laugh… the wild； screaming laugh of a born idiot… are sounds that we
sometimes tremble to hear； and would always willingly forget。 Poets
have imagined no utterance of fiends or hobgoblins so fearfully
appropriate as a laugh。 And even the obtuse lime…burner felt his
nerves shaken； as this strange man looked inward at his own heart； and
burst into laughter that rolled away into the night； and was
indistinctly reverberated among the hills。
〃Joe；〃 said he to his little son； 〃scamper down to the tavern in
the village； and tell the jolly fellows there that Ethan Brand has
come back； and that he has found the Unpardonable Sin！〃
The boy darted away on his errand； to which Ethan Brand made no
objection； nor seemed hardly to notice it。 He sat on a log of wood；
looking steadfastly at the iron door of the kiln。 When the child was
out of sight； and his swift and light footsteps ceased to be heard
treading first on the fallen leaves and then on the rocky mountain
path； the lime…burner began to regret his departure。 He felt that
the little fellow's presence had been a barrier between his guest
and himself； and that he must now deal； heart to heart； with a man
who； on his own confession； had committed the one only crime for which
Heaven could afford no mercy。 That crime； in its indistinct blackness；
seemed to overshadow him。 The lime…burner's own sins rose up within
him； and made his memory riotous with a throng of evil shapes that
asserted their kindred with the Master Sin； whatever it might be；
which it was within the scope of man's corrupted nature to conceive
and cherish。 They were all of one family； they went to and fro between
his breast and Ethan Brand's； and carried dark greetings from one to
the other。
Then Bartram remembered the stories which had grown traditionary in
reference to this strange man； who had come upon him like a shadow
of the night； and was making himself at home in his old place； after
so long absence that the dead people； dead and buried for years； would
have had more right to be at home； in any familiar spot； than he。
Ethan Brand； it was said； had conversed with Satan himself in the
lurid blaze of this very kiln。 The legend had been matter of mirth
heretofore but looked grisly now。 According to this tale； before Ethan
Brand departed on his search； he had been accustomed to evoke a
fiend from the hot furnace of the lime…kiln； night after night； in
order to confer with him about the Unpardonable Sin； the man and the
fiend each laboring to frame the image of some mode of guilt which
could neither be atoned for nor forgiven。 And； with the first gleam of
light upon the mountain…top； the fiend crept in at the iron door；
there to abide the intensest element of fire； until again summoned
forth to share in the dreadful task of extending man's possible
guilt beyond the scope of Heaven's else infinite mercy。
While the lime…burner was struggling with the horror of these
thoughts； Ethan Brand rose from the log； and flung open the door of
the kiln。 The action was in such accordance with the idea in Bartram's
mind； that he almost expected to see the Evil One issue forth； red…hot
from the raging furnace。
〃Hold！ hold！〃 cried he； with a tremulous attempt to laugh； for he
was ashamed of his fears； although they overmastered him。 〃Don't；
for mercy's sake； bring out your devil now！〃
〃Man！〃 sternly replied Ethan Brand； 〃what need have I of the devil？
I have left him behind me； on my track。 It is with such halfway
sinners as you that he busies himself。 Fear not because I open the
door。 I do but act by old custom； and am going to trim your fire； like
a lime…burner； as I was once。〃
He stirred the vast coals； thrust in more wood； and bent forward to
gaze into the hollow prison…house of the fire； regardless of the
fierce glow that reddened upon his face。 The lime…burner sat
watching him； and half suspected his strange guest of a purpose； if
not to evoke a fiend； at least to plunge bodily into the flames； and
thus vanish from the sight of man。 Ethan Brand； however； drew
quietly back； and closed the door of the kiln。
〃I have looked； said he； 〃into many a human heart that was seven
times hotter with sinful passions than yonder furnace is with fire。
But I found not there what I sought。 No； not the Unpardonable Sin！〃
〃What is the Unpardonable Sin？〃 asked the lime…burner； and then
he shrank further from his companion； trembling lest his question
should be answered。
〃It is a sin that grew within my own breast；〃 replied Ethan
Brand； standing erect； with a pride that distinguishes all enthusiasts
of his stamp。 〃A sin that grew nowhere else！ The sin of an intellect
that triumphed over the sense of brotherhood with man and reverence
for God； and sacrificed everything to its own mighty claims！ The
only sin that deserves a recompense of immortal agony！ Freely； were it
to do again； would I incur the guilt。 Unshrinkingly I accept the
retribution！〃
〃The man's head is turned；〃 muttered the lime…burner to himself。
〃He may be a sinner； like the rest of us… nothing more likely… but；
I'll be sworn； he is a madman too。〃
Nevertheless he felt uncomfortable at his situation； alone with
Ethan Brand on the wild mountain…side； and was right glad to hear
the rough murmur of tongues； and the footsteps of what seemed a pretty
numerous party； stumbling over the stones and rustling through the
underbrush。 Soon appeared the whole lazy regiment that was wont to
infest the village tavern comprehending three or four individuals
who had drunk flip beside the bar…room fire through all the winters；
and smoked their pipes beneath the stoop through all the summers；
since Ethan Brand's departure。 Laughing boisterously； and mingling all
their voices together in unceremonious talk； they now burst into the
moonshine and narrow streaks of fire…light that illuminated the open
space before the lime…kiln。 Bartram set the door ajar again；
flooding the spot with light； that the whole company might get a
fair view of Ethan Brand； and he of them。
There； among other old acquaintances； was a once ubiquitous man；
now almost extinct； but whom we were formerly sure to encounter at the
hotel of every thriving village throughout the country。 It was the
stage…agent。 The present specimen of the genus was a wilted and
smoke…dried man； wrinkled and red…nosed； in a smartly cut； brown；
bob…tailed coat； with brass buttons； who； for a length of time
unknown； had kept his desk and corner in the bar…room； and was still
puffing what seemed to be the same cigar that he had lighted twenty
years before。 He had great fame as a dry joker； though； perhaps；
less on account of any intrinsic humor than from a certain flavor of
brandy…toddy and tobacco…smoke； which impregnated all his ideas and
expressions； as well as his person。 Another well…remembered though
strangely altered face was that of Lawyer Giles； as people still
called him in courtesy； an elderly ragamuffin； in his soiled
shirt…sleeves and tow…cloth trousers。 This poor fellow had been an
attorney； in what he called his better days； a sharp practitioner； and
in great vogue among the village litigants； but flip； and sling； and
toddy； and cocktails； imbibed at all hours； morning； noon； and
night； had caused him to slide from intellectual to various kinds
and degrees of bodily labor； till； at last； to adopt his own phrase；
he slid into a soap…vat。 In other words； Giles was now a
soap…boiler； in a small way。 He had come to be but the fragment of a
human being； a part of one foot having been chopped off by an axe； and
an entire hand torn away by the devilish grip of a steam…engine。
Yet； though the corporeal hand was gone； a spiritual member
remained； for； stretching forth the stump； Giles steadfastly averred
that he felt an invisible thumb and fingers with as vivid a
sensation as before the real ones were amputated。 A maimed and
miserable wretch he was； but one； nevertheless； whom the world could
not trample on； and had no right to scorn； either in this or any
previous stage of his misfortunes； since he had still kept up the
courage and spirit of a man； asked nothing in charity； and with his
one hand… and that the left one… fought a stern battle against want
and hostile circumstances。
Among the throng； too； came another personage； who； with certain
points of similarity to Lawyer Giles； had many more of difference。
It was the village doctor； a man of some fifty years； whom； at an
earlier period of his life； we introduced as paying a professional
visit to Ethan Brand during the latter's supposed insanity。 He was now
a purple…visaged； rude； and brutal； yet half…gentlemanly figure；
with something wild； ruined； and desperate in his talk； and in all the
details of his gesture and manners。 Brandy possessed this man like
an evil spirit； and made him as surly and savage as a wild beast；
and as miserable as a lost soul； but there was supposed to be in him
such wonderful skill； such native gifts of healing； beyond any which
medical science could impart； that society caught