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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
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