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Afterherreturntotheprison,HesterPrynnewasfoundtobeinastateofnervousexcitement,thatdemandedconstantwatchfulness,lestsheshouldperpetrateviolenceonherself,ordosomehalf–frenziedmischieftothepoorbabe.
Asnightapproached,itprovingimpossibletoquellherinsubordinationbyrebukeorthreatsofpunishment,MasterBrackett,thejailer,thoughtfittointroduceaphysician.
HedescribedhimasamanofskillinallChristianmodesofphysicalscience,andlikewisefamiliarwithwhateverthesavagepeoplecouldteachinrespecttomedicinalherbsandrootsthatgrewintheforest.
Tosaythetruth,therewasmuchneedofprofessionalassistance,notmerelyforHesterherself,butstillmoreurgentlyforthechild—who,drawingitssustenancefromthematernalbosom,seemedtohavedrankinwithitalltheturmoil,theanguishanddespair,whichpervadedthemother’ssystem.
Itnowwrithedinconvulsionsofpain,andwasaforcibletype,initslittleframe,ofthemoralagonywhichHesterPrynnehadbornethroughouttheday.
Closelyfollowingthejailerintothedismalapartment,appearedthatindividual,ofsingularaspectwhosepresenceinthecrowdhadbeenofsuchdeepinteresttothewearerofthescarletletter.
Hewaslodgedintheprison,notassuspectedofanyoffence,butasthemostconvenientandsuitablemodeofdisposingofhim,untilthemagistratesshouldhaveconferredwiththeIndiansagamoresrespectinghisransom.
HisnamewasannouncedasRogerChillingworth.
Thejailer,afterusheringhimintotheroom,remainedamoment,marvellingatthecomparativequietthatfollowedhisentrance;forHesterPrynnehadimmediatelybecomeasstillasdeath,althoughthechildcontinuedtomoan.
“Prithee,friend,leavemealonewithmypatient,”saidthepractitioner.
“Trustme,goodjailer,youshallbrieflyhavepeaceinyourhouse;and,Ipromiseyou,MistressPrynneshallhereafterbemoreamenabletojustauthoritythanyoumayhavefoundherheretofore.”
“Nay,ifyourworshipcanaccomplishthat,”answeredMasterBrackett,“Ishallownyouforamanofskill,indeed!
Verily,thewomanhathbeenlikeapossessedone;andtherelackslittlethatIshouldtakeinhand,todriveSatanoutofherwithstripes.”
Thestrangerhadenteredtheroomwiththecharacteristicquietudeoftheprofessiontowhichheannouncedhimselfasbelonging.
Nordidhisdemeanourchangewhenthewithdrawaloftheprisonkeeperlefthimfacetofacewiththewoman,whoseabsorbednoticeofhim,inthecrowd,hadintimatedsoclosearelationbetweenhimselfandher.
Hisfirstcarewasgiventothechild,whosecries,indeed,asshelaywrithingonthetrundle–bed,madeitofperemptorynecessitytopostponeallotherbusinesstothetaskofsoothingher.
Heexaminedtheinfantcarefully,andthenproceededtounclaspaleatherncase,whichhetookfrombeneathhisdress.
Itappearedtocontainmedicalpreparations,oneofwhichhemingledwithacupofwater.
“Myoldstudiesinalchemy,”observedhe,“andmysojourn,foraboveayearpast,amongapeoplewellversedinthekindlypropertiesofsimples,havemadeabetterphysicianofmethanmanythatclaimthemedicaldegree.Here,woman!
Thechildisyours—sheisnoneofmine—neitherwillsherecognizemyvoiceoraspectasafather’s.
Administerthisdraught,therefore,withthineownhand.”
Hesterrepelledtheofferedmedicine,atthesametimegazingwithstronglymarkedapprehensionintohisface.“Wouldstthouavengethyselfontheinnocentbabe?”whisperedshe.
“Foolishwoman!”respondedthephysician,halfcoldly,halfsoothingly.
“Whatshouldailmetoharmthismisbegottenandmiserablebabe?
Themedicineispotentforgood,andwereitmychild—yea,mineown,aswellasthine!Icoulddonobetterforit.”
Asshestillhesitated,being,infact,innoreasonablestateofmind,hetooktheinfantinhisarms,andhimselfadministeredthedraught.
Itsoonproveditsefficacy,andredeemedtheleech’spledge.
Themoansofthelittlepatientsubsided;itsconvulsivetossingsgraduallyceased;andinafewmoments,asisthecustomofyoungchildrenafterrelieffrompain,itsankintoaprofoundanddewyslumber.
Thephysician,ashehadafairrighttobetermed,nextbestowedhisattentiononthemother.
Withcalmandintentscrutiny,hefeltherpulse,lookedintohereyes—agazethatmadeherheartshrinkandshudder,becausesofamiliar,andyetsostrangeandcold—and,finally,satisfiedwithhisinvestigation,proceededtomingleanotherdraught.
“IknownotLethenorNepenthe,”remarkedhe;“butIhavelearnedmanynewsecretsinthewilderness,andhereisoneofthem—arecipethatanIndiantaughtme,inrequitalofsomelessonsofmyown,thatwereasoldasParacelsus.Drinkit!
Itmaybelesssoothingthanasinlessconscience.ThatIcannotgivethee.
Butitwillcalmtheswellandheavingofthypassion,likeoilthrownonthewavesofatempestuoussea.”
HepresentedthecuptoHester,whoreceiveditwithaslow,earnestlookintohisface;notpreciselyalookoffear,yetfullofdoubtandquestioningastowhathispurposesmightbe.
Shelookedalsoatherslumberingchild.
“Ihavethoughtofdeath,”saidshe—“havewishedforit—wouldevenhaveprayedforit,wereitfitthatsuchasIshouldprayforanything.
Yet,ifdeathbeinthiscup,Ibidtheethinkagain,erethoubeholdestmequaffit.See!itisevennowatmylips.”
“Drink,then,”repliedhe,stillwiththesamecoldcomposure.
“Dostthouknowmesolittle,HesterPrynne?Aremypurposeswonttobesoshallow?
EvenifIimagineaschemeofvengeance,whatcouldIdobetterformyobjectthantolettheelive—thantogivetheemedicinesagainstallharmandperiloflife—sothatthisburningshamemaystillblazeuponthybosom?”
Ashespoke,helaidhislongfore–fingeronthescarletletter,whichforthwithseemedtoscorchintoHester’sbreast,asifitadbeenredhot.
Henoticedherinvoluntarygesture,andsmiled.
“Live,therefore,andbearaboutthydoomwiththee,intheeyesofmenandwomen—intheeyesofhimwhomthoudidstcallthyhusband—intheeyesofyonderchild!
And,thatthoumayestlive,takeoffthisdraught.”
Withoutfurtherexpostulationordelay,HesterPrynnedrainedthecup,and,atthemotionofthemanofskill,seatedherselfonthebed,wherethechildwassleeping;whilehedrewtheonlychairwhichtheroomafforded,andtookhisownseatbesideher.
Shecouldnotbuttrembleatthesepreparations;forshefeltthat—havingnowdoneallthathumanity,orprinciple,or,ifsoitwere,arefinedcruelty,impelledhimtodoforthereliefofphysicalsuffering—hewasnexttotreatwithherasthemanwhomshehadmostdeeplyandirreparablyinjured.
“Hester,”saidhe,“Iasknotwherefore,norhowthouhastfallenintothepit,orsay,rather,thouhastascendedtothepedestalofinfamyonwhichIfoundthee.Thereasonisnotfartoseek.Itwasmyfolly,andthyweakness.
I—amanofthought—thebook–wormofgreatlibraries—amanalreadyindecay,havinggivenmybestyearstofeedthehungrydreamofknowledge—whathadItodowithyouthandbeautylikethineown?
Misshapenfrommybirth–hour,howcouldIdeludemyselfwiththeideathatintellectualgiftsmightveilphysicaldeformityinayounggirl’sfantasy?Mencallmewise.
Ifsageswereeverwiseintheirownbehoof,Imighthaveforeseenallthis.
Imighthaveknownthat,asIcameoutofthevastanddismalforest,andenteredthissettlementofChristianmen,theveryfirstobjecttomeetmyeyeswouldbethyself,HesterPrynne,standingup,astatueofignominy,beforethepeople.
Nay,fromthemomentwhenwecamedowntheoldchurch–stepstogether,amarriedpair,Imighthavebeheldthebale–fireofthatscarletletterblazingattheendofourpath!”
“Thouknowest,”saidHester—for,depressedasshewas,shecouldnotendurethislastquietstabatthetokenofhershame—“thouknowestthatIwasfrankwiththee.Ifeltnolove,norfeignedany.”
“True,”repliedhe.“Itwasmyfolly!Ihavesaidit.
But,uptothatepochofmylife,Ihadlivedinvain.Theworldhadbeensocheerless!
Myheartwasahabitationlargeenoughformanyguests,butlonelyandchill,andwithoutahouseholdfire.Ilongedtokindleone!
Itseemednotsowildadream—oldasIwas,andsombreasIwas,andmisshapenasIwas—thatthesimplebliss,whichisscatteredfarandwide,forallmankindtogatherup,mightyetbemine.
Andso,Hester,Idrewtheeintomyheart,intoitsinnermostchamber,andsoughttowarmtheebythewarmthwhichthypresencemadethere!”
“Ihavegreatlywrongedthee,”murmuredHester.
“Wehavewrongedeachother,”answeredhe.
“Minewasthefirstwrong,whenIbetrayedthybuddingyouthintoafalseandunnaturalrelationwithmydecay.
Therefore,asamanwhohasnotthoughtandphilosophisedinvain,Iseeknovengeance,plotnoevilagainstthee.
Betweentheeandme,thescalehangsfairlybalanced.
But,Hester,themanliveswhohaswrongedusboth!Whoishe?”
“Askmenot?”repliedHesterPrynne,lookingfirmlyintohisface.“Thatthoushaltneverknow!”
“Never,sayestthou?”rejoinedhe,withasmileofdarkandself–relyingintelligence.“Neverknowhim!
Believeme,Hester,therearefewthingswhetherintheoutwardworld,or,toacertaindepth,intheinvisiblesphereofthought—fewthingshiddenfromthemanwhodevoteshimselfearnestlyandunreservedlytothesolutionofamystery.
Thoumayestcoverupthysecretfromthepryingmultitude.
Thoumayestconcealit,too,fromtheministersandmagistrates,evenasthoudidstthisday,whentheysoughttowrenchthenameoutofthyheart,andgivetheeapartneronthypedestal.
But,asforme,Icometotheinquestwithothersensesthantheypossess.
Ishallseekthisman,asIhavesoughttruthinbooks:asIhavesoughtgoldinalchemy.
Thereisasympathythatwillmakemeconsciousofhim.Ishallseehimtremble.
Ishallfeelmyselfshudder,suddenlyandunawares.
Soonerorlater,hemustneedsbemine.”
Theeyesofthewrinkledscholarglowedsointenselyuponher,thatHesterPrynneclaspedherhandoverherheart,dreadinglestheshouldreadthesecretthereatonce.
“Thouwiltnotrevealhisname?Notthelessheismine,”resumedhe,withalookofconfidence,asifdestinywereatonewithhim.
“Hebearsnoletterofinfamywroughtintohisgarment,asthoudost,butIshallreaditonhisheart.Yetfearnotforhim!
ThinknotthatIshallinterferewithHeaven’sownmethodofretribution,or,tomyownloss,betrayhimtothegripeofhumanlaw.
NeitherdothouimaginethatIshallcontriveaughtagainsthislife;no,noragainsthisfame,ifasIjudge,hebeamanoffairrepute.Lethimlive!
Lethimhidehimselfinoutwardhonour,ifhemay!Notthelessheshallbemine!”
“Thyactsarelikemercy,”saidHester,bewilderedandappalled;“butthywordsinterprettheeasaterror!”
“Onething,thouthatwastmywife,Iwouldenjoinuponthee,”continuedthescholar.
“Thouhastkeptthesecretofthyparamour.Keep,likewise,mine!
Therearenoneinthislandthatknowme.
Breathenottoanyhumansoulthatthoudidstevercallmehusband!
Here,onthiswildoutskirtoftheearth,Ishallpitchmytent;for,elsewhereawanderer,andisolatedfromhumaninterests,Ifindhereawoman,aman,achild,amongstwhomandmyselfthereexisttheclosestligaments.
Nomatterwhetherofloveorhate:nomatterwhetherofrightorwrong!
Thouandthine,HesterPrynne,belongtome.
Myhomeiswherethouartandwhereheis.Butbetraymenot!”
“Whereforedostthoudesireit?”inquiredHester,shrinking,shehardlyknewwhy,fromthissecretbond.“Whynotannouncethyselfopenly,andcastmeoffatonce?”
“Itmaybe,”hereplied,“becauseIwillnotencounterthedishonourthatbesmirchesthehusbandofafaithlesswoman.Itmaybeforotherreasons.
Enough,itismypurposetoliveanddieunknown.
Let,therefore,thyhusbandbetotheworldasonealreadydead,andofwhomnotidingsshallevercome.
Recognizemenot,byword,bysign,bylook!
Breathenotthesecret,aboveall,tothemanthouwottestof.Shouldstthoufailmeinthis,beware!
Hisfame,hisposition,hislifewillbeinmyhands.Beware!”
“Iwillkeepthysecret,asIhavehis,”saidHester.
“Swearit!”rejoinedhe.
Andshetooktheoath.
“Andnow,MistressPrynne,”saidoldRogerChillingworth,ashewashereaftertobenamed,“Ileavetheealone:alonewiththyinfantandthescarletletter!Howisit,Hester?
Doththysentencebindtheetowearthetokeninthysleep?
Artthounotafraidofnightmaresandhideousdreams?”
“Whydostthousmilesoatme?”inquiredHester,troubledattheexpressionofhiseyes.
“ArtthouliketheBlackManthathauntstheforestroundaboutus?
Hastthouenticedmeintoabondthatwillprovetheruinofmysoul?”
“Notthysoul,”heanswered,withanothersmile.“No,notthine!”
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