TWICE…TOLD　TALES
  THE　GREAT　STONE　FACE
  by　Nathaniel　Hawthorne
  ONE　AFTERNOON；　When　the　sun　was　going　down；　a　mother　and　her　little
  boy　sat　at　the　door　of　their　cottage；　talking　about　the　Great　Stone
  Face。　They　had　but　to　lift　their　eyes；　and　there　it　was　plainly　to
  be　seen；　though　miles　away；　with　the　sunshine　brightening　all　its
  features。
  And　what　was　the　Great　Stone　Face？
  Embosomed　amongst　a　family　of　lofty　mountains；　there　was　a　valley
  so　spacious　that　it　contained　many　thousand　inhabitants。　Some　of　these
  good　people　dwelt　in　log　huts；　with　the　black　forest　all　around
  them；　on　the　steep　and　difficult　hill…sides。　Others　had　their　homes　in
  comfortable　farm…houses；　and　cultivated　the　rich　soil　on　the　gentle
  slopes　or　level　surfaces　of　the　valley。　Others；　again；　were
  congregated　into　populous　villages；　where　some　wild；　highland　rivulet；
  tumbling　down　from　its　birthplace　in　the　upper　mountain　region；　had
  been　caught　and　tamed　by　human　cunning；　and　compelled　to　turn　the
  machinery　of　cotton　factories。　The　inhabitants　of　this　valley；　in
  short；　were　numerous；　and　of　many　modes　of　life。　But　all　of　them；
  grown　people　and　children；　had　a　kind　of　familiarity　with　the　Great
  Stone　Face；　although　some　possessed　the　gift　of　distinguishing　this
  grand　natural　phenomenon　more　perfectly　than　many　of　their　neighbors。
  The　Great　Stone　Face；　then；　was　a　work　of　Nature　in　her　mood　of
  majestic　playfulness；　formed　on　the　perpendicular　side　of　a　mountain
  by　some　immense　rocks；　which　had　been　thrown　together　in　such　a
  position　as；　when　viewed　at　a　proper　distance；　precisely　to　resemble
  the　features　of　the　human　countenance。　It　seemed　as　if　an　enormous
  giant；　or　a　Titan；　had　sculptured　his　own　likeness　on　the　precipice。
  There　was　the　broad　arch　of　the　forehead；　a　hundred　feet　in　height；
  the　nose；　with　its　long　bridge；　and　the　vast　lips；　which；　if　they
  could　have　spoken；　would　have　rolled　their　thunder　accents　from　one
  end　of　the　valley　to　the　other。　True　it　is；　that　if　the　spectator
  approached　too　near；　he　lost　the　outline　of　the　gigantic　visage；　and
  could　discern　only　a　heap　of　ponderous　and　gigantic　rocks；　piled　in
  chaotic　ruin　one　upon　another。　Retracing　his　steps；　however；　the
  wondrous　features　would　again　be　seen；　and　the　further　he　withdrew
  from　them；　the　more　like　a　human　face；　with　all　its　original
  divinity　intact；　did　they　appear；　until；　as　it　grew　dim　in　the
  distance；　with　the　clouds　and　glorified　vapor　of　the　mountains
  clustering　about　it；　the　Great　Stone　Face　seemed　positively　to　be
  alive。
  It　was　a　happy　lot　for　children　to　grow　up　to　manhood　or
  womanhood　with　the　Great　Stone　Face　before　their　eyes；　for　all　the
  features　were　noble；　and　the　expression　was　at　once　grand　and　sweet；
  as　if　it　were　the　glow　of　a　vast；　warm　heart；　that　embraced　all
  mankind　in　its　affections；　and　had　room　for　more。　It　was　an
  education　only　to　look　at　it。　According　to　the　belief　of　many
  people；　the　valley　owed　much　of　its　fertility　to　this　benign　aspect
  that　was　continually　beaming　over　it；　illuminating　the　clouds；　and
  infusing　its　tenderness　into　the　sunshine。
  As　we　began　with　saying；　a　mother　and　her　little　boy　sat　at　their
  cottage　door；　gazing　at　the　Great　Stone　Face；　and　talking　about　it。
  The　child's　name　was　Ernest。
  〃Mother；　said　he；　while　the　Titanic　visage　smiled　on　him；　〃I　wish
  that　it　could　speak；　for　it　looks　so　very　kindly　that　its　voice　must
  needs　be　pleasant。　If　I　were　to　see　a　man　with　such　a　face；　I　should
  love　him　dearly。〃
  〃If　an　old　prophecy　should　come　to　pass；〃　answered　his　mother；
  〃we　may　see　a　man；　some　time　or　other；　with　exactly　such　a　face　as
  that。〃
  〃What　prophecy　do　you　mean；　dear　mother？〃　eagerly　inquired
  Ernest。　〃Pray　tell　me　all　about　it！〃
  So　his　mother　told　him　a　story　that　her　own　mother　had　told　to　her；
  when　she　herself　was　younger　than　little　Ernest；　a　story；　not　of
  things　that　were　past；　but　of　what　was　yet　to　come；　a　story；
  nevertheless；　so　very　old；　that　even　the　Indians；　who　formerly
  inhabited　this　valley；　had　heard　it　from　their　forefathers；　to　whom；
  as　they　affirmed；　it　had　been　murmured　by　the　mountain　streams；　and
  whispered　by　the　wind　among　the　tree…tops。　The　purport　was；　that；　at
  some　future　day；　a　child　should　be　born　hereabouts；　who　was　destined
  to　become　the　greatest　and　noblest　personage　of　his　time；　and　whose
  countenance；　in　manhood；　should　bear　an　exact　resemblance　to　the　Great
  Stone　Face。　Not　a　few　old…fashioned　people；　and　young　ones　likewise；
  in　the　ardor　of　their　hopes；　still　cherished　an　enduring　faith　in　this
  old　prophecy。　But　others；　who　had　seen　more　of　the　world；　had
  watched　and　waited　till　they　were　weary；　and　had　beheld　no　man　with
  such　a　face；　nor　any　man　that　proved　to　be　much　greater　or　nobler　than
  his　neighbors；　concluded　it　to　be　nothing　but　an　idle　tale。　At　all
  events；　the　great　man　of　the　prophecy　had　not　yet　appeared。
  〃O；　mother；　dear　mother！〃　cried　Ernest；　clapping　his　hands　above
  his　head；　I　do　hope　that　I　shall　live　to　see　him！〃
  His　mother　was　an　affectionate　and　thoughtful　woman；　and　felt
  that　it　was　wisest　not　to　discourage　the　generous　hopes　of　her
  little　boy。　So　she　only　said　to　him；　〃Perhaps　you　may。〃
  And　Ernest　never　forgot　the　story　that　his　mother　told　him。　It
  was　always　in　his　mind；　whenever　he　looked　upon　the　Great　Stone
  Face。　He　spent　his　childhood　in　the　log…cottage　where　he　was　born；　and
  was　dutiful　to　his　mother；　and　helpful　to　her　in　many　things；
  assisting　her　much　with　his　little　hands；　and　more　with　his　loving
  heart。　In　this　manner；　from　a　happy　yet　often　pensive　child；　he　grew
  up　to　be　a　mild；　quiet；　unobtrusive　boy；　and　sun…browned　with　labor　in
  the　fields；　but　with　more　intelligence　brightening　his　aspect　than
  is　seen　in　many　lads　who　have　been　taught　at　famous　schools。　Yet
  Ernest　had　had　no　teacher；　save　only　that　the　Great　Stone　Face
  became　one　to　him。　When　the　toil　of　the　day　was　over；　he　would　gaze　at
  it　for　hours；　until　he　began　to　imagine　that　those　vast　features
  recognized　him；　and　gave　him　a　smile　of　kindness　and　encouragement；
  responsive　to　his　own　look　of　veneration。　We　must　not　take　upon　us
  to　affirm　that　this　was　a　mistake；　although　the　Face　may　have　looked
  no　more　kindly　at　Ernest　than　at　all　the　world　besides。　But　the　secret
  was；　that　the　boy's　tender　and　confiding　simplicity　discerned　what
  other　people　could　not　see；　and　thus　the　love；　which　was　meant　for
  all；　became　his　peculiar　portion。
  About　this　time；　there　went　a　rumor　throughout　the　valley；　that　the
  great　man；　foretold　from　ages　long　ago；　who　was　to　bear　a
  resemblance　to　the　Great　Stone　Face；　had　appeared　at　last。　It　seems
  that；　many　years　before；　a　young　man　had　migrated　from　the　valley
  and　settled　at　a　distant　seaport；　where；　after　getting　together　a
  little　money；　he　had　set　up　as　a　shopkeeper。　His　name…　but　I　could
  never　learn　whether　it　was　his　real　one；　or　a　nickname　that　had
  grown　out　of　his　habits　and　success　in　life…　was　Gathergold。　Being
  shrewd　and　active；　and　endowed　by　Providence　with　that　inscrutable
  faculty　which　develops　itself　in　what　the　world　calls　luck；　he
  became　an　exceedingly　rich　merchant；　and　owner　of　a　whole　fleet　of
  bulky…bottomed　ships。　All　the　countries　of　the　globe　appeared　to
  join　hands　for　the　mere　purpose　of　adding　heap　after　heap　to　the
  mountainous　accumulation　of　this　one　man's　wealth。　The　cold　regions　of
  the　north；　almost　within　the　gloom　and　shadow　of　the　Arctic　Circle；
  sent　him　their　tribute　in　the　shape　of　furs；　hot　Africa　sifted　for　him
  the　golden　sands　of　her　rivers；　and　gathered　up　the　ivory　tusks　of　her
  great　elephants　out　of　the　forests；　the　East　came　bringing　him　the
  rich　shawls；　and　spices；　and　teas；　and　the　effulgence　of　diamonds；　and
  the　gleaming　purity　of　large　pearls。　The　ocean；　not　to　be　behindhand
  with　the　earth；　yielded　up　her　mighty　whales；　that　Mr。　Gathergold
  might　sell　their　oil；　and　make　a　profit　on　it。　Be　the　original
  commodity　what　it　might；　it　was　gold　within　his　grasp。　It　might　be
  said　of　him；　as　of　Midas　in　the　fable；　that　whatever　he　touched　with
  his　finger　immediately　glistened；　and　grew　yellow；　and　was　changed
  at　once　into　sterling　metal；　or；　which　suited　him　still　better；　into
  piles　of　coin。　And；　when　Mr。　Gathergold　had　become　so　very　rich　that
  it　would　have　taken　him　a　hundred　years　only　to　count　his　wealth；　he
  bethought　himself　of　his　native　valley；　and　resolved　to　go　back
  thither；　and　end　his　days　where　he　was　born。　With　this　purpose　in
  view；　he　sent　a　skilful　architect　to　build　him　such　a　palace　as　should
  be　fit　for　a　man　of　his　vast　wealth　to　live　in。
  As　I　have　said　above；　it　had　already　been　rumored　in　the　valley
  that　Mr。　Gathergold　had　turned　out　to　be　the　prophetic　personage　so
  long　and　vainly　looked　for；　and　that　his　visage　was　the　perfect　and
  undeniable　similitude　of　the　Great　Stone　Face。　People　were　the　more
  ready　to　believe　that　this　must　needs　be　the　fact；　when　they　beheld
  the　splendid　edifice　that　rose；　as　if　by　enchantment；　on　the　si