第12部分(第3/7 頁)

be　more　amenable　to　just　authority　than　you　may　have　found　herheretofore。〃 〃Nay；　if　your　worship　can　acplish　that；〃　answered　MasterBrackett；　〃I　shall　own　you　for　a　man　of　skill　indeed！　Verily；　thewoman　hath　been　like　a　possessed　one；　and　there　lacks　little；　that　Ishould　take　in　hand　to　drive　Satan　out　of　her　with　stripes。〃 The　stranger　had　entered　the　room　with　the　characteristic　quietudeof　the　profession　to　which　he　announced　himself　as　belonging。　Nordid　his　demeanour　change；　when　the　withdrawal　of　the　prison　keeperleft　him　face　to　face　with　the　woman；　whose　absorbed　notice　of　him；　inthe　crowd；　had　intimated　so　close　a　relation　between　himself　andher。　His　first　care　was　given　to　the　child；　whose　cries；　indeed；　asshe　lay　writhing　on　the　trundle…bed；　made　it　of　peremptory　necessityto　postpone　all　other　business　to　the　task　of　soothing　her。　Heexamined　the　infant　carefully；　and　then　proceeded　to　unclasp　aleathern　case；　which　he　took　from　beneath　his　dress。　It　appeared　tocontain　medical　preparations；　one　of　which　he　mingled　with　a　cup　ofwater。 〃My　old　studies　in　alchemy；〃　observed　he；　〃and　my　sojourn；　for　abovea　year　past；　among　a　people　well　versed　in　the　kindly　properties　ofsimples；　have　made　a　better　physician　of　me　than　many　that　claim　themedical　degree。　Here；　woman！　The　child　is　yours…　she　is　none　ofmine…　neither　will　she　recognise　my　voice　or　aspect　as　a　father's。Administer　this　draught；　therefore；　with　thine　own　hand。〃 Hester　repelled　the　offered　medicine；　at　the　same　time　gazing　withstrongly　marked　apprehension　into　his　face。 〃Wouldst　thou　avenge　thyself　on　the　innocent　babe？〃　whispered　she。 〃Foolish　woman！〃　responded　the　physician；　half　coldly；　halfsoothingly。　〃What　should　ail　me；　to　harm　this　misbegotten　andmiserable　babe？　The　medicine　is　potent　for　good；　an