menandgirlstolookthroughtheglassorificesofthemachine，and
proceededtoexhibitaseriesofthemostoutrageousscratchingsand
daubings，asspecimensofthefinearts，thateveranitinerant
showmanhadthefacetoimposeuponhiscircleofspectators。The
pictureswerewornout，moreover，tattered，fullofcracksand
wrinkles，dingywithtobacco-smoke，andotherwiseinamostpitiable
condition。Somepurportedtobecities，publicedifices，andruined
castlesinEurope；othersrepresentedNapoleon’sbattlesand
Nelson’ssea-fights；andinthemidstofthesewouldbeseena
gigantic，brown，hairyhand-whichmighthavebeenmistakenforthe
HandofDestiny，though，intruth，itwasonlytheshowman’s-pointing
itsforefingertovariousscenesoftheconflict，whileitsownergave
historicalillustrations。When，withmuchmerrimentatits
abominabledeficiencyofmerit，theexhibitionwasconcluded，the
GermanbadelittleJoeputhisheadintothebox。Viewedthroughthe
magnifyingglasses，theboy’sround，rosyvisageassumedthestrangest
imaginableaspectofanimmenseTitanicchild，themouthgrinning
broadly，andtheeyesandeveryotherfeatureoverflowingwithfun
atthejoke。Suddenly，however，thatmerryfaceturnedpale，andits
expressionchangedtohorror，forthiseasilyimpressedand
excitablechildhadbecomesensiblethattheeyeofEthanBrandwas
fixeduponhimthroughtheglass。
“Youmakethelittlemantobeafraid，Captain。”saidtheGerman
Jew，turningupthedarkandstrongoutlineofhisvisage，fromhis
stoopingposture。“Butlookagain，and，bychance，Ishallcauseyou
toseesomewhatthatisveryfine，uponmyword！”
EthanBrandgazedintotheboxforaninstant，andthenstarting
back，lookedfixedlyattheGerman。Whathadheseen？Nothing，
apparently；foracuriousyouth，whohadpeepedinalmostatthe
samemoment，beheldonlyavacantspaceofcanvas。
“Irememberyounow。”mutteredEthanBrandtotheshowman。
“Ah，Captain。”whisperedtheJewofNuremberg，withadarksmile，
“Ifindittobeaheavymatterinmyshow-box-thisUnpardonableSin！
Bymyfaith，Captain，ithasweariedmyshoulders，thislongday，to
carryitoverthemountain。”
“Peace。”answeredEthanBrand，sternly，“orgettheeintothe
furnaceyonder！”
TheJew’sexhibitionhadscarcelyconcluded，whenagreat，
elderlydog-whoseemedtobehisownmaster，asnopersoninthe
companylaidclaimtohim-sawfittorenderhimselftheobjectof
publicnotice。Hitherto，hehadshownhimselfaveryquiet，well
disposedolddog，goingroundfromonetoanother，and，bywayof
beingsociable，offeringhisroughheadtobepattedbyanykindly
handthatwouldtakesomuchtrouble。Butnow，allofasudden，this
graveandvenerablequadruped，ofhisownmeremotion，andwithoutthe
slightestsuggestionfromanybodyelse，begantorunroundafterhis
tail，which，toheightentheabsurdityoftheproceeding，wasa
greatdealshorterthanitshouldhavebeen。Neverwasseensuch
headlongeagernessinpursuitofanobjectthatcouldnotpossibly
beattained；neverwasheardsuchatremendousoutbreakofgrowling，
snarling，barking，andsnapping-asifoneendoftheridiculous
brute’sbodywereatdeadlyandmostunforgivableenmitywiththe
other。Fasterandfaster，roundaboutwentthecur；andfasterand
stillfasterfledtheunapproachablebrevityofhistail；andlouder
andfiercergrewhisyellsofrageandanimosity；until，utterly
exhausted，andasfarfromthegoalasever，thefoolisholddog
ceasedhisperformanceassuddenlyashehadbegunit。Thenextmoment
hewasasmild，quiet，sensible，andrespectableinhisdeportment，as
whenhefirstscrapedacquaintancewiththecompany。
Asmaybesupposed，theexhibitionwasgreetedwithuniversal
laughter，clappingofhands，andshoutsofencore，towhichthecanine
performerrespondedbywaggingallthattherewastowagofhis
tail，butappearedtotallyunabletorepeathisverysuccessfuleffort
toamusethespectators。
Meanwhile，EthanBrandhadresumedhisseatuponthelog，and
moved，itmightbe，byaperceptionofsomeremoteanalogybetweenhis
owncaseandthatofthisself-pursuingcur，hebrokeintotheawful
laugh，which，morethananyothertoken，expressedtheconditionof
hisinwardbeing。Fromthatmoment，themerrimentofthepartywas
atanend；theystoodaghast，dreadinglesttheinauspicioussound
shouldbereverberatedaroundthehorizon，andthatmountainwould
thunderittomountain，andsothehorrorbeprolongedupontheir
ears。Then，whisperingonetoanotherthatitwaslate-thatthe
moonwasalmostdown-thattheAugustnightwasgrowingchill-they
hurriedhomewardsleavingthelime-burnerandlittleJoetodealas
theymightwiththeirunwelcomeguest。Saveforthesethreehuman
beings，theopenspaceonthehill-sidewasasolitude，setina
vastgloomofforest。Beyondthatdarksomeverge，thefire-light
glimmeredonthestatelytrunksandalmostblackfoliageofpines，
intermixedwiththelighterverdureofsaplingoaks，maples，and
poplars，whilehereandtherelaythegiganticcorpsesofdead
trees，decayingontheleaf-strewnsoil。Anditseemedtolittle
Joe-atimorousandimaginativechild-thatthesilentforestwas
holdingitsbreath，untilsomefearfulthingshouldhappen。
EthanBrandthrustmorewoodintothefire，andclosedthedoor
ofthekiln；thenlookingoverhisshoulderatthelime-burnerandhis
son，hebade，ratherthanadvised，themtoretiretorest。
“Formyself，Icannotsleep。”saidhe。“Ihavemattersthatit
concernsmetomeditateupon。Iwillwatchthefire，asIusedtodo
intheoldtime。”
“Andcallthedeviloutofthefurnacetokeepyoucompany，I
suppose。”mutteredBartram，whohadbeenmakingintimate
acquaintancewiththeblackbottleabove-mentioned。“Butwatch，ifyou
like，andcallasmanydevilsasyoulike！Formypart，Ishallbeall
thebetterforasnooze。Come，Joe！”
Astheboyfollowedhisfatherintothehut，helookedbackat
thewayfarer，andthetearscameintohiseyes，forhistender
spirithadanintuitionofthebleakandterriblelonelinessin
whichthismanhadenvelopedhimself。
Whentheyhadgone，EthanBrandsatlisteningtothecracklingof
thekindledwood，andlookingatthelittlespirtsoffirethatissued
throughthechinksofthedoor。Thesetrifles，however，onceso
familiar，hadbuttheslightestholdofhisattention，whiledeep
withinhismindhewasreviewingthegradualbutmarvellouschange
thathadbeenwroughtuponhimbythesearchtowhichhehaddevoted
himself。Herememberedhowthenightdewhadfallenuponhim-how
thedarkforesthadwhisperedtohim-howthestarshadgleamedupon
him-asimpleandlovingman，watchinghisfireintheyearsgone
by，andevermusingasitburned。Herememberedwithwhat
tenderness，withwhatloveandsympathyformankind，andwhatpityfor
humanguiltandwoe，hehadfirstbeguntocontemplatethoseideas
whichafterwardsbecametheinspirationofhislife；withwhat
reverencehehadthenlookedintotheheartofman，viewingitasa
templeoriginallydivine，and，howeverdesecrated，stilltobeheld
sacredbyabrother；withwhatawfulfearhehaddeprecatedthe
successofhispursuit，andprayedthattheUnpardonableSinmight
neverberevealedtohim。Thenensuedthatvastintellectual
development，which，initsprogress，disturbedthecounterpoise
betweenhismindandheart。TheIdeathatpossessedhislifehad
operatedasameansofeducation；ithadgoneoncultivatinghis
powerstothehighestpointofwhichtheyweresusceptible；ithad
raisedhimfromthelevelofanunletteredlaborertostandona
star-liteminence，whitherthephilosophersoftheearth，ladenwith
theloreofuniversities，mightvainlystrivetoclamberafterhim。So
muchfortheintellect！Butwherewastheheart？That，indeed，had
withered-hadcontracted-hadhardened-hadperished！Ithadceasedto
partakeoftheuniversalthrob。Hehadlosthisholdofthemagnetic
chainofhumanity。Hewasnolongerabrother-man，openingthe
chambersorthedungeonsofourcommonnaturebythekeyofholy
sympathy，whichgavehimarighttoshareinallitssecrets；hewas
nowacoldobserver，lookingonmankindasthesubjectofhis
experiment，and，atlength，convertingmanandwomantobehis
puppets，andpullingthewiresthatmovedthemtosuchdegreesof
crimeasweredemandedforhisstudy。
ThusEthanBrandbecameafiend。Hebegantobesofromthe
momentthathismoralnaturehadceasedtokeepthepaceof
improvementwithhisintellect。Andnow，ashishighesteffortand
inevitabledevelopment-asthebrightandgorgeousflower，andrich，
deliciousfruitofhislife’slabor-hehadproducedthe
UnpardonableSin！
WhatmorehaveItoseek？Whatmoretoachieve？”saidEthanBrand
tohimself。“Mytaskisdone，andwelldone！”
Startingfromthelogwithacertainalacrityinhisgait，and
ascendingthehillockofearththatwasraisedagainstthestone
circumferenceofthelime-kiln，hethusreachedthetopofthe
structure。Itwasaspaceofperhapstenfeetacross，fromedgeto
edge，presentingaviewoftheuppersurfaceoftheimmensemassof
brokenmarblewithwhichthekilnwasheaped。Alltheseinnumerable
blocksandfragmentsofmarblewerered-hotandvividlyonfire，
sendingupgreatspoutsofblueflame，whichquiveredaloftanddanced
madly，aswithinamagiccircle，andsankandroseagain，with
continualandmultitudinousactivity。Asthelonelymanbentforward
overthisterriblebodyoffire，theblastingheatsmoteupagainst
hispersonwithabreaththat，itmightbescorchedandshrivelledhim
upinamoment。
EthanBrandstooderect，andraisedhisarmsonhigh。Theblue
flamesplayeduponhisface，andimpartedthewildandghastlylight
whichalonecouldhavesuiteditsexpression；itwasthatofafiend
onthevergeofplungingintohisgulfofintensesttorment。
“OMotherEarth。”criedhe，“whoartnomoremyMother，andinto
whosebosomthisframeshallneverberesolved！Omankind，whose
brotherhoodIhavecastoff，andtrampledthygreatheartbeneathmy
feet！Ostarsofheaven，thatshoneonmeofold，asiftolightme
onwardandupward！-farewellall，andforever。Come，deadlyelementof
Fire-henceforthmyfamiliarfriend！Embraceme，asIdothee！”
Thatnightthesoundofafearfulpealoflaughterrolledheavily
throughthesleepofthelime-burnerandhislittleson；dimshapesof
horrorandanguishhauntedtheirdreams，andseemedstillpresentin
therudehovel，whentheyopenedtheireyestothedaylight。
“Up，boy，up！”criedthelime-burner，staringabouthim。“Thank
Heaven，thenightisgone，atlast；andratherthanpasssuchanother，
Iwouldwatchmylime-kiln，wideawake，foratwelvemonth。This
EthanBrand，withhishumbugofanUnpardonableSin，hasdonemeno
suchmightyfavor，intakingmyplace！”
Heissuedfromthehut，followedbylittleJoe，whokeptfast
holdofhisfather’shand。Theearlysunshinewasalreadypouring
itsgolduponthemountain-tops；andthoughthevalleyswerestill
inshadow，theysmiledcheerfullyinthepromiseofthebrightday
thatwashasteningonward。Thevillage，completelyshutinbyhills，
whichswelledawaygentlyaboutit，lookedasifithadrested
peacefullyinthehollowofthegreathandofProvidence。Every
dwellingwasdistinctlyvisible；thelittlespiresofthetwochurches
pointedupwards，andcaughtafore-glimmeringofbrightnessfromthe
sun-giltskiesupontheirgildedweather-cocks。Thetavernwas
astir，andthefigureoftheold，smoke-driedstage-agent，cigarin
mouth，wasseenbeneaththestoop。OldGraylockwasglorifiedwitha
goldenclouduponhishead。Scatteredlikewiseoverthebreastsofthe
surroundingmountains，therewereheapsofhoarymist，infantastic
shapes，someofthemfardownintothevalley，othershighup
towardsthesummitsandstillothers，ofthesamefamilyofmistor
cloud，hoveringinthegoldradianceoftheupperatmosphere。Stepping
fromonetoanotherofthecloudsthatrestedonthehills，andthence
totheloftierbrotherhoodthatsailedinair，itseemedalmostas
ifamortalmanmightthusascendintotheheavenlyregions。Earthwas
somingledwithskythatitwasaday-dreamtolookatit。
Tosupplythatcharmofthefamiliarandhomely，whichNatureso
readilyadoptsintoascenelikethis，thestage-coachwasrattling
downthemountain-road，andthedriversoundedhishorn，whileecho
caughtupthenotes，andintertwinedthemintoarichandvariedand
elaborateharmony，ofwhichtheoriginalperformercouldlayclaim
tolittleshare。Thegreathillsplayedaconcertamongthemselves，
eachcontributingastrainofairysweetness。
