红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第38部分

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her！　But；　in　very　truth；　she　isright　as　regards　this　hateful　token。　I　must　bear　its　torture　yet　alittle　longer…　only　a　few　days　longer…　until　we　shall　have　left　thisregion；　and　look　back　hither　as　to　a　land　which　we　have　dreamed　of。The　forest　cannot　hide　it！　The　mid…ocean　shall　take　it　from　my　hand；and　swallow　it　up　for　ever！〃　　With　these　words；　she　advanced　to　the　margin　of　the　brook；　took　upthe　scarlet　letter；　and　fastened　it　again　into　her　bosom。　Hopefully；but　a　moment　ago；　as　Hester　had　spoken　of　drowning　it　in　the　deep　sea；there　was　a　sense　of　inevitable　doom　upon　her；　as　she　thus　receivedback　this　deadly　symbol　from　the　hand　of　fate。　She　had　flung　it　intoinfinite　space！…　she　had　drawn　an　hour's　free　breath！…　and　hereagain　was　the　scarlet　misery；　glittering　on　the　old　spot！　So　it　everis；　whether　thus　typified　or　no；　that　an　evil　deed　invests　itself　withthe　character　of　doom。　Hester　next　gathered　up　the　heavy　tresses　ofher　hair；　and　confined　them　beneath　her　cap。　As　if　there　were　awithering　spell　in　the　sad　letter；　her　beauty；　the　warmth　and　richnessof　her　womanhood；　departed；　like　fading　sunshine；　and　a　grey　shadowseemed　to　fall　across　her。　　When　the　dreary　change　was　wrought；　she　extended　her　hand　to　Pearl。　　〃Dost　thou　know　thy　mother　now；　child？〃　asked　she　reproachfully；　butwith　a　subdued　tone。　〃Wilt　thou　e　across　the　brook；　and　own　thymother；　now　that　she　has　her　shame　upon　her…　now　that　she　is　sad？〃　　〃Yes；　now　I　will！〃　answered　the　child；　bounding　across　the　brook；and　clasping　Hester　in　her　arms。　〃Now　thou　art　my　mother　indeed！　And　Iam　thy　little　Pearl！〃　　In　a　mood　of　tenderness　that　was　not　usual　with　her；　she　drew　downher　mother's　head；　and　kissed　her　brow　and　both　her　cheeks。　Butthen…　by　a　kind　of　necessity　that　always　impelled　this　child　toalloy　whatever　fort　she　might　chance　to　give　with　a　throb　ofanguish…　Pearl　put　up　her　mouth；　and　kissed　the　scarlet　letter　too！　　〃That　was　not　kind！〃　said　Hester。　〃When　thou　hast　shown　me　alittle　love；　thou　mockest　me！〃　　〃Why　doth　the　minister　sit　yonder？〃　asked　Pearl。　　〃He　waits　to　wele　thee；〃　replied　her　mother。　〃e　thou；　andentreat　his　blessing！　He　loves　thee；　my　little　Pearl；　and　loves　thymother　too。　Wilt　thou　not　love　him？　e！　he　longs　to　greet　thee！〃　　〃Doth　he　love　us？〃　said　Pearl；　looking　up；　with　acuteintelligence；　into　her　mother's　face。　〃Will　he　go　back　with　us；　handin　hand；　we　three　together　into　the　town？〃　　〃Not　now；　dear　child；〃　answered　Hester。　〃But　in　days　to　e　he　willwalk　hand　in　hand　with　us。　We　will　have　a　home　and　fireside　of　ourown；　and　thou　shalt　sit　upon　his　knee；　and　he　will　teach　thee　manythings；　and　love　thee　dearly。　Thou　wilt　love　him；　wilt　thou　not？〃　　〃And　will　he　always　keep　his　hand　over　his　heart？〃　inquired　Pearl。　　〃Foolish　child；　what　a　question　is　that！〃　exclaimed　her　mother。〃e　and　ask　his　blessing！〃　　But；　whether　influenced　by　the　jealousy　that　seems　instinctivewith　every　petted　child　towards　a　dangerous　rival；　or　from　whatevercaprice　of　her　freakish　nature；　Pearl　would　show　no　favour　to　theclergyman。　It　was　only　by　an　exertion　of　force　that　her　mother　broughther　up　to　him；　hanging　back；　and　manifesting　her　reluctance　by　oddgrimaces；　of　which；　ever　since　her　babyhood；　she　had　possessed　asingular　variety；　and　could　transform　her　mobile　physiognomy　into　aseries　of　different　aspects；　with　a　new　mischief　in　them；　each　andall。　The　minister…　painfully　embarrassed；　but　hoping　that　a　kiss　mightprove　a　talisman　to　admit　him　into　the　child's　kindlier　regards…bent　forward；　and　impressed　one　on　her　brow。　Hereupon；　Pearl　brokeaway　from　her　mother；　and；　running　to　the　brook；　stooped　over　it；and　bathed　her　forehead；　until　the　unwele　kiss　was　quite　washedoff；　and　diffused　through　a　long　lapse　of　the　gliding　water。　Shethen　remained　apart；　silently　watching　Hester　and　the　clergyman：　whilethey　talked　together；　and　made　such　arrangements　as　were　suggestedby　their　new　position；　and　the　purposes　soon　to　be　fulfilled。　　And　now　this　fateful　interview　had　e　to　a　close。　The　dell　wasto　be　left　a　solitude　among　its　dark；　old　trees；　which；　with　theirmultitudinous　tongues；　would　whisper　long　of　what　had　passed　there；and　no　mortal　be　the　wiser。　And　the　melancholy　brook　would　add　thisother　tale　to　the　mystery　with　which　its　little　heart　was　alreadyoverburdened；　and　whereof　it　still　kept　up　a　murmuring　babble；　withnot　a　whit　more　cheerfulness　of　tone　than　for　ages　heretofore。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　XX。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　MINISTER　IN　A　MAZE。　　AS　the　minister　departed；　in　advance　of　Hester　Prynne　and　littlePearl；　he　threw　a　backward　glance；　half　expecting　that　he　shoulddiscover　only　some　faintly　traced　features　or　outline　of　the　motherand　the　child；　slowly　fading　into　the　twilight　of　the　woods。　Sogreat　a　vicissitude　in　his　life　could　not　at　once　be　received　as　real。But　there　was　Hester；　clad　in　her　grey　robe；　still　standing　beside　thetree…trunk；　which　some　blast　had　overthrown　a　long　antiquity　ago；and　which　time　had　ever　since　been　covering　with　moss；　so　that　thesetwo　fated　ones；　with　earth's　heaviest　burden　on　them；　might　theresit　down　together；　and　find　a　single　hour's　rest　and　solace。　And　therewas　Pearl；　too；　lightly　dancing　from　the　margin　of　the　brook…　now　thatthe　intrusive　third　person　was　gone…　and　taking　her　old　place　by　hermother's　side。　So　the　minister　had　not　fallen　asleep；　and　dreamed！　　In　order　to　free　his　mind　from　this　indistinctness　and　duplicityof　impression；　which　vexed　it　with　a　strange　disquietude；　herecalled　and　more　thoroughly　defined　the　plans　which　Hester　andhimself　had　sketched　for　their　departure。　It　had　been　determinedbetween　them；　that　the　Old　World；　with　its　crowds　and　cities；offered　them　a　more　eligible　shelter　and　concealment　than　the　wilds　ofNew　England；　or　all　America；　with　its　alternatives　of　an　Indianwigwam；　or　the　few　settlements　of　Europeans；　scattered　thinly　alongthe　seaboard。　Not　to　speak　of　the　clergyman's　health；　so　inadequate　tosustain　the　hardships　of　a　forest　life；　his　native　gifts；　his　culture；and　his　entire　development；　would　secure　him　a　home　only　in　themidst　of　civilisation　and　refinement；　the　higher　the　state；　the　moredelicately　adapted　to　it　the　man。　In　furtherance　of　this　choice；　it　sohappened　that　a　ship　lay　in　the　harbour；　one　of　those　questionablecruisers；　frequent　at　that　day；　which；　without　being　absolutelyoutlaws　of　the　deep；　yet　roamed　over　its　surface　with　a　remarkableirresponsibility　of　character。　This　vessel　had　recently　arrived　fromthe　Spanish　Main；　and；　within　three　days'　time；　would　sail　forBristol。　Hester　Prynne…　whose　vocation；　as　a　self…enlisted　Sister　ofCharity；　had　brought　her　acquainted　with　the　captain　and　crew…　couldtake　upon　herself　to　secure　the　passage　of　two　individuals　and　achild；　with　all　the　secrecy　which　circumstances　rendered　more　thandesirable。　　The　minister　had　inquired　of　Hester；　with　no　little　interest；　theprecise　time　at　which　the　vessel　might　be　expected　to　depart。　It　wouldprobably　be　on　the　fourth　day　from　the　present。　〃That　is　mostfortunate！〃　he　had　then　said　to　himself。　Now；　why　the　Reverend　Mr。Dimmesdale　considered　it　so　very　fortunate；　we　hesitate　to　reveal。Nevertheless…　to　hold　nothing　back　from　the　reader…　it　was　because；　onthe　third　day　from　the　present；　he　was　to　preach　the　ElectionSermon；　and；　as　such　an　occasion　formed　an　honourable　epoch　in　thelife　of　a　New　England　clergyman；　he　could　not　have　chanced　upon　a　moresuitable　mode　and　time　of　terminating　his　professional　career。　〃Atleast；　they　shall　say　of　me；〃　thought　this　exemplary　man；　〃that　Ileave　no　public　duty　unperformed；　nor　ill　performed！〃　Sad；　indeed；that　an　introspection　so　profound　and　acute　as　this　poor　minister'sshould　be　so　miserably　deceived！　We　have　had；　and　may　still　have；worse　things　to　tell　of　him；　but　none；　we　apprehend；　so　pitiably　weak；no　evidence；　at　once　so　slight　and　irrefragable；　of　a　subtledisease；　that　had　long　since　begun　to　eat　into　the　real　substance　ofhis　character。　No　man；　for　any　considerable　period；　can　wear　oneface　to　himself　and　another　to　the　multitude；　without　finallygetting　bewildered　as　to　which　may　be　the　true。　　The　excitement　of　Mr。　Dimmesdale's　feelings；　as　he　returned　from　hisinterview　with　Hester；　lent　him　unaccustomed　physical　energy；　andhurried　him　townward　at　a　rapid　pace。　The　pathway　among　the　woodsseemed　wilder；　more　uncouth　with　its　rude　natural　obstacles　and　lesstrodden　by　the　foot　of　man　than　he　remembered　it　on　his　outwardjourney。　But　he　leaped　across　the　plashy　places；　thrust　himselfthrough　the　clinging　underbrush；　climbed　the　ascent；　plunged　intothe　hollow；　and　overcame；　in　short；　all　the　difficulties　of　the　track；with　an　unweariable　activity　that　astonished　him。　He　could　not　butrecall　how　feebly；　and　with　what　frequent　pauses　for　breath；　he　hadtoiled　over　the　same　ground；　only　two　days　before。　As　he　drew　near　thetown；　he　took　an　impression　of　change　from　the　series　of　familiarobjects　that　presented　themselves。　It　seemed　not　yesterday；　not　one；nor　two；　but　many　days；　or　even　years　ago；　since　he　had　quittedthem。　There；　indeed；　was　each　former　trace　of　the　street；　as　heremembered　it；　and　all　the　peculiarities　of　the　houses；　with　the　duemultitude　of　gable…peaks；　and　a　weather…cock　at　every　point　wherehis　memory　suggested　one。　Not　the　less；　however；　came　thisimportunately　obtrusive　sense　of　change。　The　same　was　true　as　regardedthe　acquaintances　whom　he　met；　and　all　the　well…known　shapes　ofhuman　life；　about　the　little　town。　They　looked　neither　older　noryounger　now；　the　beards　of　the　aged　were　no　whiter；　nor　could　thecreeping　babe　of　yesterday　walk　on　his　feet　to…day；　it　wasimpossible　to　describe　in　what　respect　they　differed　from　theindividuals　on　whom　he　had　so　recently　bestowed　a　parting　glance；and　yet　the　minister's　deepest　sense　seemed　to　inform　him　of　theirmutability。　A　similar　impression　struck　him　most　remarkably；　as　hepassed　under　the　walls　of　his　own　church。　The　edifice　had　so　verystrange；　and　yet　so　familiar；　an　aspect；　that　Mr。　Dimmesdale's　mindvibrated　between　two　ideas；　either　that　he　had　seen　it　only　in　a　dreamhitherto；　or　that　he　was　merely　dreaming　about　it　now。　　This　phenomenon；　in　the　various　shapes　which　it　assumed；　indicatedno　external　change；　but　so　sudden　and　important　a　change　in　thespectator　of　the　familiar　scene；　that　the　intervening　space　of　asingle　day　had　operated　on