第11部分(第6/7 頁)

　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