第10部分(第1/7 页)

but　only　by　contrast；　of　that　sacred　image　of　sinless　motherhood；whose　infant　was　to　redeem　the　world。　Here；　there　was　the　taint　ofdeepest　sin　in　the　most　sacred　quality　of　human　life；　working　sucheffect；　that　the　world　was　only　the　darker　for　this　woman's　beauty；and　the　more　lost　for　the　infant　that　she　had　borne。 The　scene　was　not　without　a　mixture　of　awe；　such　as　must　alwaysinvest　the　spectacle　of　guilt　and　shame　in　a　fellow…creature；　beforesociety　shall　have　grown　corrupt　enough　to　smile；　instead　ofshuddering；　at　it。　The　witnesses　of　Hester　Prynne's　disgrace　had　notyet　passed　beyond　their　simplicity。　They　were　stern　enough　to　lookupon　her　death；　had　that　been　the　sentence；　without　a　murmur　at　itsseverity；　but　had　none　of　the　heartlessness　of　another　social　state；which　would　find　only　a　theme　for　jest　in　an　exhibition　like　thepresent。　Even　if　there　had　been　a　disposition　to　turn　the　matterinto　ridicule；　it　must　have　been　repressed　and　overpowered　by　thesolemn　presence　of　men　no　less　dignified　than　the　Governor；　andseveral　of　his　counsellors；　a　judge；　a　general；　and　the　ministers　ofthe　town；　all　of　whom　sat　or　stood　in　a　balcony　of　the　meetinghouse；looking　down　upon　the　platform。　When　such　personages　couldconstitute　a　part　of　the　spectacle；　without　risking　the　majesty　orreverence　of　rank　and　office；　it　was　safely　to　be　inferred　that　theinfliction　of　a　legal　sentence　would　have　an　earnest　and　effectualmeaning。　Accordingly；　the　crowd　was　sombre　and　grave。　The　unhappyculprit　sustained　herself　as　best　a　woman　might；　under　the　heavyweight　of　a　thousand　unrelenting　eyes；　all　fastened　upon　her　andconcentrated　at　her　bosom。　It　was　almost　intolerable　to　be　borne。　Ofan　impulsive　and　passionate　nature；　she　had　fortified　herself　toencounter　the　stings　and　venomous　stabs　of　p