第3部分 (第1/7頁)

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of　so　harmless　an　individual　as　myself；to　detect；　as　one　or　another　addressed　me；　the　tremor　of　a　voice；which；　in　long…past　days；　had　been　wont　to　bellow　through　aspeaking…trumpet；　hoarsely　enough　to　frighten　Boreas　himself　tosilence。　They　knew；　these　excellent　old　persons；　that；　by　allestablished　rule…　and；　as　regarded　some　of　them；　weighed　by　their　ownlack　of　efficiency　for　business…　they　ought　to　have　given　place　toyounger　men；　more　orthodox　in　politics；　and　altogether　fitter　thanthemselves　to　serve　our　mon　Uncle。　I　knew　it　too；　but　could　neverquite　find　in　my　heart　to　act　upon　the　knowledge。　Much　anddeservedly　to　my　own　discredit；　therefore；　and　considerably　to　thedetriment　of　my　official　conscience；　they　continued；　during　myincumbency；　to　creep　about　the　wharves；　and　loiter　up　and　down　theCustom…House　steps。　They　spent　a　good　deal　of　time；　also；　asleep　intheir　accustomed　corners；　with　their　chairs　tilted　back　against　thewall；　awaking；　however；　once　or　twice　in　a　forenoon；　to　bore　oneanother　with　the　several　thousandth　repetition　of　old　sea…stories；　andmouldy　jokes；　that　had　grown　to　be　passwords　and　countersigns　amongthem。 The　discovery　was　soon　made；　I　imagine；　that　the　new　Surveyor　had　nogreat　harm　in　him。　So；　with　lightsome　hearts；　and　the　happyconsciousness　of　being　usefully　employed…　in　their　own　behalf；　atleast；　if　not　for　our　beloved　country…　these　good　old　gentlemen　wentthrough　the　various　formalities　of　office。　Sagaciously　under　theirspectacles；　did　they　peep　into　the　holds　of　vessels！　Mighty　wastheir　fuss　about　little　matters；　and　marvellous；　sometimes；　theobtuseness　that　allowed　greater　ones　to　slip　between　their　fingers！Whenever　such　a　mischance　occurred…　when　a　waggon…load　of　valuablemerchandise　had　been　smuggled　ashore；　at　noonday；　perhaps；　anddi

《紅字-the scarlet letter(英文版)》 第3部分（第1/7頁），本章未完，點選下一頁繼續閱讀。