“It is a noble thought，” said the cynic， with an obsequioussneer. “Yet， might I presume to say so， the gem wouldmake a rare sepulchral lamp， and would display the gloriesof Your Lordship’s progenitors more truly in the ancestralvault than in the castle-hall.”
“Nay， forsooth，” observed Matthew， the young rustic，who sat hand in hand with his bride， “the gentleman hasbethought himself of a profitable use for this bright stone.
Hannah here and I are seeking it for a like purpose.”
“How， fellow？” exclaimed His Lordship， in surprise.
“What castle-hall hast thou to hang it in？”
“No castle，” replied Matthew， “but as neat a cottageas any within sight of the Crystal Hills. Ye must know，friends， that Hannah and I， being wedded the last week，have taken up the search of the Great Carbuncle becausewe shall need its light in the long winter evenings and itwill be such a pretty thing to show the neighbors whenthey visit us！ It will shine through the house， so thatwe may pick up a pin in any corner， and will set all thewindows a-glowing as if there were a great fire of pineknotsin the chimney. And then how pleasant， when weawake in the night， to be able to see one another’s faces！”
There was a general smile among the adventurers at thesimplicity of the young couple’s project in regard to thiswondrous and invaluable stone， with which the greatestmonarch on earth might have been proud to adorn hispalace. Especially the man with spectacles， who hadsneered at all the company in turn， now twisted his visageinto such an expression of ill-natured mirth that Matthewasked him rather peevishly what he himself meant to dowith the Great Carbuncle.
“The Great Carbuncle！” answered the cynic， withineffable scorn. “Why， you blockhead， there is no suchthing in rerum natura. I have come three thousand miles，and am resolved to set my foot on every peak of thesemountains and poke my head into every chasm for the solepurpose of demonstrating to the satisfaction of any manone whit less an ass than thyself that the Great Carbuncleis all a humbug.”
Vain and foolish were the motives that had broughtmost of the adventurers to the Crystal Hills， but none sovain， so foolish， and so impious too， as that of the scofferwith the prodigious spectacles. He was one of thosewretched and evil men whose yearnings are downward tothe darkness instead of heavenward， and who， could theybut extinguish the lights which God hath kindled for us，would count the midnight gloom their chiefest glory.
As the cynic spoke several of the party were startled by agleam of red splendor that showed the huge shapes of thesurrounding mountains and the rock-bestrewn bed of theturbulent river， with an illumination unlike that of theirfire， on the trunks and black boughs of the forest-trees.
They listened for the roll of thunder， but heard nothing，and were glad that the tempest came not near them. Thestars—those dial-points of heaven—now warned theadventurers to close their eyes on the blazing logs andopen them in dreams to the glow of the Great Carbuncle.
The young married couple had taken their lodgings inthe farthest corner of the wigwam， and were separatedfrom the rest of the party by a curtain of curiously-woventwigs such as might have hung in deep festoons around thebridal-bower of Eve. The modest little wife had wroughtthis piece of tapestry while the other guests were talking.
She and her husband fell asleep with hands tenderlyclasped， and awoke from visions of unearthly radianceto meet the more blessed light of one another’s eyes.
They awoke at the same instant and with one happy smilebeaming over their two faces， which grew brighter withtheir consciousness of the reality of life and love. But nosooner did she recollect where they were than the bridepeeped through the interstices of the leafy curtain and sawthat the outer room of the hut was deserted.
“Up， dear Matthew！” cried she， in haste. “The strangefolk are all gone. Up this very minute， or we shall lose theGreat Carbuncle！”
In truth， so little did these poor young people deservethe mighty prize which had lured them thither that theyhad slept peacefully all night and till the summits ofthe hills were glittering with sunshine， while the otheradventurers had tossed their limbs in feverish wakefulnessor dreamed of climbing precipices， and set off to realizetheir dreams with the curliest peep of dawn. But Matthewand Hannah after their calm rest were as light as twoyoung deer， and merely stopped to say their prayers andwash themselves in a cold pool of the Amonoosuck， andthen to taste a morsel of food ere they turned their facesto the mountain-side. It was a sweet emblem of conjugalaffection as they toiled up the difficult ascent gatheringstrength from the mutual aid which they afforded.
After several little accidents， such as a torn robe， a lostshoe and the entanglement of Hannah’s hair in a bough，they reached the upper verge of the forest and were nowto pursue a more adventurous course. The innumerabletrunks and heavy foliage of the trees had hitherto shutin their thoughts， which now shrank affrighted from theregion of wind and cloud and naked rocks and desolatesunshine that rose immeasurably above them. They gazedback at the obscure wilderness which they had traversed，and longed to be buried again in its depths rather thantrust themselves to so vast and visible a solitude.
“Shall we go on？” said Matthew， throwing his arm roundHannah’s waist both to protect her and to comfort hisheart by drawing her close to it.
But the little bride， simple as she was， had a woman’slove of jewels， and could not forego the hope of possessingthe very brightest in the world， in spite of the perils withwhich it must be won.
“Let us climb a little higher，” whispered she， yettremulously， as she turned her face upward to the lonely sky.
“Come， then，” said Matthew， mustering his manlycourage and drawing her along with him； for she becametimid again the moment that he grew bold.