红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第31章
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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。 Then； indeed； Mr。 Dimmesdale shuddered； and slightly stirred。 After a brief pause； the physician turned away。 But； with what a wild look of wonder； joy； and horror！ With what aghastly rapture； as it were； too mighty to be expressed only by theeye and features； and therefore bursting forth through the wholeugliness of his figure； and making itself even riotously manifest bythe extravagant gestures with which he threw up his arms towards theceiling； and stamped his foot upon the floor！ Had a man seen old RogerChillingworth； at that moment of his ecstasy； he would have had noneed to ask how Satan ports himself； when a precious human soulis lost to heaven； and won into his kingdom。 But what distinguished the physician's ecstasy from Satan's wasthe trait of wonder in it！ XI。 THE INTERIOR OF A HEART。 AFTER the incident last described； the intercourse between theclergyman and the physician； though externally the same； was really ofanother character than it had previously been。 The intellect ofRoger Chillingworth had now a sufficiently plain path before it。 Itwas not； indeed； precisely that which he had laid out for himself toread。 Calm； gentle； passionless； as he appeared； there alice； hitherto latent； but active now； inthis unfortunate old man； which led him to imagine a more intimaterevenge than any mortal had ever wreaked upon an enemy。 To makehimself the one trusted friend； to whom should be confided all thefear； the remorse； the agony； the ineffectual repentance； the backwardrush of sinful thoughts； expelled in vain！ All that guilty sorrow；hidden from the world； whose great heart would have pitied andforgiven； to be revealed to him； the Pitiless； to him； theUnforgiving！ All that dark treasure to be lavished on the very man； towhom nothing else could so adequately pay the debt of vengeance。 The clergyman's shy and sensitive reserve had balked this scheme。Roger Chillingworth； however； was inclined to be hardly； if at all；less satisfied with the aspect of affairs； which Providence… using theavenger and his victim for its own purposes； and； perchance；pardoning； where it seemed most to punish… had substituted for hisblack devices。 A revelation； he could almost say； had been grantedto him。 It mattered little； for his object； whether celestial； or fromwhat other region。 By its aid； in all the subsequent relations betwixthim and Mr。 Dimmesdale； not merely the external presence； but the veryinmost soul； of the latter seemed to be brought out before his eyes；so that he could see and prehend its every movement。 He became；thenceforth； not a spectator only； but a chief actor； in the poorminister's interior world。 He could play upon him as he chose。 Wouldhe arouse him with a throb of agony？ The victim was for ever on therack； it needed only to know the spring that controlled the engine…and the physician knew it well！ Would be startle him with sudden fear？As at the waving of a magician's wand； uprose a grisly phantom… uprosea thousand phantoms… in many shapes； of death； or more awful shame；all flocking round about tie clergyman； and pointing with theirfingers at his breast！ All this was acplished with a subtlety so perfect； that theminister； though he had constantly a dim perception of some evilinfluence watching over him； could never gain a knowledge of itsactual nature。 True； he looked doubtfully； fearfully… even； attimes； with horror and the bitterness of hatred… at the deformedfigure of the old physician。 His gestures； his gait； his grizzledbeard； his slightest and most indifferent acts； the very fashion ofhis garments； were odious in the clergyman's sight； a token implicitlyto be relied on； of a deeper antipathy in the breast of the latterthan he was willing to acknowledge to himself。 For； as it wasimpossible to assign a reason for such distrust and abhorrence； so Mr。Dimmesdale； conscious that the poison of one morbid spot was infectinghis heart's entire substance； attributed all his presentiments to noother cause。 He took himself to task for his bad sympathies inreference to Roger Chillingworth； disregarded the lesson that heshould have drawn from them； and did his best to root them out。 Unableto acplish this； he nevertheless； as a matter of principle；continued his habits of social familiarity with the old man； andthus gave him constant opportunities for perfecting the purpose towhich… poor； forlorn creature that he was； and more wretched thanhis victim… the avenger had devoted himself。 While thus suffering under bodily disease； and gnawed and torturedby some black trouble of the soul； and given over to themachinations of his deadliest enemy； the Reverend Mr。 Dimmesdale hadachieved a brilliant popularity in his sacred office。 He won it；indeed； in great part； by his sorrows。 His intellectual gifts； hismoral perceptions； his power of experiencing and municatingemotion； were kept in a state of preternatural activity by the prickand anguish of his daily life。 His fame； though still on its upwardslope； already overshadowed the soberer reputations of hisfellow…clergymen； eminent as sever
