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ldMistress Hibbins; the Governor's sister; also with a lamp; which; eventhus far off; revealed the expression of her sour and discontentedface。 She thrust forth her head from the lattice; and looked anxiouslyupward。 Beyond the shadow of a doubt; this venerable witch…lady hadheard Mr。 Dimmesdale's outcry; and interpreted it; with itsmultitudinous echoes and reverberations; as the clamour of thefiends and night…hags; with whom she was well known to make excursionsinto the forest。 Detecting the gleam of Governor Bellingham's lamp; the old ladyquickly extinguished her own; and vanished。 Possibly; she went upamong the clouds。 The minister saw nothing further of her motions。 Themagistrate; after a wary observation of the darkness… into which;nevertheless; he could see but little farther than he might into amill…stone… retired from the window。 The minister grew paratively calm。 His eyes; however; were soongreeted by a little; glimmering light; which; at first a long way off;was approaching up the street。 It threw a gleam of recognition on herea post; and there a garden…fence; and here a latticed windowpane;and there a pump; with its full trough of water; and here; again; anarched door of oak; with an iron knocker; and a rough log for thedoor…step。 The Reverend Mr。 Dimmesdale noted all these minuteparticulars; even while firmly convinced that the doom of hisexistence was stealing onward; in the footsteps which he now heard;and that the gleam of the lantern would fall upon him; in a fewmoments more; and reveal his long…hidden secret。 As the light grewnearer; he beheld; within its illuminated circle; his brotherclergyman… or; to speak more accurately; his professional father; aswell as highly valued friend… the Reverend Mr。 Wilson; who; as Mr。Dimmesdale now conjectured; had bee
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