第31部分(第6/7 頁)

te；since　the　night　of　his　vigil；　all　her　sympathies　towards　him　hadbeen　both　softened　and　invigorated。　She　now　read　his　heart　moreaccurately。　She　doubted　not；　that　the　continual　presence　of　RogerChillingworth　the　secret　poison　of　his　malignity；　infecting　all　theair　about　him…　and　his　authorised　interference；　as　a　physician；　withthe　minister's　physical　and　spiritual　infirmities…　that　these　badopportunities　had　been　turned　to　a　cruel　purpose。　By　means　of　them；the　sufferer's　conscience　had　been　kept　in　an　irritated　state；　thetendency　of　which　was；　not　to　cure　by　wholesome　pain；　but　todisorganise　and　corrupt　his　spiritual　being。　Its　result；　on　earth；could　hardly　fail　to　be　insanity；　and　hereafter；　that　eternalalienation　from　the　Good　and　True；　of　which　madness　is　perhaps　theearthly　type。 Such　was　the　ruin　to　which　she　had　brought　the　man；　once…　nay；　whyshould　we　not　speak　it？…　still　so　passionately　loved！　Hester　felt　thatthe　sacrifice　of　the　clergyman's　good　name；　and　death　itself；　as　shehad　already　told　Roger　Chillingworth；　would　have　been　infinitelypreferable　to　the　alternative　which　she　had　taken　upon　herself　tochoose。　And　now；　rather　than　have　had　this　grievous　wrong　toconfess；　she　would　gladly　have　lain　down　on　the　forest…leaves；　anddied　there；　at　Arthur　Dimmesdale's　feet。 〃O　Arthur；〃　cried　she；　〃forgive　me！　In　all　things　else；　I　havestriven　to　be　true！　Truth　was　the　one　virtue　which　I　might　have　heldfast；　and　did　hold　fast；　through　all　extremity；　save　when　thy　good…thy　life　thy　fame…　were　put　in　question！　Then　I　consented　to　adeception。　But　a　lie　is　never　good；　even　though　death　threaten　onthe　other　side！　Dost　thou　not　see　what　I　would　say？　That　old　man！…　thephysician！…　he　whom　they　call　Roger　Chillingworth！…　he　was　myhusband！〃 The　minister　looked　at　her；　for　an　in