day; but was in one of those moods ofperverse merriment which; whenever they occurred; seemed to remove herentirely out of the sphere of sympathy or human contact。 She nowskipped irreverently from one grave to another; until; ing to thebroad; flat; armorial tombstone of a departed worthy… perhaps of IsaacJohnson himself… she began to dance upon it。 In reply to hermother's mand and entreaty that she would behave more decorously;little Pearl paused to gather the prickly burrs from a tall burdockwhich grew beside the tomb。 Taking a handful of these; she arrangedthem along the lines of the scarlet letter that decorated the maternalbosom; to which the burrs; as their nature was; tenaciously adhered。Hester did not pluck them off。 Roger Chillingworth had by this time approached the window; andsmiled grimly down。 〃There is no law; nor reverence for authority; no regard for humanordinances or opinions; right or wrong; mixed up with that child'sposition;〃 remarked her; as much to himself as to his panion。 〃Isaw her; the other day; bespatter the Governor himself with water;at the cattle…trough in Spring Lane。 What; in Heaven's name; is she?Is the imp altogether evil? Hath she affections? Hath she anydiscoverable principle of being?〃 〃None… save the freedom of a broken law;〃 answered Mr。 Dimmesdale;in a quiet way; as if he had been discussing the point within himself。〃Whether capable of good I know not。〃 The child probably overheard their voices; for; looking up to thewindow; with a bright; but naughty smile of mirth and intelligence;she threw one of the prickly burrs at the Reverend Mr。 Dimmesdale。 Thesensitive clergyman shrunk; with nervous dread; from the lightmissile。 Detecting his emotion; Pearl clapped her little hands; in themost extravagant ecstasy。 Hester Prynne; likewise; had involuntarilylooked up; and all these four persons; old and young; regarded oneanother in silence; till the child laughed aloud; and shouted; 〃eaway; mother! e away; or yonder old Black Man will catch you! Hehath got hold of the minister already。 e away; mother; or he willcatch you! But he cannot catch little Pearl!〃 So she drew her mother away; skipping; dancing; and friskingfantastically; among the hillocks of the dead people; like acreature that had nothing in mon with a bygone and buriedgeneration; nor owned herself akin to it。 It was as if she had beenmade afresh; out of new elements; and must perforce be permitted tolive her own life; and be a law unto herself; without hereccentricities being reckoned to her for a crime。 〃There goes a woman;〃 resumed Roger Chillingworth; after a pause;〃who; be her demerits what they may; hath none of that mystery ofhidden sinfulness which you deem so grievous to be borne。 Is HesterPrynne the less miserable; think you; for that scarlet letter on herbreast?〃 〃I do verily believe it;〃 answered the clergyman。 〃Nevertheless; Icannot answer for her。 There was a look of pain in her face; which Iwould gladly have been spared the sight of。 But still; methinks; itmust needs be better for the sufferer to be free to show his pain;as this poor woman Hester is; than to cover it all up in his heart。〃 There was another pause; and the physician began anew to examine andarrange the plants which he had gathered。 〃You inquired of me; a little time agone;〃 said he; at length; 〃myjudgment as touching your health。〃 〃I did;〃 answered the clergyman; 〃and would gladly learn it。 Speakfrankly; I pray you; be it for life or death。〃 〃Freely; then; and plainly;〃 said the physician; still busy with hisplants; but keeping a wary eye on Mr。 Dimmesdale; 〃the disorder is astrange one; not so much in itself; nor as outwardly manifested… in sofar; at least; as the symptoms have been laid open to myobservation。 Looking dally at you; my good sir; and watching thetokens of your aspect; now for months gone by; I should deem you a mansore sick; it may be; yet not so sick but that an instructed andwatchful physician might well hope to cure you。 But… I know not whatto say… the disease is what I seem to know; yet know it not。〃 〃You speak in riddles; learned sir;〃 said the pale minister;glancing aside out of the window。 〃Then; to speak more plainly;〃 continued the physician; 〃and I cravepardon; sir… should it seem to require pardon… for this needfulplainness of my speech。 Let me ask; as your friend… as one havingcharge; under Providence; of your life and physical well…being… hathall the operation of this disorder been fairly laid open and recountedto me?〃 〃How can you question it?〃 asked the minister。 〃Surely; it werechild's play; to call in a physician; and then hide the sore!〃 〃You would tell me; then; that I know all?〃 said Roger Chillingworthdeliberately; and fixing an eye; bright with intense andconcentrated intelligence; on the minister's face。 〃Be it so! But;again! He to whom only the outward and physical evil is laid open;knoweth; oftentimes; but half the evil which be is called upon tocure。 A bodily disease; which we look upon as whole and entirewithin itself; may; after all; be but a symptom of some ailment in thespiritual part。 Your pardon; once again; good sir; if my speech givethe shadow of offence。 You; sir; of all men whom I have known; arehe whose body is the closest conjoined; and imbued; and identified; soto speak; with the spirit whereof it is the instrument。〃 〃Then I need ask no further;〃 said the clergyman; somewhat hastilyrising from his chair。 〃You deal not; I take it; in medicine for thesoul!〃 〃Thus; a sickness;〃 continued Roger Chillingworth going on; in anunaltered tone; without heeding the interruption; but standing upand confronting the emaciated and white…cheeked minister; with hislow; dark; and misshapen figure… 〃a sickness; a sore place; if we mayso call it; in your spirit; hath immediately its appropriatemanifestation in your bodily frame。 Would you; therefore; that yourphysician heal the bodily evil? How may this be; unless you firstlay open to him the wound or trouble in your soul?〃 〃No!… not to thee!… not to an earthly physician!〃 cried Mr。Dimmesdale passionately; and turning his eyes; full and bright; andwith a kind of fierceness; on old Roger Chillingworth。 〃Not to thee!But; if it be the soul's disease; then do I mit myself to the onePhysician of the soul! He; if it stand with His good pleasure; cancure; or He can kill! Let Him do with me as; in His justice andwisdom; He shall see good。 But who art thou; that meddlest in thismatter?… that dares thrust himself between the sufferer and his God?〃 With a frantic gesture; he rushed out of the room。 〃It is as well to have made this step;〃 said Roger Chillingworthto himself; looking after the minister; with a grave smile。 〃Thereis nothing lost。 We shall be friends again anon。 But see; now; howpassion takes hold upon this man; and hurrieth him out of himself!As with one passion; so with another! He hath done a wild thing erenow; this pious Master Dimmesdale; in the hot passion of his heart!〃 It proved not difficult to re…establish the intimacy of the twopanions; on the same footing and in the same degree asheretofore。 The young clergyman; after a few hours of privacy; wassensible that the disorder of his nerves had hurried him into anunseemly outbreak of temper; which there had been nothing in thephysician's words to excuse or palliate。 He marvelled; indeed; atthe violence with which he had thrust back the kind old man; whenmerely proffering the advice which it was his duty to bestow; andwhich the minister himself had expressly sought。 With these remorsefulfeelings; he lost no time in making the amplest apologies; andbesought his friend still to continue the care; which; if notsuccessful in restoring him to health; had; in all probability; beenthe means of prolonging his feeble existence to that hour。 RogerChillingworth readily assented; and went on with his medicalsupervision of the minister; doing his best for him; in all goodfaith; but always quitting the patient's apartment; at the close ofa professional interview; with a mysterious and puzzled smile upon hislips。 This expression was invisible in Mr。 Dimmesdale's presence;but grew strongly evident as the physician crossed the threshold。 〃A rare case!〃 he muttered。 〃I must needs look deeper into it。 Astrange sympathy betwixt soul and body! Were it only for the art'ssake; I must search this matter to the bottom!〃 It came to pass; not long after the scene above recorded; that theReverend Mr。 Dimmesdale; at noon…day; and entirely unawares; fell intoa deep; deep slumber; sitting in his chair; with a largeblack…letter volume open before him on the table。 It must have beena work of vast ability in the somniferous school of literature。 Theprofound depth of the minister's repose was the more remarkable;inasmuch as he was one of those persons whose sleep; ordinarily; is aslight; as fitful; and as easily scared away; as a small bird hoppingon a twig。 To such an unwonted remoteness; however; had his spirit nowwithdrawn into itself; that he stirred not in his chair; when oldRoger Chillingworth; without any extraordinary precaution; came intothe room。 The physician advanced directly in front of his patient;laid his hand upon his bosom; and thrust aside the vestment; that;hitherto; had always covered it even from the professional eye。
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