第24部分(第3/7 頁)

olume　of　divinity。　But；　for　allthat；　they　were；　in　one　sense；　the　truest　and　most　substantialthings　which　the　poor　minister　now　dealt　with。　It　is　the　unspeakablemisery　of　a　life　so　false　as　his；　that　it　steals　the　pith　andsubstance　out　of　whatever　realities　there　are　around　us；　and　whichwere　meant　by　Heaven　to　be　the　spirit's　joy　and　nutriment。　To　theuntrue　man；　the　whole　universe　is　false…　it　is　impalpable…　it　shrinksto　nothing　within　his　grasp。　And　he　himself；　in　so　far　as　he　showshimself　in　a　false　light；　bees　a　shadow；　or；　indeed；　ceases　toexist。　The　only　truth　that　continued　to　give　Mr。　Dimmesdale　a　realexistence　on　this　earth；　was　the　anguish　in　his　inmost　soul；　and　theundissembled　expression　of　it　in　his　aspect。　Had　he　once　found　powerto　smile；　and　wear　a　face　of　gaiety；　there　would　have　been　no　suchman！ On　one　of　those　ugly　nights；　which　we　have　faintly　hinted　at；　butforborne　to　picture　forth；　the　minister　started　from　his　chair。　Anew　thought　had　struck　him。　There　might　be　a　moment's　peace　in　it。Attiring　himself　with　as　much　care　as　if　it　had　been　for　publicworship；　and　precisely　in　the　same　manner；　he　stole　softly　down　thestaircase；　undid　the　door；　and　issued　forth。 XII。 THE　MINISTER'S　VIGIL。 WALKING　in　the　shadow　of　a　dream；　as　it　were；　and　perhaps　actuallyunder　the　influence　of　a　species　of　somnambulism；　Mr　Dimmesdalereached　the　spot；　where；　now　so　long　since；　Hester　Prynne　had　livedthrough　her　first　hours　of　public　ignominy。　The　same　platform　orscaffold；　black　and　weather…stained　with　the　storm　or　sunshine　ofseven　long　years；　and　foot…worn；　too；　with　the　tread　of　manyculprits　who　had　since　ascended　it；　remained　standing　beneath　thebalcony　of　the　meeting…house。　The　minister　went　up　the　steps。 It　was　an　obscur