红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第12部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


acy；　bethinkingthemselves　that　this　woman　is　youthful　and　fair；　and　doubtless　wasstrongly　tempted　to　her　fall…　and　that；　moreover；　as　is　most　likely；her　husband　may　be　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea…　they　have　not　been　boldto　put　in　force　the　extremity　of　our　righteous　law　against　her。　Thepenalty　thereof　is　death。　But　in　their　great　mercy　and　tenderness　ofheart；　they　have　doomed　Mistress　Prynne　to　stand　only　a　space　of　threehours　on　the　platform　of　the　pillory；　and　then　and　thereafter；　for　theremainder　of　her　natural　life；　to　wear　a　mark　of　shame　upon　herbosom。〃　　〃A　wise　sentence！〃　remarked　the　stranger；　gravely　bowing　his　head。〃Thus　she　will　be　a　living　sermon　against　sin；　until　the　ignominiousletter　be　engraved　upon　her　tombstone。　It　irks　me；　nevertheless；that　the　partner　of　her　iniquity　should　not；　at　least；　stand　on　thescaffold　by　her　side。　But　he　will　be　known！…　he　will　be　known！…　hewill　be　known！〃　　He　bowed　courteously　to　the　municative　townsman；　and；whispering　a　few　words　to　his　Indian　attendant；　they　both　made　theirway　through　the　crowd。　　While　this　passed；　Hester　Prynne　had　been　standing　on　herpedestal；　still　with　a　fixed　gaze　towards　the　stranger；　so　fixed　agaze　that；　at　moments　of　intense　absorption；　all　other　objects　inthe　visible　world　seemed　to　vanish；　leaving　only　him　and　her。　Suchan　interview；　perhaps；　would　have　been　more　terrible　than　even　to　meethim　as　she　now　did；　with　the　hot；　mid…day　sun　burning　down　upon　herface；　and　lighting　up　its　shame；　with　the　scarlet　token　of　infamy　onher　breast；　with　the　sin…born　infant　in　her　arms；　with　a　whole　people；drawn　forth　as　to　a　festival；　staring　at　the　features　that　should　havebeen　seen　only　in　the　quiet　gleam　of　the　fireside；　in　the　happy　shadowof　a　home；　or　beneath　a　matronly　veil；　at　church。　Dreadful　as　itwas；　she　was　conscious　of　a　shelter　in　the　presence　of　thesethousand　witnesses。　It　was　better　to　stand　thus；　with　so　manybetwixt　him　and　her；　than　to　greet　him；　face　to　face；　they　twoalone。　She　fled　for　refuge；　as　it　were；　to　the　public　exposure；　anddreaded　the　moment　when　its　protection　should　be　withdrawn　from　her。Involved　in　these　thoughts；　she　scarcely　heard　a　voice　behind　her；until　it　had　repeated　her　name　more　than　once；　in　a　loud　and　solemntone；　audible　to　the　whole　multitude。　　〃Hearken　unto　me；　Hester　Prynne！〃　said　the　voice。　　It　has　already　been　noticed；　that　directly　over　the　platform　onwhich　Hester　Prynne　stood　was　a　kind　of　balcony；　or　open　gallery；appended　to　the　meeting…house。　It　was　the　place　whence　proclamationswere　wont　to　be　made；　amidst　an　assemblage　of　the　magistracy；　with　allthe　ceremonial　that　attended　such　public　observances　in　those　days。Here；　to　witness　the　scene　which　we　are　describing；　sat　GovernorBellingham　himself；　with　four　sergeants　about　his　chair；　bearinghalberds；　as　a　guard　of　honour。　He　wore　a　dark　feather　in　his　hat；　aborder　of　embroidery　on　his　cloak；　and　a　black　velvet　tunic　beneath；　agentleman　advanced　in　years；　with　a　hard　experience　written　in　hiswrinkles。　He　was　not　ill　fitted　to　be　the　head　and　representative　of　amunity；　which　owed　its　origin　and　progress；　and　its　present　stateof　development；　not　to　the　impulses　of　youth；　but　to　the　stern　andtempered　energies　of　manhood；　and　the　sombre　sagacity　of　age；acplishing　so　much；　precisely　because　it　imagined　and　hoped　solittle。　The　other　eminent　characters；　by　whom　the　chief　ruler　wassurrounded；　were　distinguished　by　a　dignity　of　mien；　belonging　to　aperiod　when　the　forms　of　authority　were　felt　to　possess　the　sacrednessof　Divine　institutions。　They　were；　doubtless；　good　men；　just；　andsage。　But；　out　of　the　whole　human　family；　it　would　not　have　beeneasy　to　select　the　same　number　of　wise　and　virtuous　persons；　whoshould　be　less　capable　of　sitting　in　judgment　on　an　erring　woman'sheart；　and　disentangling　its　mesh　of　good　and　evil；　than　the　sagesof　rigid　aspect　towards　whom　Hester　Prynne　now　turned　her　face。　Sheseemed　conscious；　indeed；　that　whatever　sympathy　she　might　expect；　layin　the　larger　and　warmer　heart　of　the　multitude；　for；　as　she　liftedher　eyes　towards　the　balcony；　the　unhappy　woman　grew　pale　andtrembled。　　The　voice　which　had　called　her　attention　was　that　of　the　reverendand　famous　John　Wilson；　the　eldest　clergyman　of　Boston；　a　greatscholar；　like　most　of　his　contemporaries　in　the　profession；　and　withala　man　of　kind　and　genial　spirit。　This　last　attribute；　however；　hadbeen　less　carefully　developed　than　his　intellectual　gifts；　and　was；　intruth；　rather　a　matter　of　shame　than　self…congratulation　with　him。There　he　stood；　with　a　border　of　grizzled　locks　beneath　his　skull…cap；while　his　grey　eyes；　accustomed　to　the　shaded　light　of　his　study；　werewinking；　like　those　of　Hester's　infant；　in　the　unadulterated　sunshine。He　looked　like　the　darkly　engraved　portraits　which　we　see　prefixedto　old　volumes　of　sermons；　and　had　no　more　right　than　one　of　thoseportraits　would　have；　to　step　forth；　as　he　now　did；　and　meddle　an　guilt；　passion；　and　anguish。　　〃Hester　Prynne；〃　said　the　clergyman；　〃I　have　striven　with　my　youngbrother　here；　under　whose　preaching　of　the　Word　you　have　beenprivileged　to　sit〃…　here　Mr。　Wilson　laid　his　hand　on　the　shoulder　of　apale　young　man　beside　him…　〃I　have　sought；　I　say；　to　persuade　thisgodly　youth；　that　he　should　deal　with　you；　here　in　the　face　of　Heaven；and　before　these　wise　and　upright　rulers；　and　in　hearing　of　all　thepeople；　as　touching　the　vileness　and　blackness　of　your　sin。　Knowingyour　natural　temper　better　than　I；　he　could　the　better　judge　whatarguments　to　use；　whether　of　tenderness　or　terror；　such　as　mightprevail　over　your　hardness　and　obstinacy；　insomuch　that　you　shouldno　longer　hide　the　name　of　him　who　tempted　you　to　this　grievousfall。　But　he　opposes　to　me　（with　a　young　man's　over…softness；　albeitwise　beyond　his　years）　that　it　were　wronging　the　very　nature　ofwoman　to　force　her　to　lay　open　her　heart's　secrets　in　such　broaddaylight；　and　in　presence　of　so　great　a　multitude。　Truly；　as　Isought　to　convince　him；　the　shame　lay　in　the　mission　of　the　sin；and　not　in　the　showing　of　it　forth。　What　say　you　to　it；　once　again；brother　Dimmesdale！　Must　it　be　thou；　or　I；　that　shall　deal　with　thispoor　sinner's　soul？〃　　There　was　a　murmur　among　the　dignified　and　reverend　occupants　of　thebalcony；　and　Governor　Bellingham　gave　expression　to　its　purport；speaking　in　an　authoritative　voice；　although　tempered　with　respecttowards　the　youthful　clergyman　whom　he　addressed。　　〃Good　Master　Dimmesdale；〃　said　he；　〃the　responsibility　of　thiswoman's　soul　lies　greatly　with　you。　It　behooves　you；　therefore；　toexhort　her　to　repentance；　and　to　confession；　as　a　proof　andconsequence　thereof。〃　　The　directness　of　this　appeal　drew　the　eyes　of　the　whole　crowdupon　the　Reverend　Mr。　Dimmesdale；　a　young　clergyman；　who　had　e　fromone　of　the　great　English　universities；　bringing　all　the　learning　ofthe　age　into　our　wild　forest…land。　His　eloquence　and　religious　fervourhad　already　given　the　earnest　of　high　eminence　in　his　profession。　Hewas　a　person　of　very　striking　aspect；　with　a　white；　lofty；　andimpending　brow；　large；　brown；　melancholy　eyes；　and　a　mouth　which；unless　when　he　forcibly　pressed　it；　was　apt　to　be　tremulous；expressing　both　nervous　sensibility　and　a　vast　power　ofself…restraint。　Notwithstanding　his　high　native　gifts　and　scholar…likeattainments；　there　was　an　air　about　this　young　minister…　anapprehensive；　a　startled；　a　half…frightened　look…　as　of　a　being　whofelt　himself　quite　astray　and　at　a　loss　in　the　pathway　of　humanexistence；　and　could　only　be　at　ease　in　some　seclusion　of　his　own。Therefore；　so　far　as　his　duties　would　permit；　he　trod　in　the　shadowybypaths；　and　thus　kept　himself　simple　and　childlike；　ing　forth；when　occasion　was；　with　a　freshness；　and　fragrance；　and　dewy　purity　ofthought；　which；　as　many　people　said；　affected　them　like　the　speechof　an　angel。　　Such　was　the　young　man　whom　the　Reverend　Mr。　Wilson　and　the　Governorhad　introduced　so　openly　to　the　public　notice；　bidding　him　speak；　inthe　hearing　of　all　men；　to　that　mystery　of　a　woman's　soul；　so　sacredeven　in　its　pollution。　The　trying　nature　of　his　position　drove　theblood　from　his　cheek；　and　made　his　lips　tremulous。　　〃Speak　to　the　woman；　my　brother；〃　said　Mr。　Wilson。　〃It　is　ofmoment　to　her　soul；　and　therefore；　as　the　worshipful　Governor　says；momentous　to　thine　own；　in　whose　charge　hers　is。　Exhort　her　to　confessthe　truth！〃　　The　Reverend　Mr。　Dimmesdale　bent　his　head；　in　silent　prayer；　as　itseemed；　and　then　came　forward。　　〃Hester　Prynne；〃　said　he；　leaning　over　the　balcony；　and　looking　downsteadfastly　into　her　eyes；　〃thou　hearest　what　this　good　man　says；and　seest　the　accountability　under　which　I　labour。　If　thou　feelestit　to　be　for　thy　soul's　peace；　and　that　thy　earthly　punishment　willthereby　be　made　more　effectual　to　salvation；　I　charge　thee　to　speakout　the　name　of　thy　fellow…sinner　and　fellow…sufferer！　Be　not　silentfrom　any　mistaken　pity　and　tenderness　for　him；　for　believe　me；　Hester；though　he　were　to　step　down　from　a　high　place；　and　stand　therebeside　thee；　on　thy　pedestal　of　shame；　yet　better　were　it　so；　thanto　hide　a　guilty　heart　through　life。　What　can　thy　silence　do　forhim；　except　it　tempt　him…　yea；　pel　him；　as　it　were…　to　addhypocrisy　to　sin？　Heaven　hath　granted　thee　an　open　ignominy；　thatthereby　thou　mayest　work　out　an　open　triumph　over　the　evil　withinthee；　and　the　sorrow　without。　Take　heed　how　thou　deniest　to　him…who；　perchance；　hath　not　the　courage　to　grasp　it　for　himself…　thebitter；　but　wholesome；　cup　that　is　now　presented　to　thy　lips！〃　　The　young　pastor's　voice　was　tremulously　sweet；　rich；　deep；　andbroken。　The　feeling　that　it　so　evidently　manifested；　rather　than　thedirect　purport　of　the　words；　caused　it　to　vibrate　within　all　hearts；and　brought　the　listeners　into　one　accord　of　sympathy。　Even　the　poorbaby；　at　Hester's　bosom；　was　affected　by　the　same　influence；　for　itdirected　its　hitherto　vacant　gaze　towards　Mr。　Dimmesdale；　and　heldup　its　little　arms；　with　a　half…pleased；　half…plaintive　murmur。　Sopowerful　seemed　the　minister's　appeal；　that　the　people　could　notbelieve　but　that　Hester　Prynne　would　speak　out　the　guilty　name；　orelse　that　the　guilty　one　himself；　in　whatever　high　or　lowly　place　hestood；　would　be　drawn　forth　by　an　inward　and　inevitable　necessity；　andpelled　to　ascend　the　scaffold。　　Hester　shook　her　head。　　〃Woman；　transgress　not　beyond　the　limits　of　Heaven's　mercy！〃　criedthe　R