THE MINISTER'S VIGIL Pearl mumbled something into his ear that sounded, indeed, like human language, but was only such gibberish as children may be heard amusing themselves with by the hour together. At all events, if it involved any secret information in regard to old Roger Chillingworth, it was in a tongue unknown to the erudite clergyman, and did but increase the bewilderment of his mind. The elvish child then laughed aloud.
"Dost thou mock me now?" said the minister.
"Thou wast not bold!—thou wast not true!" answered the child. "Thou wouldst not promise to take my hand, and mother's hand, to-morrow noon-tide!"
"Worthy sir," answered the physician, who had now advanced to the foot of the platform—"pious Master Dimmesdale! can this be you? Well, well, indeed! We men of study, whose heads are in our books, have need to be straitly looked after! We dream in our waking moments, and walk in our sleep. Come, good sir, and my dear friend, I pray you let me lead you home!"
"How knewest thou that I was here?" asked the minister, fearfully.
"Verily, and in good faith," answered Roger Chillingworth, "I knew nothing of the matter. I had spent the better part of the night at the bedside of the worshipful Governor Winthrop, doing what my poor skill might to give him ease. He, going home to a better world, I, likewise, was on my way homeward, when this light shone out. Come with me, I beseech you, Reverend sir, else you will be poorly able to do Sabbath duty to-morrow. Aha! see now how they trouble the brain—these books!—these books! You should study less, good sir, and take a little pastime, or these night whimsies will grow upon you."
"I will go home with you," said Mr. Dimmesdale.
With a chill despondency, like one awakening, all nerveless, from an ugly dream, he yielded himself to the physician, and was led away.
The next day, however, being the Sabbath, he preached a discourse which was held to be the richest and most powerful, and the most replete with heavenly influences, that had ever proceeded from his lips. Souls, it is said, more souls than one, were brought to the truth by the efficacy of that sermon, and vowed within themselves to cherish a holy gratitude towards Mr. Dimmesdale throughout the long hereafter. But as he came down the pulpit steps, the grey-bearded sexton met him, holding up a black glove, which the minister recognised as his own.
"It was found," said the Sexton, "this morning on the scaffold where evil-doers are set up to public shame. Satan dropped it there, I take it, intending a scurrilous jest against your reverence. But, indeed, he was blind and foolish, as he ever and always is. A pure hand needs no glove to cover it!"
"Thank you, my good friend," said the minister, gravely, but startled at heart; for so confused was his remembrance, that he had almost brought himself to look at the events of the past night as visionary.
"Yes, it seems to be my glove, indeed!" "And, since Satan saw fit to steal it, your reverence must needs handle him without gloves henceforward," remarked the old sexton, grimly smiling. "But did your reverence hear of the portent that was seen last night? a great red letter in the sky—the letter A, which we interpret to stand for Angel. For, as our good Governor Winthrop was made an angel this past night, it was doubtless held fit that there should be some notice thereof!" "No," answered the minister; "I had not heard of it." |
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LA VIGILIA DEL MINISTRO Perla murmur algo a su odo que resonaba a manera de lenguaje humano, cuando no era en realidad sino la jerigonza ininteligible y sin sentido alguno que usan a veces los nios para divertirse cuando estn juntos. De todos modos, no le comunic ninguna noticia secreta acerca del viejo facultativo. Era un idioma desconocido para el erudito clrigo, que slo sirvi para aumentar la confusin de su espritu. La nia entonces prorrumpi en una carcajada.
—Te burlas de m ahora?—dijo el ministro.
—No has sido valiente, no has sido sincero,—respondi la nia,—no quisiste prometerme que nos tomaras de la mano a m y a mi madre maana al medioda.
—Digno seor!—exclam el mdico que se haba adelantado hasta el pie del tablado,—piadoso Sr. Dimmesdale, sis realmente vos? S, s, seguramente que s. Vaya! Vaya! Nosotros, hombres de estudio, que tenemos la cabeza metida en nuestros libros, necesitamos que se nos vigile. Soamos despiertos, y nos paseamos durmiendo. Venid, buen seor y amigo querido; deje que os conduzca a vuestra casa.
—Cmo supiste que yo estaba aqu?—pregunt Dimmesdale con temor.
—En realidad de verdad, respondi el mdico, no saba nada de esto. Gran parte de la noche la he pasado a la cabecera del digno Gobernador Winthrop haciendo en su beneficio lo que mi poca habilidad me permita. a un mundo mejor ha partido, y yo me diriga a mi morada, cuando brill esa luz extraordinaria. Os ruego que vengis, reverendo seor; de otro modo no os hallaris en estado de cumplir vuestros deberes maana domingo. Ah! Ved cmo los libros perturban el cerebro! Estos libros, estos libros! Debis estudiar menos, buen seor, y procuraros algn recreo, si no queris que estas cosas se repitan.
—Ir con vos a mi casa,—dijo el Sr. Dimmesdale. Completamente abatido, con una sensacin de fro, como el que despierta de una pesadilla, acompa al mdico, y partieron juntos.
El da siguiente, domingo, predic sin embargo un sermn que se consider el mejor, el ms vigoroso y ms lleno de uncin celeste que hasta entonces hubieran pronunciado sus labios. Se dijo que ms de un alma se sinti regenerada con la eficacia de aquel discurso, y que fueron muchos los que juraron eterna gratitud al Sr. Dimmesdale por el bien que les haba hecho. Pero, cuando baj del plpito, le detuvo el anciano sacristn presentndole un guante negro que el ministro reconoci por suyo.
—Se encontr esta maana,—dijo el sacristn,—en el tablado en que se expone a los malhechores a la vergenza pblica. Satans lo dej caer all deseando sin duda jugar una mala pasada a su Reverencia. Pero ha procedido con el mismo desacierto y ligereza de siempre. Una mano limpia y pura no necesita guante que la cubra.
—Gracias, buen amigo,—dijo el ministro con gravedad, pero muy sobresaltado, pues tan confusos eran sus recuerdos, que casi crea que los acontecimientos de la noche pasada eran solo un sueo.—S, agreg, parece que es mi guante.
—Y puesto que Satans ha credo conveniente robroslo, en adelante Vuestra Reverencia debe tratar a ese enemigo sin miramientos de ninguna clase. Duro con l;—dijo el anciano sacristn con horrible sonrisa. Pero, ha odo Vuestra Reverencia hablar del portento que se vi anoche? Se dice que apareci en el cielo una gran letra roja, la letra A, que hemos interpretado significa ngel. Y como nuestro buen Gobernador Winthrop falleci tambin anoche, y fue convertido en ngel, de seguro que se crey conveniente publicar la noticia de algn modo.
—No; nada he odo acerca de ese particular,—contest el ministro. |
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