第41部分(第1/6 页)

at　it　had　so　faithfully　performed　itsoffice。　The　glow；　which　they　had　just　before　beheld　burning　on　hischeek；　was　extinguished；　like　a　flame　that　sinks　down　hopelessly　amongthe　late…decaying　embers。　It　seemed　hardly　the　face　of　a　man　alive；with　such　a　deathlike　hue；　it　was　hardly　a　man　with　life　in　him；that　tottered　on　his　path　so　nervelessly；　yet　tottered；　and　did　notfall！ One　of　his　clerical　brethren…　it　was　the　venerable　John　Wilson…observing　the　state　in　which　Mr。　Dimmesdale　was　left　by　the　retiringwave　of　intellect　and　sensibility；　stepped　forward　hastily　to　offerhis　support。　The　minister　tremulously；　but　decidedly；　repelled　the　oldman's　arm。　He　still　walked　onward；　if　that　movement　could　be　sodescribed；　which　rather　resembled　the　wavering　effort　of　an　infant；with　its　mother's　arms　in　view；　outstretched　to　tempt　him　forward。　Andnow；　almost　imperceptible　as　were　the　latter　steps　of　his　progress；　hehad　e　opposite　the　well…remembered　and　weather…darkened　scaffold；where；　long　since；　with　all　that　dreary　lapse　of　time　between；Hester　Prynne　had　encountered　the　world's　ignominious　stare。　Therestood　Hester；　holding　little　Pearl　by　the　hand！　And　there　was　thescarlet　letter　on　her　breast！　The　minister　here　made　a　pause；　althoughthe　music　still　played　the　stately　and　rejoicing　march　to　which　theprocession　moved。　It　summoned　him　onward…　onward　to　the　festival！…　buthere　he　made　a　pause。 Bellingham；　for　the　last　few　moments；　had　kept　an　anxious　eye　uponhim。　He　now　left　his　own　place　in　the　procession；　and　advanced　to　giveassistance；　judging；　from　Mr。　Dimmesdale's　aspect；　that　he　mustotherwise　inevitably　fall。　But　there　was　something　in　the　latter'sexpression　that　warned　back　the　magistrate；　although　a　man　not　readilyobeying　the　vague　intimations　that　pass　from　one　spirit　t