第32部分(第3/7 頁)

sterthoughtfully；　〃and　it　has　grown　upon　him　by　the　hidden　practices　ofhis　revenge。　I　deem　it　not　likely　that　he　will　betray　the　secret。　Hewill　doubtless　seek　other　means　of　satiating　his　dark　passion。〃 〃And　I！…　how　am　I　to　live　longer；　breathing　the　same　air　with　thisdeadly　enemy？〃　exclaimed　Arthur　Dimmesdale；　shrinking　withinhimself；　and　pressing　his　hand　nervously　against　his　heart…　agesture　that　had　grown　involuntary　with　him。　〃Think　for　me；　Hester！Thou　art　strong。　Resolve　for　me！〃 〃Thou　must　dwell　no　longer　with　this　man；〃　said　Hester；　slowly　andfirmly。　〃Thy　heart　must　be　no　longer　under　his　evil　eye！〃 〃It　were　far　worse　than　death！〃　replied　the　minister。　〃But　how　toavoid　it？　What　choice　remains　to　me？　Shall　I　lie　down　again　on　thesewithered　leaves；　where　I　cast　myself　when　thou　didst　tell　me　what　hewas？　Must　I　sink　down　there；　and　die　at　once？〃 〃Alas；　what　a　ruin　has　befallen　thee！〃　said　Hester；　with　thetears；　gushing　into　her　eyes。　〃Wilt　thou　die　for　very　weakness？There　is　no　other　cause！〃 〃The　judgment　of　God　is　on　me；〃　answered　the　conscience…strickenpriest。　〃It　is　too　mighty　for　me　to　struggle　with！〃 〃Heaven　would　show　mercy；〃　rejoined　Hester；　〃hadst　thou　but　thestrength　to　take　advantage　of　it。〃 〃Be　thou　strong　for　me！〃　answered　he。　〃Advise　me　what　to　do。〃 〃Is　the　world；　then；　so　narrow？〃　exclaimed　Hester　Prynne；　fixing　herdeep　eyes　on　the　minister's；　and　instinctively　exercising　a　magicpower　over　a　spirit　so　shattered　and　subdued　that　it　could　hardly　holditself　erect。　〃Doth　the　universe　lie　within　the　pass　of　yondertown；　which　only　a　little　time　ago　was　but　a　leaf…strewn　desert；　aslonely　as　this　around　us？　Whither　leads　yonder　forest…track？Backward　to　the　settlement；　thou　sayest！　Yes；　but　onward；　too！Deeper　it　goes；　and　deeper；　into　the　wilderness；　l