第22部分(第4/7 頁)

wned　herself　akin　to　it。　It　was　as　if　she　had　beenmade　afresh；　out　of　new　elements；　and　must　perforce　be　permitted　tolive　her　own　life；　and　be　a　law　unto　herself；　without　hereccentricities　being　reckoned　to　her　for　a　crime。 〃There　goes　a　woman；〃　resumed　Roger　Chillingworth；　after　a　pause；〃who；　be　her　demerits　what　they　may；　hath　none　of　that　mystery　ofhidden　sinfulness　which　you　deem　so　grievous　to　be　borne。　Is　HesterPrynne　the　less　miserable；　think　you；　for　that　scarlet　letter　on　herbreast？〃 〃I　do　verily　believe　it；〃　answered　the　clergyman。　〃Nevertheless；　Icannot　answer　for　her。　There　was　a　look　of　pain　in　her　face；　which　Iwould　gladly　have　been　spared　the　sight　of。　But　still；　methinks；　itmust　needs　be　better　for　the　sufferer　to　be　free　to　show　his　pain；as　this　poor　woman　Hester　is；　than　to　cover　it　all　up　in　his　heart。〃 There　was　another　pause；　and　the　physician　began　anew　to　examine　andarrange　the　plants　which　he　had　gathered。 〃You　inquired　of　me；　a　little　time　agone；〃　said　he；　at　length；　〃myjudgment　as　touching　your　health。〃 〃I　did；〃　answered　the　clergyman；　〃and　would　gladly　learn　it。　Speakfrankly；　I　pray　you；　be　it　for　life　or　death。〃 〃Freely；　then；　and　plainly；〃　said　the　physician；　still　busy　with　hisplants；　but　keeping　a　wary　eye　on　Mr。　Dimmesdale；　〃the　disorder　is　astrange　one；　not　so　much　in　itself；　nor　as　outwardly　manifested…　in　sofar；　at　least；　as　the　symptoms　have　been　laid　open　to　myobservation。　Looking　dally　at　you；　my　good　sir；　and　watching　thetokens　of　your　aspect；　now　for　months　gone　by；　I　should　deem　you　a　mansore　sick；　it　may　be；　yet　not　so　sick　but　that　an　instructed　andwatchful　physician　might　well　hope　to　cure　you。　But…　I　know　not　whatto　say…　the　disease　is　what　I　seem　to　know；　yet　know　it　not。〃 〃You　speak　in　riddles；　learned　sir；〃　said　the