This is Roger Chillingworth. All he has worked for is about to be destroyed if Dimmesdale reveals that he is Pearl's father, and he does what he can to stop it from happening.
"Madman, hold! What is your purpose?" whispered he. "Wave back that woman! Cast off this child! All shall be well! Do not blacken your fame, and perish in dishonor! I can yet save you! Would you bring infamy on your sacred profession?"
"Ha, tempter! Methinks thou art too late!" answered the minister, encountering his eye, fearfully, but firmly. "Thy power is not what it was! With God's help, I shall escape thee now!" (Chapter 23)
At this point Dimmesdale, though his public confession, will be freed from the Leech, and Chillingsworth acknowledges it:
"Hadst thou sought the whole earth over," said [Chillingworth], looking darkly at the clergyman, "there was no one place so secret,--no high place nor lowly place, where thou couldst have escaped me,--save on this very scaffold!"
Dimmesdale is at last free, and ironically so is Chillingworth.
No comments:
Post a Comment