第27部分(第1/7 頁)

〃It　is　our　Hester…　the　town's　own　Hester…who　is　so　kind　to　the　poor；　so　helpful　to　the　sick；　so　fortableto　the　afflicted！〃　Then；　it　is　true；　the　propensity　of　human　nature　totell　the　very　worst　of　itself；　when　embodied　in　the　person　of　another；would　constrain　them　to　whisper　the　black　scandal　of　bygone　years。It　was　none　the　less　a　fact；　however；　that；　in　the　eyes　of　the　verymen　who　spoke　thus；　the　scarlet　letter　had　the　effect　of　the　crosson　a　nun's　bosom。　It　imparted　to　the　wearer　a　kind　of　sacredness；which　enabled　her　to　walk　securely　amid　all　peril。　Had　she　fallenamong　thieves；　it　would　have　kept　her　safe。　It　was　reported；　andbelieved　by　many；　that　an　Indian　had　drawn　his　arrow　against　thebadge；　and　that　the　missile　struck　it；　but　fell　harmless　to　theground。 The　effect　of　the　symbol…　or；　rather；　of　the　position　in　respectto　society　that　was　indicated　by　it…　on　the　mind　of　Hester　Prynneherself；　was　powerful　and　peculiar。　All　the　light　and　graceful　foliageof　her　character　had　been　withered　up　by　this　red…hot　brand；　and　hadlong　ago　fallen　away；　leaving　a　bare　and　harsh　outline；　which　mighthave　been　repulsive；　had　she　possessed　friends　or　panions　to　berepelled　by　it。　Even　the　attractiveness　of　her　person　had　undergonea　similar　change。　It　might　be　partly　owing　to　the　studied　austerity　ofher　dress；　and　partly　to　the　lack　of　demonstration　in　her　manners。It　was　a　sad　transformation；　too；　that　her　rich　and　luxuriant　hair　hadeither　been　cut　off；　or　was　so　pletely　hidden　by　a　cap；　that　nota　shining　lock　of　it　ever　once　gushed　into　the　sunshine。　It　was　due　inpart　to　all　these　causes；　but　still　more　to　something　else；　that　thereseemed　to　be　no　longer　anything　in　Hester's　face　for　Love　to　dwellupon；　nothing　in　Hester's　form；　though　majestic　and　statue…like；that　Passion　would