第39部分(第4/7 頁)

sion；　wouldthink　how　little　while　it　is　since　he　went　forth　out　of　his　study…chewing　a　Hebrew　text　of　Scripture　in　his　mouth；　I　warrant…　to　take　anairing　in　the　forest！　Aha！　we　know　what　that　means；　Hester　Prynne！But；　truly；　forsooth；　I　find　it　hard　to　believe　him　the　same　man。　Manya　church…member　saw　I；　walking　behind　the　music；　that　has　danced　inthe　same　measure　with　me；　when　Somebody　was　fiddler；　and；　it　might　be；an　Indian　powwow　or　a　Lapland　wizard　changing　hands　with　us！　That　isbut　a　trifle；　when　a　woman　knows　the　world。　But　this　minister！　Couldstthou　surely　tell；　Hester；　whether　he　was　the　same　man　that　encounteredthee　on　the　forest…path？〃 〃Madam；　I　know　not　of　what　you　speak；〃　answered　Hester　Prynne；feeling　Mistress　Hibbins　to　be　of　infirm　mind；　yet　strangelystartled　and　awe…stricken　by　the　confidence　with　which　she　affirmeda　personal　connection　between　so　many　persons　（herself　among　them）　andthe　Evil　One。　〃It　is　not　for　me　to　talk　lightly　of　a　learned　and　piousminister　of　the　Word；　like　the　Reverend　Mr。　Dimmesdale！〃 〃Fie；　woman；　fie！〃　cried　the　old　lady；　shaking　her　finger　at　Hester。〃Dost　thou　think　I　have　been　to　the　forest　so　many　times；　and　have　yetno　skill　to　judge　who　else　has　been　there？　Yea；　though　no　leaf　ofthe　wild　garlands；　which　they　wore　while　they　danced；　be　left　in　theirhair！　I　know　thee；　Hester；　for　I　behold　the　token。　We　may　all　see　itin　the　sunshine；　and　it　glows　like　a　red　flame　in　the　dark。　Thouwearest　it　openly；　so　there　need　be　no　question　about　that。　But　thisminister！　Let　me　tell　thee；　in　thine　ear！　When　the　Black　Man　seesone　of　his　own　servants；　signed　and　sealed；　so　shy　of　owning　to　thebond　as　is　the　Reverend　Mr。　Dimmesdale；　he　hath　a　way　of　orderingmatters　so　that　the　mark　shall　be　disclosed　in　open　daylight　to　theeyes　of　all　the　world