第12部分(第5/7 頁)

。　〃Dostthou　know　me　so　little；　Hester　Prynne？　Are　my　purposes　wont　to　be　soshallow？　Even　if　I　imagine　a　scheme　of　vengeance；　what　could　I　dobetter　for　my　object　than　to　let　thee　live…　than　to　give　theemedicines against　all　harm　and　peril　of　life…　so　that　this　burningshame　may　still　blaze　upon　thy　bosom！〃　As　he　spoke；　he　laid　his　longforefinger　on　the　scarlet　letter；　which　forthwith　seemed　to　scorchinto　Hester's　breast；　as　if　it　had　been　red…hot。　He　noticed　herinvoluntary　gesture；　and　smiled。　〃Live；　therefore；　and　bear　aboutthy　doom　with　thee；　in　the　eyes　of　men　and　women…　in　the　eyes　of　himwhom　thou　didst　call　thy　husband…　in　the　eyes　of　yonder　child！　And；that　thou　mayest　live；　take　off　this　draught。〃 Without　further　expostulation　or　delay；　Hester　Prynne　drained　thecup；　and；　at　the　motion　of　the　man　of　skill；　seated　herself　on　the　bedwhere　the　child　was　sleeping；　while　he　drew　the　only　chair　which　theroom　afforded；　and　took　his　own　seat　beside　her。　She　could　not　buttremble　at　these　preparations；　for　she　felt　that…　having　now　done　allthat　humanity；　or　principle；　or；　if　so　it　were；　a　refined　cruelty；impelled　him　to　do；　for　the　relief　of　physical　suffering…　he　wasnext　to　treat　with　her　as　the　man　whom　she　had　most　deeply　andirreparably　injured。 〃Hester；〃　said　he；　〃I　ask　not　wherefore；　nor　how；　thou　hast　falleninto　the　pit；　or　say；　rather；　thou　hast　ascended　to　the　pedestal　ofinfamy；　on　which　I　found　thee。　The　reason　is　not　far　to　seek。　It　wasmy　folly；　and　thy　weakness。　I…　a　man　of　thought…　the　bookworm　of　greatlibraries…　a　man　already　in　decay；　having　given　my　best　years　tofeed　the　hungry　dream　of　knowledge…　what　had　I　to　do　with　youth　andbeauty　like　thine　own！　Misshapen　from　my　birth…hour；　how　could　Idelude　myself　with　the　idea　that　intellectual　gifts　might　veilphysica