twice-told tales- ethan brand-第1节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　TWICE…TOLD　TALES

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　ETHAN　BRAND

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A　CHAPTER　FROM　AN　ABORTIVE　ROMANCE

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Nathaniel　Hawthorne



　　　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。

　　　〃O；　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　Gray…lock。〃

　　　〃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　oven…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　lime…burner　still　feeds　his　daily

and　nightlong　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　eyes…　which　were　very　bright…　intently　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　newcomer　here；　as　you　say；　and　they　call　it

eighteen　years　since　you　left　the　foot　of　Gray…lock。　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；