第19部分(第6/7 頁)

letelyas　if　he　indeed　lay　at　the　bottom　of　the　ocean；　whither　rumour　hadlong　ago　consigned　him。　This　purpose　once　effected；　new　interestswould　immediately　spring　up；　and　likewise　a　new　purpose；　dark；　it　istrue；　if　not　guilty；　but　of　force　enough　to　engage　the　full　strengthof　his　faculties。 In　pursuance　of　this　resolve；　he　took　up　his　residence　in　thePuritan　town；　as　Roger　Chillingworth；　without　other　introductionthan　the　learning　and　intelligence　of　which　he　possessed　more　than　amon　measure。　As　his　studies；　at　a　previous　period　of　his　life；had　made　him　extensively　acquainted　with　the　medical　science　of　theday；　it　was　as　a　physician　that　he　presented　himself；　and　as　suchwas　cordially　received。　Skilful　men；　of　the　medical　and　chirurgicalprofession；　were　of　rare　occurrence　in　the　colony。　They　seldom；　itwould　appear；　partook　of　the　religious　zeal　that　brought　otheremigrants　across　the　Atlantic。　In　their　researches　into　the　humanframe；　it　may　be　that　the　higher　and　more　subtile　faculties　of　suchmen　were　materialised；　and　that　they　lost　the　spiritual　view　ofexistence　amid　the　intricacies　of　that　wondrous　mechanism；　whichseemed　to　involve　art　enough　to　prise　all　of　life　within　itself。　Atall　events；　the　health　of　the　good　town　of　Boston；　so　far　asmedicine　had　aught　to　do　with　it；　had　hitherto　lain　in　theguardianship　of　an　aged　deacon　and　apothecary；　whose　piety　and　godlydeportment　were　stronger　testimonials　in　his　favour　than　any　that　hecould　have　produced　in　the　shape　of　a　diploma。　The　only　surgeon　wasone　who　bined　the　occasional　exercise　of　that　noble　art　with　thedaily　and　habitual　flourish　of　a　razor。　To　such　a　professional　bodyRoger　Chillingworth　anifestedhis　familiarity　with　the　ponderous　and　imposing　machinery　of　antiquephysic；　in　which　every　remedy　contained　a　multitude