This learned stranger was exemplary, as regarded, at least, the outward forms of a religious life, and, early after his arrival, had chosen for his spiritual guide the Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale. The young divine, whose scholar-like renown still lived in Oxford, was considered by his more fervent admirers as little less than a heavenly-ordained apostle, destined, should he live and labour for the ordinary term of life, to do as great deeds for the now feeble New England Church, as the early Fathers had achieved for the infancy of the Christian faith. About this period, however, the health of Mr. Dimmesdale had evidently begun to fail. By those best acquainted with his habits, the paleness of the young minister's cheek was accounted for by his too earnest devotion to study, his scrupulous fulfilment of parochial duty, and, more than all, by the fasts and vigils of which he made a frequent practice, in order to keep the grossness of this earthly state from clogging and obscuring his spiritual lamp. Some declared, that, if Mr. Dimmesdale were really going to die, it was cause enough, that the world was not worthy to be any longer trodden by his feet. He himself, on the other hand, with characteristic humility, avowed his belief, that, if Providence should see fit to remove him, it would be because of his own unworthiness to perform its humblest mission here on earth. With all this difference of opinion as to the cause of his decline, there could be no question of the fact. His form grew emaciated; his voice, though still rich and sweet, had a certain melancholy prophecy of decay in it; he was often observed, on any slight alarm or other sudden accident, to put his hand over his heart, with first a flush and then a paleness, indicative of pain.
人们认为，这位陌生的学者至少在宗教生活的表面形式上看，堪称楷模；他来到之后不久，就选定丁梅斯代尔牧师先生作他精神上的导师。这位年轻的圣徒在牛津始终享有学者般的声誊，他的最热心的崇拜者认为，在他的有生之年，只要他能为如今尚属无力的新英格兰教会做出象古代圣徒在基督教信仰初期所成就的那种伟业，便可与上天指定的使徒相提并论。然而，就在此时，丁梅斯代尔先生的健康开始明显地恶化。据那些最熟悉他日常生活的人说，这位年轻牧师的面颊之所以苍白，是因为他过分热衷于潜心研究学问和一丝不苟地完成教区的职守，尤其是为使粗鄙的世俗环境不致遮蔽他精神上的明灯，他经常彻夜不眠并施行斋戒。还有人宣称，如果丁梅斯代尔先生当真要死，无非是因为这个世界不配他的脚再在上面踩踏。反之，他本人则以他特有的谦逊申明他的信念：如果天意认为他应该离世，那就是因为他没有资格在这人世间执行其最卑微的使命。虽说对他健康每况愈下的原因众说纷纭，但事实却是不容质疑的。他身体日见消损，他的嗓畜虽仍然丰润而甜美，却含有某种预示衰颓的忧郁；人们时常观察到，每逢稍有惊恐或其它突发事件，他就会用手捂住心口，脸上一红一自，说明他很痛苦。

Such was the young clergyman's condition, and so imminent the prospect that his dawning light would be extinguished, all untimely, when Roger Chillingworth made his advent to the town. His first entry on the scene, few people could tell whence, dropping down, it were, out of the sky, or starting from the nether earth, had an aspect of mystery, which was easily heightened to the miraculous. He was now known to be a man of skill; it was observed that he gathered herbs, and the blossoms of wild-flowers, and dug up roots, and plucked off twigs from the forest-trees like one acquainted with hidden virtues in what was valueless to common eyes. He was heard to speak of Sir Kenelm Digby, and other famous men- whose scientific attainments were esteemed hardly less than supernatural- as having been his correspondents or associates. Why, with such rank in the learned world, had he come hither? What could he, whose sphere was in great cities, be seeking in the wilderness? In answer to this query, a rumour gained ground- and, however absurd, was entertained by some very sensible people- that Heaven had wrought an absolute miracle, by transporting an eminent Doctor of Physic, from a German university, bodily through the air, and setting him down at the door of Mr. Dimmesdale's study! Individuals of wiser faith, indeed, who knew that Heaven promotes its purposes without aiming at the stage-effect of what is called miraculous interposition, were inclined to see a providential hand in Roger Chillingworth's so opportune arrival.
这位青年牧师的身体就是这种状况，当罗杰·齐灵渥斯初到镇上的时候，情况已经相当危险，这年轻人的曙光眼见就要过早地殒灭了。齐灵渥斯首次登场时，谁也说不出所以然，简直象是从天而降或从地狱钻出，这就具有一种神秘色彩，从而很容易被夸大成奇迹。如今无人不晓他是一名医生！人们注意到他采集药草、摘取野花、挖掘植根，还从树上折取细校，常人眼中的无用之物，他似是熟知其隐含的价值。人们听到他提起坎奈姆·狄戈比爵士①和其他名人——他们的科学造诣简直被视作超自然的，但他却说是他的笔友或熟人。他既然在学术界地位如此之高，为什么要到这里来呢？他的天地理应在大城市，在这蛮荒野地中又能寻找到什么呢？为了回答这些疑问，于是就有了谣言的土壤，不管一些风传多么离奇，也为一些明智的人所接受：说是上天创造了一个绝对的奇迹，把一位著名的医学博士，从一所德意志大学里，凭空摄到了丁梅斯代尔先生书斋的门前。而一些具有更加聪慧的信仰的人明知，上天为实现其目的，不必求助于所谓奇迹的插曲来达到舞台效果，但也乐于看到罗杰·齐灵握斯是假上天之手才及时到来的。