第11部分(第3/7 頁)

；　out　of　the　whole　human　family；　it　would　not　have　beeneasy　to　select　the　same　number　of　wise　and　virtuous　persons；　whoshould　be　less　capable　of　sitting　in　judgment　on　an　erring　woman'sheart；　and　disentangling　its　mesh　of　good　and　evil；　than　the　sagesof　rigid　aspect　towards　whom　Hester　Prynne　now　turned　her　face。　Sheseemed　conscious；　indeed；　that　whatever　sympathy　she　might　expect；　layin　the　larger　and　warmer　heart　of　the　multitude；　for；　as　she　liftedher　eyes　towards　the　balcony；　the　unhappy　woman　grew　pale　andtrembled。 The　voice　which　had　called　her　attention　was　that　of　the　reverendand　famous　John　Wilson；　the　eldest　clergyman　of　Boston；　a　greatscholar；　like　most　of　his　contemporaries　in　the　profession；　and　withala　man　of　kind　and　genial　spirit。　This　last　attribute；　however；　hadbeen　less　carefully　developed　than　his　intellectual　gifts；　and　was；　intruth；　rather　a　matter　of　shame　than　self…congratulation　with　him。There　he　stood；　with　a　border　of　grizzled　locks　beneath　his　skull…cap；while　his　grey　eyes；　accustomed　to　the　shaded　light　of　his　study；　werewinking；　like　those　of　Hester's　infant；　in　the　unadulterated　sunshine。He　looked　like　the　darkly　engraved　portraits　which　we　see　prefixedto　old　volumes　of　sermons；　and　had　no　more　right　than　one　of　thoseportraits　would　have；　to　step　forth；　as　he　now　did；　and　meddle　an　guilt；　passion；　and　anguish。 〃Hester　Prynne；〃　said　the　clergyman；　〃I　have　striven　with　my　youngbrother　here；　under　whose　preaching　of　the　Word　you　have　beenprivileged　to　sit〃…　here　Mr。　Wilson　laid　his　hand　on　the　shoulder　of　apale　young　man　beside　him…　〃I　have　sought；　I　say；　to　persuade　thisgodly　youth；　that　he　should　deal　with　you；　here　in　the　face　of　Heaven；and　before　these　wise　and　upright　rulers；　and　in　hearing　of　all　thepeople；　as　touching　the　vileness　an