Evening journal., 1892-09-03

found them growing on a grave which I
bore no tombstone or other memorial /
Of the dead man save these ugly weeds
that have taken upon themselves to |
keep him in remembrance They grew
out Of his heart, and typify, it may be,
some hideous secret that was buried
with him, and which he had done bet
ter to confess during his lifetime.
"Perchance," said Mr.. Dimmesdale.
she earnestly desired it, but could not.
And wherefore rejoined the physi-
clan. Wherefore not, since all the
powers Of nature call SO earnestly for
the confession of sin that these black
weeds have sprung up out of a buried
heart to make manifest an unspoken
crime:'
THAT, good sir, is but a fantasy of
yours" replied the minister "There
can be, if forhode Alright, no power
short Of tho divine mercy, to disclose,
whether by uttered words or by type or
emblem, the secrets that may be buried
with a human heart. The heart max
ing itself guilty Of such secrets must
perforce hold them until the day when
all hidden things shall be revealed. Nor
have SO read or interpreted Holy Writ
as to understand that the disclosure Of
human thoughts and deeds, then to be
made, is intended as n part Of the retri-
button. That, surely, were a shallow
view Of it. No; these revelations, uu-
less / greatly err, are meant merely to
promote the intellectual satisfaction Of
all intelligent beings, who will stand
waiting on that day to see the dark
problem of this life made plain. A
knowledge of mems hearts will be need
full TO the completest solution Of that
problem. And | conceive, moreover,
that the hearts holding such miserable
secrets as you speak of will yield them
up at that last day, not with reluctance
but with a JOY unutterablc."
Then why not reveal them hereT
asked Roger Chilhngworth, CHANGING
quietly aside at the minister. "Why
should not the guilty ones sooner avail
themselves of this unutterable solace?'
They mostly de- said the clergy
man. gripping hard at his breast as if
afflicted with an importunate throb Of
pain. 'Many, many a poor soul hath
1 given its confidence to me, not only on
the deathbed, but while strong in lifs
snd fair in reputation. And ever after
such an outpouring, oh, what a relief
have witnessed in those sinful
brethrenl even as in one who at last
draws free air after long sitting with
his own polluted breath. How can it
be otherwise2 Why should a wretched
man, guilty, we will say, Of murder,
prefer to keep the dead corpse buried in
his own heart rather than fling it forth
at once and let the universe take care
Of itg~
yet some men bury their secrets
thus" observed the calm physician
True, there are such men, answered
Mr.. Dimmesdale. sBut, not to suggest
more obvious reasons, it may be that
they are kept silent by the very consti-
tuition of their nature, or-can we sup
pose it?-guilty, rs they may be, retain
ing nevertheless n zeal for Gods glory
ana mans welfare, they shrink from
displaying themselves black and filthy
in tho view Of mon, because thencefor-
ward no good can be achieved by them,
no evil of the past be redeemed by bet
ter service. SO, to their own unutter-
able torment, they 90 about among their
fellow creatures looking pure as new
fallen snow while their hearts are all
speckled and spotted with iniquity Of
which they cannot rid themselves"
"These men deceive themselves" said
Roger Chillingworth, with somewhat
more emphasis than usual, and making a
slight gesture with his forefnger. "'rhey
fear to take up the shame that rightfully
belongs to them Their love for man,
their zeal for Gods service--these holy
impulses may or may not coexist in their
hearts with the evil inmates TO which
their guilt has unbarred the door and
which must needs propagate a hellish
breed within them. But if they seek to
glorify God let them not lift heayenward
their unclean handsl If they would serve
their fellow men, let them do it by maxi
ing manifest the power and reality of
conscience in coustraining them to pen
itental self abasemontl Wouldst thou
have me to believe, o wise and pious
friend, that false show can be better
can be more for Gods glory and mans
welfare-than Gods own truth? Trust
me, such men deceive thenselvesr
1T may be so, said the young clergy
man indiiferently, as waving discus
sion that he considered irrelevant or un-
seasonable He had a ready faculty, in
deed, Of escaping from any topic that
agitated his too sensitive and nervous
temperament. But, now, would ask
Of my well skilled physician whether
in good sooth he deems me to have
profited by his kindly care of this veal
frame Of mine|
Before Roger Chillingworth could
answer they heard the clear, wilc
laughter Of a young child's voice pro
ceeding from the adjacent burial ground
Looking instinctively from the oper
window-for it was summer time-th,
minister beheld Hester Prynne and lit
tie Pearl passing along the footpath tina
trayersed the Enclosure.
Pearl looked as beautiful rs the day
but was in one of those moods Of per
verse merriment which, whenever thel
occurred, seemed to remove her entirely
out Of the sphere Of sympathy or human
! contact. She now skipped irreyorentll