The clergyman's shy and sensitive reserve had balkedthis scheme. Roger Chillingworth, however, was inclined to be hardly, if at all, less satisfied with the aspect of affairs, which Providence- using the avengerand his victim for its own purposes, and, perchance, pardoning, where it seemed most to punish- had substituted for his black devices. A revelation, he could almost say, had been granted to him. It mattered little, for his object, whether celestial, or from what other region. By its aid, in all the subsequent relations betwixt him and Mr. Dimmesdale, not merely the external presence, but the very inmostsoul, of the latter seemed to be brought out before his eyes, so that he could see and comprehend its every movement. He became, thenceforth, not a spectator only, but a chief actor, in the poor minister's interior world. He could play upon him as he chose. Would he arouse him with a throbof agony? The victim was for ever on the rack; it needed only to know the spring that controlled the engine- and the physician knew it well! Would be startle him with sudden fear? As at the waving of a magician's wand, uprose a grisly phantom- uprose a thousand phantoms- in many shapes, of death, or more awful shame, all flocking round about tie clergyman, and pointing with their fingers at his breast!
由于牧师生性羞赧和敏感,他的沉默寡言与自我克制阻遏了这一阴谋的得逞。然而,罗杰·齐灵渥斯对事态如此进展,几乎没有表现出什么不满,因为上天既然要改变他的阴险手段,天意对复仇者和他的牺牲者自有一定安排,或许就是要原谅本来罪责当罚的人。他几乎可以说,他已获得一个启示,至于这一启示是来自上苍,抑或其它什么地方,对他的目标来说,并不足道;由于有这启示之助,在他同丁梅斯代尔先生随后的关系中,不仅牧师外表的言行举止,而且连牧师最深藏的灵魂,似乎都一一展现在他的眼前,致使他能看清和理解牧师每时每刻的变化。这样,他在那可怜的牧师的内心世界中,就不仅是个旁观者,而且成了一名主要演员了。他可以随心所欲地利用牧师。他要引起牧师一阵痛苦的悸动吗?那牺牲者反正永远处于遭受煎熬的状态;只消知道控制引擎的弹簧就成了,而医生对此恰恰了如指掌!他要让牧师因突来的恐惧而大惊失色吗?他只消象一个魔法师一般把魔杖一挥,就会升起一个面目可怖的幽灵——升起数以千计的幽灵——以千奇百怪的死亡或更加可怖的外形,全都聚在牧师周围,手指直戳他的胸膛!
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