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红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第27部分

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Boston; so far asmedicine had aught to do with it; had hitherto lain in theguardianship of an aged deacon and apothecary; whose piety and godlydeportment were stronger testimonials in his favour than any that hecould have produced in the shape of a diploma。 The only surgeon wasone who bined the occasional exercise of that noble art with thedaily and habitual flourish of a razor。 To such a professional bodyRoger Chillingworth anifestedhis familiarity with the ponderous and imposing machinery of antiquephysic; in which every remedy contained a multitude of far…fetched andheterogeneous ingredients; as elaborately pounded as if theproposed result had been the Elixir of Life。 In his Indiancaptivity; moreover; he had gained much knowledge of the properties ofnative herbs and roots; nor did he conceal from his patients; thatthese simple medicines; Nature's boon to the untutored savage; hadquite as large a share of his own confidence as the Europeanpharmacopoeia; which so many learned doctors had spent centuries inelaborating。  This learned stranger was exemplary; as regarded; at least; theoutward forms of a religious life; and; early after his arrival; hadchosen for his spiritual guide the Reverend Mr。 Dimmesdale。 Theyoung divine; whose scholar…like renown still lived in Oxford; wasconsidered by his more fervent admirers as little less than aheavenly…ordained apostle; destined; should he live and labour for theordinary term of life; to do as great deeds for the now feeble NewEngland Church; as the early Fathers had achieved for the infancy ofthe Christian faith。 About this period; however; the health of Mr。Dimmesdale had evidently begun to fail。 By those best acquaintedwith his habits; the paleness of the young minister's cheek wasaccounted for by his too earnest devotion to study; his scrupulousfulfilment of parochial duty; and; more than all; by the fasts andvigils of which he made a frequent practice; in order to keep thegrossness of this earthly state from clogging and obscuring hisspiritual lamp。 Some declared; that; if Mr。 Dimmesdale were reallygoing to die; it was cause enough; that the world was not worthy to beany longer trodden by his feet。 He himself; on the other hand; withcharacteristic humility; avowed his belief; that; if Providence shouldsee fit to remove him; it would be because of his own unworthinessto perform its humblest mission here on earth。 With all thisdifference of opinion as to the cause of his decline; there could beno question of the fact。 His form grew emaciated; his voice; thoughstill rich and sweet; had a certain melancholy prophecy of decay init; he was often observed; on any slight alarm or other suddenaccident; to put his hand over his heart; with first a flush andthen a paleness; indicative of pain。  Such was the young clergyman's condition; and so imminent theprospect that his dawning light would be extinguished; all untimely;when Roger Chillingworth made his advent to the town。 His firstentry on the scene; few people could tell whence; dropping down; itwere; out of the sky; or starting from the her earth; had an aspectof mystery; which was easily heightened to the miraculous。 He wasnow known to be a man of skill; it was observed that he gatheredherbs; and the blossoms of wild…flowers; and dug up roots; and pluckedoff twigs from the forest…trees like one acquainted with hiddenvirtues in what was valueless to mon eyes。 He was heard to speak ofSir Kenelm Digby; and other famous men… whose scientific attainmentswere esteemed hardly less than supernatural… as having been hiscorrespondents or associates。 Why; with such rank in the learnedworld; had he e hither? What could he; whose sphere was in greatcities; be seeking in the wilderness? In ansour gained ground… and; however absurd; was entertained by somevery sensible people… that Heaven had wrought an absolute miracle;by transporting an eminent Doctor of Physic; from a German university;bodily through the air; and setting him down at the door of Mr。Dimmesdale's study! Individuals of wiser faith; indeed; who knewthat Heaven promotes its purposes without aiming at the stage…effectof what is called miraculous interposition; were inclined to see aprovidential hand in Roger Chillingworth's so opportune arrival。  This idea was countenanced by the strong interest which thephysician ever manifested in the young clergyman; he attachedhimself to him as a parishioner; and sought to win a friendly regardand confidence from his naturally reserved sensibility。 He expressedgreat alarm at his pastor's state of health; but was anxious toattempt the cure; and; if early undertaken; seemed not despondent of afavourable result。 The elders; the deacons; the motherly dames; andthe young and fair maidens; of Mr。 Dimmesdale's flock; were alikeimportunate that he should make trial of the physician's franklyoffered skill。 Mr。 Dimmesdale gently repelled their entreaties。  〃I need no medicine;〃 said he。  But how could the young minister say so; when; with every successiveSabbath; his cheek was paler and thinner; and his voice more tremulousthan before… when it had now bee a constant habit; rather than acasual gesture; to press his hand over his heart? Was he weary ofhis labours? Did he nlypropounded to Mr。 Dimmesdale by the elder ministers of Boston andthe deacons of his church; who; to use their own phrase; 〃dealt withhim〃 on the sin of rejecting the aid which Providence so manifestlyheld out。 He listened in silence; and finally promised to conferwith the physician。  〃Were it God's will;〃 said the Reverend Mr。 Dimmesdale; when; infulfilment of this pledge; he requested old Roger Chillingworth'sprofessional advice; 〃I could be well content; that my labours andmy sorrows; and my sins and my pains; should shortly end with me;and what is earthly of them be buried in my grave; and the spiritualgo with me to my eternal state; rather than that you should put yourskill to the proof in my behalf。〃  〃Ah;〃 replied Roger Chillingworth; with that quietness which;whether imposed or natural; marked all his deportment; 〃it is thusthat a young clergyman is apt to speak。 Youthful men; not having takena deep root; give up their hold of life so easily! And saintly men;who walk with God on earth; would fain be away; to walk with Him onthe golden pavements of the New Jerusalem。〃  〃Nay;〃 rejoined the young minister; putting his hand to his heart;with a flush of pain flitting over his brow; 〃were I worthier towalk there; I could be better content to toil here。〃  〃Good men ever interpret themselves too meanly;〃 said the physician。  In this manner; the mysterious old Roger Chillingworth became themedical adviser of the Reverend Mr。 Dimmesdale。 As not only thedisease interested the physician; but he was strongly moved to lookinto the character and qualities of the patient; these two men; sodifferent in age; came gradually to spend much time together。 Forthe sake of the minister's health; and to enable the leech to gatherplants with healing balm in them; they took long walks on thesea…shore; or in the forest; mingling various talk with the plashand murmur of the waves; and the solemn wind…anthem among thetree…tops。 Often; likewise; one was the guest of the other; in hisplace of study and retirement。 There was a fascination for theminister in the pany of the man of science; in whom he recognisedan intellectual cultivation of no moderate depth or scope; togetherwith a range and freedom of ideas; that he would have vainly lookedfor among the members of his own profession。 In truth; he wasstartled; if not shocked; to find this attribute in the physician。 Mr。Dimmesdale was a true priest; a true religionist; with the reverentialsentiment largely developed; and an order of mind that impelled itselfpowerfully along the track of a creed; and wore its passagecontinually deeper with the lapse of time。 In no state of societywould he have been what is called a man of liberal views; it wouldalways be essential to his peace to feel the pressure of a faith abouthim; supporting; while it confined him within its iron framework。Not the less; however; though with a tremulous enjoyment; did hefeel the occasional relief of looking at the universe through themedium of another kind of intellect than those with which hehabitually held co

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