第28部分(第4/7 頁)

himbeyond　the　grave。　But　it　was　the　constant　shadow　of　my　presence！…the　closest　propinquity　of　the　man　whom　he　had　most　vilely　wronged！…and　who　had　grown　to　exist　only　by　this　perpetual　poison　of　the　direstrevenge！　Yea；　indeed！…　he　did　not　err！…　there　was　a　fiend　at　hiselbow！　A　mortal　man；　with　once　a　human　heart；　has　bee　a　fiend　forhis　especial　torment！〃 The　unfortunate　physician；　while　uttering　these　words；　lifted　hishands　with　a　look　of　horror；　as　if　he　had　beheld　some　frightful　shape；which　he　could　not　recognise；　usurping　the　place　of　his　own　image　in　aglass。　It　was　one　of　those　moments…　which　sometimes　occur　only　atthe　interval　of　years…　when　a　man's　moral　aspect　is　faithfullyrevealed　to　his　mind's　eye。　Not　improbably；　he　had　never　before　viewedhimself　as　he　did　now。 〃Hast　thou　not　tortured　him　enough？〃　said　Hester；　noticing　the　oldman's　look。　〃Has　he　not　paid　thee　all？〃 〃No！…　no！…　he　has　but　increased　the　debt！〃　answered　the　physician；and　as　he　proceeded；　his　manner　lost　its　fiercer　characteristics；and　subsided　into　gloom。　〃Dost　thou　remember　me；　Hester；　as　I　was　nineyears　agone？　Even　then；　I　was　in　the　autumn　of　my　days；　nor　was　it　theearly　autumn。　But　all　my　life　had　been　made　up　of　earnest；　studious；thoughtful；　quiet　years；　bestowed　faithfully　for　the　increase　ofmine　own　knowledge；　and　faithfully；　too；　though　this　latter　object　wasbut　casual　to　the　other…　faithfully　for　the　advancement　of　humanwelfare。　No　life　had　been　more　peaceful　and　innocent　than　mine；　fewlives　so　rich　with　benefits　conferred。　Dost　thou　remember　me？　Was　Inot；　though　you　might　deem　me　cold；　nevertheless　a　man　thoughtfulfor　others；　craving　little　for　himself…　kind；　true；　just；　and　ofconstant；　if　not　warm　affections？　Was　I　not　all　this？〃 〃All　this；　and　more；〃　said　Hester。 〃And　what　am　I　n