Алая буква
The Interior of a Heart
Tothehighmountainpeaksoffaithandsanctityhewouldhaveclimbed,hadnotthetendencybeenthwartedbytheburden,whateveritmightbe,ofcrimeoranguish,beneathwhichitwashisdoomtototter.Itkepthimdownonalevelwiththelowest;him,themanofetherealattributes,whosevoicetheangelsmightelsehavelistenedtoandanswered!Butthisveryburdenitwasthatgavehimsympathiessointimatewiththesinfulbrotherhoodofmankind;sothathisheartvibratedinunisonwiththeirs,andreceivedtheirpainintoitselfandsentitsownthrobofpainthroughathousandotherhearts,ingushesofsad,persuasiveeloquence.Oftenestpersuasive,butsometimesterrible!Thepeopleknewnotthepowerthatmovedthemthus.Theydeemedtheyoungclergymanamiracleofholiness.Theyfanciedhimthemouth-pieceofHeaven’smessagesofwisdom,andrebuke,andlove.Intheireyes,theverygroundonwhichhetrodwassanctified.Thevirginsofhischurchgrewpalearoundhim,victimsofapassionsoimbuedwithreligioussentiment,thattheyimaginedittobeallreligion,andbroughtitopenly,intheirwhitebosoms,astheirmostacceptablesacrificebeforethealtar.Theagedmembersofhisflock,beholdingMr.Dimmesdale’sframesofeeble,whiletheywerethemselvessoruggedintheirinfirmity,believedthathewouldgoheavenwardbeforethem,andenjoineditupontheirchildrenthattheiroldbonesshouldbeburiedclosetotheiryoungpastor’sholygrave.Andallthistime,perchance,whenpoorMr.
