But on its
surface, in the midst of the circle,--snow-white too, and thoroughly
converted into lime,--lay a human skeleton, in the attitude of a
person who, after long toil, lies down to long repose. Within the
ribs--strange to say--was the shape of a human heart.
"Was the fellow's heart made of marble?" cried Bartram, in some
perplexity at this phenomenon. "At any rate, it is burnt into what
looks like special good lime; and, taking all the bones together, my
kiln is half a bushel the richer for him."
So saying, the rude lime-burner lifted his pole, and, letting it fall
upon the skeleton, the relics of Ethan Brand were crumbled into
fragments.
NOTES
[1] Written in 1848; published in Holden's _Dollar Magazine_ in 1851.
[2] 182:26 Delectable Mountains. A range of mountains referred to in
Bunyan's _Pilgrim's Progress_.
[3] 190:22 ubiquitous. Being present everywhere.
[4] 194:29 diorama. A series of paintings arranged for exhibition. See
dictionary.
[5] 195:30 Titanic. Characteristic of the Titans; therefore large.
COLLATERAL READINGS
_The Scarlet Letter_, Nathaniel Hawthorne.
_The House of Seven Gables_, Nathaniel Hawthorne.
_The Marble Faun_, Nathaniel Hawthorne.
_The Gray Champion_, Nathaniel Hawthorne.
_The Wedding Knell_, Nathaniel Hawthorne.
_The Great Carbuncle_, Nathaniel Hawthorne.
_Dr. Heidegger's Experiment_, Nathaniel Hawthorne.
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