第35部分(第6/7 頁)

wed；　lonely；　and　with　a　heart　as　full　of　reminiscences　about　herdead　husband　and　children；　and　her　dead　friends　of　long　ago；　as　aburial…ground　is　full　of　storied　gravestones。　Yet　all　this；　whichwould　else　have　been　such　heavy　sorrow；　was　made　almost　a　solemn　joyto　her　devout　old　soul；　by　religious　consolations　and　the　truths　ofScripture；　wherewith　she　had　fed　herself　continually　for　more　thanthirty　years。　And；　since　Mr。　Dimmesdale　had　taken　her　in　charge；　thegood　grandam's　chief　earthly　fort…　which；　unless　it　had　beenlikewise　a　heavenly　fort；　could　have　been　none　at　all…　was　tomeet　her　pastor；　whether　casually；　or　of　set　purpose；　and　be　refreshedwith　a　word　of　warm；　fragrant；　heaven…breathing　Gospel　truth；　from　hisbeloved　lips；　into　her　dulled；　but　rapturously　attentive　ear。　But；on　this　occasion；　up　to　the　moment　of　putting　his　lips　to　the　oldwoman's　ear；　Mr。　Dimmesdale；　as　the　great　enemy　of　souls　would　haveit；　could　recall　no　text　of　Scripture；　nor　aught　else；　except　a　brief；pithy；　and；　as　it　then　appeared　to　him；　unanswerable　argumentagainst　the　immortality　of　the　human　soul。　The　instilment　thereof　intoher　mind　would　probably　have　caused　this　aged　sister　to　drop　downdead；　at　once；　as　by　the　effect　of　an　intensely　poisonous　infusion。What　he　really　did　whisper；　the　minister　could　never　afterwardsrecollect。　There　was；　perhaps；　a　fortunate　disorder　in　hisutterance；　which　failed　to　impart　any　distinct　idea　to　the　goodwidow's　prehension；　or　which　Providence　interpreted　after　amethod　of　its　own。　Assuredly；　as　the　minister　looked　back；　he　beheldan　expression　of　divine　gratitude　and　ecstasy　that　seemed　like　theshine　of　the　celestial　city　on　her　face；　so　wrinkled　and　ashy　pale。 Again；　a　third　instance。　After　parting　from　the　old　church…member；he　met　the　youngest　sister　of　the