twice-told tales- the great stone face-第3章

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

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

the　whole　visage；　with　a　radiance　still　brightening；　although

without　motion　of　the　lips。　It　was　probably　the　effect　of　the

western　sunshine；　melting　through　the　thinly　diffused　vapors　that

had　swept　between　him　and　the　object　that　he　gazed　at。　But…　as　it

always　did…　the　aspect　of　his　marvellous　friend　made　Ernest　as　hopeful

as　if　he　had　never　hoped　in　vain。

　　　〃Fear　not；　Ernest；〃　said　his　heart；　even　as　if　the　Great　Face

were　whispering　him；　〃fear　not；　Ernest；　he　will　come。〃

　　　More　years　sped　swiftly　and　tranquilly　away。　Ernest　still　dwelt

in　his　native　valley；　and　was　now　a　man　of　middle　age。　By

imperceptible　degrees；　he　had　become　known　among　the　people。　Now；　as

heretofore；　he　labored　for　his　bread；　and　was　the　same

simple…hearted　man　that　he　had　always　been。　But　he　had　thought　and

felt　so　much；　he　had　given　so　many　of　the　best　hours　of　his　life　to

unworldly　hopes　for　some　great　good　to　mankind；　that　it　seemed　as

though　he　had　been　talking　with　the　angels；　and　had　imbibed　a

portion　of　their　wisdom　unawares。　It　was　visible　in　the　calm　and

well…considered　beneficence　of　his　daily　life；　the　quiet　stream　of

which　had　made　a　wide　green　margin　all　along　its　course。　Not　a　day

passed　by；　that　the　world　was　not　the　better　because　this　man；

humble　as　he　was；　had　lived。　He　never　stepped　aside　from　his　own　path；

yet　would　always　reach　a　blessing　to　his　neighbor。　Almost

involuntarily；　too；　he　had　become　a　preacher。　The　pure　and　high

simplicity　of　his　thought；　which；　as　one　of　its　manifestations；　took

shape　in　the　good　deeds　that　dropped　silently　from　his　hand；　flowed

also　forth　in　speech。　He　uttered　truths　that　wrought　upon　and

moulded　the　lives　of　those　who　heard　him。　His　auditors；　it　may　be；

never　suspected　that　Ernest；　their　own　neighbor　and　familiar　friend；

was　more　than　an　ordinary　man；　least　of　all　did　Ernest　himself　suspect

it；　but；　inevitably　as　the　murmur　of　a　rivulet；　came　thoughts　out　of

his　mouth　that　no　other　human　lips　had　spoken。

　　　When　the　people's　minds　had　had　a　little　time　to　cool；　they　were

ready　enough　to　acknowledge　their　mistake　in　imagining　a　similarity

between　General　Blood…and…Thunder's　truculent　physiognomy　and　the

benign　visage　on　the　mountain…side。　But　now；　again；　there　were　reports

and　many　paragraphs　in　the　newspapers；　affirming　that　the　likeness

of　the　Great　Stone　Face　had　appeared　upon　the　broad　shoulders　of　a

certain　eminent　statesman。　He；　like　Mr。　Gathergold　and　Old

Blood…and…Thunder；　was　a　native　of　the　valley；　but　had　left　it　in

his　early　days；　and　taken　up　the　trades　of　law　and　politics。　Instead

of　the　rich　man's　wealth　and　the　warrior's　sword；　he　had　but　a　tongue；

and　it　was　mightier　than　both　together。　So　wonderfully　eloquent　was

he；　that　whatever　he　might　choose　to　say；　his　auditors　had　no　choice

but　to　believe　him；　wrong　looked　like　right；　and　right　like　wrong；　for

when　it　pleased　him；　he　could　make　a　kind　of　illuminated　fog　with

his　mere　breath；　and　obscure　the　natural　daylight　with　it。　His　tongue；

indeed；　was　a　magic　instrument：　sometimes　it　rumbled　like　the　thunder；

sometimes　it　warbled　like　the　sweetest　music。　It　was　the　blast　of　war…

the　song　of　peace；　and　it　seemed　to　have　a　heart　in　it；　when　there　was

no　such　matter。　In　good　truth；　he　was　a　wondrous　man；　and　when　his

tongue　had　acquired　him　all　other　imaginable　success…　when　it　had　been

heard　in　halls　of　state；　and　in　the　courts　of　princes　and

potentates…　after　it　had　made　him　known　all　over　the　world；　even　as

a　voice　crying　from　shore　to　shore…　it　finally　persuaded　his

countrymen　to　select　him　for　the　presidency。　Before　this　time…　indeed；

as　soon　as　he　began　to　grow　celebrated…　his　admirers　had　found　out　the

resemblance　between　him　and　the　Great　Stone　Face；　and　so　much　were

they　struck　by　it；　that　throughout　the　country　this　distinguished

gentleman　was　known　by　the　name　of　Old　Stony　Phiz。　The　phrase　was

considered　as　giving　a　highly　favorable　aspect　to　his　political

prospects；　for；　as　is　likewise　the　case　with　the　Popedom；　nobody

ever　becomes　president　without　taking　a　name　other　than　his　own。

　　　While　his　friends　were　doing　their　best　to　make　him　president；

Old　Stony　Phiz；　as　he　was　called；　set　out　on　a　visit　to　the　valley

where　he　was　born。　Of　course；　he　had　no　other　object　than　to　shake

hands　with　his　fellow…citizens；　and　neither　thought　nor　cared　about

any　effect　which　his　progress　through　the　country　might　have　upon

the　election。　Magnificent　preparations　were　made　to　receive　the

illustrious　statesman；　a　cavalcade　of　horsemen　set　forth　to　meet　him

at　the　boundary　line　of　the　state；　and　all　the　people　left　their

business　and　gathered　along　the　wayside　to　see　him　pass。　Among　these

was　Ernest。　Though　more　than　once　disappointed；　as　we　have　seen；　he

had　such　a　hopeful　and　confiding　nature；　that　he　was　always　ready　to

believe　in　whatever　seemed　beautiful　and　good。　He　kept　his　heart

continually　open；　and　thus　was　sure　to　catch　the　blessing　from　on

high；　when　it　should　come。　So　now　again；　as　buoyantly　as　ever；　he　went

forth　to　behold　the　likeness　of　the　Great　Stone　Face。

　　　The　cavalcade　came　prancing　along　the　road；　with　a　great　clattering

of　hoofs　and　a　mighty　cloud　of　dust；　which　rose　up　so　dense　and　high

that　the　visage　of　the　mountain…side　was　completely　hidden　from

Ernest's　eyes。　All　the　great　men　of　the　neighborhood　were　there　on

horseback：　militia　officers；　in　uniform；　the　member　of　Congress；　the

sheriff　of　the　county；　the　editors　of　newspapers；　and　many　a　farmer；

too；　had　mounted　his　patient　steed；　with　his　Sunday　coat　upon　his

back。　It　really　was　a　very　brilliant　spectacle；　especially　as　there

were　numerous　banners　flaunting　over　the　cavalcade；　on　some　of　which

were　gorgeous　portraits　of　the　illustrious　statesman　and　the　Great

Stone　Face；　smiling　familiarly　at　one　another；　like　two　brothers。　If

the　pictures　were　to　be　trusted；　the　mutual　resemblance；　it　must　be

confessed；　was　marvellous。　We　must　not　forget　to　mention　that　there

was　a　band　of　music；　which　made　the　echoes　of　the　mountains　ring　and

reverberate　with　the　loud　triumph　of　its　strains；　so　that　airy　and

soul…thrilling　melodies　broke　out　among　all　the　heights　and　hollows　as

if　every　nook　of　his　native　valley　had　found　a　voice　to　welcome　the

distinguished　guest。　But　the　grandest　effect　was　when　the　far…off

mountain…precipice　flung　back　the　music；　for　then　the　Great　Stone　Face

itself　seemed　to　be　swelling　the　triumphant　chorus；　in

acknowledgment　that；　at　length；　the　man　of　prophecy　was　come。

　　　All　this　while　the　people　were　throwing　up　their　hats　and　shouting；

with　enthusiasm　so　contagious　that　the　heart　of　Ernest　kindled　up；　and

he　likewise　threw　up　his　hat；　and　shouted；　as　loudly　as　the　loudest；

〃Huzza　for　the　great　man！　Huzza　for　Old　Stony　Phiz！〃　But　as　yet　he　had

not　seen　him。

　　　〃Here　he　is；　now！〃　cried　those　who　stood　near　Ernest。　〃There！

There！　Look　at　Old　Stony　Phiz　and　then　at　the　Old　Man　of　the　Mountain；

and　see　if　they　are　not　as　like　as　two　twin…brothers！〃

　　　In　the　midst　of　all　this　gallant　array；　came　an　open　barouche；

drawn　by　four　white　horses；　and　in　the　barouche；　with　his　massive　head

uncovered；　sat　the　illustrious　statesman；　Old　Stony　Phiz　himself。

　　　〃Confess　it；〃　said　one　of　Ernest's　neighbors　to　him；　〃the　Great

Stone　Face　has　met　its　match　at　last！〃

　　　Now；　it　must　be　owned　that；　at　his　first　glimpse　of　the　countenance

which　was　bowing　and　smiling　from　the　barouche；　Ernest　did　fancy

that　there　was　a　resemblance　between　it　and　the　old　familiar　face　upon

the　mountain…side。　The　brow；　with　its　massive　depth　and　loftiness；　and

all　the　other　features；　indeed；　were　boldly　and　strongly　hewn；　as　if

in　emulation　of　a　more　than　heroic；　of　a　Titanic　model。　But　the

sublimity　and　stateliness；　the　grand　expression　of　a　divine

sympathy；　that　illuminated　the　mountain…visage；　and　etherealized　its

ponderous　granite　substance　into　spirit；　might　here　be　sought　in　vain。

Something　had　been　originally　left　out；　or　had　departed。　And　therefore

the　marvellously　gifted　statesman　had　always　a　weary　gloom　in　the　deep

caverns　of　his　eyes；　as　of　a　child　that　has　outgrown　its　playthings；

or　a　man　of　mighty　faculties　and　little　aims；　whose　life；　with　all　its

high　performances；　was　vague　and　empty；　because　no　high　purpose　had

endowed　it　with　reality。

　　　Still；　Ernest's　neighbor　was　thrusting　his　elbow　into　his　side；　and

pressing　him　for　an　answer。

　　　〃Confess！　confess！　Is　not　he　the　very　picture　of　your　Old　Man　of

the　Mountain？〃

　　　〃No！〃　said　Ernest；　bluntly；　〃I　see　little　or　no　likeness。〃

　　　〃Then　so　much　the　worse　for　the　Great　Stone　Face！〃　answered　his

neighbor；　and　again　he　set　up　a　shout　for　Old　Stony　Phiz。

　　　But　Ernest　turned　away。　melancholy；　and　almost　despondent；　for　this

was　the　saddest　of　his　disappointments；　to　behold　a　man　who　might　have

fulfilled　the　prophecy；　and　had　not　willed　to　do　so。　Meantime；　the

cavalcade；　the　banners；　the　music；　and　the　barouches；　swept　past

him；　with　the　vociferous　crowd　in　the　rear；　leaving　the　dust　to　settle

down；　and　the　Great　Stone　Face　to　be　revealed　again；　with　the　grandeur

that　it　had　worn　for　untold　centuries。

　　　〃Lo；　here　I　am；　Ernest！〃　the　benign　lips　seemed　to　say。　〃I　have

waited　longer　than　thou；　and　am　not　yet　weary。　Fear　not；　the　man

will　come。〃

　　　The　years　hurried　onward；　treading　in　their　haste　on　one

another's　heels。　And　now　they　began　to　bring　white　hairs；　and

scatter　them　over　the　head　of　Ernest；　they　made　reverend　wrinkles

across　his　forehead；　and　furrows　in　his　cheeks。　He　was　an　aged　man。

But　not　in　vain　had　he　grown　old：　more　than　the　white　hairs　on　his

head　were　the　sage　thoughts　in　his　mind；　his　wrinkles　and　furrows　were

inscriptions　that　Time　had　graved；　and　in　which　he　had　written　legends

of　wisdom　that　had　been　tested　by　the　tenor　of　a　life。　And　Ernest

had　ceased　to　be　obscure。　Unsought　for；　undesired；　had　come　the　fame

which　so　many　seek；　and　made　him　known　in　the　great　world；　beyond

the　limits　of　the　valley　in　which　he　had　dwelt　so　quietly。　College

professors；　and　even　the　active　men　of　cities；　came　from　far　to　see

and　converse　with　Ernest；　for　the　report　had　gone　abroad　that　this

simple　husbandman　had　ideas　unlike　those　of　other　men；　not　gained　from

books；　but　of　a　higher　tone…　a　tranquil　and　familiar　majesty；　as　if　he

had　been　talking　with　the　angels　as　his　daily　friends。　Whether　it　were

sage；　statesman；　or　philanthropist；　Ernest　received　these　visitors

with　the　gentle　sincerity　that　had　characterized　him　from　boyhood；　and

spoke　freely　with　them　of　whatever　came　uppermost；　or　lay　deepest　in

his　heart　or　their　own。　While　they　talked　together；　his　face　would

kindle；　unawares；　and　shine　upon　them；　as　with　a　mild　evening　light。

Pensive　with　the　fulness　of　such　discourse；　his　guests　took　leave

and　went　their　way；　and；　passing　up　the　valley；　paused　to　look　at

the　Great　Stone　Face；　imagining　that　they　had　seen　its　likeness　in　a

human　countenance；　but　could　not　remember　wher