twice-told tales- the great stone face-第2章

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！


Gathergold；　with　his　vast　wealth；　might　transform　himself　into　an

angel　of　beneficence；　and　assume　a　control　over　human　affairs　as

wide　and　benignant　as　the　smile　of　the　Great　Stone　Face。　Full　of　faith

and　hope；　Ernest　doubted　not　that　what　the　people　said　was　true；　and

that　now　he　was　to　behold　the　living　likeness　of　those　wondrous

features　on　the　mountain…side。　While　the　boy　was　still　gazing　up　the

valley；　and　fancying；　as　he　always　did；　that　the　Great　Stone　Face

returned　his　gaze　and　looked　kindly　at　him；　the　rumbling　of　wheels　was

heard；　approaching　swiftly　along　the　winding　road。

　　　〃Here　he　comes！〃　cried　a　group　of　people　who　were　assembled　to

witness　the　arrival。　〃Here　comes　the　great　Mr。　Gathergold！〃

　　　A　carriage；　drawn　by　four　horses；　dashed　round　the　turn　of　the

road。　Within　it；　thrust　partly　out　of　the　window；　appeared　the

physiognomy　of　a　little　old　man；　with　a　skin　as　yellow　as　if　his　own

Midas…hand　had　transmuted　it。　He　had　a　low　forehead；　small；　sharp

eyes；　puckered　about　with　innumerable　wrinkles；　and　very　thin　lips；

which　he　made　still　thinner　by　pressing　them　forcibly　together。

　　　〃The　very　image　of　the　Great　Stone　Face！〃　shouted　the　people。　〃Sure

enough；　the　old　prophecy　is　true；　and　here　we　have　the　great　man　come；

at　last！〃

　　　And；　what　greatly　perplexed　Ernest；　they　seemed　actually　to　believe

that　here　was　the　likeness　which　they　spoke　of。　By　the　roadside

there　chanced　to　be　an　old　beggar…woman　and　two　little

beggar…children；　stragglers　from　some　far…off　region；　who；　as　the

carriage　rolled　onward；　held　out　their　hands　and　lifted　up　their

doleful　voices；　most　piteously　beseeching　charity。　A　yellow　claw…

the　very　same　that　had　clawed　together　so　much　wealth…　poked　itself

out　of　the　coach…window；　and　dropt　some　copper　coins　upon　the

ground；　so　that；　though　the　great　man's　name　seems　to　have　been

Gathergold；　he　might　just　as　suitably　have　been　nicknamed

Scattercopper。　Still；　nevertheless；　with　an　earnest　shout；　and

evidently　with　as　much　good　faith　as　ever；　the　people　bellowed；　〃He　is

the　very　image　of　the　Great　Stone　Face！〃

　　　But　Ernest　turned　sadly　from　the　wrinkled　shrewdness　of　that　sordid

visage；　and　gazed　up　the　valley；　where；　amid　a　gathering　mist；

gilded　by　the　last　sunbeams；　he　could　still　distinguish　those　glorious

features　which　had　impressed　themselves　into　his　soul。　Their　aspect

cheered　him。　What　did　the　benign　lips　seem　to　say？

　　　〃He　will　come！　Fear　not；　Ernest；　the　man　will　come！〃

　　　The　years　went　on；　and　Ernest　ceased　to　be　a　boy。　He　had　grown　to

be　a　young　man　now。　He　attracted　little　notice　from　the　other

inhabitants　of　the　valley；　for　they　saw　nothing　remarkable　in　his

way　of　life；　save　that；　when　the　labor　of　the　day　was　over；　he　still

loved　to　go　apart　and　gaze　and　meditate　upon　the　Great　Stone　Face。

According　to　their　idea　of　the　matter；　it　was　a　folly；　indeed；　but

pardonable；　inasmuch　as　Ernest　was　industrious；　kind；　and

neighborly；　and　neglected　no　duty　for　the　sake　of　indulging　this

idle　habit。　They　knew　not　that　the　Great　Stone　Face　had　become　a

teacher　to　him；　and　that　the　sentiment　which　was　expressed　in　it　would

enlarge　the　young　man's　heart；　and　fill　it　with　wider　and　deeper

sympathies　than　other　hearts。　They　knew　not　that　thence　would　come　a

better　wisdom　than　could　be　learned　from　books；　and　a　better　life　than

could　be　moulded　on　the　defaced　example　of　other　human　lives。

Neither　did　Ernest　know　that　the　thoughts　and　affections　which　came　to

him　so　naturally；　in　the　fields　and　at　the　fireside；　and　wherever　he

communed　with　himself；　were　of　a　higher　tone　than　those　which　all

men　shared　with　him。　A　simple　soul…　simple　as　when　his　mother　first

taught　him　the　old　prophecy…　he　beheld　the　marvellous　features　beaming

adown　the　valley；　and　still　wondered　that　their　human　counterpart

was　so　long　in　making　his　appearance。

　　　By　this　time　poor　Mr。　Gathergold　was　dead　and　buried；　and　the

oddest　part　of　the　matter　was；　that　his　wealth；　which　was　the　body　and

spirit　of　his　existence；　had　disappeared　before　his　death；　leaving

nothing　of　him　but　a　living　skeleton；　covered　over　with　a　wrinkled；

yellow　skin。　Since　the　melting　away　of　his　gold；　it　had　been　very

generally　conceded　that　there　was　no　such　striking　resemblance；

after　all；　betwixt　the　ignoble　features　of　the　ruined　merchant　and

that　majestic　face　upon　the　mountain…side。　So　the　people　ceased　to

honor　him　during　his　lifetime；　and　quietly　consigned　him　to

forgetfulness　after　his　decease。　Once　in　a　while；　it　is　true；　his

memory　was　brought　up　in　connection　with　the　magnificent　palace

which　he　had　built；　and　which　had　long　ago　been　turned　into　a　hotel

for　the　accommodation　of　strangers；　multitudes　of　whom　came；　every

summer；　to　visit　that　famous　natural　curiosity；　the　Great　Stone

Face。　Thus；　Mr。　Gathergold　being　discredited　and　thrown　into　the

shade；　the　man　of　prophecy　was　yet　to　come。

　　　It　so　happened　that　a　native…born　son　of　the　valley；　many　years

before；　had　enlisted　as　a　soldier；　and；　after　a　great　deal　of　hard

fighting；　had　now　become　an　illustrious　commander。　Whatever　he　may

be　called　in　history；　he　was　known　in　camps　and　on　the　battle…field

under　the　nickname　of　Old　Blood…and…Thunder。　This　war…worn　veteran；

being　now　infirm　with　age　and　wounds；　and　weary　of　the　turmoil　of　a

military　life；　and　of　the　roll　of　the　drum　and　the　clangor　of　the

trumpet；　that　had　so　long　been　ringing　in　his　ears；　had　lately

signified　a　purpose　of　returning　to　his　native　valley；　hoping　to

find　repose　where　he　remembered　to　have　left　it。　The　inhabitants；

his　old　neighbors　and　their　grown…up　children；　were　resolved　to

welcome　the　renowned　warrior　with　a　salute　of　cannon　and　a　public

dinner；　and　all　the　more　enthusiastically；　it　being　affirmed　that　now；

at　last；　the　likeness　of　the　Great　Stone　Face　had　actually　appeared。

An　aid…de…camp　of　Old　Blood…and…Thunder；　travelling　through　the

valley；　was　said　to　have　been　struck　with　the　resemblance。　Moreover；

the　schoolmates　and　early　acquaintances　of　the　general　were　ready　to

testify；　on　oath；　that；　to　the　best　of　their　recollection；　the

aforesaid　general　had　been　exceedingly　like　the　majestic　image；　even

when　a　boy；　only　that　the　idea　had　never　occurred　to　them　at　that

period。　Great；　therefore；　was　the　excitement　throughout　the　valley；

and　many　people；　who　had　never　once　thought　of　glancing　at　the　Great

Stone　Face　for　years　before；　now　spent　their　time　in　gazing　at　it；　for

the　sake　of　knowing　exactly　how　General　Blood…and…Thunder　looked。

　　　On　the　day　of　the　great　festival；　Ernest；　with　all　the　other　people

of　the　valley；　left　their　work；　and　proceeded　to　the　spot　where　the

sylvan　banquet　was　prepared。　As　he　approached；　the　loud　voice　of　the

Reverend　Doctor　Battleblast　was　heard；　beseeching　a　blessing　on　the

good　things　set　before　them；　and　on　the　distinguished　friend　of

peace　in　whose　honor　they　were　assembled。　The　tables　were　arranged

in　a　cleared　space　of　the　woods；　shut　in　by　the　surrounding　trees；

except　where　a　vista　opened　eastward；　and　afforded　a　distant　view　of

the　Great　Stone　Face。　Over　the　general's　chair；　which　was　a　relic　from

the　home　of　Washington；　there　was　an　arch　of　verdant　boughs；　with

the　laurel　profusely　intermixed；　and　surmounted　by　his　country's

banner；　beneath　which　he　had　won　his　victories。　Our　friend　Ernest

raised　himself　on　his　tip…toes；　in　hopes　to　get　a　glimpse　of　the

celebrated　guest；　but　there　was　a　mighty　crowd　about　the　tables

anxious　to　hear　the　toasts　and　speeches；　and　to　catch　any　word　that

might　fall　from　the　general　in　reply；　and　a　volunteer　company；　doing

duty　as　a　guard；　pricked　ruthlessly　with　their　bayonets　at　any

particularly　quiet　person　among　the　throng。　So　Ernest；　being　of　an

unobtrusive　character；　was　thrust　quite　into　the　background；　where

he　could　see　no　more　of　Old　Blood…and…Thunder's　physiognomy　than　if　it

had　been　still　blazing　on　the　battle…field。　To　console　himself；　he

turned　towards　the　Great　Stone　Face；　which；　like　a　faithful　and

long…remembered　friend；　looked　back　and　smiled　upon　him　through　the

vista　of　the　forest。　Meantime；　however；　he　could　over…hear　the　remarks

of　various　individuals；　who　were　comparing　the　features　of　the　hero

with　the　face　on　the　distant　mountain…side。

　　　〃　'Tis　the　same　face；　to　a　hair！〃　cried　one　man；　cutting　a　caper

for　joy。

　　　〃Wonderfully　like；　that's　a　fact！〃　responded　another。

　　　〃Like！　why；　I　call　it　Old　Blood…and…Thunder　himself；　in　a　monstrous

looking…glass！〃　cried　a　third。　〃And　why　not！　He's　the　greatest　man

of　this　or　any　other　age；　beyond　a　doubt。〃

　　　And　then　all　three　of　the　speakers　gave　a　great　shout；　which

communicated　electricity　to　the　crowd；　and　called　forth　a　roar　from

a　thousand　voices；　that　went　reverberating　for　miles　among　the

mountains；　until　you　might　have　supposed　that　the　Great　Stone　Face　had

poured　its　thunder…breath　into　the　cry。　All　these　comments；　and　this

vast　enthusiasm；　served　the　more　to　interest　our　friend；　nor　did　he

think　of　questioning　that　now；　at　length；　the　mountain…visage　had

found　its　human　counterpart。　It　is　true；　Ernest　had　imagined　that　this

long…looked…for　personage　would　appear　in　the　character　of　a　man　of

peace；　uttering　wisdom；　and　doing　good；　and　making　people　happy。

But；　taking　an　habitual　breadth　of　view；　with　all　his　simplicity；　he

contended　that　Providence　should　choose　its　own　method　of　blessing

mankind；　and　could　conceive　that　this　great　end　might　be　effected　even

by　a　warrior　and　a　bloody　sword；　should　inscrutable　wisdom　see　fit

to　order　matters　so。

　　　〃The　general！　the　general！〃　was　now　the　cry。　〃Hush！　silence！　Old

Blood…and…Thunder's　going　to　make　a　speech。〃

　　　Even　so；　for；　the　cloth　being　removed；　the　general's　health　had

been　drunk　amid　shouts　of　applause；　and　he　now　stood　upon　his　feet

to　thank　the　company。　Ernest　saw　him。　There　he　was；　over　the　shoulders

of　the　crowd；　from　the　two　glittering　epaulets　and　embroidered

collar　upward；　beneath　the　arch　of　green　boughs　with　inter…twined

laurell　and　the　banner　drooping　as　if　to　shade　his　brow！　And　there；

too；　visible　in　the　same　glance；　through　the　vista　of　the　forest；

appeared　the　Great　Stone　Face！　And　was　there；　indeed；　such　a

resemblance　as　the　crowd　had　testified？　Alas；　Ernest　could　not

recognize　it！　He　beheld　a　war…worn　and　weather…beaten　countenance；

full　of　energy；　and　expressive　of　an　iron　will；　but　the　gentle　wisdom；

the　deep；　broad；　tender　sympathies；　were　altogether　wanting　in　Old

Blood…and…Thunder's　visage；　and　even　if　the　Great　Stone　Face　had

assumed　his　look　of　stern　command；　the　milder　traits　would　still

have　tempered　it。

　　　〃This　is　not　the　man　of　prophecy；〃　sighed　Ernest　to　himself；　as

he　made　his　way　out　of　the　throng。　〃And　must　the　world　wait　longer

yet？〃

　　　The　mists　had　congregated　about　the　distant　mountain…side；　and

there　were　seen　the　grand　and　awful　features　of　the　Great　Stone

Face；　awful　but　benignant；　as　if　a　mighty　angel　were　sitting　among　the

hills；　and　enrobing　himself　in　a　cloud…vesture　of　gold　and　purple。

As　he　looked；　Ernest　could　hardly　believe　but　that　a　smile　beamed　ove