Алая буква
Hester and the Physician
"Whenwelastspaketogether,"saidHester,"nowsevenyearsago,itwasyourpleasuretoextortapromiseofsecrecyastouchingtheformerrelationbetwixtyourselfandme.Asthelifeandgoodfameofyondermanwereinyourhandsthereseemednochoicetome,savetobesilentinaccordancewithyourbehest.YetitwasnotwithoutheavymisgivingsthatIthusboundmyself,for,havingcastoffalldutytowardsotherhumanbeings,thereremainedadutytowardshim,andsomethingwhisperedmethatIwasbetrayingitinpledgingmyselftokeepyourcounsel.Sincethatdaynomanissoneartohimasyou.Youtreadbehindhiseveryfootstep.Youarebesidehim,sleepingandwaking.Yousearchhisthoughts.Youburrowandrankleinhisheart!Yourclutchisonhislife,andyoucausehimtodiedailyalivingdeath,andstillheknowsyounot.InpermittingthisIhavesurelyactedafalsepartbytheonlymantowhomthepowerwasleftmetobetrue!"
"Whatchoicehadyou?"askedRogerChillingworth."Myfinger,pointedatthisman,wouldhavehurledhimfromhispulpitintoadungeon,thence,peradventure,tothegallows!"
"Ithadbeenbetterso!"saidHesterPrynne.
"WhatevilhaveIdonetheman?"askedRogerChillingworthagain."Itellthee,HesterPrynne,therichestfeethateverphysicianearnedfrommonarchcouldnothaveboughtsuchcareasIhavewastedonthismiserablepriest!Butformyaidhislifewouldhaveburnedawayintormentswithinthefirsttwoyearsaftertheperpetrationofhiscrimeandthine.
