第49章

Again，andstillmoreearnestlythanbefore，Ernestexaminedthe

poet’sfeatures；thenturnedtowardstheGreatStoneFace；then

back，withanuncertainaspect，tohisguest。Buthiscountenance

fell；heshookhishead，andsighed。

“Whereforeareyousad？”inquiredthepoet。

“Because，repliedErnest，“allthroughlifeIhaveawaitedthe

fulfilmentofaprophecy；and，whenIreadthesepoems，Ihopedthat

itmightbefulfilledinyou。”

“Youhoped。”answeredthepoet，faintlysmiling，“tofindinmethe

likenessoftheGreatStoneFace。Andyouaredisappointed，as

formerlywithMr。Gathergold，andOldBlood-and-Thunder，andOldStony

Phiz。Yes，Ernest，itismydoom。Youmustaddmynametothe

illustriousthree，andrecordanotherfailureofyourhopes。For-in

shameandsadnessdoIspeakit，Ernest-Iamnotworthytobe

typifiedbyyonderbenignandmajesticimage。”

“Andwhy？”askedErnest。Hepointedtothevolume-“Arenotthose

thoughtsdivine？”

“TheyhaveastrainoftheDivinity。”repliedthepoet。“Youcan

hearinthemthefar-offechoofaheavenlysong。Butmylife，dear

Ernest，hasnotcorrespondedwithmythought。Ihavehadgranddreams，

buttheyhavebeenonlydreams，becauseIhavelived-andthat，too，

byownchoice-amongpoorandmeanrealities。Sometimeseven-shall

Idaretosayit？-Ilackfaithinthegrandeur，thebeauty，andthe

goodness，whichmyownworksaresaidtohavemademoreevidentin

natureandinhumanlife。Why，then，pureseekerofthegoodandtrue，

shouldstthouhopetofindme，inyonderimageofthedivine！”

Thepoetspokesadly，andhiseyesweredimwithtears。So，

likewise，werethoseofErnest。

Atthehourofsunset，ashadlongbeenhisfrequentcustom，Ernest

wastodiscoursetoanassemblageoftheneighboringinhabitants，in

theopenair。Heandthepoet，arminarm，stilltalkingtogetheras

theywentalong，proceededtothespot。Itwasasmallnookamong

thehills，withagrayprecipicebehind，thesternfrontofwhich

wasrelievedbythepleasantfoliageofmanycreepingplants，that

madeatapestryforthenakedrock，byhangingtheirfestoonsfromall

itsruggedangles。Atasmallelevationabovetheground，setina

richframe-workofverdure，thereappearedaniche，spaciousenoughto

admitahumanfigure，withfreedomforsuchgesturesas

spontaneouslyaccompanyearnestthoughtandgenuineemotion。Intothis

naturalpulpitErnestascended，andthrewalookoffamiliar

kindnessarounduponhisaudience。Theystood，orsat，orreclined

uponthegrass，asseemedgoodtoeach，withthedepartingsunshine

fallingobliquelyoverthem，andminglingitssubduedcheerfulness

withthesolemnityofagroveofancienttrees，beneathandamidthe

boughsofwhichthegoldenrayswereconstrainedtopass。Inanother

directionwasseentheGreatStoneFace，withthesamecheer，combined

withthesamesolemnity，initsbenignantaspect。

Ernestbegantospeak，givingtothepeopleofwhatwasinhis

heartandmind。Hiswordshadpower，becausetheyaccordedwithhis

thoughts；andhisthoughtshadrealityanddepth，becausethey

harmonizedwiththelifewhichhehadalwayslived。Itwasnotmere

breaththatthispreacheruttered；theywerethewordsoflife，

becausealifeofgooddeedsandholylovewasmeltedintothem。

Pearls，pureandrich，hadbeendissolvedintothisprecious

draught。Thepoet，ashelistened，feltthatthebeingandcharacter

ofErnestwereanoblerstrainofpoetrythanhehadeverwritten。His

eyesglisteningwithtears，hegazedreverentiallyatthevenerable

man，andsaidwithinhimselfthatneverwasthereanaspectso

worthyofaprophetandasageasthatmild，sweet，thoughtful

countenance，withthegloryofwhitehairdiffusedaboutit。Ata

distance，butdistinctlytobeseen，highupinthegoldenlightof

thesettingsun，appearedtheGreatStoneFace，withhoarymists

aroundit，likethewhitehairsaroundthebrowofErnest。Itslookof

grandbeneficenceseemedtoembracetheworld。

Atthatmoment，insympathywithat