Алая буква
The Leech
Twoorthreeindividualshintedthatthemanofskill,duringhisIndiancaptivity,hadenlargedhismedicalattainmentsbyjoiningintheincantationsofthesavagepriests,whowereuniversallyacknowledgedtobepowerfulenchanters,oftenperformingseeminglymiraculouscuresbytheirskillintheblackart.Alargenumber—andmanyofthesewerepersonsofsuchsobersenseandpracticalobservationthattheiropinionswouldhavebeenvaluableinothermatters—affirmedthatRogerChillingworth’saspecthadundergonearemarkablechangewhilehehaddweltintown,andespeciallysincehisabodewithMr.Dimmesdale.Atfirst,hisexpressionhadbeencalm,meditative,scholar-like.Nowtherewassomethinguglyandevilinhisface,whichtheyhadnotpreviouslynoticed,andwhichgrewstillthemoreobvioustosighttheoftenertheylookeduponhim.Accordingtothevulgaridea,thefireinhislaboratoryhadbeenbroughtfromthelowerregions,andwasfedwithinfernalfuel;andso,asmightbeexpected,hisvisagewasgettingsootywiththesmoke.
Tosumupthematter,itgrewtobeawidelydiffusedopinionthattheRev.ArthurDimmesdale,likemanyotherpersonagesofspecialsanctity,inallagesoftheChristianworld,washauntedeitherbySatanhimselforSatan’semissary,intheguiseofoldRogerChillingworth.ThisdiabolicalagenthadtheDivinepermission,foraseason,toburrowintotheclergyman’sintimacy,andplotagainsthissoul.Nosensibleman,itwasconfessed,coulddoubtonwhichsidethevictorywouldturn
