第19部分(第5/7 頁)

ch…lady；　frowning；　asshe　drew　back　her　head。 But　here…　if　we　suppose　this　interview　betwixt　Mistress　Hibbinsand　Hester　Prynne　to　be　authentic；　and　not　a　parable…　was　already　anillustration　of　the　young　minister's　argument　against　sundering　therelation　of　a　fallen　mother　to　the　offspring　of　her　frailty。　Even　thusearly　had　the　child　saved　her　from　Satan's　snare。 IX。 THE　LEECH。 UNDER　the　appellation　of　Roger　Chillingworth；　the　reader　willremember；　was　hidden　another　name；　which　its　former　wearer　hadresolved　should　never　more　be　spoken。　It　has　been　related；　how；　in　thecrowd　that　witnessed　Hester　Prynne's　ignominious　exposure；　stood　aman；　elderly；　travel…worn；　who；　just　emerging　from　the　perilouswilderness；　beheld　the　woman；　in　whom　he　hoped　to　find　embodied　thewarmth　and　cheerfulness　of　home；　set　up　as　a　type　of　sin　before　thepeople。　Her　matronly　fame　was　trodden　under　all　men's　feet。　Infamy　wasbabbling　around　her　in　the　public　market…place。　For　her　kindred；should　the　tidings　ever　reach　them；　and　for　the　panions　of　herunspotted　life；　there　remained　nothing　but　the　contagion　of　herdishonour；　which　would　not　fail　to　be　distributed　in　strict　accordanceand　proportion　with　the　intimacy　and　sacredness　of　their　previousrelationship。　Then　why…　since　the　choice　was　with　himself…　shouldthe　individual；　whose　connection　with　the　fallen　woman　had　been　themost　intimate　and　sacred　of　them　all；　e　forward　to　vindicate　hisclaim　to　an　inheritance　so　little　desirable？　He　resolved　not　to　bepilloried　beside　her　on　her　pedestal　of　shame。　Unknown　to　all　butHester　Prynne；　and　possessing　the　lock　and　key　of　her　silence；　hechose　to　withdraw　his　name　from　the　roll　of　mankind；　and　as　regardedhis　former　ties　and　interests；　to　vanish　out　of　life　as　p