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。