TWICE…TOLD TALES
ETHAN BRAND
A CHAPTER FROM AN ABORTIVE ROMANCE
by Nathaniel Hawthorne
BARTRAM THE LIME…BURNER； a rough； heavy…looking man； begrimed
with charcoal； sat watching his kiln； at nightfall； while his little
son played at building houses with the scattered fragments of
marble； when； on the hill…side below them； they heard a roar of
laughter； not mirthful； but slow； and even solemn； like a wind shaking
the boughs of the forest。
〃Father； what is that？〃 asked the little boy； leaving his play； and
pressing betwixt his father's knees。
〃O； some drunken man； I suppose；〃 answered the lime…burner； 〃some
merry fellow from the bar…room in the village； who dared not laugh
loud enough within doors； lest he should blow the roof of the house
off。 So here he is； shaking his jolly sides at the foot of Gray…lock。〃
〃But； father；〃 said the child； more sensitive than the obtuse；
middle…aged clown； 〃he does not laugh like a man that is glad。 So
the noise frightens me！〃
〃Don't be a fool； child！〃 cried his father； gruffly。 〃You will
never make a man； I do believe； there is too much of your mother in
you。 I have known the rustling of a leaf startle you。 Hark！ Here comes
the merry fellow； now。 You shall see that there is no harm in him。〃
Bartram and his little son； while they were talking thus； sat
watching the same lime…kiln that had been the scene of Ethan Brand's
solitary and meditative life； before he began his search for the
Unpardonable Sin。 Many years； as we have seen； had now elapsed；
since that portentous night when the IDEA was first developed。 The
kiln； however； on the mountain…side； stood unimpaired； and was in
nothing changed since he had thrown his dark thoughts into the intense
glow of its furnace； and melted them； as it were； into the one thought
that took possession of his life。 It was a rude； round； tower…like
structure； about twenty feet high； heavily built of rough stones；
and with a hillock of earth heaped about the larger part of its
circumference； so that the blocks and fragments of marble might be
drawn by cart…loads； and thrown in at the top。 There was an opening at
the bottom of the tower； like an oven…mouth； but large enough to admit
a man in a stooping posture； and provided with a massive iron door。
With the smoke and jets of flame issuing from the chinks and
crevices of this door； which seemed to give admittance into the
hill…side； it resembled nothing so much as the private entrance to the
infernal regions； which the shepherds of the Delectable Mountains were
accustomed to show to pilgrims。
There are many such lime…kilns in that tract of country； for the
purpose of burning the white marble which composes a large part of the
substance of the hills。 Some of them； built years ago； and long
deserted； with weeds growing in the vacant round of the interior；
which is open to the sky； and grass and wild…flowers rooting
themselves into the chinks of the stones； look already like relics
of antiquity； and may yet be overspread with the lichens of
centuries to come。 Others； where the lime…burner still feeds his daily
and nightlong fire； afford points of interest to the wanderer among
the hills； who seats himself on a log of wood or a fragment of marble；
to hold a chat with the solitary man。 It is a lonesome； and； when
the character is inclined to thought； may be an intensely thoughtful
occupation； as it proved in the case of Ethan Brand； who had mused
to such strange purpose； in days gone by； while the fire in this
very kiln was burning。
The man who now watched the fire was of a different order； and
troubled himself with no thoughts save the very few that were
requisite to his business。 At frequent intervals； he flung back the
clashing weight of the iron door； and； turning his face from the
insufferable glare； thrust in huge logs of oak； or stirred the immense
brands with a long pole。 Within the furnace were seen the curling
and riotous flames； and the burning marble； almost molten with the
intensity of heat； while without； the reflection of the fire
quivered on the dark intricacy of the surrounding forest； and showed
in the foreground a bright and ruddy little picture of the hut； the
spring beside its door； the athletic and coal…begrimed figure of the
lime…burner； and the half…frightened child； shrinking into the
protection of his father's shadow。 And when again the iron door was
closed； then reappeared the tender light of the half…full moon；
which vainly strove to trace out the indistinct shapes of the
neighboring mountains； and； in the upper sky； there was a flitting
congregation of clouds； still faintly tinged with the rosy sunset；
though thus far down into the valley the sunshine had vanished long
and long ago。
The little boy now crept still closer to his father； as footsteps
were heard ascending the hill…side； and a human form thrust aside
the bushes that clustered beneath the trees。
〃Halloo！ who is it？〃 cried the lime…burner； vexed at his son's
timidity； yet half infected by it。 〃Come forward； and show yourself；
like a man； or I'll fling this chunk of marble at your head！〃
〃You offer me a rough welcome；〃 said a gloomy voice； as the unknown
man drew nigh。 〃Yet I neither claim nor desire a kinder one； even at
my own fireside。〃
To obtain a distincter view； Bartram threw open the iron door of
the kiln； whence immediately issued a gush of fierce light； that smote
full upon the stranger's face and figure。 To a careless eye there
appeared nothing very remarkable in his aspect； which was that of a
man in a coarse； brown； country…made suit of clothes； tall and thin；
with the staff and heavy shoes of a wayfarer。 As he advanced； he fixed
his eyes… which were very bright… intently upon the brightness of
the furnace； as if he beheld； or expected to behold； some object
worthy of note within it。
〃Good evening； stranger；〃 said the lime…burner； 〃whence come you；
so late in the day？〃
〃I come from my search；〃 answered the wayfarer； 〃for； at last； it
is finished。〃
〃Drunk！… or crazy！〃 muttered Bartram to himself。 〃I shall have
trouble with the fellow。 The sooner I drive him away； the better。〃
The little boy； all in a tremble； whispered to his father； and
begged him to shut the door of the kiln； so that there might not be so
much light； for that there was something in the man's face which he
was afraid to look at； yet could not look away from。 And； indeed； even
the lime…burner's dull and torpid sense began to be impressed by an
indescribable something in that thin； rugged； thoughtful visage；
with the grizzled hair hanging wildly about it； and those
deeply…sunken eyes； which gleamed like fires within the entrance of
a mysterious cavern。 But； as he closed the door； the stranger turned
towards him； and spoke in a quiet； familiar way； that made Bartram
feel as if he were a sane and sensible man； after all。
〃Your task draws to an end； I see；〃 said he。 〃This marble has
already been burning three days。 A few hours more will convert the
stone to lime。〃
〃Why； who are you？〃 exclaimed the lime…burner。 〃You seem as well
acquainted with my business as I am myself。〃
〃And well I may be；〃 said the stranger； 〃for I followed the same
craft many a long year； and here； too； on this very spot。 But you
are a newcomer in these parts。 Did you never hear of Ethan Brand？〃
〃The man that went in search of the Unpardonable Sin？〃 asked
Bartram； with a laugh。
〃The same；〃 answered the stranger。 〃He has found what he sought；
and therefore he comes back again。〃
〃What！ then you are Ethan Brand himself？〃 cried the lime…burner； in
amazement。 〃I am a newcomer here； as you say； and they call it
eighteen years since you left the foot of Gray…lock。 But； I can tell
you； the good folks still talk about Ethan Brand； in the village
yonder； and what a strange errand took him away from his lime…kiln。
Well； and so you have found the Unpardonable Sin？〃
〃Even so！〃 said the stranger； calmly。
〃If the question is a fair one；〃 proceeded Bartram； 〃where might it
be？〃
Ethan Brand laid his finger on his own heart。
〃Here！〃 replied he。
And then； without mirth in his countenance； but as if moved by an
involuntary recognition of the infinite absurdity of seeking
throughout the world for what was the closest of all things to
himself； and looking into every heart； save his own； for what was
hidden in no other breast； he broke into a laugh of scorn。 It was
the same slow； heavy laugh； that had almost appalled the lime…burner
when it heralded the wayfarer's approach。
The solitary mountain…side was made dismal by it。 Laughter； when
out of place； mistimed； or bursting forth from a disordered state of
feeling； may be the most terrible modulation of the human voice。 The
laughter of one asleep； even if it be a little child… the madman's
laugh… the wild； screaming laugh of a born idiot… are sounds that we
sometimes tremble to hear；