Алая буква
Hester and the Physician
For,Hester,hisspiritlackedthestrengththatcouldhaveborneup,asthinehas,beneathaburdenlikethyscarletletter.Oh,Icouldrevealagoodlysecret!Butenough.Whatartcando,Ihaveexhaustedonhim.Thathenowbreathesandcreepsaboutonearthisowingalltome!"
"Betterhehaddiedatonce!"saidHesterPrynne.
"Yea,woman,thousayesttruly!"criedoldRogerChillingworth,lettingtheluridfireofhisheartblazeoutbeforehereyes."Betterhadhediedatonce!Neverdidmortalsufferwhatthismanhassuffered.Andall,all,inthesightofhisworstenemy!Hehasbeenconsciousofme.Hehasfeltaninfluencedwellingalwaysuponhimlikeacurse.Heknew,bysomespiritualsense—fortheCreatornevermadeanotherbeingsosensitiveasthis—heknewthatnofriendlyhandwaspullingathisheartstrings,andthataneyewaslookingcuriouslyintohim,whichsoughtonlyevil,andfoundit.Butheknewnotthattheeyeandhandweremine!Withthesuperstitioncommontohisbrotherhood,hefanciedhimselfgivenovertoafiend,tobetorturedwithfrightfuldreamsanddesperatethoughts,thestingofremorseanddespairofpardon,asaforetasteofwhatawaitshimbeyondthegrave.Butitwastheconstantshadowofmypresence,theclosestpropinquityofthemanwhomhehadmostvilelywronged,andwhohadgrowntoexistonlybythisperpetualpoisonofthedirestrevenge!Yea,indeed,hedidnoterr,therewasafiendathiselbow!Amortalman,withonceahumanheart,hasbecomeafiendforhisespecialtorment."
