Ithasbeenrelated,how,inthecrowdthatwitnessedHesterPrynne’signominiousexposure,stoodaman,elderly,travel–worn,who,justemergingfromtheperilouswilderness,beheldthewoman,inwhomhehopedtofindembodiedthewarmthandcheerfulnessofhome,setupasatypeofsinbeforethepeople.
Forherkindred,shouldthetidingseverreachthem,andforthecompanionsofherunspottedlife,thereremainednothingbutthecontagionofherdishonour;whichwouldnotfailtobedistributedinstrictaccordancearidproportionwiththeintimacyandsacrednessoftheirpreviousrelationship.
Thenwhy—sincethechoicewaswithhimself—shouldtheindividual,whoseconnexionwiththefallenwomanhadbeenthemostintimateandsacredofthemall,comeforwardtovindicatehisclaimtoaninheritancesolittledesirable?
UnknowntoallbutHesterPrynne,andpossessingthelockandkeyofhersilence,hechosetowithdrawhisnamefromtherollofmankind,and,asregardedhisformertiesandinterest,tovanishoutoflifeascompletelyasifheindeedlayatthebottomoftheocean,whitherrumourhadlongagoconsignedhim.
Thispurposeonceeffected,newinterestswouldimmediatelyspringup,andlikewiseanewpurpose;dark,itistrue,ifnotguilty,butofforceenoughtoengagethefullstrengthofhisfaculties.
Inpursuanceofthisresolve,hetookuphisresidenceinthePuritantownasRogerChillingworth,withoutotherintroductionthanthelearningandintelligenceofwhichhepossessedmorethanacommonmeasure.
Ashisstudies,atapreviousperiodofhislife,hadmadehimextensivelyacquaintedwiththemedicalscienceoftheday,itwasasaphysicianthathepresentedhimselfandassuchwascordiallyreceived.
Intheirresearchesintothehumanframe,itmaybethatthehigherandmoresubtlefacultiesofsuchmenwerematerialized,andthattheylostthespiritualviewofexistenceamidtheintricaciesofthatwondrousmechanism,whichseemedtoinvolveartenoughtocomprisealloflifewithinitself.
Atallevents,thehealthofthegoodtownofBoston,sofarasmedicinehadaughttodowithit,hadhithertolainintheguardianshipofanageddeaconandapothecary,whosepietyandgodlydeportmentwerestrongertestimonialsinhisfavourthananythathecouldhaveproducedintheshapeofadiploma.
Theonlysurgeonwasonewhocombinedtheoccasionalexerciseofthatnobleartwiththedailyandhabitualflourishofarazor.
Hesoonmanifestedhisfamiliaritywiththeponderousandimposingmachineryofantiquephysic;inwhicheveryremedycontainedamultitudeoffar–fetchedandheterogeneousingredients,aselaboratelycompoundedasiftheproposedresulthadbeentheElixirofLife.
InhisIndiancaptivity,moreover,hehadgainedmuchknowledgeofthepropertiesofnativeherbsandroots;nordidheconcealfromhispatientsthatthesesimplemedicines,Nature’sboontotheuntutoredsavage,hadquiteaslargeashareofhisownconfidenceastheEuropeanPharmacopoeia,whichsomanylearneddoctorshadspentcenturiesinelaborating.
Thislearnedstrangerwasexemplaryasregardedatleasttheoutwardformsofareligiouslife;andearlyafterhisarrival,hadchosenforhisspiritualguidetheReverendMr.Dimmesdale.
Theyoungdivine,whosescholar–likerenownstilllivedinOxford,wasconsideredbyhismoreferventadmirersaslittlelessthanaheavenlyordainedapostle,destined,shouldheliveandlabourfortheordinarytermoflife,todoasgreatdeeds,forthenowfeebleNewEnglandChurch,astheearlyFathershadachievedfortheinfancyoftheChristianfaith.
Bythosebestacquaintedwithhishabits,thepalenessoftheyoungminister’scheekwasaccountedforbyhistooearnestdevotiontostudy,hisscrupulousfulfilmentofparochialduty,andmorethanall,tothefastsandvigilsofwhichhemadeafrequentpractice,inordertokeepthegrossnessofthisearthlystatefromcloggingandobscuringhisspirituallamp.
Somedeclared,thatifMr.Dimmesdalewerereallygoingtodie,itwascauseenoughthattheworldwasnotworthytobeanylongertroddenbyhisfeet.
Hehimself,ontheotherhand,withcharacteristichumility,avowedhisbeliefthatifProvidenceshouldseefittoremovehim,itwouldbebecauseofhisownunworthinesstoperformitshumblestmissionhereonearth.
Hisformgrewemaciated;hisvoice,thoughstillrichandsweet,hadacertainmelancholyprophecyofdecayinit;hewasoftenobserved,onanyslightalarmorothersuddenaccident,toputhishandoverhisheartwithfirstaflushandthenapaleness,indicativeofpain.
Suchwastheyoungclergyman’scondition,andsoimminenttheprospectthathisdawninglightwouldbeextinguished,alluntimely,whenRogerChillingworthmadehisadventtothetown.
Hisfirstentryonthescene,fewpeoplecouldtellwhence,droppingdownasitwereoutoftheskyorstartingfromthenetherearth,hadanaspectofmystery,whichwaseasilyheightenedtothemiraculous.
Hewasnowknowntobeamanofskill;itwasobservedthathegatheredherbsandtheblossomsofwild–flowers,andduguprootsandpluckedofftwigsfromtheforest–treeslikeoneacquaintedwithhiddenvirtuesinwhatwasvaluelesstocommoneyes.
HewasheardtospeakofSirKenelmDigbyandotherfamousmen—whosescientificattainmentswereesteemedhardlylessthansupernatural—ashavingbeenhiscorrespondentsorassociates.
Inanswertothisquery,arumourgainedground—andhoweverabsurd,wasentertainedbysomeverysensiblepeople—thatHeavenhadwroughtanabsolutemiracle,bytransportinganeminentDoctorofPhysicfromaGermanuniversitybodilythroughtheairandsettinghimdownatthedoorofMr.Dimmesdale’sstudy!
Individualsofwiserfaith,indeed,whoknewthatHeavenpromotesitspurposeswithoutaimingatthestage–effectofwhatiscalledmiraculousinterposition,wereinclinedtoseeaprovidentialhandinRogerChillingworth’ssoopportunearrival.
Thisideawascountenancedbythestronginterestwhichthephysicianevermanifestedintheyoungclergyman;heattachedhimselftohimasaparishioner,andsoughttowinafriendlyregardandconfidencefromhisnaturallyreservedsensibility.
Heexpressedgreatalarmathispastor’sstateofhealth,butwasanxioustoattemptthecure,and,ifearlyundertaken,seemednotdespondentofafavourableresult.
Theelders,thedeacons,themotherlydames,andtheyoungandfairmaidensofMr.Dimmesdale’sflock,werealikeimportunatethatheshouldmaketrialofthephysician’sfranklyofferedskill.
Buthowcouldtheyoungministersayso,when,witheverysuccessiveSabbath,hischeekwaspalerandthinner,andhisvoicemoretremulousthanbefore—whenithadnowbecomeaconstanthabit,ratherthanacasualgesture,topresshishandoverhisheart?Washewearyofhislabours?Didhewishtodie?
ThesequestionsweresolemnlypropoundedtoMr.DimmesdalebytheelderministersofBoston,andthedeaconsofhischurch,who,tousetheirownphrase,“dealtwithhim,”onthesinofrejectingtheaidwhichProvidencesomanifestlyheldout.
“WereitGod’swill,”saidtheReverendMr.Dimmesdale,when,infulfilmentofthispledge,herequestedoldRogerChillingworth’sprofessionaladvice,“Icouldbewellcontentthatmylabours,andmysorrows,andmysins,andmypains,shouldshortlyendwithme,andwhatisearthlyofthembeburiedinmygrave,andthespiritualgowithmetomyeternalstate,ratherthanthatyoushouldputyourskilltotheproofinmybehalf.”
“Ah,”repliedRogerChillingworth,withthatquietness,which,whetherimposedornatural,markedallhisdeportment,“itisthusthatayoungclergymanisapttospeak.
Andsaintlymen,whowalkwithGodonearth,wouldfainbeaway,towalkwithhimonthegoldenpavementsoftheNewJerusalem.”
“Nay,”rejoinedtheyoungminister,puttinghishandtohisheart,withaflushofpainflittingoverhisbrow,“wereIworthiertowalkthere,Icouldbebettercontenttotoilhere.”
Asnotonlythediseaseinterestedthephysician,buthewasstronglymovedtolookintothecharacterandqualitiesofthepatient,thesetwomen,sodifferentinage,camegraduallytospendmuchtimetogether.
Forthesakeoftheminister’shealth,andtoenabletheleechtogatherplantswithhealingbalminthem,theytooklongwalksonthesea–shore,orintheforest;minglingvariouswalkswiththesplashandmurmurofthewaves,andthesolemnwind–anthemamongthetree–tops.
Often,likewise,onewastheguestoftheotherinhisplaceofstudyandretirementTherewasafascinationfortheministerinthecompanyofthemanofscience,inwhomherecognizedanintellectualcultivationofnomoderatedepthorscope;togetherwitharangeandfreedomofideas,thathewouldhavevainlylookedforamongthemembersofhisownprofession.
Mr.Dimmesdalewasatruepriest,atruereligionist,withthereverentialsentimentlargelydeveloped,andanorderofmindthatimpelleditselfpowerfullyalongthetrackofacreed,andworeitspassagecontinuallydeeperwiththelapseoftime.
Innostateofsocietywouldhehavebeenwhatiscalledamanofliberalviews;itwouldalwaysbeessentialtohispeacetofeelthepressureofafaithabouthim,supporting,whileitconfinedhimwithinitsironframework.
Nottheless,however,thoughwithatremulousenjoyment,didhefeeltheoccasionalreliefoflookingattheuniversethroughthemediumofanotherkindofintellectthanthosewithwhichhehabituallyheldconverse.
Itwasasifawindowwerethrownopen,admittingafreeratmosphereintothecloseandstifledstudy,wherehislifewaswastingitselfaway,amidlamp–light,orobstructedday–beams,andthemustyfragrance,beitsensualormoral,thatexhalesfrombooks.
Sotheminister,andthephysicianwithhim,withdrewagainwithinthelimitsofwhattheirChurchdefinedasorthodox.
ThusRogerChillingworthscrutinisedhispatientcarefully,bothashesawhiminhisordinarylife,keepinganaccustomedpathwayintherangeofthoughtsfamiliartohim,andasheappearedwhenthrownamidstothermoralscenery,thenoveltyofwhichmightcalloutsomethingnewtothesurfaceofhischaracter.
Whereverthereisaheartandanintellect,thediseasesofthephysicalframearetingedwiththepeculiaritiesofthese.
InArthurDimmesdale,thoughtandimaginationweresoactive,andsensibilitysointense,thatthebodilyinfirmitywouldbelikelytohaveitsgroundworkthere.
SoRogerChillingworth—themanofskill,thekindandfriendlyphysician—strovetogodeepintohispatient’sbosom,delvingamonghisprinciples,pryingintohisrecollections,andprobingeverythingwithacautioustouch,likeatreasure–seekerinadarkcavern.
Fewsecretscanescapeaninvestigator,whohasopportunityandlicencetoundertakesuchaquest,andskilltofollowitup.
Ifthelatterpossessnativesagacity,andanamelesssomethingmoreletuscallitintuition;ifheshownointrusiveegotism,nordisagreeableprominentcharacteristicsofhisown;ifhehavethepower,whichmustbebornwithhim,tobringhismindintosuchaffinitywithhispatient’s,thatthislastshallunawareshavespokenwhatheimagineshimselfonlytohavethoughtifsuchrevelationsbereceivedwithouttumult,andacknowledgednotsooftenbyanutteredsympathyasbysilence,aninarticulatebreath,andhereandthereawordtoindicatethatallisunderstood;iftothesequalificationsofaconfidantbejoinedtheadvantagesaffordedbyhisrecognisedcharacterasaphysician;—then,atsomeinevitablemoment,willthesoulofthesuffererbedissolved,andflowforthinadarkbuttransparentstream,bringingallitsmysteriesintothedaylight.
Nevertheless,timewenton;akindofintimacy,aswehavesaid,grewupbetweenthesetwocultivatedminds,whichhadaswideafieldasthewholesphereofhumanthoughtandstudytomeetupon;theydiscussedeverytopicofethicsandreligion,ofpublicaffairs,andprivatecharacter;theytalkedmuch,onbothsides,ofmattersthatseemedpersonaltothemselves;andyetnosecret,suchasthephysicianfanciedmustexistthere,everstoleoutoftheminister’sconsciousnessintohiscompanion’sear.
Thelatterhadhissuspicions,indeed,thateventhenatureofMr.Dimmesdale’sbodilydiseasehadneverfairlybeenrevealedtohim.Itwasastrangereserve!
Afteratime,atahintfromRogerChillingworth,thefriendsofMr.Dimmesdaleeffectedanarrangementbywhichthetwowerelodgedinthesamehouse;sothateveryebbandflowoftheminister’slife–tidemightpassundertheeyeofhisanxiousandattachedphysician.
Itwasheldtobethebestpossiblemeasurefortheyoungclergyman’swelfare;unless,indeed,asoftenurgedbysuchasfeltauthorizedtodoso,hehadselectedsomeoneofthemanybloomingdamsels,spirituallydevotedtohim,tobecomehisdevotedwife.
Thislatterstep,however,therewasnopresentprospectthatArthurDimmesdalewouldbeprevailedupontotake;herejectedallsuggestionsofthekind,asifpriestlycelibacywereoneofhisarticlesofChurchdiscipline.
Doomedbyhisownchoice,therefore,asMr.Dimmesdalesoevidentlywas,toeathisunsavourymorselalwaysatanother’sboard,andendurethelife–longchillwhichmustbehislotwhoseekstowarmhimselfonlyatanother’sfireside,ittrulyseemedthatthissagacious,experienced,benevolentoldphysician,withhisconcordofpaternalandreverentiallovefortheyoungpastor,wastheveryman,ofallmankind,tobeconstantlywithinreachofhisvoice.
Thenewabodeofthetwofriendswaswithapiouswidow,ofgoodsocialrank,whodweltinahousecoveringprettynearlythesiteonwhichthevenerablestructureofKing’sChapelhassincebeenbuilt.
Ithadthegraveyard,originallyIsaacJohnson’shome–field,ononeside,andsowaswelladaptedtocallupseriousreflections,suitedtotheirrespectiveemployments,inbothministerandmanofphysic.
ThemotherlycareofthegoodwidowassignedtoMr.Dimmesdaleafrontapartment,withasunnyexposure,andheavywindow–curtains,tocreateanoontideshadowwhendesirable.
Thewallswerehungroundwithtapestry,saidtobefromtheGobelinlooms,and,atallevents,representingtheScripturalstoryofDavidandBathsheba,andNathantheProphet,incoloursstillunfaded,butwhichmadethefairwomanofthescenealmostasgrimlypicturesqueasthewoe–denouncingseer.
Herethepaleclergymanpileduphislibrary,richwithparchment–boundfoliosoftheFathers,andtheloreofRabbis,andmonkisherudition,ofwhichtheProtestantdivines,evenwhiletheyvilifiedanddecriedthatclassofwriters,wereyetconstrainedoftentoavailthemselves.
Ontheothersideofthehouse,oldRogerChillingwortharrangedhisstudyandlaboratory:notsuchasamodernmanofsciencewouldreckoneventolerablycomplete,butprovidedwithadistillingapparatusandthemeansofcompoundingdrugsandchemicals,whichthepractisedalchemistknewwellhowtoturntopurpose.
Withsuchcommodiousnessofsituation,thesetwolearnedpersonssatthemselvesdown,eachinhisowndomain,yetfamiliarlypassingfromoneapartmenttotheother,andbestowingamutualandnotincuriousinspectionintooneanother’sbusiness.
AndtheReverendArthurDimmesdale’sbestdiscerningfriends,aswehaveintimated,veryreasonablyimaginedthatthehandofProvidencehaddoneallthisforthepurpose—besoughtinsomanypublicanddomesticandsecretprayers—ofrestoringtheyoungministertohealth.
But,itmustnowbesaid,anotherportionofthecommunityhadlatterlybeguntotakeitsownviewoftherelationbetwixtMr.Dimmesdaleandthemysteriousoldphysician.
When,however,itformsitsjudgment,asitusuallydoes,ontheintuitionsofitsgreatandwarmheart,theconclusionsthusattainedareoftensoprofoundandsounerringastopossessthecharacteroftruthsupernaturallyrevealed.
Thepeople,inthecaseofwhichwespeak,couldjustifyitsprejudiceagainstRogerChillingworthbynofactorargumentworthyofseriousrefutation.
Therewasanagedhandicraftsman,itistrue,whohadbeenacitizenofLondonattheperiodofSirThomasOverbury’smurder,nowsomethirtyyearsagone;hetestifiedtohavingseenthephysician,undersomeothername,whichthenarratorofthestoryhadnowforgotten,incompanywithDr.Forman,thefamousoldconjurer,whowasimplicatedintheaffairofOverbury.
Twoorthreeindividualshintedthatthemanofskill,duringhisIndiancaptivity,hadenlargedhismedicalattainmentsbyjoiningintheincantationsofthesavagepriests,whowereuniversallyacknowledgedtobepowerfulenchanters,oftenperformingseeminglymiraculouscuresbytheirskillintheblackart.
Alargenumber—andmanyofthesewerepersonsofsuchsobersenseandpracticalobservationthattheiropinionswouldhavebeenvaluableinothermatters—affirmedthatRogerChillingworth’saspecthadundergonearemarkablechangewhilehehaddweltintown,andespeciallysincehisabodewithMr.Dimmesdale.
Nowtherewassomethinguglyandevilinhisface,whichtheyhadnotpreviouslynoticed,andwhichgrewstillthemoreobvioustosighttheoftenertheylookeduponhim.
Accordingtothevulgaridea,thefireinhislaboratoryhadbeenbroughtfromthelowerregions,andwasfedwithinfernalfuel;andso,asmightbeexpected,hisvisagewasgettingsootywiththesmoke.
Tosumupthematter,itgrewtobeawidelydiffusedopinionthattheRev.ArthurDimmesdale,likemanyotherpersonagesofspecialsanctity,inallagesoftheChristianworld,washauntedeitherbySatanhimselforSatan’semissary,intheguiseofoldRogerChillingworth.
ThisdiabolicalagenthadtheDivinepermission,foraseason,toburrowintotheclergyman’sintimacy,andplotagainsthissoul.
Thepeoplelooked,withanunshakenhope,toseetheministercomeforthoutoftheconflicttransfiguredwiththeglorywhichhewouldunquestionablywin.
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