ethan brand-第2部分

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

departure。　He　felt　that　the　little　fellow's　presence　had　been　a

barrier　between　his　guest　and　himself；　and　that　he　must　now　deal；

heart　to　heart；　with　a　man　who；　on　his　own　confession；　had

committed　the　one　only　crime　for　which　Heaven　could　afford　no

mercy。　That　crime；　in　its　indistinct　blackness；　seemed　to

overshadow　him；　and　made　his　memory　riotous　with　a　throng　of　evil

shapes　that　asserted　their　kindred　with　the　Master　Sin；　whatever

it　might　be；　which　it　was　within　the　scope　of　man's　corrupted

nature　to　conceive　and　cherish。　They　were　all　of　one　family；　they

went　to　and　fro　between　his　breast　and　Ethan　Brand's；　and　carried

dark　greetings　from　one　to　the　other。



Then　Bartram　remembered　the　stories　which　had　grown　traditionary

in　reference　to　this　strange　man；　who　had　come　upon　him　like　a

shadow　of　the　night；　and　was　making　himself　at　home　in　his　old

place；　after　so　long　absence；　that　the　dead　people；　dead　and

buried　for　years；　would　have　had　more　right　to　be　at　home；　in　any

familiar　spot；　than　he。　Ethan　Brand；　it　was　said；　had　conversed

with　Satan　himself　in　the　lurid　blaze　of　this　very　kiln。　The

legend　had　been　matter　of　mirth　heretofore；　but　looked　grisly

now。　According　to　this　tale；　before　Ethan　Brand　departed　on　his

search；　he　had　been　accustomed　to　evoke　a　fiend　from　the　hot

furnace　of　the　lime…kiln；　night　after　night；　in　order　to　confer

with　him　about　the　Unpardonable　Sin；　the　man　and　the　fiend　each

laboring　to　frame　the　image　of　some　mode　of　guilt　which　could

neither　be　atoned　for　nor　forgiven。　And；　with　the　first　gleam　of

light　upon　the　mountain…top；　the　fiend　crept　in　at　the　iron　door；

there　to　abide　the　intensest　element　of　fire　until　again　summoned

forth　to　share　in　the　dreadful　task　of　extending　man's　possible

guilt　beyond　the　scope　of　Heaven's　else　infinite　mercy。



While　the　lime…burner　was　struggling　with　the　horror　of　these

thoughts；　Ethan　Brand　rose　from　the　log；　and　flung　open　the　door

of　the　kiln。　The　action　was　in　such　accordance　with　the　idea　in

Bartram's　mind；　that　he　almost　expected　to　see　the　Evil　One　issue

forth；　red…hot；　from　the　raging　furnace。



〃Hold！　hold！〃　cried　he；　with　a　tremulous　attempt　to　laugh；　for　he

was　ashamed　of　his　fears；　although　they　overmastered　him。　〃Don't；

for　mercy's　sake；　bring　out　your　Devil　now！〃



〃Man！〃　sternly　replied　Ethan　Brand；　〃what　need　have　I　of　the

Devil？　I　have　left　him　behind　me；　on　my　track。　It　is　with　such

half…way　sinners　as　you　that　he　busies　himself。　Fear　not；　because

I　open　the　door。　I　do　but　act　by　old　custom；　and　am　going　to　trim

your　fire；　like　a　lime…burner；　as　I　was　once。〃



He　stirred　the　vast　coals；　thrust　in　more　wood；　and　bent　forward

to　gaze　into　the　hollow　prison…house　of　the　fire；　regardless　of

the　fierce　glow　that　reddened　upon　his　face。　The　lime…burner　sat

watching　him；　and　half　suspected　this　strange　guest　of　a　purpose；

if　not　to　evoke　a　fiend；　at　least　to　plunge　into　the　flames；　and

thus　vanish　from　the　sight　of　man。　Ethan　Brand；　however；　drew

quietly　back；　and　closed　the　door　of　the　kiln。



〃I　have　looked；〃　said　he；　〃into　many　a　human　heart　that　was　seven

times　hotter　with　sinful　passions　than　yonder　furnace　is　with

fire。　But　I　found　not　there　what　I　sought。　No；　not　the

Unpardonable　Sin！〃



〃What　is　the　Unpardonable　Sin？〃　asked　the　lime…burner；　and　then

he　shrank　farther　from　his　companion；　trembling　lest　his　question

should　be　answered。



〃It　is　a　sin　that　grew　within　my　own　breast；〃　replied　Ethan

Brand；　standing　erect　with　a　pride　that　distinguishes　all

enthusiasts　of　his　stamp。　〃A　sin　that　grew　nowhere　else！　The　sin

of　an　intellect　that　triumphed　over　the　sense　of　brotherhood　with

man　and　reverence　for　God；　and　sacrificed　everything　to　its　own

mighty　claims！　The　only　sin　that　deserves　a　recompense　of

immortal　agony！　Freely；　were　it　to　do　again；　would　I　incur　the

guilt。　Unshrinkingly　I　accept　the　retribution！〃



〃The　man's　head　is　turned；〃　muttered　the　lime…burner　to　himself。

〃He　may　be　a　sinner　like　the　rest　of　us；nothing　more

likely；but；　I'll　be　sworn；　he　is　a　madman　too。〃



Nevertheless；　he　felt　uncomfortable　at　his　situation；　alone　with

Ethan　Brand　on　the　wild　mountain…side；　and　was　right　glad　to　hear

the　rough　murmur　of　tongues；　and　the　footsteps　of　what　seemed　a

pretty　numerous　party；　stumbling　over　the　stones　and　rustling

through　the　underbrush。　Soon　appeared　the　whole　lazy　regiment

that　was　wont　to　infest　the　village　tavern；　comprehending　three

or　four　individuals　who　had　drunk　flip　beside　the　bar…room　fire

through　all　the　winters；　and　smoked　their　pipes　beneath　the　stoop

through　all　the　summers；　since　Ethan　Brand's　departure。　Laughing

boisterously；　and　mingling　all　their　voices　together　in

unceremonious　talk；　they　now　burst　into　the　moonshine　and　narrow

streaks　of　firelight　that　illuminated　the　open　space　before　the

lime…kiln。　Bartram　set　the　door　ajar　again；　flooding　the　spot

with　light；　that　the　whole　company　might　get　a　fair　view　of　Ethan

Brand；　and　he　of　them。



There；　among　other　old　acquaintances；　was　a　once　ubiquitous　man；

now　almost　extinct；　but　whom　we　were　formerly　sure　to　encounter

at　the　hotel　of　every　thriving　village　throughout　the　country。　It

was　the　stage…agent。　The　present　specimen　of　the　genus　was　a

wilted　and　smoke…dried　man；　wrinkled　and　red…nosed；　in　a　smartly

cut；　brown；　bobtailed　coat；　with　brass　buttons；　who；　for　a　length

of　time　unknown；　had　kept　his　desk　and　corner　in　the　bar…room；

and　was　still　puffing　what　seemed　to　be　the　same　cigar　that　he

had　lighted　twenty　years　before。　He　had　great　fame　as　a　dry

joker；　though；　perhaps；　less　on　account　of　any　intrinsic　humor

than　from　a　certain　flavor　of　brandy…toddy　and　tobacco…smoke；

which　impregnated　all　his　ideas　and　expressions；　as　well　as　his

person。　Another　well…remembered；　though　strangely　altered；　face

was　that　of　Lawyer　Giles；　as　people　still　called　him　in　courtesy；

an　elderly　ragamuffin；　in　his　soiled　shirtsleeves　and　tow…cloth

trousers。　This　poor　fellow　had　been　an　attorney；　in　what　he

called　his　better　days；　a　sharp　practitioner；　and　in　great　vogue

among　the　village　litigants；　but　flip；　and　sling；　and　toddy；　and

cocktails；　imbibed　at　all　hours；　morning；　noon；　and　night；　had

caused　him　to　slide　from　intellectual　to　various　kinds　and

degrees　of　bodily　labor；　till　at　last；　to　adopt　his　own　phrase；

he　slid　into　a　soap…vat。　In　other　words；　Giles　was　now　a

soap…boiler；　in　a　small　way。　He　had　come　to　be　but　the　fragment

of　a　human　being；　a　part　of　one　foot　having　been　chopped　off　by

an　axe；　and　an　entire　hand　torn　away　by　the　devilish　grip　of　a

steam…engine。　Yet；　though　the　corporeal　hand　was　gone；　a

spiritual　member　remained；　for；　stretching　forth　the　stump；　Giles

steadfastly　averred　that　he　felt　an　invisible　thumb　and　fingers

with　as　vivid　a　sensation　as　before　the　real　ones　were　amputated。

A　maimed　and　miserable　wretch　he　was；　but　one；　nevertheless；　whom

the　world　could　not　trample　on；　and　had　no　right　to　scorn；　either

in　this　or　any　previous　stage　of　his　misfortunes；　since　he　had

still　kept　up　the　courage　and　spirit　of　a　man；　asked　nothing　in

charity；　and　with　his　one　handand　that　the　left　onefought　a

stern　battle　against　want　and　hostile　circumstances。



Among　the　throng；　too；　came　another　personage；　who；　with　certain

points　of　similarity　to　Lawyer　Giles；　had　many　more　of

difference。　It　was　the　village　doctor；　a　man　of　some　fifty　years；

whom；　at　an　earlier　period　of　his　life；　we　introduced　as　paying　a

professional　visit　to　Ethan　Brand　during　the　latter's　supposed

insanity。　He　was　now　a　purple…visaged；　rude；　and　brutal；　yet

half…gentlemanly　figure；　with　something　wild；　ruined；　and

desperate　in　his　talk；　and　in　all　the　details　of　his　gesture　and

manners。　Brandy　possessed　this　man　like　an　evil　spirit；　and　made

him　as　surly　and　savage　as　a　wild　beast；　and　as　miserable　as　a

lost　soul；　but　there　was　supposed　to　be　in　him　such　wonderful

skill；　such　native　gifts　of　healing；　beyond　any　which　medical

science　could　impart；　that　society　caught　hold　of　him；　and　would

not　let　him　sink　out　of　its　reach。　So；　swaying　to　and　fro　upon

his　horse；　and　grumbling　thick　accents　at　the　bedside；　he　visited

all　the　sick…chambers　for　miles　about　among　the　mountain　towns；

and　sometimes　raised　a　dying　man；　as　it　were；　by　miracle；　or

quite　as　often；　no　doubt；　sent　his　patient　to　a　grave　that　was

dug　many　a　year　too　soon。　The　doctor　had　an　everlasting　pipe　in

his　mouth；　and；　as　somebody　said；　in　allusion　to　his　habit　of

swearing；　it　was　always　alight　with　hell…fire。



These　three　worthies　pressed　forward；　and　greeted　Ethan　Brand

each　after　his　own　fashion；　earnestly　inviting　him　to　partake　of

the　contents　of　a　certain　black　bottle；　in　which；　as　they

averred；　he　would　find　something　far　better　worth　seeking　than

the　Unpardonable　Sin。　No　mind；　which　has　wrought　itself　by

intense　and　solitary　meditation　into　a　high　state　of　enthusiasm；

can　endure　the　kind　of　contact　with　low　and　vulgar　modes　of

thought　and　feeling　to　which　Ethan　Brand　was　now　subjected。　It

made　him　doubtand；　strange　to　say；　it　was　a　painful

doubtwhether　he　had　indeed　found　the　Unpardonable　Sin；　and

found　it　within　himself。　The　whole　question　on　which　he　had

exhausted　life；　and　more　than　life；　looked　like　a　delusion。



〃Leave　me；〃　he　said　bitterly；　〃ye　brute　beasts；　that　have　made

yourselves　so；　shrivelling　up　your　souls　with　fiery　liquors！　I

have　done　with　you。　Years　and　years　ago；　I　groped　into　your

hearts　and　found　nothing　there　for　my　purpose。　Get　ye　gone！〃



〃Why；　you　uncivil　scoundrel；〃　cried　the　fierce　doctor；　〃is　that

the　way　you　respond　to　the　kindness　of　your　best　friends？　Then

let　me　tell　you　the　truth。　You　have　no　more　found　the

Unpardonable　Sin　than　yonder　boy　Joe　has。　You　are　but　a　crazy

fellow；I　told　you　so　twenty　years　ago；…neither　better　nor　worse

than　a　crazy　fe