第32部分(第5/7 頁)

st　thou　exhausted　possibility　in　the　failure　of　this　orial？　Not　so！　The　future　is　yet　full　of　trial　and　success。　There　ishappiness　to　be　enjoyed！　There　is　good　to　be　done！　Exchange　this　falselife　of　thine　for　a　true　one。　Be；　if　thy　spirit　summon　thee　to　sucha　mission；　the　teacher　and　apostle　of　the　red　men。　Or…　as　is　morethy　nature…　be　a　scholar　and　a　sage　among　the　wisest　and　the　mostrenowned　of　the　cultivated　world。　Preach！　Write！　Act！　Do　anything；save　to　lie　down　and　die！　Give　up　this　name　of　Arthur　Dimmesdale；and　make　thyself　another；　and　a　high　one；　such　as　thou　canst　wearwithout　fear　or　shame。　Why　wouldst　thou　tarry　so　much　as　one　other　dayin　the　torments　that　have　so　gnawed　into　thy　life！…　that　have　madethee　feeble　to　will　and　to　do！…　that　will　leave　thee　powerless　even　torepent！　Up；　and　away！〃 〃O　Hester！〃　cried　Arthur　Dimmesdale；　in　whose　eyes　a　fitful　light；kindled　by　her　enthusiasm；　flashed　up　and　died　away；　〃thou　tellestof　running　a　race　to　a　man　whose　knees　are　tottering　beneath　him！　Imust　die　here！　There　is　not　the　strength　or　courage　left　me　to　ventureinto　the　wide；　strange；　difficult　world；　alone！〃 It　was　the　last　expression　of　the　despondency　of　a　broken　spirit。　Helacked　energy　to　grasp　the　better　fortune　that　seemed　within　hisreach。 He　repeated　the　word。 〃Alone；　Hester！〃 〃Thou　shalt　not　go　alone！〃　answered　she；　in　a　deep　whisper。 Then；　all　was　spoken！ XVIII。 A　FLOOD　OF　SUNSHINE。 ARTHUR　DIMMESDALE　gazed　into　Hester's　face　with　a　look　in　which　hopeand　joy　shone　out；　indeed；　but　with　fear　betwixt　them；　and　a　kind　ofhorror　at　her　boldness；　who　had　spoken　what　he　vaguely　hinted　at；but　dared　not　speak。 But　Hester　Prynne；　with　a　mind　of　native　courage　and　activity；　andfor　so　long　a　period　not　merely　est