Thedoubtimpliedinhisquestionwaswellfounded。Inthe
generaldestructionofbooksalreadydescribed，aholyvolume-that
stoodapartfromthecatalogueofhumanliterature，andyet，inone
sense，wasatitshead-hadbeenspared。ButtheTitanof
innovation-angelorfiend，doubleinhisnature，andcapableofdeeds
befittingbothcharacters-atfirstshakingdownonlytheoldand
rottenshapesofthings，hadnow，asitappeared，laidhisterrible
handuponthemainpillarswhichsupportedthewholeedificeofour
moralandspiritualstate。Theinhabitantsoftheearthhadgrown
tooenlightenedtodefinetheirfaithwithinaformofwords，orto
limitthespiritualbyanyanalogytoourmaterialexistence。
Truths，whichtheheavenstrembledat，werenowbutafableofthe
world’sinfancy。Therefore，asthefinalsacrificeofhumanerror，
whatelseremainedtobethrownupontheembersofthatawfulpile，
excepttheBook，which，thoughacelestialrevelationtopastages，
wasbutavoicefromalowersphere，asregardedthepresentraceof
man？Itwasdone！Upontheblazingheapoffalsehoodandworn-out
truth-thingsthattheearthhadneverneeded，orhadceasedto
need，orhadgrownchildishlywearyof-felltheponderouschurch
Bible，thegreatoldvolume，thathadlainsolongonthecushionof
thepulpit，andwhencethepastor’ssolemnvoicehadgivenholy
utteranceonsomanyaSabbathday。There，likewise，fellthefamily
Bible，whichthelongburiedpatriarchhadreadtohischildren-in
prosperityorsorrow，bythefiresideandinthesummershadeof
trees-andhadbequeatheddownward，astheheir-loomofgenerations。
TherefellthebosomBible，thelittlevolumethathadbeenthesoul’s
friendofsomesorelytriedchildofdust，whothencetookcourage，
whetherhistrialwereforlifeordeath，steadfastlyconfrontingboth
inthestrongassuranceofimmortality。
Allthesewereflungintothefierceandriotousblaze；andthen
amightywindcameroaringacrosstheplain，withadesolatehowl，
asifitweretheangrylamentationsoftheEarthforthelossof
Heaven’ssunshine，anditshookthegiganticpyramidofflame，and
scatteredthecindersofhalf-consumedabominationsarounduponthe
spectators。
“Thisisterrible！”saidI，feelingthatmycheekgrewpale，and
seeingalikechangeinthevisagesaboutme。
“Beofgoodcourageyet。”answeredthemanwithwhomIhadsooften
spoken。Hecontinuedtogazesteadilyatthespectacle，witha
singularcalmness，asifitconcernedhimmerelyasanobserver。“Be
ofgoodcourage-noryetexulttoomuch；forthereisfarlessbothof
goodandevil，intheeffectofthisbonfire，thantheworldmight
bewillingtobelieve。”
“Howcanthatbe？”exclaimedIimpatiently。“Hasitnotconsumed
everything？Hasitnotswallowedup，ormelteddown，everyhumanor
divineappendageofourmortalstatethathadsubstanceenoughtobe
actedonbyfire？Willtherebeanythingleftustomorrowmorning，
betterorworsethanaheapofembersandashes？”
“Assuredlytherewill。”saidmygravefriend。“Comehithertomorrow
morning-orwheneverthecombustibleportionofthepileshallbe
quiteburntout-andyouwillfindamongtheasheseverythingreally
valuablethatyouhaveseencastintotheflames。Trustme，the
worldoftomorrowwillagainenrichitselfwiththegoldand
diamondswhichhavebeencastoffbytheworldoftoday。Notatruth
isdestroyed-norburiedsodeepamongtheashes，butitwillberaked
upatlast。”
Thiswasastrangeassurance。YetIfeltinclinedtocreditit；the
moreespeciallyasIbeheldamongthewallowingflamesacopyofthe
HolyScriptures，thepagesofwhich，insteadofbeingblackenedinto
tinder，onlyassumedamoredazzlingwhitenessasthefinger-marks
ofhumanimperfectionwerepurifiedaway。Certainmarginalnotesand
commentaries，itistrue，yieldedtotheintensityofthefiery
test，butwithoutdetrimenttothesmallestsyllablethathadflamed
fromthepenofinspiration。
“Yes-thereistheproofofwhatyousay。”answeredI，turningto
theobserver。“Butifonlywhatisevilcanfeeltheactionofthe
fire，then，surely，theconflagrationhasbeenofinestimableutility。
YetifIunderstandaright，youintimateadoubtwhethertheworld’s
expectationofbenefitwouldberealizedbyit。”
“Listentothetalkoftheseworthies。”saidhe，pointingtoa
groupinfrontoftheblazingpile。“Possiblytheymayteachyou
somethinguseful，withoutintendingit。”
Thepersonswhomheindicatedconsistedofthatbrutalandmost
earthyfigurewhohadstoodforthsofuriouslyindefenceofthe
gallows-thehangman，inshort-togetherwiththelastthiefandthe
lastmurderer；allthreeofwhomwereclusteredaboutthelast
toper。Thelatterwasliberallypassingthebrandybottle，whichhe
hadrescuedfromthegeneraldestructionofwinesandspirits。The
littleconvivialpartyseemedatthelowestpitchofdespondency；as
consideringthatthepurifiedworldmustneedsbeutterlyunlikethe
spherethattheyhadhithertoknown，andthereforebutastrangeand
desolateabodeforgentlemenoftheirkidney。
“Thebestcounselforallofusis。”remarkedthehangman，“that-
assoonaswehavefinishedthelastdropofliqour-Ihelpyou，my
threefriends，toacomfortableenduponthenearesttree，andthen
hangmyselfonthesamebough。Thisisnoworldforusanylonger。”
“Poh，poh，mygoodfellows！”saidadark-complexionedpersonage，
whonowjoinedthegroup-hiscomplexionwasindeedfearfullydark，
andhiseyesglowedwitharedderlightthanthatofthebonfire-
“Benotsocastdown，mydearfriends；youshallseegooddaysyet。
Thereisonethingthatthesewiseacreshaveforgottentothrowinto
thefire，andwithoutwhichalltherestoftheconflagrationis
justnothingatall；yes-thoughtheyhadburnttheearthitselfto
acinder。”
“Andwhatmaythatbe？”eagerlydemandedthelastmurderer。
“Whatbutthehumanheartitself！”saidthedark-visaged
stranger，withaportentousgrin。“Andunlesstheyhituponsome
methodofpurifyingthatfoulcavern，forthfromitwillreissueall
theshapesofwrongandmisery-thesameoldshapes，orworseones-
whichtheyhavetakensuchavastdealoftroubletoconsumetoashes。
Ihavestoodby，thislive-longnight，andlaughedinmysleeveatthe
wholebusiness。Oh，takemywordforit，itwillbetheoldworld
yet！”
Thisbriefconversationsuppliedmewithathemeforlengthened
thought。Howsadatruth-iftrueitwere-thatMan’sage-long
endeavorforperfectionhadservedonlytorenderhimthemockeryof
theEvilPrinciple，fromthefatalcircumstanceofanerroratthe
veryrootofthematter！Theheart-theheart-therewasthelittle
yetboundlesssphere，whereinexistedtheoriginalwrong，ofwhichthe
crimeandmiseryofthisoutwardworldweremerelytypes。Purify
thatinwardsphere；andthemanyshapesofevilthathauntthe
outward，andwhichnowseemalmostouronlyrealities，willturnto
shadowyphantoms，andvanishoftheirownaccord。Butifwegono
deeperthantheIntellect，andstrive，withmerelythatfeeble
instrument，todiscernandrectifywhatiswrong，ourwhole
accomplishmentwillbeadream；sounsubstantial，thatitmatters
littlewhetherthebonfire，whichIhavesofaithfullydescribed，were
whatwechoosetocallarealevent，andaflamethatwouldscorchthe
finger-oronlyaphosphoricradiance，andaparableofmyownbrain！
byNathanielHawthorne
HEREHECOMES！”shoutedtheboysalongthestreet。“Herecomes
themanwithasnakeinhisbosom！”
Thisoutcry，salutingHerkimer’sears，ashewasabouttoenterthe
irongateoftheEllistonmansion，madehimpause。Itwasnot
withoutashudderthathefoundhimselfonthepointofmeetinghis
formeracquaintance，whomhehadknowninthegloryofyouth，andwhom
now，afteranintervaloffiveyears，hewastofindthevictimeither
ofadiseasedfancy，orahorriblephysicalmisfortune。
“Asnakeinhisbosom！”repeatedtheyoungsculptortohimself。“It
mustbehe。Nosecondmanonearthhassuchabosom-friend！Andnow，
mypoorRosina，Heavengrantmewisdomtodischargemyerrand
aright！Woman’sfaithmustbestrongindeed，sincethinehasnotyet
failed。”
Thusmusing，hetookhisstandattheentranceofthegate，and
waiteduntilthepersonage，sosingularlyannounced，shouldmakehis
appearance。Afteraninstantortwo，hebeheldthefigureofalean
man，ofunwholesomelook，withglitteringeyesandlongblackhair，
whoseemedtoimitatethemotionofasnake；for，insteadofwalking
straightforwardwithopenfront，heundulatedalongthepavementina
curvedline。Itmaybetoofancifultosay，thatsomething，either
inhismoralormaterialaspect，suggestedtheideathatamiraclehad
beenwrought，bytransformingaserpentintoaman；butso
imperfectly，thatthesnakynaturewasyethidden，andscarcely
hidden，underthemereoutwardguiseofhumanity。Herkimerremarked
thathiscomplexionhadagreenishtingeoveritssicklywhite，
remindinghimofaspeciesofmarbleoutofwhichhehadonce
wroughtaheadofEnvy，withhersnakylocks。
Thewretchedbeingapproachedthegate，but，insteadofentering，
stoptshort，andfixedtheglitterofhiseyefulluponthe
compassionate，yetsteadycountenanceofthesculptor。
“Itgnawsme！Itgnawsme！”heexclaimed。
Andthentherewasanaudiblehiss，butwhetheritcamefromthe
apparentlunatic’sownlips，orwastherealhissofaserpent，
mightadmitofdiscussion。Atallevents，itmadeHerkimershudder
tohisheart’score。
“Doyouknowme，GeorgeHerkimer？”askedthesnake-possessed。
Herkimerdidknowhim。Butitdemandedalltheintimateand
practicalacquaintancewiththehumanface，acquiredbymodelling
actuallikenessesinclay，torecognizethefeaturesofRoderick
Ellistoninthevisagethatnowmetthesculptor’sgaze。Yetitwas
he。Itaddednothingtothewonder，toreflectthattheoncebrilliant
youngmanhadundergonethisodiousandfearfulchange，duringthe
nomorethanfivebriefyearsofHerkimer’sabodeatFlorence。The
possibilityofsuchatransformationbeinggranted，itwasaseasy
toconceiveiteffectedinamomentasinanage。Inexpressibly
shockedandstartled，itwasstillthekeenestpang，whenHerkimer
rememberedthatthefateofhiscousinRosina，theidealofgentle
womanhood，wasindissolublyinterwovenwiththatofabeingwhom
Providenceseemedtohaveunhumanized。
“Elliston！Roderick！”criedhe，“Ihadheardofthis；butmy
conceptioncamefarshortofthetruth。Whathasbefallenyou？Why
doIfindyouthus？”
“Oh，’tisamerenothing！Asnake！Asnake！Thecommonestthing
intheworld。Asnakeinthebosom-that’sall。”answeredRoderick
Elliston。“Buthowisyourownbreast？”continuedhe，lookingthe
sculptorintheeye，withthemostacuteandpenetratingglancethat
ithadeverbeenhisfortunetoencounter。“Allpureandwholesome？No
reptilethere？Bymyfaithandconscience，andbythedevilwithinme，
hereisawonder！Amanwithoutaserpentinhisbosom！”
“Becalm，Elliston。”whisperedGeorgeHerkimer，layinghishand
upontheshoulderofthesnake-possessed。“Ihavecrossedtheoceanto
meetyou。Listen-letusbeprivate-IbringamessagefromRosina！
fromyourwife！”
“Itgnawsme！Itgnawsme！”mutteredRoderick。
Withthisexclamation，themostfrequentinhismouth，the
unfortunatemanclutchedbothhandsuponhisbreast，asifan
intolerablestingortortureimpelledhimtorenditopen，andletout
thelivingmischief，evenwhereitintertwinedwithhisownlife。He
thenfreedhimselffromHerkimer’sgrasp，byasubtlemotion，and
glidingthroughthegate，tookrefugeinhisantiquatedfamily
residence。Thesculptordidnotpursuehim。Hesawthatnoavailable
intercoursecouldbeexpectedatsuchamoment，andwasdesirous，
beforeanothermeeting，toinquirecloselyintothenatureof
Roderick’sdisease，andthecircumstancesthathadreducedhimtoso
lamentableacondition。Hesucceededinobtainingthenecessary
informationfromaneminentmedicalgentleman。