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s　to　the　purport　of　what　they　saw…　unable　to　receivethe　explanation　which　most　readily　presented　itself；　or　to　imagine　anyother…　that　they　remained　silent　and　inactive　spectators　of　thejudgment　which　Providence　seemed　about　to　work。　They　beheld　theminister；　leaning　on　Hester's　shoulder；　and　supported　by　her　armaround　him；　approach　the　scaffold；　and　ascend　its　steps；　while　stillthe　little　hand　of　the　sin…born　child　was　clasped　in　his。　Old　RogerChillingworth　followed；　as　one　intimately　connected　with　the　dramaof　guilt　and　sorrow　in　which　they　had　all　been　actors；　and　wellentitled；　therefore；　to　be　present　at　its　closing　scene。　　〃Hadst　thou　sought　the　whole　earth　over；〃　said　he；　looking　darkly　atthe　clergyman；　〃there　was　no　one　place　so　secret…　no　high　place　norlowly　place；　where　thou　couldst　have　escaped　me…　save　on　this　veryscaffold！〃　　〃Thanks　be　to　Him　who　hath　led　me　hither〃　answered　the　minister。　　Yet　he　trembled；　and　turned　to　Hester　with　an　expression　of　doubtand　anxiety　in　his　eyes；　not　the　less　evidently　betrayed；　that　therewas　a　feeble　smile　upon　his　lips。　　〃Is　not　this　better；〃　murmured　he；　〃than　what　we　dreamed　of　in　theforest？〃　　〃I　know　not！　I　know　not！〃　she　hurriedly　replied。　〃Better？　Yea；　so　wemay　both　die；　and　little　Pearl　die　with　us！〃　　〃For　thee　and　Pearl；　be　it　as　God　shall　order；〃　said　the　minister；〃and　God　is　merciful！　Let　me　now　do　the　will　which　He　hath　madeplain　before　my　sight。　For；　Hester；　I　am　a　dying　man。　So　let　me　makehaste　to　take　my　shame　upon　me！〃　　Partly　supported　by　Hester　Prynne；　and　holding　one　hand　of　littlePearl's；　the　Reverend　Mr。　Dimmesdale　turned　to　the　dignified　andvenerable　rulers；　to　the　holy　ministers；　who　were　his　brethren；　to　thepeople；　whose　great　heart　was　thoroughly　appalled；　yet　overflowingwith　tearful　sympathy；　as　knowing　that　some　deep　life…matter…　which；if　full　of　sin；　was　full　of　anguish　and　repentance　likewise…　was　nowto　be　laid　open　to　them。　The　sun；　but　little　past　its　meridian；shone　down　upon　the　clergyman；　and　gave　a　distinctness　to　hisfigure；　as　he　stood　out　from　all　the　earth；　to　put　in　his　plea　ofguilty　at　the　bar　of　Eternal　Justice。　　〃People　of　New　England！〃　cried　he；　with　a　voice　that　rose　over　them；high；　solemn；　and　majestic…　yet　had　always　a　tremor　through　it；　andsometimes　a　shriek；　struggling　up　out　of　a　fathomless　depth　of　remorseand　woe…　〃ye；　that　have　loved　me！…　ye；　that　have　deemed　me　holy…behold　me　here；　the　one　sinner　of　the　world！　At　last！…　at　last！…　Istand　upon　the　spot　where；　seven　years　since；　I　should　have　stood；here；　with　this　woman；　whose　arm；　more　than　the　little　strengthwherewith　I　have　crept　hitherward；　sustains　me；　at　this　dreadfulmoment；　from　grovelling　down　upon　my　face！　Lo；　the　scarlet　letterwhich　Hester　wears！　Ye　have　all　shuddered　at　it！　Wherever　her　walkhath　been…　wherever；　so　miserably　burdened；　she　may　have　hoped　to　findrepose…　it　hath　cast　a　lurid　gleam　of　awe　and　horrible　repugnanceround　about　her。　But　there　stood　one　in　the　midst　of　you；　at　whosebrand　of　sin　and　infamy　ye　have　not　shuddered！〃　　It　seemed；　at　this　point；　as　if　the　minister　must　leave　theremainder　of　his　secret　undisclosed。　But　he　fought　back　the　bodilyweakness…　and；　still　more；　the　faintness　of　heart…　that　was　strivingfor　the　mastery　with　him。　He　threw　off　all　assistance；　and　steppedpassionately　forward　a　pace　before　the　woman　and　the　child。　　〃It　was　on　him！〃　he　continued；　with　a　kind　of　fierceness；　sodetermined　was　he　to　speak　out　the　whole。　〃God's　eye　beheld　it！　Theangels　were　forever　pointing　at　it！　The　Devil　knew　it　well；　andfretted　it　continually　with　the　touch　of　his　burning　finger！　But　hehid　it　cunningly　from　men；　and　walked　among　you　with　the　mien　of　aspirit；　mournful；　because　so　pure　in　a　sinful　world！…　and　sad；　becausehe　missed　his　heavenly　kindred！　Now；　at　the　death…hour；　he　stands　upbefore　you！　He　bids　you　look　again　at　Hester's　scarlet　letter！　Hetells　you；　that；　with　all　its　mysterious　horror；　it　is　but　theshadow　of　what　he　bears　on　his　own　breast；　and　that　even　this；　his　ownred　stigma；　is　no　more　than　the　type　of　what　has　seared　his　inmostheart！　Stand　any　here　that　question　God's　judgment　on　a　sinner？Behold！　Behold　a　dreadful　witness　of　it！〃　　With　a　convulsive　motion；　he　tore　away　the　ministerial　band　frombefore　his　breast。　It　was　revealed！　But　it　were　irreverent　to　describethat　revelation。　For　an　instant；　the　gaze　of　the　horror…strickenmultitude　was　concentred　on　the　ghastly　miracle；　while　the　ministerstood；　with　a　flush　of　triumph　in　his　face；　as　one　who；　in　thecrisis　of　acutest　pain；　had　won　a　victory。　Then；　down　he　sank　upon　thescaffold！　Hester　partly　raised　him；　and　supported　his　head　against　herbosom。　Old　Roger　Chillingworth　knelt　down　beside　him；　with　a　blank；dull　countenance；　out　of　which　the　life　seemed　to　have　departed。　　〃Thou　hast　escaped　me！〃　he　repeated　more　than　once。　〃Thou　hastescaped　me！〃　　〃May　God　forgive　thee！〃　said　the　minister。　〃Thou；　too；　hast　deeplysinned！〃　　　
End


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　…　手机访问　m。
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¤╭⌒╮　╭⌒╮欢迎光临　　　　　　　
　╱◥██◣　╭╭　⌒　　　　　　　　　
︱田︱田田｜　╰……　　
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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　【冷泉泓薇】整理　
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