红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第16部分
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purport to their own minds； but was none the less terrible toher； as proceeding from lips that babbled it unconsciously。 Itseemed to argue so wide a diffusion of her shame； that all nature knewof it； it could have caused her no deeper pang； had the leaves ofthe trees whispered the dark story among themselves… had the summerbreeze murmured about it… had the wintry blast shrieked it aloud！Another peculiar torture was felt in the gaze of a new eye。 Whenstrangers looked curiously at the scarlet letter… and none ever failedto do so… they branded it afresh into Hester's soul； so that；oftentimes； she could scarcely refrain； yet always did refrain； fromcovering the symbol with her hand。 But then； again； an accustomedeye had likewise its own anguish to inflict。 Its cool stare offamiliarity was intolerable。 From first to last； in short； HesterPrynne had always this dreadful agony in feeling a human eye uponthe token； the spot never grew callous； it seemed； on the contrary； togrow more sensitive with daily torture。 But sometimes； once in many days； or perchance in many months； shefelt an eye… a human eye… upon the ignominious brand； that seemed togive a momentary relief； as if half of her agony were shared。 The nextinstant； back it all rushed again； with still a deeper throb ofpain； for； in that brief interval； she had sinned anew。 Had Hestersinned alone？ Her imagination was somewhat affected； and； had she been of a softermoral and intellectual fibre； would have been still more so； by thestrange and solitary anguish of her life。 Walking to and fro； withthose lonely footsteps； in the little world with which she wasoutwardly connected； it now and then appeared to Hester… if altogetherfancy； it was nevertheless too potent to be resisted… she felt orfancied； then； that the scarlet letter had endowed her with a newsense。 She shuddered to believe； yet could not help believing； that itgave her a sympathetic knowledge of the hidden sin in other hearts。She was terror…stricken by the revelations that were thus made。 Whatwere they？ Could they be other than the insidious whispers of thebad angel； who would fain have persuaded the struggling woman； asyet only half his victim； that the outward guise of purity was but alie； and that； if truth were everywhere to be shown； a scarletletter would blaze forth on many a bosom besides Hester Prynne's？Or； must she receive those intimations… so obscure； yet so distinct…as truth？ In all her miserable experience； there was nothing else soawful and so loathsome as this sense。 It perplexed； as well as shockedher； by the irreverent inopportuneness of the occasions that broughtit into vivid action。 Sometimes the red infamy upon her breast wouldgive a sympathetic throb； as she passed near a venerable minister ormagistrate； the model of piety and justice； to whom that age ofantique reverence looked up； as to a mortal man in fellowship withangels。 〃What evil thing is at hand？〃 would Hester say to herself。Lifting her reluctant eyes； there would be nothing human within thescope of view； save the form of this earthly saint！ Again； a mysticsisterhood would contumaciously assert itself； as she met thesanctified frown of some matron； who； according to the rumour of alltongues； had kept cold snow within her bosom throughout life。 Thatunsunned snow in the matron's bosom； and the burning shame on HesterPrynne's… what had the two in mon？ Or； once more； the electricthrill would give her warning… 〃Behold； Hester； here is a panion！〃…and； looking up； she would detect the eyes of a young maidenglancing at the scarlet letter； shyly and aside； and quicklyaverted； with a faint； chill crimson in her cheeks； as if her puritywere somewhat sullied by that momentary glance。 O Fiend； whosetalisman was that fatal symbol； wouldst thou leave nothing； whether inyouth or age； for this poor sinner to revere？… such loss of faith isever one of the saddest results of sin。 Be it accepted as a proof thatall was not corrupt in this poor victim of her own frailty； andman's hard law； that Hester Prynne yet struggled to believe that nofellow…mortal was guilty like herself。 The vulgar； who； in those dreary old times； were always contributinga grotesque horror to what interested their imaginations； had astory about the scarlet letter which we might readily work up into aterrific legend。 They averred； that the symbol was not mere scarletcloth； tinged in an earthly dye…pot； but was red…hot with infernalfire； and could be seen glowing all alight； whenever Hester Prynnewalked abroad in the night…time。 And we must needs say； it searedHester's bosom so deeply； that perhaps there was more truth in therumour than our modern incredulity may be inclined to admit。 VI。 PEARL。 WE have as yet hardly spoken of the infant； that little creature；whose innocent life had sprung； by the inscrutable decree ofProvidence； a lovely and immortal flower； out of the rank luxurianceof a passion。 How strange it seemed to the sad woman； as she watchedthe growth； and the beauty that became every day more brilliant； andthe intelligence that threw its quivering sunshine over the tinyfeatures of this child！ Her Pearl！… For so had Hester called her；not as a name expressive of her aspect； which had nothing of the calm；white； unimpassioned lustre that would be indicated by the parison。But she named the infant 〃Pearl；〃 as being of great price… purchasedwith all she had… her mother's only treasure！ How strange； indeed！ Manhad marked this woman's sin by a scarlet letter； which had such potentand disastrous efficacy that no human sympathy could reach her； saveit were sinful like herself。 God； as a direct consequence of the sinwhich man thus punished； had given her a lovely child； whose place wason that same dishonoured bosom； to connect her parent for ever withthe race and descent of mortals； and to be finally a blessed soul inheaven！ Yet these thoughts affected Hester Prynne less with hopethan apprehension。 She knew that her deed had been evil； she couldhave no faith； therefore； that its result would be good。 Day afterday； she looked fearfully into the child's expanding nature； everdreading to detect some dark and wild peculiarity； that shouldcorrespond with the guiltiness to which she owed her being。 Certainly； there was no physical defect。 By its perfect shape； itsvigour； and its natural dexterity in the use of all its untried limbs；the infant was worthy to have been brought forth in Eden； worthy tohave been left there； to be the plaything of the angels after theworld's first parents were driven out。 The child had a native gracewhich does not invariably coexist with faultless beauty； its attire；however simple； always impressed the beholder as if it were the verygarb that precisely became it best。 But little Pearl was not clad inrustic weeds。 Her mother； with a morbid purpose that may be betterunderstood hereafter； had bought the richest tissues that could beprocured； and allowed her imaginative faculty its full play in thearrangement and decoration of the dresses which the child wore； beforethe public eye。 So magnificent was the small figure； when thusarrayed； and such was the splendour of Pearl's own proper beauty；shining through the gorgeous robes which might have extinguished apaler loveliness； that there was an absolute circle of radiance aroundher； on the darksome cottage floor。 And yet a russet gown； torn andsoiled with the child's rude play； made a picture of her just asperfect。 Pearl's aspect was imbued with a spell of infinite variety；in this one child there were many children； prehending the fullscope between the wild…flower prettiness of a peasant…baby； and thepomp； in little； of an infant princess。 Throughout all； however； therewas a trait of passion； a certain depth of hue； which she neverlost； and if； in any of her changes； she had grown fainter or paler；she would have ceased to be herself… it would have been no longerPearl！ This outward mutability indicated； and did not more than fairlyexpress； the various properties of her inner life。 Her nature appearedto possess depth； too； as well as variety； but… or else Hester's fearsdeceived her… it lacked reference and adaptation to the world intowhich she was born。 The child could not be made amenable to rules。In giving her existence； a great law had been broken； and the resultwas a being whose elements were perhaps beautiful and brilliant； butall in disorder； or with an order peculiar to themselves； amidst whichthe point of variety and arrangement was difficult or impossible to bediscovered。 Hester could only account for the child's character… andeven then most vaguely and imperfectly… by recalling what sheherself had been； during that momentous period while Pearl wasimbibing her soul from the spiritual world； and her bodily framefrom its material of earth。 The mother's impassioned state had beenthe medium through which were transmitted to the unborn infant therays of its moral Life； and； however white and clear originally；they had taken the deep stains of crimson and gold； the fierylustre； the black shadow； and the untempered light； of the interveningsubstance。 Above all； the warfare of Hester's spirit； at that epoch；was perpetuated in Pearl。 She could recognise her wild； desperate；defiant mood； the flightiness of her temper； and even some of the verycloud…shapes of gloom and despondency that had brooded in her heart。They were now illuminated by the morning radiance of a young child'sdisposition； but； later in the day of earthly existence； might beprolific of the storm and whirlwind。 The discipline of the family； in those days； was of a far more rigidkind than now。 The frown； the harsh rebuke； the frequent applicationof the rod； enjoined by Scriptural authority； were used； not merely inthe way of punishment for actual offences； but as a wholesomeregimen for the growth and promotion of all childish virtues。 HesterPrynne； nevertheless； the lonely mother of this one child； ranlittle risk of erring on the side of undue severity。 Mindful； however；of her own errors and misfortunes； she early sought to impose atender； but strict control over the infant immortality that wasmitted to her charge。 But the task was beyond her skill。 Aftertesting both smiles and frowns； and proving that neither mode oftrea
