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of shame; yet better were it so; thanto hide a guilty heart through life。 What can thy silence do forhim; except it tempt him… yea; pel him; as it were… to addhypocrisy to sin? Heaven hath granted thee an open ignominy; thatthereby thou mayest work out an open triumph over the evil withinthee; and the sorrow without。 Take heed how thou deniest to him…who; perchance; hath not the courage to grasp it for himself… thebitter; but wholesome; cup that is now presented to thy lips!〃 The young pastor's voice was tremulously sweet; rich; deep; andbroken。 The feeling that it so evidently manifested; rather than thedirect purport of the words; caused it to vibrate within all hearts;and brought the listeners into one accord of sympathy。 Even the poorbaby; at Hester's bosom; was affected by the same influence; for itdirected its hitherto vacant gaze towards Mr。 Dimmesdale; and heldup its little arms; with a half…pleased; half…plaintive murmur。 Sopowerful seemed the minister's appeal; that the people could notbelieve but that Hester Prynne would speak out the guilty name; orelse that the guilty one himself; in whatever high or lowly place hestood; would be drawn forth by an inward and inevitable necessity; andpelled to ascend the scaffold。 Hester shook her head。 〃Woman; transgress not beyond the limits of Heaven's mercy!〃 criedthe Reverend Mr。 Wilson; more harshly than before。 〃That little babehath been gifted with a voice; to second and confirm the counsel whichthou hast heard。 Speak out the name! That; and thy repentance; mayavail to take the scarlet letter off thy breast。〃 〃Never!〃 replied Hester Prynne; looking; not at Mr。 Wilson; but intothe deep and troubled eyes of the younger clergyman。 〃It is too deeplybranded。 Ye cannot take it off。 And would that I might endure hisago
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