第21部分(第3/7 頁)

nments　by　joining　in　theincantations　of　the　savage　priests；　who　were　universallyacknowledged　to　be　powerful　enchanters；　often　performing　seeminglymiraculous　cures　by　their　skill　in　the　black　art。　A　large　number…and　many　of　these　were　persons　of　such　sober　sense　and　practicalobservation　that　their　opinions　would　have　been　valuable　in　othermatters…　affirmed　that　Roger　Chillingworth's　aspect　had　undergone　aremarkable　change　while　he　had　dwelt　in　town；　and　especially　since　hisabode　with　Mr。　Dimmesdale。　At　first；　his　expression　had　been　calm；meditative；　scholar…like。　Now；　there　was　something　ugly　and　evil　inhis　face；　which　they　had　not　previously　noticed；　and　which　grewstill　the　more　obvious　to　sight；　the　oftener　they　looked　upon　him。According　to　the　vulgar　idea；　the　fire　in　his　laboratory　had　beenbrought　from　the　lower　regions；　and　was　fed　with　infernal　fuel；　andso；　as　might　be　expected；　his　visage　was　getting　sooty　with　the　smoke。 To　sum　up　the　matter；　it　grew　to　be　a　widely　diffused　opinion；that　the　Reverend　Arthur　Dimmesdale；　like　many　other　personages　ofespecial　sanctity；　in　all　ages　of　the　Christian　world；　was　hauntedeither　by　Satan　himself；　or　Satan's　emissary；　in　the　guise　of　oldRoger　Chillingworth。　This　diabolical　agent　had　the　Divinepermission；　for　a　season；　to　burrow　into　the　clergyman's　intimacy；　andplot　against　his　soul。　No　sensible　man；　it　was　confessed；　coulddoubt　on　which　side　the　victory　would　turn。　The　people　looked；　with　anunshaken　hope；　to　see　the　minister　e　forth　out　of　the　conflict；transfigured　with　the　glory　eanwhile；　nevertheless；　it　was　sad　to　think　of　the　perchance　mortalagony　through　which　he　must　struggle　towards　his　triumph。 Alas！　to　judge　from　the　gloom　and　terror　in　the　depths　of　the　poorminister's　eyes；　the　battle　was　a　sore　one；　and　the　vic