红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第21部分
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ant； doubtless； as the mother herself hath told us； for aretribution too； a torture to be felt at many an unthought…ofmoment； a pang； a sting； an ever…recurring agony； in the midst of atroubled joy！ Hath she not expressed this thought in the garb of thepoor child； so forcibly reminding us of that red symbol which searsher bosom？〃 〃Well said again！〃 cried good Mr。 Wilson。 〃I feared the woman had nobetter thought than to make a mountebank of her child！〃 〃Oh； not so！… not so！〃 continued Mr。 Dimmesdale。 〃She recognises；believe me； the solemn miracle which God hath wrought； in theexistence of that child。 And may she feel； too… what； methinks； is thevery truth… that this boon was meant； above all things else； to keepthe mother's soul alive； and to preserve her from blacker depths ofsin into which Satan might else have sought to plunge her！ Thereforeit is good for this poor； sinful woman that she hath an infantimmortality； a being capable of eternal joy or sorrow； confided to hercare… to be trained up by her to righteousness… to remind her； atevery moment； of her fall… but yet to teach her； as it were by theCreator's sacred pledge； that； if she bring the child to heaven； thechild also will bring its parent thither！ Herein is the sinful motherhappier than the sinful father。 For Hester Prynne's sake； then； and noless for the poor child's sake； let us leave them as Providence hathseen fit to place them！〃 〃You speak； my friend； with a strange earnestness；〃 said old RogerChillingworth； smiling at him。 〃And there is a weighty import in what my young brother hathspoken；〃 added the Reverend Mr。 Wilson。 〃What say you； worshipfulMaster Bellingham？ Hath he not pleaded well for the poor woman？〃 〃Indeed hath he；〃 answered the magistrate； 〃and hath adduced sucharguments； that we will even leave the matter as it now stands； solong； at least； as there shall be no further scandal in the woman。Care must be had； nevertheless； to put the child to due and statedexamination in the catechism； at thy hands or Master Dimmesdale's。Moreover； at a proper season； the tithing…men must take heed thatshe go both to school and to meeting。〃 The young minister； on ceasing to speak； had withdrawn a few stepsfrom the group； and stood with his face partially concealed in theheavy folds of the window…curtain； while the shadow of his figure；which the sunlight cast upon the floor； was tremulous with thevehemence of his appeal。 Pearl； that wild and flighty little elf；stole softly towards him； and taking his hand in the grasp of both herown； laid her cheek against it； a caress so tender； and withal sounobtrusive； that her mother； who was looking on； asked herself； 〃Isthat my Pearl？〃 Yet she knew that there was love in the child's heart；although it mostly revealed itself in passion； and hardly twice in herlifetime had been softened by such gentleness as now。 The minister…for； save the long…sought regards of woman； nothing is sweeter thanthese marks of childish preference； accorded spontaneously by aspiritual instinct； and therefore seeming to imply in us somethingtruly worthy to be loved… the minister looked round； laid his handon the child's head； hesitated an instant； and then kissed her brow。Little Pearl's unwonted mood of sentiment lasted no longer； shelaughed； and went capering down the hall； so airily； that old Mr。Wilson raised a question whether even her tiptoes touched the floor。 〃The little baggage had witchcraft in her； I profess；〃 said he toMr。 Dimmesdale。 〃She needs no old woman's broomstick to fly withal！〃 〃A strange child！〃 remarked old Roger Chillingworth。 〃It is easyto see the mother's part in her。 Would it be beyond a philosopher'sresearch； think ye； gentlemen； to analyse that child's nature； and；from its make and mould； to give a shrewd guess at the father？〃 〃Nay； it would be sinful； in such a question； to follow the clewof profane philosophy；〃 said Mr。 Wilson。 〃Better to fast and pray uponit； and still better； it may be； to leave the mystery as we find it；unless Providence reveal it of its own accord。 Thereby； every goodChristian man hath a title to show a father's kindness towards thepoor； deserted babe。〃 The affair being so satisfactorily concluded； Hester Prynne； withPearl； departed from the house。 As they descended the steps； it isaverred that the lattice of a chamber…window was thrown open； andforth into the sunny day was thrust the face of Mistress Hibbins；Governor Bellingham's bitter…tempered sister； and the same who； afew years later； was executed as a witch。 〃Hist； hist！〃 said she； while her ill…omened physiognomy seemed tocast a shadow over the cheerful newness of the house。 〃Wilt thou gowith us to…night？ There will be a merry pany in the forest； and Iwell…nigh promised the Black Man that ely Hester Prynne should makeone。〃 〃Make my excuse to him； so please you！〃 answered Hester； with atriumphant smile。 〃I must tarry at home； and keep watch over my littlePearl。 Had they taken her from me； I would willingly have gone withthee into the forest； and signed my name in the Black Man's booktoo； and that with mine own blood！〃 〃We shall have thee there anon！〃 said the witch…lady； frowning； asshe drew back her head。 But here… if we suppose this interview betwixt Mistress Hibbinsand Hester Prynne to be authentic； and not a parable… was already anillustration of the young minister's argument against sundering therelation of a fallen mother to the offspring of her frailty。 Even thusearly had the child saved her from Satan's snare。 IX。 THE LEECH。 UNDER the appellation of Roger Chillingworth； the reader willremember； was hidden another name； which its former wearer hadresolved should never more be spoken。 It has been related； how； in thecrowd that witnessed Hester Prynne's ignominious exposure； stood aman； elderly； travel…worn； who； just emerging from the perilouswilderness； beheld the woman； in whom he hoped to find embodied thewarmth and cheerfulness of home； set up as a type of sin before thepeople。 Her matronly fame was trodden under all men's feet。 Infamy wasbabbling around her in the public market…place。 For her kindred；should the tidings ever reach them； and for the panions of herunspotted life； there remained nothing but the contagion of herdishonour； which would not fail to be distributed in strict accordanceand proportion with the intimacy and sacredness of their previousrelationship。 Then why… since the choice was with himself… shouldthe individual； whose connection with the fallen woman had been themost intimate and sacred of them all； e forward to vindicate hisclaim to an inheritance so little desirable？ He resolved not to bepilloried beside her on her pedestal of shame。 Unknown to all butHester Prynne； and possessing the lock and key of her silence； hechose to withdraw his name from the roll of mankind； and as regardedhis former ties and interests； to vanish out of life as pletelyas if he indeed lay at the bottom of the ocean； whither rumour hadlong ago consigned him。 This purpose once effected； new interestswould immediately spring up； and likewise a new purpose； dark； it istrue； if not guilty； but of force enough to engage the full strengthof his faculties。 In pursuance of this resolve； he took up his residence in thePuritan town； as Roger Chillingworth； without other introductionthan the learning and intelligence of which he possessed more than amon measure。 As his studies； at a previous period of his life；had made him extensively acquainted with the medical science of theday； it was as a physician that he presented himself； and as suchwas cordially received。 Skilful men； of the medical and chirurgicalprofession； were of rare occurrence in the colony。 They seldom； itwould appear； partook of the religious zeal that brought otheremigrants across the Atlantic。 In their researches into the humanframe； it may be that the higher and more subtile faculties of suchmen were materialised； and that they lost the spiritual view ofexistence amid the intricacies of that wondrous mechanism； whichseemed to involve art enough to prise all of life within itself。 Atall events； the health of the good town of Boston； so far asmedicine had aught to do with it； had hitherto lain in theguardianship of an aged deacon and apothecary； whose piety and godlydeportment were stronger testimonials in his favour than any that hecould have produced in the shape of a diploma。 The only surgeon wasone who bined the occasional exercise of that noble art with thedaily and habitual flourish of a razor。 To such a professional bodyRoger Chillingworth anifestedhis familiarity with the ponderous and imposing machinery of antiquephysic； in which every remedy contained a multitude of far…fetched andheterogeneous ingredients； as elaborately pounded as if theproposed result had been the Elixir of Life。 In his Indiancaptivity； moreover； he had gained much knowledge of the properties ofnative herbs and roots； nor did he conceal from his patients； thatthese simple medicines； Nature's boon to the untutored savage； hadquite as large a share of his own confidence as the Europeanpharmacopoeia； which so many learned doctors had spent centuries inelaborating。 This learned stranger was exemplary； as regarded； at least； theoutward forms of a religious life； and； early after his arrival； hadchosen for his spiritual guide the Reverend Mr。 Dimmesdale。 Theyoung divine； whose scholar…like renown still lived in Oxford； wasconsidered by his more fervent admirers as little less than aheavenly…ordained apostle； destined； should he live and labour for theordinary term of life； to do as great deeds for the now feeble NewEngland Church； as the early Fathers had achieved for the infancy ofthe Christian faith。 About this period； however； the health of Mr。Dimmesdale had evidently begun to fail。 By those best acquaintedwith his habits； the paleness of the young minister's cheek wasaccounted for by his too earnest devotion to study； his scrupulousfulfilment of parochial duty； and； more than all； by the fasts andvigils of which he made a frequent practice； in order to keep thegrossness of this earthly state from clogging and obscuring hisspiritual lamp。 Some declared； that； if Mr。 Dimmesdale were reallygoing to die； it was cause enough； that the world was not worthy to
