the great stone face-第3章

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of　prophecy　was　yet　to　come。



It　so　happened　that　a　native…born　son　of　the　valley；　many　years

before；　had　enlisted　as　a　soldier；　and；　after　a　great　deal　of

hard　fighting；　had　now　become　an　illustrious　commander。　Whatever

he　may　be　called　in　history；　he　was　known　in　camps　and　on　the

battle…field　under　the　nickname　of　Old　Blood…and…Thunder。　This

war…worn　veteran　being　now　infirm　with　age　and　wounds；　and　weary

of　the　turmoil　of　a　military　life；　and　of　the　roll　of　the　drum

and　the　clangor　of　the　trumpet；　that　had　so　long　been　ringing　in

his　ears；　had　lately　signified　a　purpose　of　returning　to　his

native　valley；　hoping　to　find　repose　where　he　remembered　to　have

left　it。　The　inhabitants；　his　old　neighbors　and　their　grown…up

children；　were　resolved　to　welcome　the　renowned　warrior　with　a

salute　of　cannon　and　a　public　dinner；　and　all　the　more

enthusiastically；　it　being　affirmed　that　now；　at　last；　the

likeness　of　the　Great　Stone　Face　had　actually　appeared。　An

aid…de…camp　of　Old　Blood…and…Thunder；　travelling　through　the

valley；　was　said　to　have　been　struck　with　the　resemblance。

Moreover　the　schoolmates　and　early　acquaintances　of　the　general

were　ready　to　testify；　on　oath；　that；　to　the　best　of　their

recollection；　the　aforesaid　general　had　been　exceedingly　like　the

majestic　image；　even　when　a　boy；　only　the　idea　had　never　occurred

to　them　at　that　period。　Great；　therefore；　was　the　excitement

throughout　the　valley；　and　many　people；　who　had　never　once

thought　of　glancing　at　the　Great　Stone　Face　for　years　before；　now

spent　their　time　in　gazing　at　it；　for　the　sake　of　knowing　exactly

how　General　Blood…and…Thunder　looked。



On　the　day　of　the　great　festival；　Ernest；　with　all　the　other

people　of　the　valley；　left　their　work；　and　proceeded　to　the　spot

where　the　sylvan　banquet　was　prepared。　As　he　approached；　the　loud

voice　of　the　Rev。　Dr。　Battleblast　was　heard；　beseeching　a

blessing　on　the　good　things　set　before　them；　and　on　the

distinguished　friend　of　peace　in　whose　honor　they　were　assembled。

The　tables　were　arranged　in　a　cleared　space　of　the　woods；　shut　in

by　the　surrounding　trees；　except　where　a　vista　opened　eastward；

and　afforded　a　distant　view　of　the　Great　Stone　Face。　Over　the

general's　chair；　which　was　a　relic　from　the　home　of　Washington；

there　was　an　arch　of　verdant　boughs；　with　the　laurel　profusely

intermixed；　and　surmounted　by　his　country's　banner；　beneath　which

he　had　won　his　victories。　Our　friend　Ernest　raised　himself　on　his

tiptoes；　in　hopes　to　get　a　glimpse　of　the　celebrated　guest；　but

there　was　a　mighty　crowd　about　the　tables　anxious　to　hear　the

toasts　and　speeches；　and　to　catch　any　word　that　might　fall　from

the　general　in　reply；　and　a　volunteer　company；　doing　duty　as　a

guard；　pricked　ruthlessly　with　their　bayonets　at　any　particularly

quiet　person　among　the　throng。　So　Ernest；　being　of　an　unobtrusive

character；　was　thrust　quite　into　the　background；　where　he　could

see　no　more　of　Old　Blood…and…Thunder's　physiognomy　than　if　it　had

been　still　blazing　on　the　battle…field。　To　console　himself；　he

turned　towards　the　Great　Stone　Face；　which；　like　a　faithful　and

long　remembered　friend；　looked　back　and　smiled　upon　him　through

the　vista　of　the　forest。　Meantime；　however；　he　could　overhear　the

remarks　of　various　individuals；　who　were　comparing　the　features

of　the　hero　with　the　face　on　the　distant　mountain…side。



〃　'Tis　the　same　face；　to　a　hair！〃　cried　one　man；　cutting　a　caper

for　joy。



〃Wonderfully　like；　that's　a　fact！〃　responded　another。



〃Like！　why；　I　call　it　Old　Blood…and…Thunder　himself；　in　a

monstrous　looking…glass！〃　cried　a　third。　〃And　why　not？　He's　the

greatest　man　of　this　or　any　other　age；　beyond　a　doubt。〃



And　then　all　three　of　the　speakers　gave　a　great　shout；　which

communicated　electricity　to　the　crowd；　and　called　forth　a　roar

from　a　thousand　voices；　that　went　reverberating　for　miles　among

the　mountains；　until　you　might　have　supposed　that　the　Great　Stone

Face　had　poured　its　thunderbreath　into　the　cry。　All　these

comments；　and　this　vast　enthusiasm；　served　the　more　to　interest

our　friend；　nor　did　he　think　of　questioning　that　now；　at　length；

the　mountain…visage　had　found　its　human　counterpart。　It　is　true；

Ernest　had　imagined　that　this　long…looked…for　personage　would

appear　in　the　character　of　a　man　of　peace；　uttering　wisdom；　and

doing　good；　and　making　people　happy。　But；　taking　an　habitual

breadth　of　view；　with　all　his　simplicity；　he　contended　that

Providence　should　choose　its　own　method　of　blessing　mankind；　and

could　conceive　that　this　great　end　might　be　effected　even　by　a

warrior　and　a　bloody　sword；　should　inscrutable　wisdom　see　fit　to

order　matters　so。



〃The　general！　the　general！〃　was　now　the　cry。　〃Hush！　silence！　Old

Blood…and…Thunder's　going　to　make　a　speech。〃



Even　so；　for；　the　cloth　being　removed；　the　general's　health　had

been　drunk；　amid　shouts　of　applause；　and　he　now　stood　upon　his

feet　to　thank　the　company。　Ernest　saw　him。　There　he　was；　over　the

shoulders　of　the　crowd；　from　the　two　glittering　epaulets　and

embroidered　collar　upward；　beneath　the　arch　of　green　boughs　with

intertwined　laurel；　and　the　banner　drooping　as　if　to　shade　his

brow！　And　there；　too；　visible　in　the　same　glance；　through　the

vista　of　the　forest；　appeared　the　Great　Stone　Face！　And　was

there；　indeed；　such　a　resemblance　as　the　crowd　had　testified？

Alas；　Ernest　could　not　recognize　it！　He　beheld　a　war…worn　and

weatherbeaten　countenance；　full　of　energy；　and　expressive　of　an

iron　will；　but　the　gentle　wisdom；　the　deep；　broad；　tender

sympathies；　were　altogether　wanting　in　Old　Blood…and…Thunder's

visage；　and　even　if　the　Great　Stone　Face　had　assumed　his　look　of

stern　command；　the　milder　traits　would　still　have　tempered　it。



〃This　is　not　the　man　of　prophecy；〃　sighed　Ernest　to　himself；　as

he　made　his　way　out　of　the　throng。　〃And　must　the　world　wait

longer　yet？〃



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