twice-told tales- ethan brand-第2节

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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　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。　The　lime…burner's　own　sins　rose　up　within

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　halfway

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　his　strange　guest　of　a　purpose；　if

not　to　evoke　a　fiend；　at　least　to　plunge　bodily　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　further　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　fire…light　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；

bob…tailed　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

shirt…sleeves　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　hand…　and　that　the　left　one…　fought　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