第22部分(第1/7 页)

r　avail　themselves　of　this　unutterable　solace？〃 〃They　mostly　do；〃　said　the　clergyman；　griping　hard　at　his　breast；　asif　afflicted　with　an　importunate　throb　of　pain。　〃Many；　many　a　poorsoul　hath　given　its　confidence　to　me；　not　only　on　the　deathbed；　butwhile　strong　in　life；　and　fair　in　reputation。　And　ever；　after　suchan　outpouring；　oh；　what　a　relief　have　I　witnessed　in　those　sinfulbrethren！　even　as　in　one　who　at　last　draws　free　air；　after　longstifling　with　his　own　polluted　breath。　How　can　it　be　otherwise？　Whyshould　a　wretched　man；　guilty；　we　will　say；　of　murder；　prefer　tokeep　the　dead　corpse　buried　in　his　own　heart；　rather　than　fling　itforth　at　once；　and　let　the　universe　take　care　of　it？〃 〃Yet　some　men　bury　their　secrets　thus；〃　observed　the　calm　physician。 〃True；　there　are　such　men；〃　answered　Mr。　Dimmesdale。　〃But；　not　tosuggest　more　obvious　reasons；　it　may　be　that　they　are　kept　silent　bythe　very　constitution　of　their　nature。　Or…　can　we　not　suppose　it？…guilty　as　they　may　be；　retaining；　nevertheless；　a　zeal　for　God's　gloryand　man's　welfare；　they　shrink　from　displaying　themselves　black　andfilthy　in　the　view　of　men；　because；　thenceforward；　no　good　can　beachieved　by　them；　no　evil　of　the　past　be　redeemed　by　better　service。So；　to　their　own　unutterable　torment；　they　go　about　among　theirfellow…creatures；　looking　pure　as　new…fallen　snow；　while　theirhearts　are　all　speckled　and　spotted　with　iniquity　of　which　they　cannotrid　themselves。〃 〃These　men　deceive　themselves；〃　said　Roger　Chillingworth；　withsomewhat　more　emphasis　than　usual；　and　making　a　slight　gesture　withhis　forefinger。　〃They　fear　to　take　up　the　shame　that　rightfullybelongs　to　them。　Their　love　for　man；　their　zeal　for　God's　service…these　holy　impulses　may　or　may　not　coexist　in　their　hearts　with　theevil　inmates　to　which　t