第35部分(第5/7 頁)

　kingdom；　was　adequate　to　account　for　the　impulses　nowmunicated　to　the　unfortunate　and　startled　minister。　At　every　stephe　was　incited　to　do　some　strange；　wild；　wicked　thing　or　other；　with　asense　that　it　would　be　at　once　involuntary　and　intentional；　in　spiteof　himself；　yet　growing　out　of　a　profounder　self　than　that　whichopposed　the　impulse。　For　instance；　he　met　one　of　his　own　deacons。The　good　old　man　addressed　him　with　the　paternal　affection　andpatriarchal　privilege；　which　his　venerable　age；　his　upright　and　holycharacter；　and　his　station　in　the　Church；　entitled　him　to　use；　and；conjoined　with　this；　the　deep；　almost　worshipping　respect；　which　theminister's　professional　and　private　claims　alike　demanded。　Never　wasthere　a　more　beautiful　example　of　how　the　majesty　of　age　and　wisdommay　port　with　the　obeisance　and　respect　enjoined　upon　it；　as　from　alower　social　rank；　and　inferior　order　of　endowment；　towards　ahigher。　Now；　during　a　conversation　of　some　two　or　three　momentsbetween　the　Reverend　Mr。　Dimmesdale　and　this　excellent　andhoary…bearded　deacon；　it　was　only　by　the　most　careful　self…controlthat　the　former　could　refrain　from　uttering　certain　blasphemoussuggestions　that　rose　into　his　mind；　respecting　themunion…supper。　He　absolutely　trembled　and　turned　pale　as　ashes；lest　his　tongue　should　wag　itself；　in　utterance　of　these　horriblematters；　and　plead　his　own　consent　for　so　doing；　without　his　havingfairly　given　it。　And；　even　with　this　terror　in　his　heart；　he　couldhardly　avoid　laughing；　to　imagine　how　the　sanctified　old　patriarchaldeacon　would　have　been　petrified　by　his　minister's　impiety。 Again；　another　incident　of　the　same　nature。　Hurrying　along　thestreet；　the　Reverend　Mr。　Dimmesdale　encountered　the　eldest　femalemember　of　his　church；　a　most　pious　and　exemplary　old　dame；　poor；wido