《红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)》the scarlet letter(英文版)-第66章

nes。　Scorn；bitterness；　unprovoked　malignity；　gratuitous　desire　of　ill；　ridiculeof　whatever　was　good　and　holy；　all　awoke；　to　tempt；　even　while　theyfrightened　him。　And　his　encounter　with　old　Mistress　Hibbins；　if　itwere　a　real　incident；　did　but　show　his　sympathy　and　fellowship　withwicked　mortals；　and　the　world　of　perverted　spirits。 He　had；　by　this　time；　reached　his　dwelling；　on　the　edge　of　theburial…ground；　and；　hastening　up　the　stairs；　took　refuge　in　his　study。The　minister　was　glad　to　have　reached　this　shelter；　without　firstbetraying　himself　to　the　world　by　any　of　those　strange　and　wickedeccentricities　to　which　he　had　been　continually　impelled　while　passingthrough　the　streets。　He　entered　the　accustomed　room；　and　looked　aroundhim　on　its　books；　its　windows；　its　fireplace；　and　the　tapestriedfort　of　the　walls；　with　the　same　perception　of　strangeness　that　hadhaunted　him　throughout　his　walk　from　the　forest…dell　into　the　town；and　thitherward。　Here　he　had　studied　and　written；　here；　gone　throughfast　and　vigil；　and　e　forth　half　alive；　here　striven　to　pray；　here；borne　a　hundred　thousand　agonies！　There　was　the　Bible；　in　its　rich　oldHebrew；　with　Moses　and　the　Prophets　speaking　to　him；　and　God"s　voicethrough　all！　There；　on　the　table；　with　the　inky　pen　beside　it；　wasan　unfinished　sermon；　with　a　sentence　broken　in　the　midst；　where　histhoughts　had　ceased　to　gush　out　upon　the　page；　two　days　before。　Heknew　that　it　was　himself；　the　thin　and　white…cheeked　minister；　who　haddone　and　suffered　these　things；　and　written　thus　far　into　the　ElectionSermon！　But　he　seemed　to　stand　apart；　and　eye　this　former　self　withscornful；　pitying；　but　half…envious　curiosity。　That　self　was　gone。Another　man　had　returned　out　of　the　forest；　a　wiser　one；　with　aknowledge　of　hidden　mysteries　which　the　simplicity　of　the　former　nevercould　have　reached。　A　bitter　kind　of　knowledge　that！ While　occupied　with　these　reflections；　a　knock　came　at　the　door　ofthe　study；　and　the　minister　said；　〃e　in！〃…　not　wholly　devoid　ofan　idea　that　he　might　behold　an　evil　spirit。　And　so　he　did！　It　was　oldRoger　Chillingworth　that　entered。　The　minister　stood；　white　andspeechless；　with　one　hand　on　the　Hebrew　Scriptures；　and　the　otherspread　upon　his　breast。 〃Wele　home；　reverend　sir；〃　said　the　physician。　〃And　how　found　youthat　godly　man；　the　Apostle　Eliot？　But　methinks；　dear　sir；　you　lookpale；　as　if　the　travel　through　the　wilderness　had　been　too　sore　foryou。　Will　not　my　aid　be　requisite　to　put　you　in　heart　and　strengthto　preach　your　Election　Sermon？〃 〃Nay；　I　think　not　so；〃　rejoined　the　Reverend　Mr。　Dimmesdale。　〃Myjourney；　and　the　sight　of　the　holy　Apostle　yonder；　and　the　free　airwhich　I　have　breathed；　have　done　me　good；　after　so　long　confinement　inmy　study。　I　think　to　need　no　more　of　your　drugs；　my　kind　physician；good　though　they　be；　and　administered　by　a　friendly　hand。〃 All　this　time；　Roger　Chillingworth　was　looking　at　the　ministerwith　the　grave　and　intent　regard　of　a　physician　towards　his　patient。But；　in　spite　of　his　outward　show；　the　latter　was　almost　convincedof　the　old　man"s　knowledge；　or；　at　least；　his　confident　suspicion；with　respect　to　his　own　interview　with　Hester　Prynne。　The　physicianknew　then；　that；　in　the　minister"s　regard；　he　was　no　longer　atrusted　friend；　but　his　bitterest　enemy。　So　much　being　known；　it　wouldappear　natural　that　a　part　of　it　should　be　expressed。　It　issingular；　however；　how　long　a　time　often　passes　before　words　embodythings；　and　with　what　security　two　persons；　who　choose　to　avoid　acertain　subject；　may　approach　its　very　verge；　and　retire　withoutdisturbing　it。　Thus；　the　minister　felt　no　apprehension　that　RogerChillingworth　would　touch；　in　express　words；　upon　the　real　positionwhich　they　sustained　towards　one　another。　Yet　did　the　physician；　inhis　dark　way；　creep　frightfully　near　the　secret。 〃Were　it　not　better；〃　said　he；　〃that　you　use　my　poor　skill　to…night？Verily；　dear　sir；　we　must　take　pains　to　make　you　strong　and　vigorousfor　this　occasion　of　the　Election　discourse。　The　people　look　for　greatthings　from　you；　apprehending　that　another　year　may　e　about；　andfind　their　pastor　gone。〃 〃Yea；　to　another　world；〃　replied　the　minister；　with　piousresignation。　〃Heaven　grant　it　be　a　better　one；　for；　in　good　sooth；　Ihardly　think　to　tarry　with　my　flock　through　the　flitting　seasons　ofanother　year！　But；　touching　your　medicine；　kind　sir；　in　my　presentframe　of　body；　I　need　it　not。〃 〃I　joy　to　hear　it；〃　answered　the　physician。　〃It　may　be　that　myremedies；　so　long　administered　in　vain；　begin　now　to　take　dueeffect。　Happy　man　were　I；　and　well　deserving　of　New　England"sgratitude；　could　I　achieve　this　cure！〃 〃I　thank　you　from　my　heart；　most　watchful　friend；〃　said　the　ReverendMr。　Dimmesdale；　with　a　solemn　smile。　〃I　thank　you；　and　can　but　requiteyour　good　deeds　with　my　prayers。〃 〃A　good　man"s　prayers　are　golden　repense！〃　rejoined　old　RogerChillingworth；　as　he　took　his　leave。　〃Yea；　they　are　the　current　goldcoin　of　the　New　Jerusalem；　with　the　King"s　own　mint；　mark　on　them！〃 Left　alone；　the　minister　summoned　a　servant　of　the　house；　andrequested　food；　which；　being　set　before　him；　he　ate　with　ravenousappetite。　Then；　flinging　the　already　written　pages　of　the　ElectionSermon　into　the　fire；　he　forthwith　began　another；　which　he　wrotewith　such　an　impulsive　flow　of　thought　and　emotion；　that　he　fanciedhimself　inspired；　and　only　wondered　that　Heaven　should　see　fit　totransmit　the　grand　and　solemn　music　of　its　oracles　through　so　foulan　organ…pipe　as　he。　However；　leaving　that　mystery　to　solve　itself；　orgo　unsolved　for　ever；　he　drove　his　task　onward；　with　earnest　haste　andecstasy。　Thus　the　night　fled　away；　as　if　it　were　winged　steed；　andhe　careering　on　it；　morning　came；　and　peeped；　blushing；　through　thecurtains；　and　at　last　sunrise　threw　a　golden　beam　into　the　study　andlaid　it　right　across　the　minister"s　bedazzled　eyes。　There　he　was；　withthe　pen　still　between　his　fingers；　and　a　vast　immeasurable　tract　ofwritten　space　behind　him！ XXI。 THE　NEW　ENGLAND　HOLIDAY。 BETIMES　in　the　morning　of　the　day　on　which　the　new　Governor　was　toreceive　his　office　at　the　hands　of　the　people；　Hester　Prynne　andlittle　Pearl　came　into　the　market…place。　It　was　already　throngedwith　the　craftsmen　and　oth