第29部分(第1/7 页)

ice　him；　thatevery　wholesome　growth　should　be　converted　into　somethingdeleterious　and　malignant　at　his　touch？　Did　the　sun；　which　shone　sobrightly　everywhere　else；　really　fall　upon　him？　Or　was　there；　as　itrather　seemed；　a　circle　of　ominous　shadow　moving　along　with　hisdeformity；　whichever　way　he　turned　himself？　And　whither　was　he　nowgoing？　Would　he　not　suddenly　sink　into　the　earth；　leaving　a　barren　andblasted　spot；　where；　in　due　course　of　time；　would　be　seen　deadlynightshade；　dogwood；　henbane；　and　whatever　else　of　vegetablewickedness　the　climate　could　produce；　all　flourishing　with　hideousluxuriance？　Or　would　he　spread　bat's　wings　and　flee　away；　looking　somuch　the　uglier；　the　higher　he　rose　towards　heaven？ 〃Be　it　sin　or　no；〃　said　Hester　Prynne　bitterly；　as　she　still　gazedafter　him；　〃I　hate　the　man！〃 She　upbraided　herself　for　the　sentiment；　but　could　not　overe　orlessen　it。　Attempting　to　do　so；　she　thought　of　those　long…past　days；in　a　distant　land；　when　he　used　to　emerge　at　eventide　from　theseclusion　of　his　study；　and　sit　down　in　the　firelight　of　their　home；and　in　the　light　of　her　nuptial　smile。　He　needed　to　bask　himself　inthat　smile；　he　said；　in　order　that　the　chill　of　so　many　lonely　hoursamong　his　books　might　be　taken　off　the　scholar's　heart。　Such　sceneshad　once　appeared　not　otherwise　than　happy；　but　now；　as　viewed　throughthe　dismal　medium　of　her　subsequent　life；　they　classed　themselvesamong　her　ugliest　remembrances。　She　marvelled　how　such　scenes　couldhave　been！　She　marvelled　how　she　could　ever　have　been　wrought　uponto　marry　him！　She　deemed　it　her　crime　most　to　be　repented　of；　that　shehad　ever　endured；　and　reciprocated；　the　lukewarm　grasp　of　his　hand；and　had　suffered　the　smile　of　her　lips　and　eyes　to　mingle　and　meltinto　his　own。　And　it　seemed　a　fouler　offence　mitted