第24部分(第6/7 頁)

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