanished　long　and　long　ago



The　little　boy　now　crept　still　closer　to　his　father；　as　footsteps

were　heard　ascending　the　hill…side；　and　a　human　form　thrust　aside

the　bushes　that　clustered　beneath　the　trees。



〃Halloo！　who　is　it？〃　cried　the　lime…burner；　vexed　at　his　son's

timidity；　yet　half　infected　by　it。　〃Come　forward；　and　show

yourself；　like　a　man；　or　I'll　fling　this　chunk　of　marble　at　your

head！〃



〃You　offer　me　a　rough　welcome；〃　said　a　gloomy　voice；　as　the

unknown　man　drew　nigh。　〃Yet　I　neither　claim　nor　desire　a　kinder

one；　even　at　my　own　fireside。〃



To　obtain　a　distincter　view；　Bartram　threw　open　the　iron　door　of

the　kiln；　whence　immediately　issued　a　gush　of　fierce　light；　that

smote　full　upon　the　stranger's　face　and　figure。　To　a　careless　eye

there　appeared　nothing　very　remarkable　in　his　aspect；　which　was

that　of　a　man　in　a　coarse　brown；　country…made　suit　of　clothes；

tall　and　thin；　with　the　staff　and　heavy　shoes　of　a　wayfarer。　As

he　advanced；　he　fixed　his　eyeswhich　were　very　brightintently

upon　the　brightness　of　the　furnace；　as　if　he　beheld；　or　expected

to　behold；　some　object　worthy　of　note　within　it。



〃Good　evening；　stranger；〃　said　the　lime…burner；　〃whence　come　you；

so　late　in　the　day？〃



〃I　come　from　my　search；〃　answered　the　wayfarer；　〃for；　at　last；　it

is　finished。〃



〃Drunk！or　crazy！〃　muttered　Bartram　to　himself。　〃I　shall　have

trouble　with　the　fellow。　The　sooner　I　drive　him　away；　the

better。〃



The　little　boy；　all　in　a　tremble；　whispered　to　his　father；　and

begged　him　to　shut　the　door　of　the　kiln；　so　that　there　might　not

be　so　much　light；　for　that　there　was　something　in　the　man's　face

which　he　was　afraid　to　look　at；　yet　could　not　look　away　from。

And；　indeed；　even　the　lime…burner's　dull　and　torpid　sense　began

to　be　impressed　by　an　indescribable　something　in　that　thin；

rugged；　thoughtful　visage；　with　the　grizzled　hair　hanging　wildly

about　it；　and　those　deeply　sunken　eyes；　which　gleamed　like　fires

within　the　entrance　of　a　mysterious　cavern。　But；　as　he　closed　the

door；　the　stranger　turned　towards　him；　and　spoke　in　a　quiet；

familiar　way；　that　made　Bartram　feel　as　if　he　were　a　sane　and

sensible　man；　after　all。



〃Your　task　draws　to　an　end；　I　see；〃　said　he。　〃This　marble　has

already　been　burning　three　days。　A　few　hours　more　will　convert

the　stone　to　lime。〃



〃Why；　who　are　you？〃　exclaimed　the　lime…burner。　〃You　seem　as　well

acquainted　with　my　business　as　I　am　myself。〃



〃And　well　I　may　be；〃　said　the　stranger；　〃for　I　followed　the　same

craft　many　a　long　year；　and　here；　too；　on　this　very　spot。　But　you

are　a　newcomer　in　these　parts。　Did　you　never　hear　of　Ethan

Brand？〃



〃The　man　that　went　in　search　of　the　Unpardonable　Sin？〃　asked

Bartram；　with　a　laugh。



〃The　same；〃　answered　the　stranger。　〃He　has　found　what　he　sought；

and　therefore　he　comes　back　again。〃



〃What！　then　you　are　Ethan　Brand　himself？〃　cried　the　lime…burner；

in　amazement。　〃I　am　a　new…comer　here；　as　you　say；　and　they　call

it　eighteen　years　since　you　left　the　foot　of　Graylock。　But；　I　can

tell　you；　the　good　folks　still　talk　about　Ethan　Brand；　in　the

village　yonder；　and　what　a　strange　errand　took　him　away　from　his

lime…kiln。　Well；　and　so　you　have　found　the　Unpardonable　Sin？〃



〃Even　so！〃　said　the　stranger；　calmly。



〃If　the　question　is　a　fair　one；〃　proceeded　Bartram；　〃where　might

it　be？〃



Ethan　Brand　laid　his　finger　on　his　own　heart。



〃Here！〃　replied　he。



And　then；　without　mirth　in　his　countenance；　but　as　if　moved　by　an

involuntary　recognition　of　the　infinite　absurdity　of　seeking

throughout　the　world　for　what　was　the　closest　of　all　things　to

himself；　and　looking　into　every　heart；　save　his　own；　for　what　was

hidden　in　no　other　breast；　he　broke　into　a　laugh　of　scorn。　It　was

the　same　slow；　heavy　laugh；　that　had　almost　appalled　the

lime…burner　when　it　heralded　the　wayfarer's　approach。



The　solitary　mountain…side　was　made　dismal　by　it。　Laughter；　when

out　of　place；　mistimed；　or　bursting　forth　from　a　disordered　state

of　feeling；　may　be　the　most　terrible　modulation　of　the　human

voice。　The　laughter　of　one　asleep；　even　if　it　be　a　little

child；the　madman's　laugh；the　wild；　screaming　laugh　of　a　born

idiot；are　sounds　that　we　sometimes　tremble　to　hear；　and　would

always　willingly　forget。　Poets　have　imagined　no　utterance　of

fiends　or　hobgoblins　so　fearfully　appropriate　as　a　laugh。　And

even　the　obtuse　lime…burner　felt　his　nerves　shaken；　as　this

strange　man　looked　inward　at　his　own　heart；　and　burst　into

laughter　that　rolled　away　into　the　night；　and　was　indistinctly

reverberated　among　the　hills。



〃Joe；〃　said　he　to　his　little　son；　〃scamper　down　to　the　tavern　in

the　village；　and　tell　the　jolly　fellows　there　that　Ethan　Brand

has　come　back；　and　that　he　has　found　the　Unpardonable　Sin！〃



The　boy　darted　away　on　his　errand；　to　which　Ethan　Brand　made　no

objection；　nor　seemed　hardly　to　notice　it。　He　sat　on　a　log　of

wood；　looking　steadfastly　at　the　iron　door　of　the　kiln。　When　the

child　was　out　of　sight；　and　his　swift　and　light　footsteps　ceased

to　be　heard　treading　first　on　the　fallen　leaves　and　then　on　the

rocky　mountain…path；　the　lime…burner　began　to　regret　his

departure。　He　felt　that　the　l