第36部分

請關閉瀏覽器的閱讀/暢讀/小說模式並且關閉廣告遮蔽過濾功能，避免出現內容無法顯示或者段落錯亂。

adam；〃　answered　the　clergyman；　with　a　graveobeisance；　such　as　the　lady's　rank　demanded；　and　his　own　good…breedingmade　imperative…　〃I　profess；　on　my　conscience　and　character；　that　Iam　utterly　bewildered　as　touching　the　purport　of　your　words！　I　wentnot　into　the　forest　to　seek　a　potentate；　neither　do　I；　at　any　futuretime；　design　a　visit　thither；　with　a　view　to　gaining　the　favour　ofsuch　personage。　My　one　sufficient　object　was　to　greet　that　piousfriend　of　mine；　the　Apostle　Eliot；　and　rejoice　with　him　over　themany　precious　souls　he　hath　won　from　heathendom！〃 〃Ha；　ha；　ha！〃　cackled　the　old　witch…lady；　still　nodding　her　highhead…dress　at　the　minister。　〃Well；　well；　we　must　needs　talk　thus　inthe　daytime！　You　carry　it　off　like　an　old　hand！　But　at　midnight；　andin　the　forest；　we　shall　have　other　talk　together！〃 She　passed　on　with　her　aged　stateliness；　but　often　turning　backher　head　and　smiling　at　him；　like　one　willing　to　recognise　a　secretintimacy　of　connection。 〃Have　I　then　sold　myself；〃　thought　the　minister；　〃to　the　fiend　whom；if　men　say　true；　this　yellow…starched　and　velveted　old　hag　haschosen　for　her　prince　and　master！〃 The　wretched　minister！　He　had　made　a　bargain　very　like　it！　Temptedby　a　dream　of　happiness；　he　had　yielded　himself；　with　deliberatechoice；　as　he　had　never　done　before；　to　what　he　knew　was　deadly　sin。And　the　infectious　poison　of　that　sin　had　been　thus　rapidly　diffusedthroughout　his　moral　system。　It　had　stupefied　all　blessed　impulses；and　awakened　into　vivid　life　the　whole　brotherhood　of　bad　ones。　Scorn；bitterness；　unprovoked　malignity；　gratuitous　desire　of　ill；　ridiculeof　whatever　was　good　and　holy；　all　awoke；　to　tempt；　even　while　theyfrightened　him。　And　his　encounter　with　old　Mistress　Hibbins；　if　itwere　a　real　incident；　did　but　show　his　sympathy　and　fellowship　w