第26部分(第1/7 页)

of　it；　that　it　seemed　still　to　remain　painted　on　thedarkness；　after　the　meteor　had　vanished；　with　an　effect　as　if　thestreet　and　all　things　else　were　at　once　annihilated。 〃Who　is　that　man；　Hester？〃　gasped　Mr。　Dimmesdale；　overe　withterror。　〃I　shiver　at　him！　Dost　thou　know　the　man？　I　hate　him；　Hester！〃 She　remembered　her　oath；　and　was　silent。 〃I　tell　thee；　my　soul　shivers　at　him！〃　muttered　the　ministeragain。　〃Who　is　he？　Who　is　he？　Canst　thou　do　nothing　for　me？　I　have　anameless　horror　of　the　man！〃 〃Minister；〃　said　little　Pearl；　〃I　can　tell　thee　who　he　is！〃 〃Quickly；　then；　child！〃　said　the　minister；　bending　his　ear　closeto　her　lips。　〃Quickly！…　and　as　low　as　thou　canst　whisper。〃 Pearl　mumbled　something　into　his　ear；　that　sounded；　indeed；　likehuman　language；　but　was　only　such　gibberish　as　children　may　be　heardamusing　themselves　with；　by　the　hour　together。　At　all　events；　if　itinvolved　any　secret　information　in　regard　to　old　RogerChillingworth；　it　was　in　a　tongue　unknown　to　the　erudite　clergyman；and　did　but　increase　the　bewilderment　of　his　mind。　The　elvish　childthen　laughed　aloud。 〃Dost　thou　mock　me　now？〃　said　the　minister。 〃Thou　wast　not　bold！…　thou　wast　not　true！〃　answered　the　child。　〃Thouwouldst　not　promise　to　take　my　hand；　and　mother's　hand；　to…morrownoontide！〃 〃Worthy　sir；〃　answered　the　physician；　who　had　now　advanced　to　thefoot　of　the　platform。　〃Pious　Master　Dimmesdale！　can　this　be　you？　Well；well；　indeed！　We　men　of　study；　whose　heads　are　in　our　books；　have　needto　be　straitly　looked　after！　We　dream　in　our　waking　moments；　andwalk　in　our　sleep。　e；　good　sir；　and　my　dear　friend；　I　pray　you；　letme　lead　you　home！〃 〃How　knewest　thou　that　I　was　here？〃　asked　the　minister　fearfully。 〃Verily；　and　in　good　faith；〃　answered　Roger　Chillingworth；　〃I　knewnothing　of　the　matter