第32部分(第2/7 頁)

　in　cold　blood；　the　sanctity　of　a　human　heart。Thou　and　I；　Hester；　never　did　so！〃 〃Never；　never！〃　whispered　she。　〃What　we　did　had　a　consecration　ofits　own。　We　felt　it　so！　We　said　so　to　each　other！　Hast　thouforgotten　it？〃 〃Hush；　Hester！〃　said　Arthur　Dimmesdale；　rising　from　the　ground。　〃No；I　have　not　forgotten！〃 They　sat　down　again；　side　by　side；　and　hand　clasped　in　hand；　onthe　mossy　trunk　of　the　fallen　tree。　Life　had　never　brought　them　agloomier　hour；　it　was　the　point　whither　their　pathway　had　so　long　beentending；　and　darkening　ever；　as　it　stole　along；　and　yet　it　encloseda　charm　that　made　them　linger　upon　it；　and　claim　another；　and　another；and；　after　all；　another　moment。　The　forest　was　obscure　around　them；and　creaked　with　a　blast　that　was　passing　through　it。　The　boughswere　tossing　heavily　above　their　heads；　while　one　solemn　old　treegroaned　dolefully　to　another；　as　if　telling　the　sad　story　of　thepair　that　sat　beneath；　or　constrained　to　forbode　evil　to　e。 And　yet　they　lingered。　How　dreary　looked　the　forest…track　that　ledbackward　to　the　settlement；　where　Hester　Prynne　must　take　up　again　theburden　of　her　ignominy；　and　the　minister　the　hollow　mockery　of　hisgood　name！　So　they　lingered　an　instant　longer。　No　golden　light　hadever　been　so　precious　as　the　gloom　of　this　dark　forest。　Here；　seenonly　by　his　eyes；　the　scarlet　letter　need　not　burn　into　the　bosom　ofthe　fallen　woman！　Here；　seen　only　by　her　eyes；　Arthur　Dimmesdale；false　to　God　and　man；　might　be　for　one　moment　true！ He　started　at　a　thought　that　suddenly　occurred　to　him。 〃Hester；〃　cried　he；　〃here　is　a　new　horror！　Roger　Chillingworth　knowsyour　purpose　to　reveal　his　true　character。　Will　he　continue；　then；to　keep　our　secret？　What　will　now　be　the　course　of　his　revenge？〃 〃There　is　a　strange　secrecy　in　his　nature；〃　replied　He