than to cover it all up in his heart."

There was another pause; and the physician began anew to examine and
arrange the plants which he had gathered.

"You inquired of me, a little time agone," said he, at length, "my
judgment as touching your health."

"I did," answered the clergyman, "and would gladly learn it. Speak
frankly, I pray you, be it for life or death."

"Freely, then, and plainly," said the physician, still busy with his
plants, but keeping a wary eye on Mr. Dimmesdale, "the disorder is a
strange one; not so much in itself, nor as outwardly manifested,--in
so far, at least, as the symptoms have been laid open to my
observation. Looking daily at you, my good Sir, and watching the
tokens of your aspect, now for months gone by, I should deem you a man
sore sick, it may be, yet not so sick but that an instructed and
watchful physician might well hope to cure you. But--I know not what
to say--the disease is what I seem to know, yet know it not."

"You speak in riddles, learned Sir," said the pale minister, glancing
aside out of the window.

"Then, to speak more plainly," continued the physician, "and I crave
pardon, Sir,--should it seem to require pardon,--for this needful
plainness of my speech. Let me ask,--as your friend,--as one having
charge, under Providence, of your life and physical well-being,--hath
all the operation of this disorder been fairly laid open and recounted
to me?"

"How can you question it?" asked the minister. "Surely, it were
child's play, to call in a physician, and then hide the sore!"

"You would tell me, then, that I know all?" said Roger Chillingworth,
deliberately, and fixing an eye, bright with intense and concentrated
intelligence, on the minister's face. "Be it so! But, again! He to
whom only the outward and physical evil is laid open, knoweth,
oftentimes, but half the evil which he is called upon to cure. A
bodily disease, which we look upon as whole and entire within itself,
may, after all, be but a symptom of some ailment in the spiritual
part. Your pardon, once again, good Sir, if my speech give the shadow
of offence. You, Sir, of all men whom I have known, are he whose body
is the closest conjoined, and imbued, and identified, so to speak,
with the spirit whereof it is the instrument."

"Then I need ask no further," said the clergyman, somewhat hastily
rising from his chair. "You deal not, I take it, in medicine for the
soul!"

"Thus, a sickness," continued Ro