第21部分(第6/7 頁)

graveyard；　he　talkedwith　Roger　Chillingworth；　while　the　old　man　was　examining　a　bundleof　unsightly　plants。 〃Where；〃　asked　he；　with　a　look　askance　at　them…　for　it　was　theclergyman's　peculiarity　that　he　seldom；　nowadays；　lookedstraight…forth　at　any　object；　whether　human　or　inanimate…　〃where；　mykind　doctor；　did　you　gather　those　herbs；　with　such　a　dark；　flabbyleaf？〃 〃Even　in　the　graveyard　here　at　hand；〃　answered　the　physician；continuing　his　employment。　〃They　are　new　to　me。　I　found　them　growingon　a　grave；　which　bore　no　tombstone；　nor　other　memorial　of　the　deadman；　save　these　ugly　weeds；　that　have　taken　upon　themselves　to　keephim　in　remembrance。　They　grew　out　of　his　heart；　and　typify；　it　may　be；some　hideous　secret　that　was　buried　with　him；　and　which　he　had　donebetter　to　confess　during　his　lifetime。〃 〃Perchance；〃　said　Mr。　Dimmesdale；　〃he　earnestly　desired　it；　butcould　not。〃 〃And　wherefore？〃　rejoined　the　physician。　〃Wherefore　not；　since　allthe　powers　of　nature　call　so　earnestly　for　the　confession　of　sin；　thatthese　black　weeds　have　sprung　up　out　of　a　buried　heart；　to　makemanifest　an　unspoken　crime？〃 〃That；　good　sir；　is　but　a　fantasy　of　yours；〃　replied　the　minister。〃There　can　be；　if　I　forebode　aright；　no　power；　short　of　the　Divinemercy；　to　disclose；　whether　by　uttered　words；　or　by　type　or　emblem；the　secrets　that　may　be　buried　with　a　human　heart。　The　heart；　makingitself　guilty　of　such　secrets；　must　perforce　hold　them　until　the　daywhen　all　hidden　things　shall　be　revealed。　Nor　have　I　so　read　orinterpreted　Holy　Writ；　as　to　understand　that　the　disclosure　of　humanthoughts　and　deeds；　then　to　be　made；　is　intended　as　a　part　of　theretribution。　That；　surely；　were　a　shallow　view　of　it。　No；　theserevelations；　unless　I　greatly　err；　are　meant　merely　to　promote　theintellectual　satisfaction　o