人们认为,这位陌生的学者至少在宗教生活的表面形式上看,堪称楷模;他来到之后不久,就选定丁梅斯代尔牧师先生作他精神上的导师。这位年轻的圣徒在牛津始终享有学者般的声誊,他的最热心的崇拜者认为,在他的有生之年,只要他能为如今尚属无力的新英格兰教会做出象古代圣徒在基督教信仰初期所成就的那种伟业,便可与上天指定的使徒相提并论。然而,就在此时,丁梅斯代尔先生的健康开始明显地恶化。据那些最熟悉他日常生活的人说,这位年轻牧师的面颊之所以苍白,是因为他过分热衷于潜心研究学问和一丝不苟地完成教区的职守,尤其是为使粗鄙的世俗环境不致遮蔽他精神上的明灯,他经常彻夜不眠并施行斋戒。还有人宣称,如果丁梅斯代尔先生当真要死,无非是因为这个世界不配他的脚再在上面踩踏。反之,他本人则以他特有的谦逊申明他的信念:如果天意认为他应该离世,那就是因为他没有资格在这人世间执行其最卑微的使命。虽说对他健康每况愈下的原因众说纷纭,但事实却是不容质疑的。他身体日见消损,他的嗓畜虽仍然丰润而甜美,却含有某种预示衰颓的忧郁;人们时常观察到,每逢稍有惊恐或其它突发事件,他就会用手捂住心口,脸上一红一自,说明他很痛苦。
Such was the young clergyman's condition, and so imminentthe prospect that his dawning light would be extinguished, all untimely, when Roger Chillingworth made his advent to the town. His first entry on the scene, few people could tell whence, dropping down, it were, out of the sky, or starting from the nether earth, had an aspect of mystery, which was easily heightened to the miraculous. He was now known to be a man of skill; it was observed that he gathered herbs, and the blossoms of wild-flowers, and dug up roots, and pluckedoff twigs from the forest-trees like one acquainted with hidden virtues in what was valueless to common eyes. He was heard to speak of Sir Kenelm Digby, and other famous men- whose scientific attainmentswere esteemed hardly less than supernatural- as having been his correspondentsor associates. Why, with such rank in the learned world, had he come hither? What could he, whose sphere was in great cities, be seeking in the wilderness? In answer to this query, a rumour gained ground- and, however absurd, was entertained by some very 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 knew that Heaven promotes its purposes without aiming at the stage-effect of what is called miraculous interposition, were inclined to see a providentialhand in Roger Chillingworth's so opportune arrival.
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