The Leech and His Patient

           OldRogerChillingworth,throughoutlife,hadbeencalmintemperament,kindly,thoughnotofwarmaffections,butever,andinallhisrelationswiththeworld,apureanduprightman.Hehadbegunaninvestigation,asheimagined,withthesevereandequalintegrityofajudge,desirousonlyoftruth,evenasifthequestioninvolvednomorethantheair-drawnlinesandfiguresofageometricalproblem,insteadofhumanpassions,andwrongsinflictedonhimself.But,asheproceeded,aterriblefascination,akindoffierce,thoughstillcalm,necessity,seizedtheoldmanwithinitsgripe,andneversethimfreeagainuntilhehaddoneallitsbidding.Henowdugintothepoorclergyman’sheart,likeaminersearchingforgold;or,rather,likeasextondelvingintoagrave,possiblyinquestofajewelthathadbeenburiedonthedeadman’sbosom,butlikelytofindnothingsavemortalityandcorruption.Alas,forhisownsoul,ifthesewerewhathesought!

           Sometimesalightglimmeredoutofthephysician’seyes,burningblueandominous,likethereflectionofafurnace,or,letussay,likeoneofthosegleamsofghastlyfirethatdartedfromBunyan’sawfuldoorwayinthehillside,andquiveredonthepilgrim’sface.Thesoilwherethisdarkminerwasworkinghadperchanceshownindicationsthatencouragedhim.

           "Thisman,"saidhe,atonesuchmoment,tohimself,"pureastheydeemhim—allspiritualasheseems—hathinheritedastronganimalnaturefromhisfatherorhismother.