红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第11部分
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ernor； andseveral of his counsellors； a judge； a general； and the ministers ofthe town； all of whom sat or stood in a balcony of the meetinghouse；looking down upon the platform。 When such personages couldconstitute a part of the spectacle； without risking the majesty orreverence of rank and office； it was safely to be inferred that theinfliction of a legal sentence would have an earnest and effectualmeaning。 Accordingly； the crowd was sombre and grave。 The unhappyculprit sustained herself as best a woman might； under the heavyweight of a thousand unrelenting eyes； all fastened upon her andconcentrated at her bosom。 It was almost intolerable to be borne。 Ofan impulsive and passionate nature； she had fortified herself toencounter the stings and venomous stabs of public contumely；wreaking itself in every variety of insult； but there ore terrible in the solemn mood of the popular mind； that shelonged rather to behold all those rigid countenances contorted withscornful merriment； and herself the object。 Had a roar of laughterburst from the multitude… each man； each woman； each littleshrill…voiced child； contributing their individual parts… HesterPrynne might have repaid them all with a bitter and disdainfulsmile。 But； under the leaden infliction which it was her doom toendure； she felt； at moments； as if she must needs shriek out with thefull power of her lungs； and cast herself from the scaffold downupon the ground； or else go mad at once。 Yet there were intervals when the whole scene； in which she wasthe most conspicuous object； seemed to vanish from her eyes； or atleast； glimmered indistinctly before them； like a mass ofimperfectly shaped and spectral images。 Her mind； and especially hermemory。 was preternaturally active； and kept bringing up otherscenes than this roughly hewn street of a little town； on the edgeof the Western wilderness； other faces than were lowering upon herfrom beneath the brims of those steeple…crowned hats。 Reminiscences；the most trifling and immaterial； passages of infancy and school…days；sports； childish quarrels； and the little domestic traits of hermaiden years； came swarming back upon her； intermingled withrecollections of whatever was gravest in her subsequent life； onepicture precisely as vivid as another； as if all were of similarimportance； or all alike a play。 Possibly； it was an instinctivedevice of her spirit； to relieve itself； by the exhibition of thesephantasmagoric forms； from the cruel weight and hardness of thereality。 Be that as it might； the scaffold of the pillory was a point of viewthat revealed to Hester Prynne the entire track along which she hadbeen treading； since her happy infancy。 Standing on that miserableeminence； she saw her native village； in old England； and her paternalhome； a decayed house of grey stone； with a poverty…stricken aspect；but retaining a half…obliterated shield of arms over the portal； intoken of antique gentility。 She saw her father's face； with its baldbrow； and reverend white beard； that flowed over the old…fashionedElizabethan ruff； her mother's； too； with the look of heedful andanxious love which it always wore in her remembrance； and which；even since her death； had so often laid the impediment of a gentleremonstrance in her daughter's pathway。 She saw her own face；glowing with girlish beauty； and illuminating all the interior ofthe dusky mirror in which she had been wont to gaze at it。 There shebeheld another countenance； of a man well stricken in years； a pale；thin； scholar…like visage； with eyes dim and bleared by thelamplight that had served them to pore over many ponderous books。Yet those same bleared optics had a strange； perating power； whenit was their owner's purpose to read the human soul。 This figure ofthe study and the cloister； as Hester Prynne's womanly fancy failednot to recall； was slightly deformed； with the left shoulder atrifle higher than the right。 Next rose before her； in memory'spicture…gallery； the intricate and narrow thoroughfares； the tall greyhouses； the huge cathedrals； and the public edifices； ancient indate and quaint in architecture； of a Continental city； where a newlife had awaited her； still in connection with the misshapenscholar； a new life； but feeding itself on time…worn materials； like atuft of green moss on a crumbling wall。 Lastly； in lieu of theseshifting scenes； came back the rude market…place of the Puritansettlement； with all the townspeople assembled and levelling theirstern regards at Hester Prynne… yes； at herself… who stood on thescaffold of the pillory； an infant on her arm； and the letter A； inscarlet； fantastically embroidered with gold thread； upon her bosom！ Could it be true？ She clutched the child so fiercely to herbreast； that it sent forth a cry； she turned her eyes downward atthe scarlet letter； and even touched it with her finger； to assureherself that the infant and the shame were real。 Yes！… these wereher realities… all else had vanished！ III。 THE RECOGNITION。 FROM this intense consciousness of being the object of severe anduniversal observation； the wearer of the scarlet letter was atlength relieved； by discerning； on the outskirts of the crowd； afigure which irresistibly took possession of her thoughts。 AnIndian； in his native garb； was standing there； but the red men werenot so infrequent visitors of the English settlements； that one ofthem would have attracted any notice from Hester Prynne； at such atime； much less would he have excluded all other objects and ideasfrom her mind。 By the Indian's side； and evidently sustaining apanionship with him； stood a white man； clad in a strangedisarray of civilised and savage costume。 He was small in stature； with a furrowed visage； which； as yet；could hardly be termed aged。 There was a remarkable intelligence inhis features； as of a person who had so cultivated his mental partthat it could not fail to mould the physical to itself； and beemanifest by unmistakable tokens。 Although； by a seemingly carelessarrangement of his heterogeneous garb； he had endeavoured to concealor abate the peculiarity； it was sufficiently evident to HesterPrynne； that one of this man's shoulders rose higher than the other。Again； at the first instant of perceiving that thin visage； and theslight deformity of the figure； she pressed her infant to her bosomwith so convulsive a force that the poor babe uttered another cry ofpain。 But the mother did not seem to hear it。 At his arrival in the market…place； and some time before she sawhim； the stranger had bent his eyes on Hester Prynne。 It wascarelessly； at first； like a man chiefly accustomed to look inward；and to whom external matters are of little value and import； unlessthey bear relation to something within his mind。 Very soon； however；his look became keen and perative。 A writhing horror twisted itselfacross his features； like a snake gliding swiftly over them； andmaking one little pause； with all its wreathed intervolutions； in opensight。 His face darkened with some powerful emotion； which；nevertheless； he so instantaneously controlled by an effort of hiswill； that； save at a single moment； its expression might havepassed for calmness。 After a brief space； the convulsion grew almostimperceptible； and finally subsided into the depths of his nature。When he found the eyes of Hester Prynne fastened on his own； and sawthat she appeared to recognise him； he slowly and calmly raised hisfinger； made a gesture with it in the air； and laid it on his lips。 Then； touching the shoulder of a townsman who stood next to him；he addressed him； in a formal and courteous manner。 〃I pray you； good sir；〃 said he； 〃who is this woman？… andwherefore is she here set up to public shame？〃 〃You must needs be a stranger in this region； friend；〃 answeredthe townsman； looking curiously at the questioner and his savagepanion； 〃else you would surely have heard of Mistress HesterPrynne； and her evil doings。 She hath raised a great scandal； Ipromise you； in godly Master Dimmesdale's church。〃 〃You say truly；〃 replied the other。 〃I am a stranger； and havebeen a wanderer； sorely against my will。 I have met with grievousmishaps by sea and land； and have been long held in bonds among theheathen folk； to the southward； and am now brought hither by thisIndian； to be redeemed out of my captivity。 Will it please you；therefore； to tell me of Hester Prynne's… have I her name rightly？… ofthis woman's offences； and what has brought her to yonder scaffold？〃 〃Truly； friend； and methinks it must gladden your heart； afteryour troubles and sojourn in the wilderness；〃 said the townsman； 〃tofind yourself； at length； in a land where iniquity is searched out；and punished in the sight of rulers and people； as here in our godlyNew England。 Yonder woman； sir； you must know； was the wife of acertain learned man； English by birth； but who had long dwelt inAmsterdam； whence； some good time agone； he was minded to cross overand cast in his lot with us of the Massachusetts。 To this purpose；he sent his wife before him； remaining himself to look after somenecessary affairs。 Marry； good sir； in some two years； or less； thatthe woman has been a dweller here in Boston； no tidings have e ofthis learned gentleman； Master Prynne； and his young wife； look you；being left to her own misguidance…〃 〃Ah！… aha！… I conceive you；〃 said the stranger； with a bitter smile。〃So learned a man as you speak of should have learned this； too； inhis books。 And who； by your favour； sir； may be the father of yonderbabe… it is some three or four months old； I should judge… whichMistress Prynne is holding in her arms？〃 〃Of a truth； friend； that matter remaih a riddle； and theDaniel who shall expound it is yet a…wanting；〃 answered thetownsman。 〃Madam Hester absolutely refuseth to speak； and themagistrates have laid their heads together in vain。 Peradventure theguilty one stands looking on at this sad spectacle； unknown of man；and forgetting that God sees him。〃 〃The learned man；〃 observed the stranger； with another smile；〃should e himself； to look into the mystery。〃 〃It behooves him well； if he be still in life；〃 responded thetownsman。 〃Now； good sir； our Massachusetts magistracy； bethinkingthemselves that this woman is youthful and fair； and doubtless wasstrongly tempted to
