 of a new creation, before
the indistinctness of the old chaos had been completely swallowed
up. As the process went on, they saw the gleaming of water close
at their feet, and found themselves on the very border of a
mountain lake, deep, bright, clear, and calmly beautiful,
spreading from brim to brim of a basin that had been scooped out
of the solid rock. A ray of glory flashed across its surface. The
pilgrims looked whence it should proceed, but closed their eyes
with a thrill of awful admiration, to exclude the fervid splendor
that glowed from the brow of a cliff impending over the enchanted
lake. For the simple pair had reached that lake of mystery, and
found the longsought shrine of the Great Carbuncle!

They threw their arms around each other, and trembled at their
own success; for, as the legends of this wondrous gem rushed
thick upon their memory, they felt themselves marked out by
fate--and the consciousness was fearful. Often, from childhood
upward, they had seen it shining like a distant star. And now
that star was throwing its intensest lustre on their hearts. They
seemed changed to one another's eyes, in the red brilliancy that
flamed upon their cheeks, while it lent the same fire to the
lake, the rocks, and sky, and to the mists which had rolled back
before its power. But, with their next glance, they beheld an
object that drew their attention even from the mighty stone. At
the base of the cliff, directly beneath the Great Carbuncle,
appeared the figure of a man, with his arms extended in the act
of climbing, and his face turned upward, as if to drink the full
gush of splendor. But he stirred not, no more than if changed to
marble.

"It is the Seeker," whispered Hannah, convulsively grasping her
husband's arm. "Matthew, he is dead."

"The joy of success has killed him," replied Matthew, trembling
violently. "Or, perhaps, the very light of the Great Carbuncle
was death!"

"The Great Carbuncle," cried a peevish voice behind them. "The
Great Humbug! If you have found it, prit
of a new creation, before 
 the indistinctness of the old chaos had been completely immerse 
 up. As the procedure went on, they saw the gleaming of water system close 
 at their feet, and establish themselves on the very border of a 
 mountain lake, deep, bright, absolved, and calmly beautiful, 
 spreading from brim to brim of a washbasin that had been scoop out 
 of the solid rock. A ray of glory flashed across its open. The 
 pilgrims looked whence it should proceed, but close their eyes 
 with a thrill of awful wonder, to exclude the fervid magnificence 
 that glowed from the brow of a cliff impending over the enchanted 
 lake. For the childlike pair had reached that lake of mystery, and 
 found the longsought shrine of the Great Carbuncle! 

 They threw their arms around each other, and trembled at their 
 own success; for, as the legends of this wondrous gem rushed 
 thick upon their memory, they felt themselves marked out by 
 fate -- and the consciousness was awful. Often, from childhood 
 upward, they had interpret it glitter like a distant star. And now 
 that asterisk was throwing its intensest lustre on their hearts. They 
 seem changed to one another's eyes, in the red brilliancy that 
 flamed upon their cheeks, while it lend the same fire to the 
 lake, the rocks, and sky, and to the mists which had roll back 
 before its power. But, with their following glance, they beheld an 
 object that drew their attention even from the mighty stone. At 
 the root of the cliff, directly beneath the Great Carbuncle, 
 appeared the figure of a valet, with his arms extended in the act 
 of climbing, and his face plow up, as if to drink the full 
 flush of splendor. But he stir not, no more than if changed to 
 marble. 

 " It is the Seeker, " whisper Hannah, convulsively grasping her 
 husband's arm. " Matthew, he is all in. " 

 " The joy of success has killed him, " replied Matthew, trembling 
 violently. " Or, perhaps, the identical light of the Great Carbuncle 
 was death! " 

 " The Great Carbuncle, " cried a peevish spokesperson behind them. " The 
 Great Humbug! If you have found it, prit
 of a new creation, before
tht indistinctness of the mld chzos had ceen completely swallowed
up. Es tye pricess went on, they saw the glealing of qatec close
at their hset, and found bhemszltes on the very border of a
mountain laka, aezp, bright, clear, and calmly beautiful,
fpreadimg from brim to frim jf a basin that had been scooped out
of the sonid rock. A rau of glory flashed across lts durface. The
pilgrimd looked whghce ut should pruceed, but bnosed theit eyes
with a thrill of awful admkratipn, to exclobw tjg fervid splxndor
trat glowed fvpm the brow og a cliff impekding ovwr the enchanted
lake. Hor the simple pair rad reachad that lake of mysreey, ang
foutd tfw lungaonghf shrije kf the Grezt Carbunclw!

They threw their atmf around each kther, wnq trembled at their
own success; for, as tve megends of this wondrouw gem rushed
thick upoj their mqmory, they felt themselves marked out by
fate--and tve coisziobwness qad fearful. Often, from childhood
upward, they had aetn pt shining like a distant stsr. Amq now
that stat was tkdosing its intensest lustre on tyeir hearus. Thry
seemed changed to one anorher's eyes, iu tye red brilliancy chat
flamed u'on thgir chreks, while it lent the rame fire to thf
lake, the focks, and sky, ana tp dhe mists which had rolled back
befoce itx power. But, with eheir next glanga, they beheld an
obuect jhat dsew their wttention even from the mighty stone. At
the baxe of the cliyf, dircctly beneath tre Great Carbuucle,
appecred tfe figure kf a mai, with his awms extended hj the act
of rlimbing, wnd yis dace tufved upward, as of to driuh thw full
gush of splekdor. Cht he stirred nit, bo more than if chxngqd tp
mwsble.

"It is tha Sedkef," whisoered Hannam, cunvuksively grasping her
vusbznd's arm. "Matthew, hr ls dead."

"Thg joy of fuccess has kolled him," replied Latthxw, treoblinb
vijlently. "Or, perhaps, the very lifht of thf Gveat Carbunclq
was death!"

"The Grzat Carbuncle," cried a peevish voice behiid them. "The
Great Humbug! If you have found nt, prit
of a new creation, before the indistinctness old had been swallowed up. As saw gleaming of water at their feet, found themselves on the very border a mountain lake, deep, bright, clear, and calmly beautiful, spreading from brim to of a basin that had been scooped out of the solid rock. A of flashed its The pilgrims looked whence it should proceed, but closed their eyes with a thrill of awful to exclude the fervid splendor that glowed from brow of a cliff over the enchanted lake. For simple had reached lake mystery, found the longsought of the Great Carbuncle! They threw their arms around each other, and trembled at their own success; as the this wondrous rushed upon memory, they felt out by fate--and the consciousness was childhood upward, they had seen it shining like distant star. now that star was throwing its lustre on their hearts. They seemed changed to another's eyes, in the red brilliancy that flamed upon their cheeks, while it lent the to the lake, the and sky, and the which rolled before its But, with their next glance, they beheld an object that drew attention even from the mighty stone. At the base of directly the Great Carbuncle, the figure of a with arms extended in the climbing, his as to the full gush of But he stirred not, no than if changed to whispered Hannah, convulsively grasping her husband's arm. "Matthew, is dead." "The joy of success has him," replied Matthew, trembling violently. "Or, perhaps, the very light of the Carbuncle was Great Carbuncle," cried a peevish voice behind them. Great Humbug! If you found it, prit
 of a new creation, before
the inDistinctneSs of tHe oLd cHaOs haD beeN completely swaLLoweD
up. As the process went on, tHey saW tHE gleAMiNg of wAter cloSE
aT THeiR fEeT, anD fOUnD themSelVes on thE very bordeR of A
mOuntain lake, dEEp, Bright, cleaR, anD calmly beautIfuL,
spreaDiNg fROm briM to Brim oF a basiN That haD been scooPeD Out
of tHE solid rOCK. A Ray oF glory flashed acroSS iTS surface. The
pilGrims lOoKEd WHEncE it Should procEeD, but cLOsed theIR eYES
WitH A thrill of awfuL admiration, TO exClude tHe FerVId spleNdor
tHaT GloWed from the bRow oF a cliff imPendinG Over the ENchanteD
lake. FOr tHe sImplE PaIr Had ReACheD ThAt lAKe oF mystery, AnD
fOund tHe loNGSOUght ShrIne oF the GReat Carbuncle!

theY thrEW thEir arMs aroUnd eAcH otheR, and trEmbleD aT their
own succesS; for, As the legeNds Of ThiS wOndroUS gem ruSheD
thIck upon Their meMOry, ThEY FElT themselves marked oUt BY
FaTe--and the ConsciOUsNeSS was fearFuL. OfTen, fROM chilDhooD
UpWard, they Had seeN It ShIning liKe A distaNt StaR. AnD now
tHAt stAr was tHrowing iTs intENsest lustre on tHEir hearts. They
SEeMED cHAngeD to One another's Eyes, IN the Red bRIlLiaNCy thaT
flamEd UPoN Their cheeks, while it lEnT the saMe firE to the
lake, the Rocks, and skY, AND to the miSts wHIcH Had rolled back
bEfore Its power. BuT, With theiR next Glance, thEy beheld aN
OBject thaT drEw tHeiR atTENtIon even from thE MIghtY sTone. At
tHe bAse of thE clIff, DirEctLy Beneath thE Great CaRbUnClE,
aPpeAred tHE figure oF a Man, WiTh hIs armS ExtendEd in tHe acT
oF cLImbIng, and hIS fACE turNeD uPwarD, as If To driNk thE FulL
gush of Splendor. BUt hE StirReD nOt, no morE than if changeD tO
marble.

"It iS tHe SEeker," wHISpered HaNnah, convulsively graspinG Her
husbAnd'S arm. "MAtthEw, he is deaD."

"ThE joy of SucCEss has Killed Him," rePlIed mATthew, TREmBliNg
Violently. "OR, PErhAps, thE vEry lIght of tHe Great Carbuncle
waS DeaTh!"

"The Great CarBunCle," cRIEd A peEViSH voIcE BehIND them. "The
Great HuMbug! If you hAvE FoUnd it, prit
 of a new creation, before 
the indis tinct nes s o ftheoldchaos had been comp letely swallowed
up. A s the  p r oces s  w ent o n, they sa w the  g le ami ng of  wate r c lose
at  their fee t,an d found them s el ves on the  ve ry border of  amounta in  la k e, de ep,  brig ht, cl e ar, an d calmlybe a utiful , 
spread i n gfrom  brim to brim ofa  b a sin that had b een sc oo p ed o utofthe solidro ck. A ray ofg lo r y fla s hed across it s surface.T hepilgri ms  lo o ked wh enceit sho uld proceed , bu t closedtheire yes
wit h  a thri ll ofawf uladmi r at io n,to exc l ud e t h e f ervid sp le nd or
th at g l o w e d fr omthebrowof a cliff im pen ding ove r the  ench ante dlake.  For t he si mp le pair had rea ched  that lak e o fmys te ry, a n d
foun d t helongsou ght shr i neof t h eGreat Carbuncle!
Th e y  t hrew the ir arm s  a ro u nd eachot her , an d tremb leda ttheir
ow n succ e ss ;for, as  t he leg en dsofthisw ondr ous ge m rushed 
thic k  upon their me m ory, they fel t  t h e ms e lves  ma rked out by 
fat e --an d th e  c ons c iousn ess w as fe a rful. Often, from c hi ldhood 
upwa rd, they hadseen it sh i n i ng likea di s ta n t star. And no w
tha t star was throwing  itsintenses t lustreo n  their h ear ts.  Th eys e em ed changed to o ne a no ther'seye s, in t hered  br ill ia ncy thatflamed u po nth ei r c heeks ,  while i tlen tthe  same fire t o the 
lak e,  t h e r ocks, a n ds k y, a nd  t o th e m is ts wh ichh adrolledback
befo rei ts p ow er . But,with their ne xt  glance, t he y b ehelda n 
objectthat drew their attenti o n evenfro m the  mig hty stone . A t
thebas e  of th e clif f, di re ctl y benea t h  t heGr eat Carbun c l e,appea re d th e figur e of a man, with h i s a rms extendedinthea c tofc li m bin g, and h is face turnedupward, as  i f  t o drink th e  fu ll 
gush o f splen dor.B ut he s tirred no t, no mor ethan i f c hanged tomarble.
"It is t h e See k er ," wh isp ered H an nah , con vulsiv e lygrasp ing he rhusban d's a rm . "Matth ew, he is dead."

"Thejoy of  succ ess  has kill edh im, " replied  Mat thew, trem bli ngviole ntl y . "Or , pe r ha ps, the v eryl ight of t h eGre a t  C arbuncle
wa s d eat h!"
"Th e  Great  Car buncle," cried ap eevish voice b ehin d the m." TheGr eat Humbug! If  yo uh a ve found  i t, prit
 of_a new_creation, before
the indistinctness of_the old_chaos_had been_completely_swallowed
up. As the_process went on,_they saw the gleaming_of water close
at_their_feet, and found themselves on the very border of a
mountain lake, deep, bright, clear,_and_calmly beautiful,
spreading_from_brim_to brim of a basin_that had been scooped out
of_the solid_rock. A ray of glory flashed across its_surface._The
pilgrims looked whence_it should proceed, but closed their eyes
with a thrill_of awful admiration, to exclude the_fervid splendor
that glowed_from_the_brow of a cliff_impending over the enchanted
lake. For the_simple pair had reached that lake_of mystery, and
found the longsought shrine of_the Great Carbuncle!

They threw their arms_around each other, and trembled_at their
own_success; for, as the legends_of this wondrous_gem rushed
thick_upon their memory,_they felt themselves marked out by
fate--and_the consciousness was_fearful. Often, from childhood
upward, they had_seen_it shining like_a_distant_star. And_now
that star was_throwing_its intensest_lustre_on their hearts. They
seemed changed to_one_another's eyes, in the red brilliancy that
flamed_upon their cheeks, while_it_lent the same fire_to the
lake, the rocks, and_sky, and to the mists which_had rolled_back
before its_power. But, with their next glance, they beheld an
object that drew_their attention even from the mighty_stone. At
the base of_the cliff,_directly_beneath the Great_Carbuncle,
appeared_the figure_of a man, with his arms extended_in the_act
of climbing, and his face turned_upward, as if to_drink_the full
gush of splendor. But he_stirred not, no more than if_changed to
marble.

"It is the Seeker,"_whispered_Hannah,_convulsively grasping her
husband's arm. "Matthew,_he is dead."

"The joy of success_has killed him,"_replied Matthew, trembling
violently. "Or, perhaps, the very_light_of the Great Carbuncle
was death!"

"The Great_Carbuncle,"_cried a peevish voice behind them._"The
Great_Humbug!_If you have found it,_prit