第39部分(第6/7 頁)

　have　clogged　the　spiritual　sense。　Now　she　caughtthe　low　undertone；　as　of　the　wind　sinking　down　to　repose　itself；then　ascended　with　it；　as　it　rose　through　progressive　gradations　ofsweetness　and　power；　until　its　volume　seemed　to　envelop　her　with　anatmosphere　of　awe　and　solemn　grandeur。　And　yet；　majestic　as　thevoice　sometimes　became；　there　was　for　ever　in　it　an　essentialcharacter　of　plaintiveness；　a　loud　or　low　expression　of　anguish…　thewhisper；　or　the　shriek；　as　it　might　be　conceived；　of　sufferinghumanity；　that　touched　a　sensibility　in　every　bosom！　At　times　thisdeep　strain　of　pathos　was　all　that　could　be　heard；　and　scarcely　heard；sighing　amid　a　desolate　silence。　But　even　when　the　minister's　voicegrew　high　and　manding…　when　it　gushed　irrepressibly　upward…　when　itassumed　its　utmost　breadth　and　power；　so　overfilling　the　church　asto　burst　its　way　through　the　solid　walls；　and　diffuse　itself　in　theopen　air…　still；　if　the　auditor　listened　intently；　and　for　thepurpose；　he　could　detect　the　same　cry　of　pain。　What　was　it？　Theplaint　of　a　human　heart；　sorrow…laden；　perchance　guilty；　tellingits　secret；　whether　of　guilt　or　sorrow；　to　the　great　heart　of　mankind；beseeching　its　sympathy　or　forgiveness…　at　every　moment…　in　eachaccent…　and　never　in　vain！　It　was　this　profound　and　continualundertone　that　gave　the　clergyman　his　most　appropriate　power。 During　all　this　time；　Hester　stood；　statue…like；　at　the　foot　ofthe　scaffold。　If　the　minister's　voice　had　not　kept　her　there；　therewould　nevertheless　have　been　an　inevitable　magism　in　that　spot；whence　she　dated　the　first　hour　of　her　life　of　ignominy。　There　was　asense　within　her…　to　ill…defined　to　be　made　a　thought；　but　weighingheavily　on　her　mind…　that　her　whole　orb　of　life；　both　before　andafter；　was　connected　with　this　spot；　as　with　the　one　poin