Алая буква
The Leech and His Patient
Theirloveforman,theirzealforGod’sservice—theseholyimpulsesmayormaynotcoexistintheirheartswiththeevilinmatestowhichtheirguilthasunbarredthedoor,andwhichmustneedspropagateahellishbreedwithinthem.But,iftheyseektoglorifyGod,letthemnotliftheavenwardtheiruncleanhands!Iftheywouldservetheirfellowmen,letthemdoitbymakingmanifestthepowerandrealityofconscience,inconstrainingthemtopenitentialself-abasement!Wouldthouhavemetobelieve,Owiseandpiousfriend,thatafalseshowcanbebetter—canbemoreforGod’sglory,orman’welfare—thanGod’sowntruth?Trustme,suchmendeceivethemselves!"
"Itmaybeso,"saidtheyoungclergyman,indifferently,aswaivingadiscussionthatheconsideredirrelevantorunseasonable.Hehadareadyfaculty,indeed,ofescapingfromanytopicthatagitatedhistoosensitiveandnervoustemperament.—"But,now,Iwouldaskofmywell-skilledphysician,whether,ingoodsooth,hedeemsmetohaveprofitedbyhiskindlycareofthisweakframeofmine?"
BeforeRogerChillingworthcouldanswer,theyheardtheclear,wildlaughterofayoungchild’svoice,proceedingfromtheadjacentburial-ground.Lookinginstinctivelyfromtheopenwindow—foritwassummer-time—theministerbeheldHesterPrynneandlittlePearlpassingalongthefootpaththattraversedtheenclosure.
