ThenBartramrememberedthestorieswhichhadgrowntraditionaryin
referencetothisstrangeman，whohadcomeuponhimlikeashadow
ofthenight，andwasmakinghimselfathomeinhisoldplace，after
solongabsencethatthedeadpeople，deadandburiedforyears，would
havehadmorerighttobeathome，inanyfamiliarspot，thanhe。
EthanBrand，itwassaid，hadconversedwithSatanhimselfinthe
luridblazeofthisverykiln。Thelegendhadbeenmatterofmirth
heretoforebutlookedgrislynow。Accordingtothistale，beforeEthan
Branddepartedonhissearch，hehadbeenaccustomedtoevokea
fiendfromthehotfurnaceofthelime-kiln，nightafternight，in
ordertoconferwithhimabouttheUnpardonableSin；themanandthe
fiendeachlaboringtoframetheimageofsomemodeofguiltwhich
couldneitherbeatonedfornorforgiven。And，withthefirstgleamof
lightuponthemountain-top，thefiendcreptinattheirondoor，
theretoabidetheintensestelementoffire，untilagainsummoned
forthtoshareinthedreadfultaskofextendingman’spossible
guiltbeyondthescopeofHeaven’selseinfinitemercy。
Whilethelime-burnerwasstrugglingwiththehorrorofthese
thoughts，EthanBrandrosefromthelog，andflungopenthedoorof
thekiln。TheactionwasinsuchaccordancewiththeideainBartram’s
mind，thathealmostexpectedtoseetheEvilOneissueforth，red-hot
fromtheragingfurnace。
“Hold！hold！”criedhe，withatremulousattempttolaugh；forhe
wasashamedofhisfears，althoughtheyovermasteredhim。“Don’t，
formercy’ssake，bringoutyourdevilnow！”
“Man！”sternlyrepliedEthanBrand，“whatneedhaveIofthedevil？
Ihavelefthimbehindme，onmytrack。Itiswithsuchhalfway
sinnersasyouthathebusieshimself。FearnotbecauseIopenthe
door。Idobutactbyoldcustom，andamgoingtotrimyourfire，like
alime-burner，asIwasonce。”
Hestirredthevastcoals，thrustinmorewood，andbentforwardto
gazeintothehollowprison-houseofthefire，regardlessofthe
fierceglowthatreddeneduponhisface。Thelime-burnersat
watchinghim，andhalfsuspectedhisstrangeguestofapurpose，if
nottoevokeafiend，atleasttoplungebodilyintotheflames，and
thusvanishfromthesightofman。EthanBrand，however，drew
quietlyback，andclosedthedoorofthekiln。
“Ihavelooked，saidhe，“intomanyahumanheartthatwasseven
timeshotterwithsinfulpassionsthanyonderfurnaceiswithfire。
ButIfoundnottherewhatIsought。No，nottheUnpardonableSin！”
“WhatistheUnpardonableSin？”askedthelime-burner；andthen
heshrankfurtherfromhiscompanion，tremblinglesthisquestion
shouldbeanswered。
“Itisasinthatgrewwithinmyownbreast。”repliedEthan
Brand，standingerect，withapridethatdistinguishesallenthusiasts
ofhisstamp。“Asinthatgrewnowhereelse！Thesinofanintellect
thattriumphedoverthesenseofbrotherhoodwithmanandreverence
forGod，andsacrificedeverythingtoitsownmightyclaims！The
onlysinthatdeservesarecompenseofimmortalagony！Freely，wereit
todoagain，wouldIincurtheguilt。UnshrinkinglyIacceptthe
retribution！”
“Theman’sheadisturned。”mutteredthelime-burnertohimself。
“Hemaybeasinner，liketherestofus-nothingmorelikely-but，
I’llbesworn，heisamadmantoo。”
Neverthelesshefeltuncomfortableathissituation，alonewith
EthanBrandonthewildmountain-side，andwasrightgladtohear
theroughmurmuroftongues，andthefootstepsofwhatseemedapretty
numerousparty，stumblingoverthestonesandrustlingthroughthe
underbrush。Soonappearedthewholelazyregimentthatwaswontto
infestthevillagetaverncomprehendingthreeorfourindividuals
whohaddrunkflipbesidethebar-roomfirethroughallthewinters，
andsmokedtheirpipesbeneaththestoopthroughallthesummers，
sinceEthanBrand’sdeparture。Laughingboisterously，andminglingall
theirvoicestogetherinunceremonioustalk，theynowburstintothe
moonshineandnarrowstreaksoffire-lightthatilluminatedtheopen
spacebeforethelime-kiln。Bartramsetthedoorajaragain，
floodingthespotwithlight，thatthewholecompanymightgeta
fairviewofEthanBrand，andheofthem。
There，amongotheroldacquaintances，wasaonceubiquitousman，
nowalmostextinct，butwhomwewereformerlysuretoencounteratthe
hotelofeverythrivingvillagethroughoutthecountry。Itwasthe
stage-agent。Thepresentspecimenofthegenuswasawiltedand
smoke-driedman，wrinkledandred-nosed，inasmartlycut，brown，
bob-tailedcoat，withbrassbuttons，who，foralengthoftime
unknown，hadkepthisdeskandcornerinthebar-room，andwasstill
puffingwhatseemedtobethesamecigarthathehadlightedtwenty
yearsbefore。Hehadgreatfameasadryjoker，though，perhaps，
lessonaccountofanyintrinsichumorthanfromacertainflavorof
brandy-toddyandtobacco-smoke，whichimpregnatedallhisideasand
expressions，aswellashisperson。Anotherwell-rememberedthough
strangelyalteredfacewasthatofLawyerGiles，aspeoplestill
calledhimincourtesy；anelderlyragamuffin，inhissoiled
shirt-sleevesandtow-clothtrousers。Thispoorfellowhadbeenan
attorney，inwhathecalledhisbetterdays，asharppractitioner，and
ingreatvogueamongthevillagelitigants；butflip，andsling，and
toddy，andcocktails，imbibedatallhours，morning，noon，and
night，hadcausedhimtoslidefromintellectualtovariouskinds
anddegreesofbodilylabor，till，atlast，toadopthisownphrase，
heslidintoasoap-vat。Inotherwords，Gileswasnowa
soap-boiler，inasmallway。Hehadcometobebutthefragmentofa
humanbeing，apartofonefoothavingbeenchoppedoffbyanaxe，and
anentirehandtornawaybythedevilishgripofasteam-engine。
Yet，thoughthecorporealhandwasgone，aspiritualmember
remained；for，stretchingforththestump，Gilessteadfastlyaverred
thathefeltaninvisiblethumbandfingerswithasvivida
sensationasbeforetherealoneswereamputated。Amaimedand
miserablewretchhewas；butone，nevertheless，whomtheworldcould
nottrampleon，andhadnorighttoscorn，eitherinthisorany
previousstageofhismisfortunes，sincehehadstillkeptupthe
courageandspiritofaman，askednothingincharity，andwithhis
onehand-andthattheleftone-foughtasternbattleagainstwant
andhostilecircumstances。
Amongthethrong，too，cameanotherpersonage，who，withcertain
pointsofsimilaritytoLawyerGiles，hadmanymoreofdifference。
Itwasthevillagedoctor；amanofsomefiftyyears，whom，atan
earlierperiodofhislife，weintroducedaspayingaprofessional
visittoEthanBrandduringthelatter’ssupposedinsanity。Hewasnow
apurple-visaged，rude，andbrutal，yethalf-gentlemanlyfigure，
withsomethingwild，ruined，anddesperateinhistalk，andinallthe
detailsofhisgestureandmanners。Brandypossessedthismanlike
anevilspirit，andmadehimassurlyandsavageasawildbeast，
andasmiserableasalostsoul；buttherewassupposedtobeinhim
suchwonderfulskill，suchnativegiftsofhealing，beyondanywhich
medicalsciencecouldimpart，thatsocietycaughtholdofhim，and
wouldnotlethimsinkoutofitsreach。So，swayingtoandfroupon
hishorse，andgrumblingthickaccentsatthebedside，hevisited
allthesickchambersformilesaboutamongthemountaintowns，and
sometimesraisedadyingman，asitwere，bymiracle，orquiteas
often，nodoubt，senthispatienttoagravethatwasdugmanya
yeartoosoon。Thedoctorhadaneverlastingpipeinhismouth，and，
assomebodysaid，inallusiontohishabitofswearing，itwas
alwaysalightwithhell-fire。
Thesethreeworthiespressedforward，andgreetedEthanBrand
eachafterhisownfashion，earnestlyinvitinghimtopartakeofthe
contentsofacertainblackbottle，inwhich，astheyaverred，he
wouldfindsomethingfarbetterworthseekingforthanthe
UnpardonableSin。Nomind，whichhaswroughtitselfbyintenseand
solitarymeditationintoahighstateofenthusiasm，canendurethe
kindofcontactwithlowandvulgarmodesofthoughtandfeelingto
whichEthanBrandwasnowsubjected。Itmadehimdoubt-and，strangeto
say，itwasapainfuldoubt-whetherhehadindeedfoundthe
UnpardonableSin，andfounditwithinhimself。Thewholequestionon
whichhehadexhaustedlife，andmorethanlife，lookedlikea
delusion。
“Leaveme。”hesaid，bitterly，“yebrutebeasts，thathavemade
yourselvesso，shrivellingupyoursoulswithfieryliquors！Ihave
donewithyou。Yearsandyearsago，Igropedintoyourhearts，and
foundnothingthereformypurpose。Getyegone！”
“Why，youuncivilscoundrel。”criedthefiercedoctor，“isthatthe
wayyourespondtothekindnessofyourbestfriends？Thenletmetell
youthetruth。YouhavenomorefoundtheUnpardonableSinthanyonder
boyJoehas。Youarebutacrazyfellow-Itoldyousotwentyyears
ago-neitherbetternorworsethanacrazyfellow，andthefit
companionofoldHumphrey，here！”
Hepointedtoanoldman，shabbilydressed，withlongwhitehair，
thinvisage，andunsteadyeyes。Forsomeyearspastthisagedperson
hadbeenwanderingaboutamongthehills，inquiringofall
travellerswhomhemetforhisdaughter。Thegirl，itseemed，hadgone
offwithacompanyofcircus-performers；andoccasionallytidingsof
hercametothevillage，andfinestoriesweretoldofher
glitteringappearanceassherodeonhorse-backinthering，or
performedmarvellousfeatsonthetight-rope。
Thewhite-hairedfathernowapproachedEthanBrand，andgazed
unsteadilyintohisface。
“Theytellmeyouhavebeenallovertheearth。”saidhe，
wringinghishandswithearnestness。“Youmusthaveseenmy
daughter，forshemakesagrandfigureintheworld，andeverybody
goestoseeher。Didshesendanywordtoheroldfather，orsay
whenshewascomingback？”
EthanBrand’seyequailedbeneaththeoldman’s。Thatdaughter，
fromwhomhesoearnestlydesiredawordofgreeting，wastheEsther
ofourtale，theverygirlwhom，withsuchcoldandremorseless
purpose，EthanBrandhadmadethesubjectofapsychological
experiment，andwasted，absorbed，andperhapsannihilatedhersoul，in
theprocess。
“Yes。”murmuredhe，turningawayfromthehoarywanderer；“itisno
delusion。ThereisanUnpardonableSin！”
Whilethesethingswerepassing，amerryscenewasgoingforwardin
theareaofcheerfullight，besidethespringandbeforethedoorof
thehut。Anumberoftheyouthofthevillage，youngmenandgirls，
hadhurriedupthehill-side，impelledbycuriositytoseeEthan
Brand，theheroofsomanyalegendfamiliartotheirchildhood。
Findingnothing，however，veryremarkableinhisaspect-nothingbuta
sun-burntwayfarer，inplaingarbanddustyshoes，whosatlooking
intothefire，asifhefanciedpicturesamongthecoals-these
youngpeoplespeedilygrewtiredofobservinghim。Asithappened，
therewasotheramusementathand。AnoldGermanJew，travelling
withadioramaonhisback，waspassingdownthemountain-roadtowards
thevillagejustasthepartyturnedasidefromit，and，inhopesof
ekingouttheprofitsoftheday，theshowmanhadkeptthemcompanyto
thelime-kiln。
“Come，oldDutchman。”criedoneoftheyoungmen，“letussee
yourpictures，ifyoucansweartheyareworthlookingat！”
“O，yes，Captain。”answeredtheJew-whetherasamatterof
courtesyorcraft，hestyledeverybodyCaptain-“Ishallshowyou，
indeed，someverysuperbpictures！”
So，placinghisboxinaproperposition，heinvitedtheyoung