twice-told tales- ethan brand-第3节

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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　for　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　doubt…and；　strange　to

say；　it　was　a　painful　doubt…whether　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　fellow；　and　the　fit

companion　of　old　Humphrey；　here！〃

　　　He　pointed　to　an　old　man；　shabbily　dressed；　with　long　white　hair；

thin　visage；　and　unsteady　eyes。　For　some　years　past　this　aged　person

had　been　wandering　about　among　the　hills；　inquiring　of　all

travellers　whom　he　met　for　his　daughter。　The　girl；　it　seemed；　had　gone

off　with　a　company　of　circus…performers；　and　occasionally　tidings　of

her　came　to　the　village；　and　fine　stories　were　told　of　her

glittering　appearance　as　she　rode　on　horse…back　in　the　ring；　or

performed　marvellous　feats　on　the　tight…rope。

　　　The　white…haired　father　now　approached　Ethan　Brand；　and　gazed

unsteadily　into　his　face。

　　　〃They　tell　me　you　have　been　all　over　the　earth；〃　said　he；

wringing　his　hands　with　earnestness。　〃You　must　have　seen　my

daughter；　for　she　makes　a　grand　figure　in　the　world；　and　everybody

goes　to　see　her。　Did　she　send　any　word　to　her　old　father；　or　say

when　she　was　coming　back？〃

　　　Ethan　Brand's　eye　quailed　beneath　the　old　man's。　That　daughter；

from　whom　he　so　earnestly　desired　a　word　of　greeting；　was　the　Esther

of　our　tale；　the　very　girl　whom；　with　such　cold　and　remorseless

purpose；　Ethan　Brand　had　made　the　subject　of　a　psychological

experiment；　and　wasted；　absorbed；　and　perhaps　annihilated　her　soul；　in

the　process。

　　　〃Yes；〃　murmured　he；　turning　away　from　the　hoary　wanderer；　〃it　is　no

delusion。　There　is　an　Unpardonable　Sin！〃

　　　While　these　things　were　passing；　a　merry　scene　was　going　forward　in

the　area　of　cheerful　light；　beside　the　spring　and　before　the　door　of

the　hut。　A　number　of　the　youth　of　the　village；　young　men　and　girls；

had　hurried　up　the　hill…side；　impelled　by　curiosity　to　see　Ethan

Brand；　the　hero　of　so　many　a　legend　familiar　to　their　childhood。

Finding　nothing；　however；　very　remarkable　in　his　aspect…　nothing　but　a

sun…burnt　wayfarer；　in　plain　garb　and　dusty　shoes；　who　sat　looking

into　the　fire；　as　if　he　fancied　pictures　among　the　coals…　these

young　people　speedily　grew　tired　of　observing　him。　As　it　happened；

there　was　other　amusement　at　hand。　An　old　German　Jew；　travelling

with　a　diorama　on　his　back；　was　passing　down　the　mountain…road　towards

the　village　just　as　the　party　turned　aside　from　it；　and；　in　hopes　of

eking　out　the　profits　of　the　day；　the　showman　had　kept　them　company　to

the　lime…kiln。

　　　〃Come；　old　Dutchman；〃　cried　one　of　the　young　men；　〃let　us　see

your　pictures；　if　you　can　swear　they　are　worth　looking　at！〃

　　　〃O；　yes；　Captain；〃　answered　the　Jew…　whether　as　a　matter　of

courtesy　or　craft；　he　styled　everybody　Captain…　〃I　shall　show　you；

indeed；　some　very　superb　pictures！〃

　　　So；　placing　his　box　in　a　proper　position；　he　invited　the　young

men　and　girls　to　look　through　the　glass　orifices　of　the　machine；　and

proceeded　to　exhibit　a　series　of　the　most　outrageous　scratchings　and

daubings；　as　specimens　of　the　fine　arts；　that　ever　an　itinerant

showman　had　the　face　to　impose　upon　his　circle　of　spectators。　The

pictures　were　worn　out；　moreover；　tattered；　full　of　cracks　and

wrinkles；　dingy　with　tobacco…smoke；　and　otherwise　in　a　most　pitiable

condition。　Some　purported　to　be　cities；　public　edifices；　and　ruined

castles　in　Europe；　others　represented　Napoleon's　battles　and

Nelson's　sea…fights；　and　in　the　midst　of　these　would　be　seen　a

gigantic；　brown；　hairy　hand…　which　might　have　been　mistaken　for　the

Hand　of　Destiny；　though；　in　truth；　it　was　only　the　showman's…　pointing

its　forefinger　to　various　scenes　of　the　conflict；　while　its　owner　gave

historical　illustrations。　When；　with　much　merriment　at　its

abominable　deficiency　of　merit；　the　exhibition　was　concluded；　the

German　bade　little　Joe　put　his　head　into　the　box。　Viewed　through　the

magnifying　glasses；　the　boy's　round；　rosy　visage　assumed　the　strangest

imaginable　aspect　of　an　immense　Titanic　child；　the　mouth　grinning

broadly；　and　the　eyes　and　every　other　feature　overflowing　with　fun

at　the　joke。　Suddenly；　however；　that　merry　face　turned　pale；　and　its

expression　changed　to　horror；　for　this　easily　impressed　and

excitable　child　had　become　sensible　that　the　eye　of　Ethan　Brand　was

fixed　upon　him　through　the　glass。

　　　〃You　make　the　little　man　to　be　afraid；　Captain；〃　said　the　German

Jew；　turning　up　the　dark　and　strong　outline　of　his　visage；　from　his

stooping　posture。　〃But　look　again；　and；　by　chance；　I　shall　cause　you

to　see　somewhat　that　is　very　fine；　upon　my　word！〃

　　　Ethan　Brand　gazed　into　the　box　for　an　instant；　and　then　starting

back；　looked　fixedly　at　the　German。　What　had　he　seen？　Nothing；

apparently；　for　a　curious　youth；　who　had　peeped　in　almost　at　the

same　moment；　beheld　only　a　vacant　space　of　canvas。

　　　〃I　remember　you　now；〃　muttered　Ethan　Brand　to　the　showman。

　　　〃Ah；　Captain；〃　whispered　the　Jew　of　Nuremberg；　with　a　dark　smile；

〃I　find　it　to　be　a　heavy　matter　in　my　show…box…　this　Unpardonable　Sin！

By　my　faith；　Captain；　it　has　wearied　my　shoulders；　this　long　day；　to

carry　it　over　the　mountain。〃

　　　〃Peace；〃　answered　Ethan　Brand；　sternly；　〃or　get　thee　into　the

furnace　yonder！〃

　　　The　Jew's　exhibition　had　scarcely　concluded；　when　a　great；

elderly　dog…　who　seemed　to　be　his　own　master；　as　no　person　in　the

company　laid　claim　to　him…　saw　fit　to　render　himself　the　object　of

public　notice。　Hitherto；　he　had　shown　himself　a　very　quiet；　well

disposed　old　dog；　going　round　from　one　to　another；　and；　by　way　of

being　sociable；　offering　his　rough　head　to　be　patted　by　any　kindly

hand　that　would　take　so　much　trouble。　But　now；　all　of　a　sudden；　this

grave　and　venerable　quadruped；　of　his　own　mere　motion；　and　without　the

slightest　suggestion　from　anybody　else；　began　to　run　round　after　his

tail；　which；　to　heighten　the　absurdity　of　the　proceeding；　was　a

great　deal　shorter　than　it　should　have　been。　Never　was　seen　such

headlong　eagerness　in　pursuit　of　an　object　that　could　not　possibly

be　attained；　never　was　heard　such　a　tremendous　outbreak　of　growling；

snarling；　barking；　and　snapping…　as　if　one　end　of　the　ridiculous

brute's　body　were　at　deadly　and　most　unforgivable　enmity　with　the

other。　Faster　and　faster；　round　about　went　the　cur；　and　faster　and

still　faster　fled　the　unapproachable　brevity　of　his　tail；　and　louder

and　fiercer　grew　his　yells　of　rage　and　animosity；　until；　utterly

exhausted；　and　as　far　from　the　goal　as　ever；　the　foolish　old　dog

ceased　his　performance　as　suddenly　as　he　had　begun　it。　The　next　moment

he　was　as　mild；　quiet；　sensible；　and　respectable　in　his　deportment；　as

when　he　first　scraped　acquaintance　with　the　company。

　　　As　may　be　supposed；　the　exhibition　was　greeted　with　universal

laughter；　clapping　of　hands；　and　shouts　of　encore；　to　which　the　canine

performer　responded　by　wagging　all　that　there　was　to　wag　of　his

tail；　but　appeared　totally　unable　to　repeat　his　very　successful　effort

to　amuse　the　spectators。

　　　Meanwhile；　Ethan　Brand　had　resumed　his　seat　upon　the　log；　and

moved；　it　might　be；　by　a　perception　of　some　remote　analogy　between　his

own　case　and　that　of　this　self…pursuing　cur；　he　broke　into　the　awful

laugh；　which；　more　than　any　other　token；　expressed　the　condition　of

his　inward　being。　From　that　moment；　the　merriment　of　the　party　was

at　an　end；　they　stood　aghast；　dr