Алая буква
The Leech
Dimmesdale’sbodilydiseasehadneverfairlybeenrevealedtohim.Itwasastrangereserve!
Afteratime,atahintfromRogerChillingworth,thefriendsofMr.Dimmesdaleeffectedanarrangementbywhichthetwowerelodgedinthesamehouse;sothateveryebbandflowoftheminister’slife-tidemightpassundertheeyeofhisanxiousandattachedphysician.Therewasmuchjoythroughoutthetownwhenthisgreatlydesirableobjectwasattained.Itwasheldtobethebestpossiblemeasurefortheyoungclergyman’swelfare;unless,indeed,asoftenurgedbysuchasfeltauthorisedtodoso,hehadselectedsomeoneofthemanybloomingdamsels,spirituallydevotedtohim,tobecomehisdevotedwife.Thislatterstep,however,therewasnopresentprospectthatArthurDimmesdalewouldbeprevailedupontotake;herejectedallsuggestionsofthekind,asifpriestlycelibacywereoneofhisarticlesofChurchdiscipline.Doomedbyhisownchoice,therefore,asMr.Dimmesdalesoevidentlywas,toeathisunsavourymorselalwaysatanother’sboard,andendurethelife-longchillwhichmustbehislotwhoseekstowarmhimselfonlyatanother’sfireside,ittrulyseemedthatthissagacious,experienced,benevolentoldphysician,withhisconcordofpaternalandreverentiallovefortheyoungpastor,wastheveryman,ofallmankind,tobeconstantlywithinreachofhisvoice.
