4
A man sent by the Devil
For three years the man calling himself Roger Chillingworth had made his home in the town. Only Hester Prynne knew the secrets of his past life, which he had put behind him, but he held the lock and key to her silence and felt quite safe. His plans had changed. There were new, darker arrangements to make; new, secret things to do with his time. He had studied medicine and knew enough for other people to accept and welcome him as a doctor. Medical men were difficult to find in New England at that time.
Soon after his arrival, he became friendly with Mr Dimmesdale, and made the young man his religious guide. It was at this time, however, that the young priest’s health began to fail. He grew thin and pale; his voice, though still rich and sweet, now had a sadness and tiredness about it. And sometimes, when he was alarmed by something, he would put his hand over his heart, and his eyes would fill with pain.
The young priest was greatly respected in the town.; people thought he was a selfless and deeply religious man. They worried that his long hours of study and hard work for the church were damaging his health, so they were pleased when Roger Chillingworth became a friend of the young man and also offered to be his doctor. ‘God has sent this man to help our priest!’ they said.
But Mr Dimmesdale would not listen to his friends, and gently turned away all advice. ‘I need no medicine,’ he said.
But how could he say so when each week his face became paler and thinner; his voice trembled more than before; and putting his hand over his heart became a habit? Was he tired of his work? Did he wish to die?
The older priests put these questions to him, and reminded him that refusing medical help – perhaps help sent by God – was a sin. Mr Dimmesdale listened in silence, and finally promised to take advice from the doctor.
‘Though if God wished it,’ he said, ‘I would be happy to leave behind my work, my worries and my sins an be buried in my grave.’