第14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。

　as　we　have　already　said；　whom　she　sought　out　to　be　the　objectsof　her　bounty；　often　reviled　the　hand　that　was　stretched　forth　tosuccour　them。　Dames　of　elevated　rank；　likewise；　whose　doors　sheentered　in　the　way　of　her　occupation；　were　accustomed　to　distildrops　of　bitterness　into　her　heart；　sometimes　through　that　alchemyof　quiet　malice；　by　which　women　can　concoct　a　subtile　poison　fromordinary　trifles；　and　sometimes；　also；　by　a　coarser　expression；　thatfell　upon　the　sufferer's　defenceless　breast　like　a　rough　blow　uponan　ulcerated　wound。　Hester　had　schooled　herself　long　and　well；　shenever　responded　to　these　attacks；　save　by　a　flush　of　crimson　that　roseirrepressibly　over　her　pale　cheek；　and　again　subsided　into　thedepths　of　her　bosom。　She　was　patient…　a　martyr；　indeed…　but　sheforbore　to　pray　for　her　enemies；　lest；　in　spite　of　her　forgivingaspirations；　the　words　of　the　blessing　should　stubbornly　twistthemselves　into　a　curse。 Continually；　and　in　a　thousand　other　ways；　did　she　feel　theinnumerable　throbs　of　anguish　that　had　been　so　cunningly　contrived　forher　by　the　undying；　the　ever…active　sentence　of　the　Puritantribunal。　Clergymen　paused　in　the　street　to　address　words　ofexhortation；　that　brought　a　crowd；　with　its　mingled　grin　and　frown；around　the　poor；　sinful　woman。　If　she　entered　a　church；　trusting　toshare　the　Sabbath　smile　of　the　Universal　Father；　it　was　often　hermishap　to　find　herself　the　text　of　the　discourse。　She　grew　to　have　adread　of　children；　for　they　had　imbibed　from　their　parents　a　vagueidea　of　something　horrible　in　this　dreary　woman；　gliding　silentlythrough　the　town；　with　never　any　panion　but　one　only　child。Therefore；　first　allowing　her　to　pass；　they　pursued　her　at　adistance　with　shrill　cries；　and　the　utterance　of　a　word　that　had　nodistinct　purport　to　their　own　minds；