第39部分(第1/7 页)

win　the　most　aspiring　ambition　into　its　service。Even　political　power…　as　in　the　case　of　Increase　Mather…　was　withinthe　grasp　of　a　successful　priest。 It　was　the　observation　of　those　who　beheld　him　now；　that　never；since　Mr。　Dimmesdale　first　set　his　foot　on　the　New　England　shore；had　he　exhibited　such　energy　as　was　seen　in　the　gait　and　air　withwhich　he　kept　his　pace　in　the　procession。　There　was　no　feebleness　ofstep；　as　at　other　times；　his　frame　was　not　bent；　nor　did　his　hand　restominously　upon　his　heart。　Yet；　if　the　clergyman　were　rightly　viewed；his　strength　seemed　not　of　the　body。　It　might　be　spiritual；　andimparted　to　him　by　angelic　ministrations。　It　might　be　the　exhilarationof　that　potent　cordial；　which　is　distilled　only　in　the　furnace…glow　ofearnest　and　long…continued　thought。　Or；　perchance；　his　sensitivetemperament　was　invigorated　by　the　loud　and　piercing　music；　thatswelled　heavenward；　and　uplifted　him　on　its　ascending　wave。Nevertheless；　so　abstracted　was　his　look；　it　might　be　questionedwhether　Mr。　Dimmesdale　even　heard　the　music。　There　was　his　body；moving　onward；　and　with　an　unaccustomed　force。　But　where　was　his　mind？Far　and　deep　in　its　own　region；　busying　itself；　with　preternaturalactivity；　to　marshal　a　procession　of　stately　thoughts　that　were　soonto　issue　thence；　and　so　he　saw　nothing；　heard　nothing；　knew　nothing；of　what　was　around　him；　but　the　spiritual　element　took　up　the　feebleframe；　and　carried　it　along；　unconscious　of　the　burden；　and　convertingit　to　spirit　like　himself。　Men　of　unmon　intellect；　who　have　grownmorbid；　possess　this　occasional　power　of　mighty　effort；　into　whichthey　throw　the　life　of　many　days；　and　then　are　lifeless　for　as　manymore。 Hester　Prynne；　gazing　steadfastly　at　the　clergyman；　felt　a　drearyinfluence　e　over　her；　but　wherefore　or　whence　she