第19部分(第3/7 頁)

　in　what　my　young　brother　hathspoken；〃　added　the　Reverend　Mr。　Wilson。　〃What　say　you；　worshipfulMaster　Bellingham？　Hath　he　not　pleaded　well　for　the　poor　woman？〃 〃Indeed　hath　he；〃　answered　the　magistrate；　〃and　hath　adduced　sucharguments；　that　we　will　even　leave　the　matter　as　it　now　stands；　solong；　at　least；　as　there　shall　be　no　further　scandal　in　the　woman。Care　must　be　had；　nevertheless；　to　put　the　child　to　due　and　statedexamination　in　the　catechism；　at　thy　hands　or　Master　Dimmesdale's。Moreover；　at　a　proper　season；　the　tithing…men　must　take　heed　thatshe　go　both　to　school　and　to　meeting。〃 The　young　minister；　on　ceasing　to　speak；　had　withdrawn　a　few　stepsfrom　the　group；　and　stood　with　his　face　partially　concealed　in　theheavy　folds　of　the　window…curtain；　while　the　shadow　of　his　figure；which　the　sunlight　cast　upon　the　floor；　was　tremulous　with　thevehemence　of　his　appeal。　Pearl；　that　wild　and　flighty　little　elf；stole　softly　towards　him；　and　taking　his　hand　in　the　grasp　of　both　herown；　laid　her　cheek　against　it；　a　caress　so　tender；　and　withal　sounobtrusive；　that　her　mother；　who　was　looking　on；　asked　herself；　〃Isthat　my　Pearl？〃　Yet　she　knew　that　there　was　love　in　the　child's　heart；although　it　mostly　revealed　itself　in　passion；　and　hardly　twice　in　herlifetime　had　been　softened　by　such　gentleness　as　now。　The　minister…for；　save　the　long…sought　regards　of　woman；　nothing　is　sweeter　thanthese　marks　of　childish　preference；　accorded　spontaneously　by　aspiritual　instinct；　and　therefore　seeming　to　imply　in　us　somethingtruly　worthy　to　be　loved…　the　minister　looked　round；　laid　his　handon　the　child's　head；　hesitated　an　instant；　and　then　kissed　her　brow。Little　Pearl's　unwonted　mood　of　sentiment　lasted　no　longer；　shelaughed；　and　went　capering　down　the　hall；　so　airily；　that　old　Mr。Wilson　raise