红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第18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！
f the eyes。 Once； this freakish； elvish cast came into the child's eyes； whileHester was looking at her own image in them； as mothers are fond ofdoing； and； suddenly… for women in solitude； and with troubled hearts；are pestered with unaccountable delusions… she fancied that shebeheld； not her own miniature portrait； but another face； in the smallblack mirror of Pearl's eye。 It was a face fiend…like； full of smilingmalice； yet bearing the semblance of features that she had knownfull well； though seldom with a smile； and never with malice inthem。 It was as if an evil spirit possessed the child； and had justthen peeped forth in mockery。 Many a time afterwards had Hester beentortured； though less vividly； by the same illusion。 In the afternoon of a certain summer's day； after Pearl grew bigenough to run about； she amused herself with gathering handfuls ofwild…flowers； and flinging them； one by one； at her mother's bosom；dancing up and down； like a little elf； whenever she hit the scarletletter。 Hester's first motion had been to cover her bosom with herclasped hands。 But； whether from pride or resignation； or a feelingthat her penance might best be wrought out by this unutterable pain；she resisted the impulse； and sat erect； pale as death； lookingsadly into little Pearl's wild eyes。 Still came the battery offlowers； almost invariably hitting the mark； and covering the mother'sbreast with hurts for which she could find no balm in this world；nor knew how to seek it in another。 At last； her shot being allexpended； the child stood still and gazed at Hester； with thatlittle laughing image of a fiend peeping out… or； whether it peeped orno； her mother so imagined it… from the unsearchable abyss of herblack eyes。 〃Child； what art thou？〃 cried the mother。 〃Oh； I am your little Pearl！〃 answered the child。 But； while she said it； Pearl laughed； and began to dance up anddown； with the humorsome gesticulation of a little imp； whose nextfreak might be to fly up the chimney。 〃Art thou my child； in very truth？〃 asked Hester。 Nor did she put the question altogether idly； but； for the moment；with a portion of genuine earnestness； for； such was Pearl's wonderfulintelligence； that her mother half doubted whether she were notacquainted with the secret spell of her existence； and might not nowreveal herself。 〃Yes； I am little Pearl！〃 repeated the child； continuing her antics。 〃Thou art not my child！ Thou art no Pearl of mine！〃 said the mother；half playfully； for it was often the case that a sportive impulse cameover her； in the midst of her deepest suffering。 〃Tell me； then；what thou art； and who sent thee hither？〃 〃Tell me； mother！〃 said the child seriously； ing up to Hester；and pressing herself close to her knees。 〃Do thou tell me！〃 〃Thy Heavenly Father sent thee！〃 answered Hester Prynne。 But she said it with a hesitation that did not escape theacuteness of the child。 Whether moved only by her ordinaryfreakishness； or because an evil spirit prompted her； she put up hersmall forefinger； and touched the scarlet letter。 〃He did not send me！〃 cried she positively。 〃I have no HeavenlyFather！〃 〃Hush； Pearl； hush！ Thou must not talk so！〃 answered the mother；suppressing a groan。 〃He sent us all into this world。 He sent even me；thy mother。 Then； much more； thee！ Or； if not； thou strange and elfishchild； whence didst thou e？〃 〃Tell me！ Tell me！〃 repeated Pearl； no longer seriously； butlaughing； and capering about the floor。 〃It is thou that must tellme！〃 But Hester could not resolve the query； being herself in a dismallabyrinth of doubt。 She remembered… betwixt a smile and a shudder… thetalk of the neighbouring townspeople； who； seeking vainly elsewherefor the child's paternity； and observing some of her old attributes；had given out that poor little Pearl was a demon offspring； such as；ever since old Catholic times； had occasionally been seer； on earth；through the agency of their mother's sin； and to promote some foul andwicked purpose。 Luther； according to the scandal of his monkishenemies； was a brat of that hellish breed； nor was Pearl the onlychild to whom this inauspicious origin was assigned among the NewEngland Puritans。 VII。 THE GOVERNOR'S HALL。 HESTER PRYNNE went； one day； to the mansion of GovernorBellingham； with a pair of gloves； which she had fringed andembroidered to his order； and which were to be worn on some greatoccasion of state； for； though the chances of a popular election hadcaused this former ruler to descend a step or two from the highestrank； he still held an honourable and influential place among thecolonial magistracy。 Another and far more important reason than the delivery of a pair ofembroidered gloves impelled Hester； at this time； to seek an interviewwith a personage of so much power and activity in the affairs of thesettlement。 It had reached her ears； that there was a design on thepart of some of the leading inhabitants； cherishing the more rigidorder of principles in religion and government； to deprive her ofher child。 On the supposition that Pearl； as already hinted； was ofdemon origin； these good people not unreasonably argued that aChristian interest in the mother's soul required them to remove such astumbling…block from her path。 If the child； on the other hand； werereally capable of moral and religious growth； and possessed theelements of ultimate salvation； then； surely； it would enjoy all thefairer prospect of these advantages； by being transferred to wiser andbetter guardianship than Hester Prynne's。 Among those who promoted thedesign； Governor Bellingham was said to be one of the most busy。 Itmay appear singular； and； indeed； not a little ludicrous； that anaffair of this kind； which； in later days； would have been referred tono higher jurisdiction than that of the selectmen of the town；should then have been a question publicly discussed； and on whichstatesmen of eminence took sides。 At that epoch of pristinesimplicity； however； matters of even slighter public interest； andof far less intrinsic weight； than the welfare of Hester and herchild； were strangely mixed up with the deliberations of legislatorsand acts of state。 The period was hardly； if at all； earlier than thatof our story； when a dispute concerning the right of property in apig； not only caused a fierce and bitter contest in the legislativebody of the colony； but resulted in an important modification of theframework itself of the legislature。 Full of concern； therefore… but so conscious of her own right thatit seemed scarcely an unequal match between the public； on the oneside； and a lonely woman； backed by the sympathies of nature； on theother… Hester Prynne set forth from her solitary cottage。 LittlePearl； of course； was her panion。 She was now of an age to runlightly along by her mother's side； and； constantly in motion； frommorn till sunset； could have acplished a much longer journey thanthat before her。 Often； nevertheless； more from caprice thannecessity； she demanded to be taken up in arms； but was soon asimperious to be set down again； and frisked onward before Hester onthe grassy pathway； with many a harmless trip and tumble。 We havespoken of Pearl's rich and luxuriant beauty； a beauty that shonewith deep and vivid tints； a bright plexion； eyes possessingintensity both of depth and glow； and hair already of a deep； glossybrown； and which； in after years； would be nearly akin to black。 Therewas fire in her and throughout her； she seemed the unpremeditatedoffshoot of a passionate moment。 Her mother； in contriving the child'sgarb； had allowed the gorgeous tendencies of her imagination theirfull play； arraying her in a crimson velvet tunic； of a peculiarcut； abundantly embroidered with fantasies and flourishes of goldthread。 So much strength of colouring； which must have given a wan andpallid aspect to cheeks of a fainter bloom； was admirably adapted toPearl's beauty； and made her the very brightest little jet of flamethat ever danced upon the earth。 But it was a remarkable attribute of this garb； and； indeed； ofthe child's whole appearance； that it irresistibly and inevitablyreminded the beholder of the token which Hester Prynne was doomed towear upon her bosom。 It was the scarlet letter in another form； thescarlet letter endowed with life！ The mother herself… as if the redignominy were so deeply scorched into her brain that all herconceptions assumed its form… had carefully wrought out thesimilitude； lavishing many hours of morbid ingenuity； to create ananalogy between the object of her affection and the emblem of herguilt and torture。 But； in truth； Pearl was the one； as well as theother； and only in consequence of that identity had Hester contrivedso perfectly to represent the scarlet letter in her appearance。 As the two wayfarers came within the precincts of the town； thechildren of the Puritans looked up from their play… or what passed forplay with those sombre little urchins… and spake gravely one toanother… 〃Behold； verily； there is the woman of the scarlet letter； and； of atruth； moreover； there is the likeness of the scarlet letter runningalong by her side！ e； therefore； and let us fling mud at them！〃 But Pearl； who was a dauntless child； after frowning； stamping herfoot； and shaking her little hand with a variety of threateninggestures； suddenly made a rush at the knot of her enemies； and putthem all to flight。 She resembled； in her fierce pursuit of them； aninfant pestilence… the scarlet fever； or some such half…fledgedangel of judgment… whose mission was to punish the sins of therising generation。 She screamed and shouted； too； with a terrificvolume of sound； which； doubtless； caused the hearts of thefugitives to quake within them。 The victory acplished； Pearlreturned quietly to her mother； and looked up； smiling； into her face。 Without further adventure； they reached the dwelling of GovernorBellingham。 This was a large wooden house； built in a fashion of whichthere are specimens still extant in the streets of our elder towns；now moss…grown； crumbling to decay； and melancholy at heart with themany sorrowful or joyful occurrences； remembered or forgotten； thathave happened； and passed away； within their dusky chambers。 Then；however； there was the freshness of the passing year on itsex
