第27部分(第6/7 頁)

ne　resolved　to　meet　her　former　husband；　and　dowhat　might　be　in　her　power　for　the　rescue　of　the　victim　on　whom　he　hadso　evidently　set　his　gripe。　The　occasion　was　not　long　to　seek。　Oneafternoon；　walking　with　Pearl　in　a　retired　part　of　the　peninsula；she　beheld　the　old　physician；　with　a　basket　on　one　arm；　and　a　staff　inthe　other　hand；　stooping　along　the　ground；　in　quest　of　roots　and　herbsto　concoct　his　medicines　withal。 XIV。 HESTER　AND　THE　PHYSICIAN。 HESTER　bade　little　Pearl　run　down　to　the　margin　of　the　water；　andplay　with　the　shells　and　tangled　seaweed；　until　she　should　have　talkedawhile　with　yonder　gatherer　of　herbs。　So　the　child　flew　away　like　abird；　and；　making　bare　her　small　white　feet；　went　pattering　alongthe　moist　margin　of　the　sea。　Here　and　there　she　came　to　a　full　stop；and　peeped　curiously　into　a　pool；　left　by　the　retiring　tide　as　amirror　for　Pearl　to　see　her　face　in。　Forth　peeped　at　her；　out　of　thepool；　with　dark；　glistening　curls　around　her　head；　and　an　elf…smile　inher　eyes；　the　image　of　a　little　maid；　whom　Pearl；　having　no　otherplaymate；　invited　to　take　her　hand；　and　run　a　race　with　her。　But　thevisionary　little　maid；　on　her　part；　beckoned　likewise；　as　if　to　say；〃This　is　a　better　place！　e　thou　into　the　pool！〃　And　Pearl；　steppingin；　mid…leg　deep；　beheld　her　own　white　feet　at　the　bottom；　while；out　of　a　still　lower　depth；　came　the　gleam　of　a　kind　of　fragmentarysmile；　floating　to　and　fro　in　the　agitated　water。 Meanwhile；　her　mother　had　accosted　the　physician。 〃I　would　speak　a　word　with　you；〃　said　she…　〃a　word　that　concernsus　much。〃 〃Aha！　and　is　it　Mistress　Hester　that　has　a　word　for　old　RogerChillingworth？〃　answered　he；　raising　himself　from　his　stoopingposture。　〃With　all　my　heart！　Why；　mistress；　I　hear　good　tidings　o