第24部分(第5/7 頁)

n…defying　guilt　and　vainrepentance。 And　thus；　while　standing　on　the　scaffold；　in　this　vain　show　ofexpiation；　Mr。　Dimmesdale　was　overe　with　a　great　horror　of　mind；　asif　the　universe　were　gazing　at　a　scarlet　token　on　his　naked　breast；right　over　his　heart。　On　that　spot；　in　very　truth；　there　was；　andthere　had　long　been；　the　gnawing　and　poisonous　tooth　of　bodily　pain。Without　any　effort　of　his　will；　or　power　to　restrain　himself；　heshrieked　aloud；　an　outcry　that　went　pealing　through　the　night；　and　wasbeaten　back　from　one　house　to　another；　and　reverberated　from　the　hillsin　the　background；　as　if　a　pany　of　devils；　detecting　so　much　miseryand　terror　in　it；　had　made　a　plaything　of　the　sound；　and　were　bandyingit　to　and　fro。 〃It　is　done！〃　muttered　the　minister；　covering　his　face　with　hishands。　〃The　whole　town　will　awake；　and　hurry　forth；　and　find　me　here！〃 But　it　was　not　so。　The　shriek　had　perhaps　sounded　with　a　fargreater　power；　to　his　own　startled　ears；　than　it　actually　possessed。The　town　did　not　awake；　or；　if　it　did；　the　drowsy　slumberers　mistookthe　cry　either　for　something　frightful　in　a　dream；　or　for　the　noise　ofwitches；　whose　voices；　at　that　period；　were　often　heard　to　pass　overthe　settlements　or　lonely　cottages；　as　they　rode　with　Satan　throughthe　air。　The　clergyman；　therefore；　hearing　no　symptoms　of　disturbance；uncovered　his　eyes　and　looked　about　him。　At　one　of　the　chamber…windowsof　Governor　Bellingham's　mansion；　which　stood　at　some　distance；　on　theline　of　another　street；　he　beheld　the　appearance　of　the　old　magistratehimself；　with　a　lamp　in　his　hand；　a　white　night…cap　on　his　head；　and　along　white　gown　enveloping　his　figure。　He　looked　like　a　ghost；evoked　unseasonably　from　the　grave。　The　cry　had　evidently　startledhim。　At　another　window　of　the　same　house；　moreover；　appeared　o