红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第24部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


uilty；　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　of　far…fetched　andheterogeneous　ingredients；　as　elaborately　pounded　as　if　theproposed　result　had　been　the　Elixir　of　Life。　In　his　Indiancaptivity；　moreover；　he　had　gained　much　knowledge　of　the　properties　ofnative　herbs　and　roots；　nor　did　he　conceal　from　his　patients；　thatthese　simple　medicines；　Nature's　boon　to　the　untutored　savage；　hadquite　as　large　a　share　of　his　own　confidence　as　the　Europeanpharmacopoeia；　which　so　many　learned　doctors　had　spent　centuries　inelaborating。　　This　learned　stranger　was　exemplary；　as　regarded；　at　least；　theoutward　forms　of　a　religious　life；　and；　early　after　his　arrival；　hadchosen　for　his　spiritual　guide　the　Reverend　Mr。　Dimmesdale。　Theyoung　divine；　whose　scholar…like　renown　still　lived　in　Oxford；　wasconsidered　by　his　more　fervent　admirers　as　little　less　than　aheavenly…ordained　apostle；　destined；　should　he　live　and　labour　for　theordinary　term　of　life；　to　do　as　great　deeds　for　the　now　feeble　NewEngland　Church；　as　the　early　Fathers　had　achieved　for　the　infancy　ofthe　Christian　faith。　About　this　period；　however；　the　health　of　Mr。Dimmesdale　had　evidently　begun　to　fail。　By　those　best　acquaintedwith　his　habits；　the　paleness　of　the　young　minister's　cheek　wasaccounted　for　by　his　too　earnest　devotion　to　study；　his　scrupulousfulfilment　of　parochial　duty；　and；　more　than　all；　by　the　fasts　andvigils　of　which　he　made　a　frequent　practice；　in　order　to　keep　thegrossness　of　this　earthly　state　from　clogging　and　obscuring　hisspiritual　lamp。　Some　declared；　that；　if　Mr。　Dimmesdale　were　reallygoing　to　die；　it　was　cause　enough；　that　the　world　was　not　worthy　to　beany　longer　trodden　by　his　feet。　He　himself；　on　the　other　hand；　withcharacteristic　humility；　avowed　his　belief；　that；　if　Providence　shouldsee　fit　to　remove　him；　it　would　be　because　of　his　own　unworthinessto　perform　its　humblest　mission　here　on　earth。　With　all　thisdifference　of　opinion　as　to　the　cause　of　his　decline；　there　could　beno　question　of　the　fact。　His　form　grew　emaciated；　his　voice；　thoughstill　rich　and　sweet；　had　a　certain　melancholy　prophecy　of　decay　init；　he　was　often　observed；　on　any　slight　alarm　or　other　suddenaccident；　to　put　his　hand　over　his　heart；　with　first　a　flush　andthen　a　paleness；　indicative　of　pain。　　Such　was　the　young　clergyman's　condition；　and　so　imminent　theprospect　that　his　dawning　light　would　be　extinguished；　all　untimely；when　Roger　Chillingworth　made　his　advent　to　the　town。　His　firstentry　on　the　scene；　few　people　could　tell　whence；　dropping　down；　itwere；　out　of　the　sky；　or　starting　from　the　her　earth；　had　an　aspectof　mystery；　which　was　easily　heightened　to　the　miraculous。　He　wasnow　known　to　be　a　man　of　skill；　it　was　observed　that　he　gatheredherbs；　and　the　blossoms　of　wild…flowers；　and　dug　up　roots；　and　pluckedoff　twigs　from　the　forest…trees　like　one　acquainted　with　hiddenvirtues　in　what　was　valueless　to　mon　eyes。　He　was　heard　to　speak　ofSir　Kenelm　Digby；　and　other　famous　men…　whose　scientific　attainmentswere　esteemed　hardly　less　than　supernatural…　as　having　been　hiscorrespondents　or　associates。　Why；　with　such　rank　in　the　learnedworld；　had　he　e　hither？　What　could　he；　whose　sphere　was　in　greatcities；　be　seeking　in　the　wilderness？　In　ansour　gained　ground…　and；　however　absurd；　was　entertained　by　somevery　sensible　people…　that　Heaven　had　wrought　an　absolute　miracle；by　transporting　an　eminent　Doctor　of　Physic；　from　a　German　university；bodily　through　the　air；　and　setting　him　down　at　the　door　of　Mr。Dimmesdale's　study！　Individuals　of　wiser　faith；　indeed；　who　knewthat　Heaven　promotes　its　purposes　without　aiming　at　the　stage…effectof　what　is　called　miraculous　interposition；　were　inclined　to　see　aprovidential　hand　in　Roger　Chillingworth's　so　opportune　arrival。　　This　idea　was　countenanced　by　the　strong　interest　which　thephysician　ever　manifested　in　the　young　clergyman；　he　attachedhimself　to　him　as　a　parishioner；　and　sought　to　win　a　friendly　regardand　confidence　from　his　naturally　reserved　sensibility。　He　expressedgreat　alarm　at　his　pastor's　state　of　health；　but　was　anxious　toattempt　the　cure；　and；　if　early　undertaken；　seemed　not　despondent　of　afavourable　result。　The　elders；　the　deacons；　the　motherly　dames；　andthe　young　and　fair　maidens；　of　Mr。　Dimmesdale's　flock；　were　alikeimportunate　that　he　should　make　trial　of　the　physician's　franklyoffered　skill。　Mr。　Dimmesdale　gently　repelled　their　entreaties。　　〃I　need　no　medicine；〃　said　he。　　But　how　could　the　young　minister　say　so；　when；　with　every　successiveSabbath；　his　cheek　was　paler　and　thinner；　and　his　voice　more　tremulousthan　before…　when　it　had　now　bee　a　constant　habit；　rather　than　acasual　gesture；　to　press　his　hand　over　his　heart？　Was　he　weary　ofhis　labours？　Did　he　nlypropounded　to　Mr。　Dimmesdale　by　the　elder　ministers　of　Boston　andthe　deacons　of　his　church；　who；　to　use　their　own　phrase；　〃dealt　withhim〃　on　the　sin　of　rejecting　the　aid　which　Providence　so　manifestlyheld　out。　He　listened　in　silence；　and　finally　promised　to　conferwith　the　physician。　　〃Were　it　God's　will；〃　said　the　Reverend　Mr。　Dimmesdale；　when；　infulfilment　of　this　pledge；　he　requested　old　Roger　Chillingworth'sprofessional　advice；　〃I　could　be　well　content；　that　my　labours　andmy　sorrows；　and　my　sins　and　my　pains；　should　shortly　end　with　me；and　what　is　earthly　of　them　be　buried　in　my　grave；　and　the　spiritualgo　with　me　to　my　eternal　state；　rather　than　that　you　should　put　yourskill　to　the　proof　in　my　behalf。〃　　〃Ah；〃　replied　Roger　Chillingworth；　with　that　quietness　which；whether　imposed　or　natural；　marked　all　his　deportment；　〃it　is　thusthat　a　young　clergyman　is　apt　to　speak。　Youthful　men；　not　having　takena　deep　root；　give　up　their　hold　of　life　so　easily！　And　saintly　men；who　walk　with　God　on　earth；　would　fain　be　away；　to　walk　with　Him　onthe　golden　pavements　of　the　New　Jerusalem。〃　　〃Nay；〃　rejoined　the　young　minister；　putting　his　hand　to　his　heart；with　a　flush　of　pain　flitting　over　his　brow；　〃were　I　worthier　towalk　there；　I　could　be　better　content　to　toil　here。〃　　〃Good　men　ever　interpret　themselves　too　meanly；〃　said　the　physician。　　In　this　manner；　the　mysterious　old　Roger　Chillingworth　became　themedical　adviser　of　the　Reverend　Mr。　Dimmesdale。　As　not　only　thedisease　interested　the　physician；　but　he　was　strongly　moved　to　lookinto　the　character　and　qualities　of　the　patient；　these　two　men；　sodifferent　in　age；　came　gradually　to　spend　much　time　together。　Forthe　sake　of　the　minister's　health；　and　to　enable　the　leech　to　gatherplants　with　healing　balm　in　them；　they　took　long　walks　on　thesea…shore；　or　in　the　forest；　mingling　various　talk　with　the　plashand　murmur　of　the　waves；　and　the　solemn　wind…anthem　among　thetree…tops。　Often；　likewise；　one　was　the　guest　of　the　other；　in　hisplace　of　study　and　retirement。　There　was　a　fascination　for　theminister　in　the　pany　of　the　man　of　science；　in　whom　he　recognisedan　intellectual　cultivation　of　no　moderate　depth　or　scope；　togetherwith　a　range　and　freedom　of　ideas；　that　he　would　have　vainly　lookedfor　among　the　members　of　his　own　profession。　In　truth；　he　wasstartled；　if　not　shocked；　to　find　this　attribute　in　the　physician。　Mr。Dimmesdale　was　a　true　priest；　a　true　religionist；　with　the　reverentialsentiment　largely　developed；　and　an　order　of　mind　that　impelled　itselfpowerfully　along　the　track　of　a　creed；　and　wore　its　passagecontinually　deeper　with　the　lapse　of　time。　In　no　state　of　societywould　he　have　been　what　is　called　a　man　of　liberal　views；　it　wouldalways　be　essential　to　his　peace　to　feel　the　pressure　of　a　faith　abouthim；　supporting；　while　it　confined　him　within　its　iron　framework。Not　the　less；　however；　though　with　a　tremulous　enjoyment；　did　hefeel　the　occasional　relief　of　looking　at　the　universe　through　themedium　of　another　kind　of　intellect　than　those　with　which　hehabitually　held　co