第10部分(第6/7 頁)

evil　doings。　She　hath　raised　a　great　scandal；　Ipromise　you；　in　godly　Master　Dimmesdale's　church。〃 〃You　say　truly；〃　replied　the　other。　〃I　am　a　stranger；　and　havebeen　a　wanderer；　sorely　against　my　will。　I　have　met　with　grievousmishaps　by　sea　and　land；　and　have　been　long　held　in　bonds　among　theheathen　folk；　to　the　southward；　and　am　now　brought　hither　by　thisIndian；　to　be　redeemed　out　of　my　captivity。　Will　it　please　you；therefore；　to　tell　me　of　Hester　Prynne's…　have　I　her　name　rightly？…　ofthis　woman's　offences；　and　what　has　brought　her　to　yonder　scaffold？〃 〃Truly；　friend；　and　methinks　it　must　gladden　your　heart；　afteryour　troubles　and　sojourn　in　the　wilderness；〃　said　the　townsman；　〃tofind　yourself；　at　length；　in　a　land　where　iniquity　is　searched　out；and　punished　in　the　sight　of　rulers　and　people；　as　here　in　our　godlyNew　England。　Yonder　woman；　sir；　you　must　know；　was　the　wife　of　acertain　learned　man；　English　by　birth；　but　who　had　long　dwelt　inAmsterdam；　whence；　some　good　time　agone；　he　was　minded　to　cross　overand　cast　in　his　lot　with　us　of　the　Massachusetts。　To　this　purpose；he　sent　his　wife　before　him；　remaining　himself　to　look　after　somenecessary　affairs。　Marry；　good　sir；　in　some　two　years；　or　less；　thatthe　woman　has　been　a　dweller　here　in　Boston；　no　tidings　have　e　ofthis　learned　gentleman；　Master　Prynne；　and　his　young　wife；　look　you；being　left　to　her　own　misguidance…〃 〃Ah！…　aha！…　I　conceive　you；〃　said　the　stranger；　with　a　bitter　smile。〃So　learned　a　man　as　you　speak　of　should　have　learned　this；　too；　inhis　books。　And　who；　by　your　favour；　sir；　may　be　the　father　of　yonderbabe…　it　is　some　three　or　four　months　old；　I　should　judge…　whichMistress　Prynne　is　holding　in　her　arms？〃 〃Of　a　truth；　friend；　that　matter　remaih　a　riddle；　and　theDaniel　who　shall　expound　it　is　yet　a…wantin