第13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。

　interests；I　find　here　a　woman；　a　man；　a　child；　amongst　whom　and　myself　thereexist　the　closest　ligaments。　No　matter　whether　of　love　or　hate；　nomatter　whether　of　right　or　wrong！　Thou　and　thine；　Hester　Prynne；belong　to　me。　My　home　is　where　thou　art；　and　where　he　is。　But　betrayme　not！〃 〃Wherefore　dost　thou　desire　it？〃　inquired　Hester；　shrinking；　shehardly　knew　why；　from　this　secret　bond。　〃Why　not　announce　thyselfopenly；　and　cast　me　off　at　once？〃 〃It　may　be；〃　he　replied；　〃because　I　will　not　encounter　the　dishonourthat　besmirches　the　husband　of　a　faithless　woman。　It　may　be　forother　reasons。　Enough；　it　is　my　purpose　to　live　and　die　unknown。Let；　therefore；　thy　husband　be　to　the　world　as　one　already　dead；　andof　whom　no　tidings　shall　ever　e。　Recognise　me　not；　by　word；　bysign；　by　look！　Breathe　not　the　secret；　above　all；　to　the　man　thouwottest　of。　Shouldst　thou　fail　me　in　this；　beware！　His　fame；　hisposition；　his　life；　will　be　in　my　hands。　Beware！〃 〃I　will　keep　thy　secret；　as　I　have　his；〃　said　Hester。 〃Swear　it！〃　rejoined　he。 And　she　took　the　oath。 〃And　now；　Mistress　Prynne；〃　said　old　Roger　Chillingworth；　as　hewas　hereafter　to　be　named；　〃I　leave　thee　alone；　alone　with　thy　infant；and　the　scarlet　letter！　How　is　it；　Hester？　Doth　thy　sentence　bind　theeto　wear　the　token　in　thy　sleep？　Art　thou　not　afraid　of　nightmaresand　hideous　dreams？〃 〃Why　dost　thou　smile　so　at　me？〃　inquired　Hester；　troubled　at　theexpression　of　his　eyes。　〃Art　thou　like　the　Black　Man　that　haunts　theforest　round　about　us？　Hast　thou　enticed　me　into　a　bond　that　willprove　the　ruin　of　my　soul？〃 〃Not　thy　soul；〃　he　answered；　with　another　smile。　〃No；　not　thy　soul。〃 V。 HESTER　AT　HER　NEEDLE。 HESTER　PRYNNE'S　term　of　confinement　was　now　at　an　end。　Herprison…door　was　thrown　op