第20部分(第1/7 页)

aborating。 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；