第12部分(第2/7 頁)

lness；lest　she　should　perpetrate　violence　on　herself；　or　do　somehalf…frenzied　mischief　to　the　poor　babe。　As　night　approached；　itproving　impossible　to　quell　her　insubordination　by　rebuke　or　threatsof　punishment；　Master　Brackett；　the　jailer；　thought　fit　to　introduce　aphysician。　He　described　him　as　a　man　of　skill　in　all　Christian　modesof　physical　science；　and　likewise　familiar　with　whatever　the　savagepeople　could　teach；　in　respect　to　medicinal　herbs　and　roots　thatgrew　in　the　forest。　To　say　the　truth；　there　was　much　need　ofprofessional　assistance；　not　merely　for　Hester　herself；　but　still　moreurgently　for　the　child；　who；　drawing　its　sustenance　from　thematernal　bosom；　seemed　to　have　drank　in　with　it　all　the　turmoil；　theanguish　and　despair；　which　pervaded　the　mother's　system。　It　nowwrithed　in　convulsions　of　pain；　and　was　a　forcible　type；　in　its　littleframe；　of　the　moral　agony　which　Hester　Prynne　had　borne　throughout　theday。 Closely　following　the　jailer　into　the　dismal　apartment；　appearedthat　individual　of　singular　aspect；　whose　presence　in　the　crowd　hadbeen　of　such　deep　interest　to　the　wearer　of　the　scarlet　letter。　He　waslodged　in　the　prison；　not　as　suspected　of　any　offence；　but　as　the　mostconvenient　and　suitable　mode　of　disposing　of　him；　until　themagistrates　should　have　conferred　with　the　Indian　sagamores　respectinghis　ransom。　His　name　was　announced　as　Roger　Chillingworth。　The　jailer；after　ushering　him　into　the　room；　remained　a　moment；　marvelling　at　theparative　quiet　that　followed　his　entrance；　for　Hester　Prynne　hadimmediately　bee　as　still　as　death；　although　the　child　continuedto　moan。 〃Prithee；　friend；　leave　me　alone　with　my　patient；〃　said　thepractitioner。　〃Trust　me；　good　jailer；　you　shall　briefly　have　peacein　your　house；　and；　I　promise　you；　Mistress　Prynne　shall　hereafter