ethan brand-第4部分

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had　first　begun　to　contemplate　those　ideas　which　afterwards

became　the　inspiration　of　his　life；　with　what　reverence　he　had

then　looked　into　the　heart　of　man；　viewing　it　as　a　temple

originally　divine；　and；　however　desecrated；　still　to　be　held

sacred　by　a　brother；　with　what　awful　fear　he　had　deprecated　the

success　of　his　pursuit；　and　prayed　that　the　Unpardonable　Sin

might　never　be　revealed　to　him。　Then　ensued　that　vast

intellectual　development；　which；　in　its　progress；　disturbed　the

counterpoise　between　his　mind　and　heart。　The　Idea　that　possessed

his　life　had　operated　as　a　means　of　education；　it　had　gone　on

cultivating　his　powers　to　the　highest　point　of　which　they　were

susceptible；　it　had　raised　him　from　the　level　of　an　unlettered

laborer　to　stand　on　a　star…lit　eminence；　whither　the　philosophers

of　the　earth；　laden　with　the　lore　of　universities；　might　vainly

strive　to　clamber　after　him。　So　much　for　the　intellect！　But　where

was　the　heart？　That；　indeed；　had　withered；had　contracted；had

hardened；had　perished！　It　had　ceased　to　partake　of　the

universal　throb。　He　had　lost　his　hold　of　the　magnetic　chain　of

humanity。　He　was　no　longer　a　brother…man；　opening　the　chambers　or

the　dungeons　of　our　common　nature　by　the　key　of　holy　sympathy；

which　gave　him　a　right　to　share　in　all　its　secrets；　he　was　now　a

cold　observer；　looking　on　mankind　as　the　subject　of　his

experiment；　and；　at　length；　converting　man　and　woman　to　be　his

puppets；　and　pulling　the　wires　that　moved　them　to　such　degrees　of

crime　as　were　demanded　for　his　study。



Thus　Ethan　Brand　became　a　fiend。　He　began　to　be　so　from　the

moment　that　his　moral　nature　had　ceased　to　keep　the　pace　of

improvement　with　his　intellect。　And　now；　as　his　highest　effort

and　inevitable　development；as　the　bright　and　gorgeous　flower；

and　rich；　delicious　fruit　of　his　life's　labor；he　had　produced

the　Unpardonable　Sin！



〃What　more　have　I　to　seek？　what　more　to　achieve？〃　said　Ethan

Brand　to　himself。　〃My　task　is　done；　and　well　done！〃



Starting　from　the　log　with　a　certain　alacrity　in　his　gait　and

ascending　the　hillock　of　earth　that　was　raised　against　the　stone

circumference　of　the　lime…kiln；　he　thus　reached　the　top　of　the

structure。　It　was　a　space　of　perhaps　ten　feet　across；　from　edge

to　edge；　presenting　a　view　of　the　upper　surface　of　the　immense

mass　of　broken　marble　with　which　the　kiln　was　heaped。　All　these

innumerable　blocks　and　fragments　of　marble　were　redhot　and

vividly　on　fire；　sending　up　great　spouts　of　blue　flame；　which

quivered　aloft　and　danced　madly；　as　within　a　magic　circle；　and

sank　and　rose　again；　with　continual　and　multitudinous　activity。

As　the　lonely　man　bent　forward　over　this　terrible　body　of　fire；

the　blasting　heat　smote　up　against　his　person　with　a　breath　that；

it　might　be　supposed；　would　have　scorched　and　shrivelled　him　up

in　a　moment。



Ethan　Brand　stood　erect；　and　raised　his　arms　on　high。　The　blue

flames　played　upon　his　face；　and　imparted　the　wild　and　ghastly

light　which　alone　could　have　suited　its　expression；　it　was　that

of　a　fiend　on　the　verge　of　plunging　into　his　gulf　of　intensest

torment。



〃O　Mother　Earth；〃　cried　he；　〃who　art　no　more　my　Mother；　and　into

whose　bosom　this　frame　shall　never　be　resolved！　O　mankind；　whose

brotherhood　I　have　cast　off；　and　trampled　thy　great　heart　beneath

my　feet！　O　stars　of　heaven；　that　shone　on　me　of　old；　as　if　to

light　me　onward　and　upward！farewell　all；　and　forever。　Come；

deadly　element　of　Fire；…henceforth　my　familiar　friend！　Embrace

me；　as　I　do　thee！　〃



That　night　the　sound　of　a　fearful　peal　of　laughter　rolled　heavily

through　the　sleep　of　the　lime…burner　and　his　little　son；　dim

shapes　of　horror　and　anguish　haunted　their　dreams；　and　seemed

still　present　in　the　rude　hovel；　when　they　opened　their　eyes　to

the　daylight。



〃Up；　boy；　up！〃　cried　the　lime…burner；　staring　about　him。　〃Thank

Heaven；　the　night　is　gone；　at　last；　and　rather　than　pass　such

another；　I　would　watch　my　lime…kiln；　wide　awake；　for　a

twelvemonth。　This　Ethan　Brand；　with　his　humbug　of　an　Unpardonable

Sin；　has　done　me　no　such　mighty　favor；　in　taking　my　place！〃



He　issued　from　the　hut；　followed　by　little　Joe；　who　kept　fast

hold　of　his　father's　hand。　The　early　sunshine　was　already　pouring

its　gold　upon　the　mountain…tops；　and　though　the　valleys　were

still　in　shadow；　they　smiled　cheerfully　in　the　promise　of　the

bright　day　that　was　hastening　onward。　The　village；　completely

shut　in　by　hills；　which　swelled　away　gently　about　it；　looked　as

if　it　had　rested　peacefully　in　the　hollow　of　the　great　hand　of

Providence。　Every　dwelling　was　distinctly　visible；　the　little

spires　of　the　two　churches　pointed　upwards；　and　caught　a

fore…glimmering　of　brightness　from　the　sun…gilt　skies　upon　their

gilded　weather…cocks。　The　tavern　was　astir；　and　the　figure　of　the

old；　smoke…dried　stage…agent；　cigar　in　mouth；　was　seen　beneath

the　stoop。　Old　Graylock　was　glorified　with　a　golden　cloud　upon

his　head。　Scattered　likewise　over　the　breasts　of　the　surrounding

mountains；　there　were　heaps　of　hoary　mist；　in　fantastic　shapes；

some　of　them　far　down　into　the　valley；　others　high　up　towards　the

summits；　and　still　others；　of　the　same　family　of　mist　or　cloud；

hovering　in　the　gold　radiance　of　the　upper　atmosphere。　Stepping

from　one　to　another　of　the　clouds　that　rested　on　the　hills；　and

thence　to　the　loftier　brotherhood　that　sailed　in　air；　it　seemed

almost　as　if　a　mortal　man　might　thus　ascend　into　the　heavenly

regions。　Earth　was　so　mingled　with　sky　that　it　was　a　day…dream　to

look　at　it。



To　supply　that　charm　of　the　familiar　and　homely；　which　Nature　so

readily　adopts　into　a　scene　like　this；　the　stage…coach　was

rattling　down　the　mountain…road；　and　the　driver　sounded　his　horn；

while　Echo　caught　up　the　notes；　and　intertwined　them　into　a　rich

and　varied　and　elaborate　harmony；　of　which　the　original　performer

could　lay　claim　to　little　share。　The　great　hills　played　a　concert

among　themselves；　each　contributing　a　strain　of　airy　sweetness。



Little　Joe's　face　brightened　at　once。



〃Dear　father；〃　cried　he；　skipping　cheerily　to　and　fro；　〃that

strange　man　is　gone；　and　the　sky　and　the　mountains　all　seem　glad

of　it！〃



〃Yes；〃　growled　the　lime…burner；　with　an　oath；　〃but　he　has　let　the

fire　go　down；　and　no　thanks　to　him　if　five　hundred　bushels　of

lime　are　not　spoiled。　If　I　catch　the　fellow　hereabouts　again；　I

shall　feel　like　tossing　him　into　the　furnace！〃



With　his　long　pole　in　his　hand；　he　ascended　to　the　top　of　the

kiln。　After　a　moment's　pause；　he　called　to　his　son。



〃Come　up　here；　Joe！〃　said　he。



So　little　Joe　ran　up　the　hillock；　and　stood　by　his　father's　side。

The　marble　was　all　burnt　into　perfect；　snow…white　lime。　But　on

its　surface；　in　the　midst　of　the　circle；snow…white　too；　and

thoroughly　converted　into　lime；lay　a　human　skeleton；　in　the

attitude　of　a　person　who；　after　long　toil；　lies　down　to　long

repose。　Within　the　ribsstrange　to　saywas　the　shape　of　a　human

heart。



〃Was　the　fellow's　heart　made　of　marble？〃　cried　Bartram；　in　some

perplexity　at　this　phenomenon。　〃At　any　rate；　it　is　burnt　into

what　looks　like　special　good　lime；　and；　taking　all　the　bones

together；　my　kiln　is　half　a　bushel　the　richer　for　him。〃



So　saying；　the　rude　lime…burner　lifted　his　pole；　and；　letting　it

fall　upon　the　skeleton；　the　relics　of　Ethan　Brand　were　crumbled

into　fragments。