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The Minister’s Vigil
"Whoishe?Whoishe?Canstthoudonothingforme?Ihaveanamelesshorroroftheman!"
"Minister,"saidlittlePearl,"Icantelltheewhoheis!"
"Quickly,then,child!"saidtheminister,bendinghisearclosetoherlips."Quickly,andaslowasthoucanstwhisper."
Pearlmumbledsomethingintohisearthatsounded,indeed,likehumanlanguage,butwasonlysuchgibberishaschildrenmaybeheardamusingthemselveswithbythehourtogether.Atallevents,ifitinvolvedanysecretinformationinregardtooldRogerChillingworth,itwasinatongueunknowntotheeruditeclergyman,anddidbutincreasethebewildermentofhismind.Theelvishchildthenlaughedaloud.
"Dostthoumockmenow?"saidtheminister.
"Thouwastnotbold!—thouwastnottrue!"answeredthechild."Thouwouldstnotpromisetotakemyhand,andmother’shand,to-morrownoon-tide!"
"Worthysir,"answeredthephysician,whohadnowadvancedtothefootoftheplatform—"piousMasterDimmesdale!canthisbeyou?Well,well,indeed!Wemenofstudy,whoseheadsareinourbooks,haveneedtobestraitlylookedafter!Wedreaminourwakingmoments,andwalkinoursleep.Come,goodsir,andmydearfriend,Iprayyouletmeleadyouhome!"
"HowknewestthouthatIwashere?"askedtheminister,fearfully.
"Verily,andingoodfaith,"answeredRogerChillingworth,"Iknewnothingofthematter.IhadspentthebetterpartofthenightatthebedsideoftheworshipfulGovernorWinthrop,doingwhatmypoorskillmighttogivehimease.
