the great stone face-第3章

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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　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。　Butas　it　always　didthe　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