the great stone face-第1章

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THE　GREAT　STONE　FACE



One　afternoon；　when　the　sun　was　going　down；　a　mother　and　her

little　boy　sat　at　the　door　of　their　cottage；　talking　about　the

Great　Stone　Face。　They　had　but　to　lift　their　eyes；　and　there　it

was　plainly　to　be　seen；　though　miles　away；　with　the　sunshine

brightening　all　its　features。



And　what　was　the　Great　Stone　Face？



Embosomed　amongst　a　family　of　lofty　mountains；　there　was　a　valley

so　spacious　that　it　contained　many　thousand　inhabitants。　Some　of

these　good　people　dwelt　in　log…huts；　with　the　black　forest　all

around　them；　on　the　steep　and　difficult　hill…sides。　Others　had

their　homes　in　comfortable　farm…houses；　and　cultivated　the　rich

soil　on　the　gentle　slopes　or　level　surfaces　of　the　valley。

Others；　again；　were　congregated　into　populous　villages；　where

some　wild；　highland　rivulet；　tumbling　down　from　its　birthplace　in

the　upper　mountain　region；　had　been　caught　and　tamed　by　human

cunning；　and　compelled　to　turn　the　machinery　of　cotton…factories。

The　inhabitants　of　this　valley；　in　short；　were　numerous；　and　of

many　modes　of　life。　But　all　of　them；　grown　people　and　children；

had　a　kind　of　familiarity　with　the　Great　Stone　Face；　although

some　possessed　the　gift　of　distinguishing　this　grand　natural

phenomenon　more　perfectly　than　many　of　their　neighbors。



The　Great　Stone　Face；　then；　was　a　work　of　Nature　in　her　mood　of

majestic　playfulness；　formed　on　the　perpendicular　side　of　a

mountain　by　some　immense　rocks；　which　had　been　thrown　together　in

such　a　position　as；　when　viewed　at　a　proper　distance；　precisely

to　resemble　the　features　of　the　human　countenance。　It　seemed　as

if　an　enormous　giant；　or　a　Titan；　had　sculptured　his　own　likeness

on　the　precipice。　There　was　the　broad　arch　of　the　forehead；　a

hundred　feet　in　height；　the　nose；　with　its　long　bridge；　and　the

vast　lips；　which；　if　they　could　have　spoken；　would　have　rolled

their　thunder　accents　from　one　end　of　the　valley　to　the　other。

True　it　is；　that　if　the　spectator　approached　too　near；　he　lost

the　outline　of　the　gigantic　visage；　and　could　discern　only　a　heap

of　ponderous　and　gigantic　rocks；　piled　in　chaotic　ruin　one　upon

another。　Retracing　his　steps；　however；　the　wondrous　features

would　again　be　seen；　and　the　farther　he　withdrew　from　them；　the

more　like　a　human　face；　with　all　its　original　divinity　intact；

did　they　appear；　until；　as　it　grew　dim　in　the　distance；　with　the

clouds　and　glorified　vapor　of　the　mountains　clustering　about　it；

the　Great　Stone　Face　seemed　positively　to　be　alive。



It　was　a　happy　lot　for　children　to　grow　up　to　manhood　or

womanhood　with　the　Great　Stone　Face　before　their　eyes；　for　all

the　features　were　noble；　and　the　expression　was　at　once　grand　and

sweet；　as　if　it　were　the　glow　of　a　vast；　warm　heart；　that

embraced　all　mankind　in　its　affections；　and　had　room　for　more。　It

was　an　education　only　to　look　at　it。　According　to　the　belief　of

many　people；　the　valley　owed　much　of　its　fertility　to　this　benign

aspect　that　was　continually　beaming　over　it；　illuminating　the

clouds；　and　infusing　its　tenderness　into　the　sunshine。



As　we　began　with　saying；　a　mother　and　her　little　boy　sat　at　their

cottage…door；　gazing　at　the　Great　Stone　Face；　and　talking　about

it。　The　child's　name　was　Ernest。



〃Mother；〃　said　he；　while　the　Titanic　visage　smiled　on　him；　〃I

wish　that　it　could　speak；　for　it　looks　so　very　kindly　that　its

voice　must　needs　be　pleasant。　If　I　were　to　see　a　man　with　such　a

face；　I　should　love　him　dearly。〃



〃If　an　old　prophecy　should　come　to　pass；〃　answered　his　mother；

〃we　may　see　a　man；　some　time　or　other；　with　exactly　such　a　face

as　that。〃



〃What　prophecy　do　you　mean；　dear　mother？〃　eagerly　inquired

Ernest。　〃Pray　tell　me　about　it！〃



So　his　mother　told　him　a　story　that　her　own　mother　had　told　to

her；　when　she　herself　was　younger　than　little　Ernest；　a　story；

not　of　things　that　were　past；　but　of　what　was　yet　to　come；　a

story；　nevertheless；　so　very　old；　that　even　the　Indians；　who

formerly　inhabited　this　valley；　had　heard　it　from　their

forefathers；　to　whom；　as　they　affirmed；　it　had　been　murmured　by

the　mountain　streams；　and　whispered　by　the　wind　among　the

tree…tops。　The　purport　was；　that；　at　some　future　day；　a　child

should　be　born　hereabouts；　who　was　destined　to　become　the

greatest　and　noblest　personage　of　his　time；　and　whose

countenance；　in　manhood；　should　bear　an　exact　resemblance　to　the

Great　Stone　Face。　Not　a　few　old…fashioned　people；　and　young　ones

likewise；　in　the　ardor　of　their　hopes；　still　cherished　an

enduring　faith　in　this　old　prophecy。　But　others；　who　had　seen

more　of　the　world；　had　watched　and　waited　till　they　were　weary；

and　had　beheld　no　man　with　such　a　face；　nor　any　man　that　proved

to　be　much　greater　or　nobler　than　his　neighbors；　concluded　it　to

be　nothing　but　an　idle　tale。　At　all　events；　the　great　man　of　the

prophecy　had　not　yet　appeared。



〃O　mother；　dear　mother！〃　cried　Ernest；　clapping　his　hands　above

his　head；　〃I　do　hope　that　I　shall　live　to　see　him！〃



His　mother　was　an　affectionate　and　thoughtful　woman；　and　felt

that　it　was　wisest　not　to　discourage　the　generous　hopes　of　her

little　boy。　So　she　only　said　to　him；　〃Perhaps　you　may。〃



And　Ernest　never　forgot　the　story　that　his　mother　told　him。　It

was　always　in　his　mind；　whenever　he　looked　upon　the　Great　Stone

Face。　He　spent　his　childhood　in　the　log…cottage　where　he　was

born；　and　was　dutiful　to　his　mother；　and　helpful　to　her　in　many

things；　assisting　her　much　with　his　little　hands；　and　more　with

his　loving　heart。　In　this　manner；　from　a　happy　yet　often　pensive

child；　he　grew　up　to　be　a　mild；　quiet；　unobtrusive　boy；　and

sun…browned　with　labor　in　the　fields；　but　with　more　intelligence

brightening　his　aspect　than　is　seen　in　many　lads　who　have　been

taught　at　famous　schools。　Yet　Ernest　had　had　no　teacher；　save

only　that　the　Great　Stone　Face　became　one　to　him。　When　the　toil

of　the　day　was　over；　he　would　gaze　at　it　for　hours；　until　he

began　to　imagine　that　those　vast　features　recognized　him；　and

gave　him　a　smile　of　kindness　and　encouragement；　responsive　to　his

own　look　of　veneration。　We　must　not　take　upon　us　to　affirm　that

this　was　a　mistake；　although　the　Face　may　have　looked　no　more

kindly　at　Ernest　than　at　all　the　world　besides。　But　the　secret

was　that　the　boy's　tender　and　confiding　simplicity　discerned　what

other　people　could　not　see；　and　thus　the　love；　which　was　meant

for　all；　became　his　peculiar　portion。



About　this　time　there　went　a　rumor　throughout　the　valley；　that

the　great　man；　foretold　from　ages　long　ago；　who　was　to　bear　a

resemblance　to　the　Great　Stone　Face；　had　appeared　at　last。　It

seems　that；　many　years　before；　a　young　man　had　migrated　from　the

valley　and　settled　at　a　distant　seaport；　where；　after　getting

together　a　little　money；　he　had　set　up　as　a　shopkeeper。　His

namebut　I　could　never　learn　whether　it　was　his　real　one；　or　a

nickname　that　had　grown　out　of　his　habits　and　success　in

lifewas　Gathergold。　Being　shrewd　and　active；　and　endowed　by

Providence　with　that　inscrutable　faculty　which　develops　itself　in

what　the　world　calls　luck；　he　became　an　exceedingly　rich

merchant；　and　owner　of　a　whole　fleet　of　bulky…bottomed　ships。　All

the　countries　of　the　globe　appeared　to　join　hands　for　the　mere

purpose　of　adding　heap　after　heap　to　the　mountainous　accumulation

of　this　one　man's　wealth。　The　cold　regions　of　the　north；　almost

within　the　gloom　and　shadow　of　the　Arctic　Circle；　sent　him　their

tribute　in　the　shape　of　furs；　hot　Africa　sifted　for　him　the

golden　sands　of　her　rivers；　and　gathered　up　the　ivory　tusks　of

her　great　elephants　out　of　the　forests；　the　East　came　bringing

him　the　rich　shawls；　and　spices；　and　teas；　and　the　effulgence　of

diamonds；　and　the　gleaming　purity　of　large　pearls。　The　ocean；　not

to　be　behindhand　with　the　earth；　yielded　up　her　mighty　whales；

that　Mr。　Gathergold　might　sell　their　oil；　and　make　a　profit　of

it。　Be　the　original　commodity　what　it　might；　it　was　gold　within

his　grasp。　It　might　be　said　of　him；　as　of　Midas　in　the　fable；

that　whatever　he　touched　with　his　finger　immediately　glistened；

and　grew　yellow；　and　was　changed　at　once　into　sterling　metal；　or；

which　suited　him　still　better；　into　piles　of　coin。　And；　when　Mr。

Gathergold　had　become　so　very　rich　that　it　would　have　taken　him　a

hundred　years　only　to　count　his　wealth；　he　bethought　himself　of

his　native　valley；　and　resolved　to　go　back　thither；　and　end　his

days　where　he　was　born。　With　this　purpose　in　view；　he　sent　a

skilful　architect　to　build　him　such　a　palace　as　should　be　fit　for

a　man　of　his　vast　wealth　to　live　in。



As　I　have　said　above；　it　had　already　been　rumored　in　the　valley

that　Mr。　Gathergold　had　turned　out　to　be　the　prophetic　personage

so　long　and　vainly　looked　for；　and　that　his　visage　was　the

perfect　and　undeniable　similitude　of　the　Great　Stone　Face。　People

were　the　more　ready　to　believe　that　this　must　needs　be　the　fact；

when　they　beheld　the　splendid　edifice　that　rose；　as　if　by

enchantment；　on　the　site　of　his　father's　old　weatherbeaten

farm…house。　The　exterior　was　of　marble；　so　dazzlingly　white　that

it　seemed　as　though　the　whole　structure　might　melt　away　in　the

sunshine；　like　those　humbler　ones　which　Mr。　Gathergold；　in　his

young　play…days；　before　his　fingers　were　gifted　with　the　touch　of

transmutation；　had　been　accustomed　to　build　of　snow。　It　had　a

richly　ornamented　portico；　supported　by　tall　pillars；　beneath

which　was　a　lofty　door；　studded　with　silver　knobs；　and　made　of　a

kind　of　variegated　wood　that　had　been　brought　from　beyond　the

sea。　The　windows；　from　the　floor　to　the　ceiling　of　each　stately

apartment；　were　composed；　respectively；　of　but　one　enormous　pane

of　glass；　so　transparently　pure　that　it　was　said　to　be　a　finer

medium　than　even　the　vacant　atmosphere。　Hardly　anybody　had　been

permitted　to　see　the　interior　of　this　palace；　but　it　was

reported；　and　with　good　semblance　of　truth；　to　be　far　more

gorgeous　than　the　outside；　insomuch　that　whatever　was　iron　or

brass　in　other　houses　was　silver　or　gold　in　this；　and　Mr。

Gathergold's　bedchamber；　especially；　made　such　a　glittering

appearance　that　no　ordinary　man　would　have　been　able　to　close　his

eyes　there。　But；　on　the　other　hand；　Mr。　Gathergold　was　now　so

inured　to　wealth；　that　perhaps　he　could　not　have　closed　his　eyes

unless　where　the　gleam　of　it　was　certain　to　find　its　way　beneath

his　eyelids。



In　due　time；　the　mansion　was　finished；　next　came　the

upholsterers；　with　magnificent　furniture；　then；　a　whole　troop　of

black　and　white　servants；　the　harbingers　of　Mr。　Gathergold；　who；

in　his　own　majestic　person；　was　expected　to　arrive　at　sunset。　Our

friend　Ernest；　meanwhile；　had　been　deeply　stirred　by　the　idea

that　the　great　man；　the　noble　man；　the　man　of　prophecy；　after　so

many　ages　of　delay；　was　at　length　to　be　made　manifest　to　his

native　valley。　He　knew；　boy　as　he　was；　that　there　were　a　thousand

ways　in　which　Mr。　Gathergold；　with　his　vas