第28部分(第6/7 頁)

sformed　a　wise　and　just　man　to　a　fiend！　Wilt　thou　yet　purge　it　outof　thee；　and　be　once　more　human？　If　not　for　his　sake；　then　doublyfor　thine　own！　Forgive；　and　leave　his　further　retribution　to　the　Powerthat　claims　it！　I　said；　but　now；　that　there　could　be　no　good　event　forhim；　or　thee；　or　me；　who　are　here　wandering　together　in　this　gloomymaze　of　evil；　and　stumbling；　at　every　step；　over　the　guilt　wherewithwe　have　strewn　our　path。　It　is　not　so！　There　might　be　good　for　thee；and　thee　alone；　since　thou　hast　been　deeply　wronged；　and　hast　it　atthy　will　to　pardon。　Wilt　thou　give　up　that　only　privilege？　Wilt　thoureject　that　priceless　benefit？〃 〃Peace；　Hester；　peace！〃　replied　the　old　man；　with　gloomysternness。　〃It　is　not　granted　me　to　pardon。　I　have　no　such　power　asthou　tellest　me　of。　My　old　faith；　long　forgotten；　es　back　to　me；and　explains　all　that　we　do；　and　all　we　suffer。　By　thy　first　stepawry；　thou　didst　plant　the　germ　of　evil；　but　since　that　moment；　it　hasall　been　a　dark　necessity。　Ye　that　have　wronged　me　are　not　sinful；save　in　a　kind　of　typical　illusion；　neither　am　I　fiend…like；　whohave　snatched　a　fiend's　office　from　his　hands。　It　is　our　fate。　Let　theblack　flower　blossom　as　it　may！　Now　go　thy　ways；　and　deal　as　thou　wiltwith　yonder　man。〃 He　waved　his　hand　and　betook　himself　again　to　his　employment　ofgathering　herbs。 XV。 HESTER　AND　PEARL。 SO　Roger　Chillingworth…　a　deformed　old　figure；　with　a　face　thathaunted　men's　memories　longer　than　they　liked…　took　leave　of　HesterPrynne；　and　went　stooping　away　along　the　earth。　He　gathered　here　andthere　an　herb；　or　grubbed　up　a　root；　and　put　it　into　the　basket　on　hisarm。　His　grey　beard　almost　touched　the　ground；　as　he　crept　onward。Hester　gazed　after　him　a　little　while；　looking　with　a　half　fa