第10章

ThenBartramrememberedthestorieswhichhadgrowntraditionaryin

referencetothisstrangeman，whohadcomeuponhimlikeashadow

ofthenight，andwasmakinghimselfathomeinhisoldplace，after

solongabsencethatthedeadpeople，deadandburiedforyears，would

havehadmorerighttobeathome，inanyfamiliarspot，thanhe。

EthanBrand，itwassaid，hadconversedwithSatanhimselfinthe

luridblazeofthisverykiln。Thelegendhadbeenmatterofmirth

heretoforebutlookedgrislynow。Accordingtothistale，beforeEthan

Branddepartedonhissearch，hehadbeenaccustomedtoevokea

fiendfromthehotfurnaceofthelime-kiln，nightafternight，in

ordertoconferwithhimabouttheUnpardonableSin；themanandthe

fiendeachlaboringtoframetheimageofsomemodeofguiltwhich

couldneitherbeatonedfornorforgiven。And，withthefirstgleamof

lightuponthemountain-top，thefiendcreptinattheirondoor，

theretoabidetheintensestelementoffire，untilagainsummoned

forthtoshareinthedreadfultaskofextendingman’spossible

guiltbeyondthescopeofHeaven’selseinfinitemercy。

Whilethelime-burnerwasstrugglingwiththehorrorofthese

thoughts，EthanBrandrosefromthelog，andflungopenthedoorof

thekiln。TheactionwasinsuchaccordancewiththeideainBartram’s

mind，thathealmostexpectedtoseetheEvilOneissueforth，red-hot

fromtheragingfurnace。

“Hold！hold！”criedhe，withatremulousattempttolaugh；forhe

wasashamedofhisfears，althoughtheyovermasteredhim。“Don’t，

formercy’ssake，bringoutyourdevilnow！”

“Man！”sternlyrepliedEthanBrand，“whatneedhaveIofthedevil？

Ihavelefthimbehindme，onmytrack。Itiswithsuchhalfway

sinnersasyouthathebusieshimself。FearnotbecauseIopenthe

door。Idobutactbyoldcustom，andamgoingtotrimyourfire，like

alime-burner，asIwasonce。”

Hestirredthevastcoals，thrustinmorewood，andbentforwardto

gazeintothehollowprison-houseofthefire，regardlessofthe

fierceglowthatreddeneduponhisface。Thelime-burnersat

watchinghim，andhalfsuspectedhisstrangeguestofapurpose，if

nottoevokeafiend，atleasttoplungebodilyintotheflames，and

thusvanishfromthesightofman。EthanBrand，however，drew

quietlyback，andclosedthedoorofthekiln。

“Ihavelooked，saidhe，“intomanyahumanheartthatwasseven

timeshotterwithsinfulpassionsthanyonderfurnaceiswithfire。

ButIfoundnottherewhatIsought。No，nottheUnpardonableSin！”

“WhatistheUnpardonableSin？”askedthelime-burner；andthen

heshrankfurtherfromhiscompanion，tremblinglesthisquestion

shouldbeanswered。

“Itisasinthatgrewwithinmyownbreast。”repliedEthan

Brand，standingerect，withapridethatdistinguishesallenthusiasts

ofhisstamp。“Asinthatgrewnowhereelse！Thesinofanintellect

thattriumphedoverthesenseofbrotherhoodwithmanandreverence

forGod，andsacrificedeverythingtoitsownmightyclaims！The

onlysinthatdeservesarecompenseofimmortalagony！Freely，wereit

todoagain，wouldIincurtheguilt。UnshrinkinglyIacceptthe

retribution！”

“Theman’sheadisturned。”mutteredthelime-burnertohimself。

“Hemaybeasinner，liketherestofus-nothingmorelikely-but，

I’llbesworn，heisamadmantoo。”

Neverthelesshefeltuncomfortableathissituation，alonewith

EthanBrandonthewildmountain-side，andwasrightgladtohear

theroughmurmuroftongues，andthefootstepsofwhatseemedapretty

numerousparty，stumblingoverthestonesandrustlingthroughthe

underbrush。Soonappearedthewholelazyregimentthatwaswontto

infestthevillagetaverncomprehendingthreeorfourindividuals

whohaddrunkflipbesidethebar-roomfirethroughallthewinters，

andsmokedtheirpipesbeneaththestoopthroughallthesummers，

sinceEthanBrand’sdeparture。Laughingboisterously，andminglingall

theirvoicestogetherinunceremonioustalk，theynowburstintothe

moonshineandnarrowstreaksoffire-lightthatilluminatedtheopen

spacebeforethelime-kiln。Bartramsetthedoorajaragain，

floodingthespotwithlight，thatthewholecompanymightgeta

fairviewofEthanBrand，andheofthem。

There，amongotheroldacquaintances，wasaonceubiquitousman，

nowalmostextinct，butwhomwewereformerlysuretoencounteratthe

hotelofeverythrivingvillagethroughoutthecountry。Itwasthe

stage-agent。Thepresentspecimenofthegenuswasawiltedand

smoke-driedman，wrinkledandred-nosed，inasmartlycut，brown，

bob-tailedcoat，withbrassbuttons，who，foralengthoftime

unknown，hadkepthisdeskandcornerinthebar-room，andwasstill

puffingwhatseemedtobethesamecigarthathehadlightedtwenty

yearsbefore。Hehadgreatfameasadryjoker，though，perhaps，

lessonaccountofanyintrinsichumorthanfromacertainflavorof

brandy-toddyandtobacco-smoke，whichimpregnatedallhisideasand

expressions，aswellashisperson。Anotherwell-rememberedthough

strangelyalteredfacewasthatofLawyerGiles，aspeoplestill

calledhimincourtesy；anelderlyragamuffin，inhissoiled

shirt-sleevesandtow-clothtrousers。Thispoorfellowhadbeenan

attorney，inwhathecalledhisbetterdays，asharppractitioner，and

ingreatvogueamongthevillagelitigants；butflip，andsling，and

toddy，andcocktails，imbibedatallhours，morning，noon，and

night，hadcausedhimtoslidefromintellectualtovariouskinds

anddegreesofbodilylabor，till，atlast，toadopthisownphrase，

heslidintoasoap-vat。Inotherwords，Gileswasnowa

soap-boiler，inasmallway。Hehadcometobebutthefragmentofa

humanbeing，apartofonefoothavingbeenchoppedoffbyanaxe，and

anentirehandtornawaybythedevilishgripofasteam-engine。

Yet，thoughthecorporealhandwasgone，aspiritualmember

remained；for，stretchingforththestump，Gilessteadfastlyaverred

thathefeltaninvisiblethumbandfingerswithasvivida

sensationasbeforetherealoneswereamputated。Amaimedand

miserablewretchhewas；butone，nevertheless，whomtheworldcould

nottrampleon，andhadnorighttoscorn，eitherinthisorany

previousstageofhismisfortunes，sincehehadstillkeptupthe

courageandspiritofaman，askednothingincharity，andwithhis

onehand-andthattheleftone-foughtasternbattleagainstwant

andhostilecircumstances。

Amongthethrong，too，cameanotherpersonage，who，withcertain

pointsofsimilaritytoLawyerGiles，hadmanymoreofdifference。

Itwasthevillagedoctor；amanofsomefiftyyears，whom，atan

earlierperiodofhislife，weintroducedaspayingaprofessional

visittoEthanBrandduringthelatter’ssupposedinsanity。Hewasnow

apurple-visaged，rude，andbrutal，yethalf-gentlemanlyfigure，

withsomethingwild，ruined，anddesperateinhistalk，andinallthe

detailsofhisgestureandmanners。Brandypossessedthismanlike

anevilspirit，andmadehimassurlyandsavageasawildbeast，

andasmiserableasalostsoul；buttherewassupposedtobeinhim

suchwonderfulskill，suchnativegiftsofhealing，beyondanywhich

medicalsciencecouldimpart，thatsocietycaughtholdofhim，and

wouldnotlethimsinkoutofitsreach。So，swayingtoandfroupon

hishorse，andgrumblingthickaccentsatthebedside，hevisited

allthesickchambersformilesaboutamongthemountaintowns，and

sometimesraisedadyingman，asitwere，bymiracle，orquiteas

often，nodoubt，senthispatienttoagravethatwasdugmanya

yeartoosoon。Thedoctorhadaneverlastingpipeinhismouth，and，

assomebodysaid，inallusiontohishabitofswearing，itwas

alwaysalightwithhell-fire。

Thesethreeworthiespressedforward，andgreetedEthanBrand

eachafterhisownfashion，earnestlyinvitinghimtopartakeofthe

contentsofacertainblackbottle，inwhich，astheyaverred，he

wouldfindsomethingfarbetterworthseekingforthanthe

UnpardonableSin。Nomind，whichhaswroughtitselfbyintenseand

solitarymeditationintoahighstateofenthusiasm，canendurethe

kindofcontactwithlowandvulgarmodesofthoughtandfeelingto

whichEthanBrandwasnowsubjected。Itmadehimdoubt-and，strangeto

say，itwasapainfuldoubt-whetherhehadindeedfoundthe

UnpardonableSin，andfounditwithinhimself。Thewholequestionon

whichhehadexhaustedlife，andmorethanlife，lookedlikea

delusion。

“Leaveme。”hesaid，bitterly，“yebrutebeasts，thathavemade

yourselvesso，shrivellingupyoursoulswithfieryliquors！Ihave

donewithyou。Yearsandyearsago，Igropedintoyourhearts，and

foundnothingthereformypurpose。Getyegone！”

“Why，youuncivilscoundrel。”criedthefiercedoctor，“isthatthe

wayyourespondtothekindnessofyourbestfriends？Thenletmetell

youthetruth。YouhavenomorefoundtheUnpardonableSinthanyonder

boyJoehas。Youarebutacrazyfellow-Itoldyousotwentyyears

ago-neitherbetternorworsethanacrazyfellow，andthefit

companionofoldHumphrey，here！”

Hepointedtoanoldman，shabbilydressed，withlongwhitehair，

thinvisage，andunsteadyeyes。Forsomeyearspastthisagedperson

hadbeenwanderingaboutamongthehills，inquiringofall

travellerswhomhemetforhisdaughter。Thegirl，itseemed，hadgone

offwithacompanyofcircus-performers；andoccasionallytidingsof

hercametothevillage，andfinestoriesweretoldofher

glitteringappearanceassherodeonhorse-backinthering，or

performedmarvellousfeatsonthetight-rope。

Thewhite-hairedfathernowapproachedEthanBrand，andgazed

unsteadilyintohisface。

“Theytellmeyouhavebeenallovertheearth。”saidhe，

wringinghishandswithearnestness。“Youmusthaveseenmy

daughter，forshemakesagrandfigureintheworld，andeverybody

goestoseeher。Didshesendanywordtoheroldfather，orsay

whenshewascomingback？”

EthanBrand’seyequailedbeneaththeoldman’s。Thatdaughter，

fromwhomhesoearnestlydesiredawordofgreeting，wastheEsther

ofourtale，theverygirlwhom，withsuchcoldandremorseless

purpose，EthanBrandhadmadethesubjectofapsychological

experiment，andwasted，absorbed，andperhapsannihilatedhersoul，in

theprocess。

“Yes。”murmuredhe，turningawayfromthehoarywanderer；“itisno

delusion。ThereisanUnpardonableSin！”

Whilethesethingswerepassing，amerryscenewasgoingforwardin

theareaofcheerfullight，besidethespringandbeforethedoorof

thehut。Anumberoftheyouthofthevillage，youngmenandgirls，

hadhurriedupthehill-side，impelledbycuriositytoseeEthan

Brand，theheroofsomanyalegendfamiliartotheirchildhood。

Findingnothing，however，veryremarkableinhisaspect-nothingbuta

sun-burntwayfarer，inplaingarbanddustyshoes，whosatlooking

intothefire，asifhefanciedpicturesamongthecoals-these

youngpeoplespeedilygrewtiredofobservinghim。Asithappened，

therewasotheramusementathand。AnoldGermanJew，travelling

withadioramaonhisback，waspassingdownthemountain-roadtowards

thevillagejustasthepartyturnedasidefromit，and，inhopesof

ekingouttheprofitsoftheday，theshowmanhadkeptthemcompanyto

thelime-kiln。

“Come，oldDutchman。”criedoneoftheyoungmen，“letussee

yourpictures，ifyoucansweartheyareworthlookingat！”

“O，yes，Captain。”answeredtheJew-whetherasamatterof

courtesyorcraft，hestyledeverybodyCaptain-“Ishallshowyou，

indeed，someverysuperbpictures！”

So，placinghisboxinaproperposition，heinvitedtheyoung