第31部分(第5/7 頁)

ment　of　a　seven　years'　cheat；　to　look　into　an　eye　that　recognisesme　for　what　I　am！　Had　I　one　friend…　or　were　it　my　worst　enemy！…　towhom；　when　sickened　with　the　praises　of　all　other　men；　I　could　dailybetake　myself；　and　be　known　as　the　vilest　of　all　sinners；　methinksmy　soul　might　keep　itself　alive　thereby。　Even　thus　much　of　truth　wouldsave　me！　But；　now；　it　is　all　falsehood！…　all　emptiness！…　all　death！〃 Hester　Prynne　looked　into　his　face；　but　hesitated　to　speak。　Yet；uttering　his　long…restrained　emotions　so　vehemently　as　he　did；　hiswords　here　offered　her　the　very　point　of　circumstances　in　which　tointerpose　what　she　came　to　say。　She　conquered　her　fears；　and　spoke。 〃Such　a　friend　as　thou　hast　even　now　wished　for；〃　said　she；　〃withwhom　to　weep　over　thy　sin；　thou　has　in　me；　the　partner　of　it！〃　Againshe　hesitated；　but　brought　out　the　words　with　an　effort；　〃Thou　hastlong　had　such　an　enemy；　and　dwellest　with　him；　under　the　same　roof！〃 The　minister　started　to　his　feet；　gasping　for　breath；　andclutching　at　his　heart；　as　if　he　would　have　torn　it　out　of　his　bosom。 〃Ha！　What　sayest　thou！〃　cried　he。　〃An　enemy！　And　under　mine　ownroof！　What　mean　you？〃 Hester　Prynne　was　now　fully　sensible　of　the　deep　injury　for　whichshe　was　responsible　to　this　unhappy　man；　in　permitting　him　to　liefor　so　many　years；　or；　indeed；　for　a　single　moment；　at　the　mercy　ofone　whose　purposes　could　not　be　other　than　malevolent。　The　verycontiguity　of　his　enemy；　beneath　whatever　mask　the　latter　mightconceal　himself；　was　enough　to　disturb　the　magic　sphere　of　abeing　so　sensitive　as　Arthur　Dimmesdale。　There　had　been　a　periodwhen　Hester　was　less　alive　to　this　consideration；　or；　perhaps；　inthe　misanthropy　of　her　own　trouble；　she　left　the　minister　to　bear　whatshe　might　picture　to　herself　as　a　more　tolerable　doom。　But　of　la