第2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。

urch；　he　had　all　thePuritanic　traits；　both　good　and　evil。　He　was　likewise　a　bitterpersecutor；　as　embered　him　in　theirhistories；　and　relate　an　incident　of　his　hard　severity　towards　a　womanof　their　sect；　which　will　last　longer；　it　is　to　be　feared；　than　anyrecord　of　his　better　deeds；　although　these　were　many。　His　son；　too；inherited　the　persecuting　spirit；　and　made　himself　so　conspicuous　inthe　martyrdom　of　the　witches；　that　their　blood　may　fairly　be　said　tohave　left　a　stain　upon　him。　So　deep　a　stain；　indeed；　that　his　olddry　bones；　in　the　Charter　Street　burial…ground；　must　still　retainit；　if　they　have　not　crumbled　utterly　to　dust！　I　know　not　whetherthese　ancestors　of　mine　bethought　themselves　to　repent；　and　ask　pardonof　Heaven；　for　their　cruelties；　or　whether　they　are　now　groaning　underthe　heavy　consequences　of　them；　in　another　state　of　being。　At　allevents；　I；　the　present　writer；　as　their　representative；　hereby　takeshame　upon　myself　for　their　sakes；　and　pray　that　any　curse　incurred　bythem…　as　I　have　heard；　and　as　the　dreary　and　unprosperous　condition　ofthe　race；　for　many　a　long　year　back；　would　argue　to　exist…　may　benow　and　henceforth　removed。 Doubtless；　however；　either　of　these　stern　and　black…browedPuritans　would　have　thought　it　quite　a　sufficient　retribution　forhis　sins；　that；　after　so　long　a　lapse　of　years；　the　old　trunk　of　thefamily　tree；　with　so　much　venerable　moss　upon　it；　should　have　borne；as　its　topmost　bough；　an　idler　like　myself。　No　aim；　that　I　have　evercherished；　would　they　recognise　as　laudable；　no　success　of　mine…　ifmy　life；　beyond　its　domestic　scope；　had　ever　been　brightened　bysuccess…　would　they　deem　otherwise　than　worthless；　if　not　positivelydisgraceful。　〃Where　is　he？〃　murmurs　one　grey　shadow　of　myforefathers　to　the　other。　〃A　writer　of　story…books！　What　kin