红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第20部分
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theReverend Arthur Dimmesdale； whom the reader may remember as havingtaken a brief and reluctant part in the scene of Hester Prynne'sdisgrace； and； in close panionship with him； old RogerChillingworth； a person of great skill in physic； who； for two orthree years past； had been settled in the town。 It was understood thatthis learned man was the physician as well as friend of the youngminister； whose health had severely suffered； of late； by his toounreserved self…sacrifice to the labours and duties of the pastoralrelation。 The Governor； in advance of his visitors； ascended one or two steps；and； throwing open the leaves of the great hall…window； foundhimself close to little Pearl。 The shadow of the curtain fell onHester Prynne； and partially concealed her。 〃What have we here？〃 said Governor Bellingham； looking with surpriseat the scarlet little figure before him。 〃I profess； I have never seenthe like； since my days of vanity； in old King James' time； when I waswont to esteem it a high favour to be admitted to a court mask！There used to be a swarm of these small apparitions； in holidaytime； and we called them children of the Lord of Misrule。 But howgat such a guest into my hall？〃 〃Ay； indeed！〃 cried good old Mr。 Wilson。 〃What little bird ofscarlet plumage may this be？ Methinks I have seen just such figures；when the sun has been shining through a richly painted window； andtracing out the golden and crimson images across the floor。 But thatwas in the old land。 Prithee； young one； who art thou； and what hasailed thy mother to bedizen thee in this strange fashion？ Art thou aChristian child… ha？ Dost know thy catechism？ Or art thou one of thosenaughty elfs or fairies； whom we thought to have left behind us；with other relics of Papistry； in merry old England？〃 〃I am mother's child；〃 answered the scarlet vision； 〃and my nameis Pearl！〃 〃Pearl？… Ruby； rather！… or Coral！… or Red Rose； at the very least；judging from thy hue！〃 responded the old minister； putting forth hishand in a vain attempt to pat little Pearl on the cheek。 〃But where isthis mother of thine？ Ah！ I see；〃 he added； and； turning to GovernorBellingham； whispered； 〃This is the selfsame child of whom we haveheld speech together； and behold here the unhappy woman； HesterPrynne； her mother！〃 〃Sayest thou so？〃 cried the Governor。 〃Nay； we might have judgedthat such a child's mother must needs be a scarlet woman； and a worthytype of her of Babylon！ But she es at a good time； and we will lookinto this matter forthwith。〃 Governor Bellingham stepped through the window into the hall；followed by his three guests。 〃Hester Prynne；〃 said he； fixing his naturally stern regard on thewearer of the scarlet letter； 〃there hath been much questionconcerning thee； of late。 The point hath been weightily discussed；whether we； that are of authority and influence； do well discharge ourconsciences by trusting an immortal Soul； such as there is in yonderchild； to the guidance of one who hath stumbled and fallen amid thepitfalls of this world。 Speak thou； the child's own mother！ Were itnot； thinkest thou； for thy little one's temporal and eternal welfare；that she be taken out of thy charge； and clad soberly； and disciplinedstrictly； and instructed in the truths of heaven and earth？ What canstthou do for the child； in this kind？〃 〃I can teach my little Pearl what I have learned from this！〃answered Hester Prynne； laying her finger on the red token。 〃Woman； it is thy badge of shame！〃 replied the stern magistrate。 〃Itis because of the stain which that letter indicates； that we wouldtransfer thy child to other hands。〃 〃Nevertheless；〃 said the mother calmly； though growing more pale；〃this badge hath taught me… it daily teaches me… it is teaching meat this moment… lessons whereof my child may be the wiser andbetter； albeit they can profit nothing to thyself。〃 〃We will judge warily；〃 said Bellingham； 〃and look well what weare about to do。 Good Master Wilson； I pray you； examine this Pearl…since that is her name… and see whether she hath had such Christiannurture as befits a child of her age。〃 The old minister seated himself in an arm…chair； and made aneffort to draw Pearl betwixt his knees。 But the child； unaccustomed tothe touch or familiarity of any but her mother； escaped through theopen window； and stood on the upper step； looking like a wild tropicalbird； of rich plumage； ready to take flight into the upper air。 Mr。Wilson； not a little astonished at this outbreak… for he was agrandfatherly sort of personage； and usually a vast favourite withchildren… essayed； however； to proceed with the examination。 〃Pearl；〃 said he； with great solemnity； 〃thou must take heed toinstruction； that so； in due season； thou mayest wear in thy bosom thepearl of great price。 Canst thou tell me； my child； who made thee？〃 Now Pearl knew well enough who made her； for Hester Prynne； thedaughter of a pious home； very soon after her talk with the childabout her Heavenly Father； had begun to inform her of those truthswhich the human spirit； at whatever stage of immaturity； imbibeswith such eager interest。 Pearl； therefore； so large were theattainments of her three years' lifetime； could have borne a fairexamination in the New England Primer； or the first column of theWestminster Catechisms； although unacquainted with the outward form ofeither of those celebrated works。 But that perversity； which allchildren have more or less of； and of which little Pearl had a tenfoldportion； now； at the most inopportune moment； took thorough possessionof her； and closed her lips； or impelled her to speak words amiss。After putting her finger in her mouth； with many ungracious refusalsto answer good Mr。 Wilson's question； the child finally announced thatshe had not been made at all； but had been plucked by her mother offthe bush of wild roses that grew by the prison…door。 This fantasy was probably suggested by the near proximity of theGovernor's red roses； as Pearl stood outside of the window； togetherwith her recollection of the prison rose…bush； which she had passed ining hither。 Old Roger Chillingworth； with a smile on his face； whisperedsomething in the young clergyman's ear。 Hester Prynne looked at theman of skill； and even then； with her fate hanging in the balance； wasstartled to perceive what a change had e over his features… howmuch uglier they were… how his dark plexion seemed to have grownduskier； and his figure more misshapen… since the days when she hadfamiliarly known him。 She met his eyes for an instant； but wasimmediately constrained to give all her attention to the scene nowgoing forward。 〃This is awful！〃 cried the Governor； slowly recovering from theastonishment into which Pearl's response had thrown him。 〃Here is achild of three years old； and she cannot tell who made her！ Withoutquestion； she is equally in the dark as to her soul； its presentdepravity and future destiny！ Methinks； gentlemen； we need inquireno further！〃 Hester caught hold of Pearl； and drew her forcibly into her arms；confronting the old Puritan magistrate with almost a fierceexpression。 Alone in the world； cast off by it； and with this soletreasure to keep her heart alive； she felt that she possessedindefeasible rights against the world； and was ready to defend them tothe death。 〃God gave me the child！〃 cried she。 〃He gave her in requital ofall things else； which ye had taken from me。 She is my happiness！… sheis my torture； none the less！ Pearl keeps me here in life！ Pearlpunishes me too！ See ye not； she is the scarlet letter； only capableof being loved； and so endowed with a millionfold the power ofretribution for my sin？ Ye shall not take her！ I will die first！〃 〃My poor woman；〃 said the not unkind old minister； 〃the childshall be well cared for！… far better than thou canst do it！〃 〃God gave her into my keeping；〃 repeated Hester Prynne； raisingher voice almost to a shriek。 〃I will not give her up！〃… And here；by a sudden impulse； she turned to the young clergyman； Mr。Dimmesdale； at whom； up to this moment； she had seemed hardly somuch as once to direct her eyes。… 〃Speak thou for me！〃 cried she。〃Thou wast my pastor； and hadst charge of my soul； and knowest mebetter than these men can。 I will not lose the child！ Speak for me！Thou knowest… for thou hast sympathies which these men lack… thouknowest what is in my heart； and what are a mother's rights； and howmuch the stronger they are； when that mother has but her child and thescarlet letter！ Look thou to it！ I will not lose the child！ Look toit！〃 At this wild and singular appeal； which indicated that HesterPrynne's situation had provoked her to little less than madness； theyoung minister at once came forward； pale； and holding his hand overhis heart； as was his custom whenever his peculiarly nervoustemperament was thrown into agitation。 He looked now more careworn andemaciated than as we described him at the scene of Hester's publicignominy； and whether it were his failing health； or whatever thecause might be； his large dark eyes had a world of pain in theirtroubled and melancholy depth。 〃There is truth in what she says；〃 began the minister； with avoice sweet； tremulous； but powerful； insomuch that the hallre…echoed； and the hollow armour rang with it… 〃truth in what Hestersays； and in the feeling which inspires her！ God gave her the child；and gave her； too； an instinctive knowledge of its nature andrequirements… both seemingly so peculiar… which no other mortalbeing can possess。 And； moreover； is there not a quality of awfulsacredness in the relation between this mother and this child？〃 〃Ay！… how is that； good Master Dimmesdale？〃 interrupted theGovernor。 〃Make that plain； I pray you！〃 〃It must be even so；〃 resumed the minister。 〃For； if we deem itotherwise； do we not thereby say that the Heavenly Father； the Creatorof all flesh； hath lightly recognised a deed of sin； and made of noaccount the distinction between unhallowed lust and holy love？ Thischild of its father's guilt and its mother's shame hath e fromthe hand of God； to work in many ways upon her heart； who pleads soearnestly； and with such bitterness of spirit； the right to keepher。 It was meant for a blessing； for the one blessing of her life！ Itwas meant； doubtless； as the mother herself hath told us； for aretribution too； a torture to be felt at ma
