第16部分(第6/7 頁)

casionally　been　seer；　on　earth；through　the　agency　of　their　mother's　sin；　and　to　promote　some　foul　andwicked　purpose。　Luther；　according　to　the　scandal　of　his　monkishenemies；　was　a　brat　of　that　hellish　breed；　nor　was　Pearl　the　onlychild　to　whom　this　inauspicious　origin　was　assigned　among　the　NewEngland　Puritans。 VII。 THE　GOVERNOR'S　HALL。 HESTER　PRYNNE　went；　one　day；　to　the　mansion　of　GovernorBellingham；　with　a　pair　of　gloves；　which　she　had　fringed　andembroidered　to　his　order；　and　which　were　to　be　worn　on　some　greatoccasion　of　state；　for；　though　the　chances　of　a　popular　election　hadcaused　this　former　ruler　to　descend　a　step　or　two　from　the　highestrank；　he　still　held　an　honourable　and　influential　place　among　thecolonial　magistracy。 Another　and　far　more　important　reason　than　the　delivery　of　a　pair　ofembroidered　gloves　impelled　Hester；　at　this　time；　to　seek　an　interviewwith　a　personage　of　so　much　power　and　activity　in　the　affairs　of　thesettlement。　It　had　reached　her　ears；　that　there　was　a　design　on　thepart　of　some　of　the　leading　inhabitants；　cherishing　the　more　rigidorder　of　principles　in　religion　and　government；　to　deprive　her　ofher　child。　On　the　supposition　that　Pearl；　as　already　hinted；　was　ofdemon　origin；　these　good　people　not　unreasonably　argued　that　aChristian　interest　in　the　mother's　soul　required　them　to　remove　such　astumbling…block　from　her　path。　If　the　child；　on　the　other　hand；　werereally　capable　of　moral　and　religious　growth；　and　possessed　theelements　of　ultimate　salvation；　then；　surely；　it　would　enjoy　all　thefairer　prospect　of　these　advantages；　by　being　transferred　to　wiser　andbetter　guardianship　than　Hester　Prynne's。　Among　those　who　promoted　thedesign；　Governor　Bellingham　was　said　to　be　one　of　the　most　busy。　Itma