红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第27部分
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ble knot； the agony of heaven…defying guilt and vainrepentance。 And thus； while standing on the scaffold； in this vain show ofexpiation； Mr。 Dimmesdale was overe with a great horror of mind； asif the universe were gazing at a scarlet token on his naked breast；right over his heart。 On that spot； in very truth； there was； andthere had long been； the gnawing and poisonous tooth of bodily pain。Without any effort of his will； or power to restrain himself； heshrieked aloud； an outcry that went pealing through the night； and wasbeaten back from one house to another； and reverberated from the hillsin the background； as if a pany of devils； detecting so much miseryand terror in it； had made a plaything of the sound； and were bandyingit to and fro。 〃It is done！〃 muttered the minister； covering his face with hishands。 〃The whole town will awake； and hurry forth； and find me here！〃 But it was not so。 The shriek had perhaps sounded with a fargreater power； to his own startled ears； than it actually possessed。The town did not awake； or； if it did； the drowsy slumberers mistookthe cry either for something frightful in a dream； or for the noise ofwitches； whose voices； at that period； were often heard to pass overthe settlements or lonely cottages； as they rode with Satan throughthe air。 The clergyman； therefore； hearing no symptoms of disturbance；uncovered his eyes and looked about him。 At one of the chamber…windowsof Governor Bellingham's mansion； which stood at some distance； on theline of another street； he beheld the appearance of the old magistratehimself； with a lamp in his hand； a white night…cap on his head； and along white gown enveloping his figure。 He looked like a ghost；evoked unseasonably from the grave。 The cry had evidently startledhim。 At another window of the same house； moreover； appeared oldMistress Hibbins； the Governor's sister； also with a lamp； which； eventhus far off； revealed the expression of her sour and discontentedface。 She thrust forth her head from the lattice； and looked anxiouslyupward。 Beyond the shadow of a doubt； this venerable witch…lady hadheard Mr。 Dimmesdale's outcry； and interpreted it； with itsmultitudinous echoes and reverberations； as the clamour of thefiends and night…hags； with whom she was well known to make excursionsinto the forest。 Detecting the gleam of Governor Bellingham's lamp； the old ladyquickly extinguished her own； and vanished。 Possibly； she went upamong the clouds。 The minister saw nothing further of her motions。 Themagistrate； after a wary observation of the darkness… into which；nevertheless； he could see but little farther than he might into amill…stone… retired from the window。 The minister grew paratively calm。 His eyes； however； were soongreeted by a little； glimmering light； which； at first a long way off；was approaching up the street。 It threw a gleam of recognition on herea post； and there a garden…fence； and here a latticed windowpane；and there a pump； with its full trough of water； and here； again； anarched door of oak； with an iron knocker； and a rough log for thedoor…step。 The Reverend Mr。 Dimmesdale noted all these minuteparticulars； even while firmly convinced that the doom of hisexistence was stealing onward； in the footsteps which he now heard；and that the gleam of the lantern would fall upon him； in a fewmoments more； and reveal his long…hidden secret。 As the light grewnearer； he beheld； within its illuminated circle； his brotherclergyman… or； to speak more accurately； his professional father； aswell as highly valued friend… the Reverend Mr。 Wilson； who； as Mr。Dimmesdale now conjectured； had been praying at the bedside of somedying man。 And so he had。 The good old minister came freshly fromthe death…chamber of Governor Winthrop； who had passed from earth toheaven within that very hour。 And now； surrounded； like the saint…likepersonages of olden times； with a radiant halo； that glorified himamid this gloomy night of sin… as if the departed Governor had lefthim an inheritance of his glory； or as if he had caught upon himselfthe distant shine of the celestial city； while looking thitherwardto see the triumphant pilgrim pass within its gates… now； in short；good Father Wilson was moving homeward； aiding his footsteps with alighted lantern！ The glimmer of this luminary suggested the aboveconceits to Mr。 Dimmesdale； who smiled… nay； almost laughed at them…and then wondered if he were going mad。 As the Reverend Mr。 Wilson passed beside the scaffold； closelymuffling his Geneva cloak about him with one arm； and holding thelantern before his breast with the other； the minister could hardlyrestrain himself from speaking。 〃A good evening to you； venerable Father Wilson！ e up hither； Ipray you； and pass a pleasant hour with me！〃 Good heavens！ Had Mr。 Dimmesdale actually spoken？ For one instant；he believed that these words had passed his lips。 But they wereuttered only within his imagination。 The venerable Father Wilsoncontinued to step slowly onward； looking carefully at the muddypathway before his feet； and never once turning his head toward theguilty platform。 When the light of the glimmering lantern had fadedquite away； the minister discovered； by the faintness which cameover him； that the last few moments had been a crisis of terribleanxiety； although his mind had made an involuntary effort to relieveitself by a kind of lurid playfulness。 Shortly afterwards； the like grisly sense of the humorous againstole in among the solemn phantoms of his thought。 He felt his limbsgrowing stiff with the unaccustomed chilliness of the night； anddoubted whether he should be able to descend the steps of thescaffold。 Morning would break； and find him there。 The neighbourhoodwould begin to rouse itself。 The earliest riser； ing forth in thedim twilight； would perceive a vaguely defined figure aloft on theplace of shame； and； half crazed betwixt alarm and curiosity； wouldgo； knocking from door to door； summoning all the people to behold theghost… as he needs must think it… of some defunct transgressor。 Adusky tumult would flap its wings from one house to another。 Then… themorning light still waxing stronger… old patriarchs would rise up ingreat haste； each in his flannel gown； and matronly dames； withoutpausing to put off their night…gear。 The whole tribe of decorouspersonages； who had never heretofore been seen with a single hair oftheir heads awry； would start into public view； with the disorder of anightmare in their aspects。 Old Governor Bellingham would egrimly forth； with his King James ruff fastened askew； and MistressHibbins； with some twigs of the forest clinging to her skirts； andlooking sourer than ever； as having hardly got a wink of sleep afterher night ride； and good Father Wilson； too； after spending half thenight at a death…bed； and liking ill to be disturbed； thus early；out of his dreams about the glorified saints。 Hither； likewise；would e the elders and deacons of Mr Dimmesdale's church； and theyoung virgins who so idolised their minister； and had made a shrinefor him in their white bosoms； which now； by…the…bye； in their hurryand confusion； they would scantily have given themselves time to coverwith their kerchiefs。 All people； in a word； would e stumbling overtheir thresholds； and turning up their amazed and horror…strickenvisages around the scaffold。 Whom would they discern there； with thered eastern light upon his brow？ Whom； but the Reverend ArthurDimmesdale； half frozen to death； overwhelmed with shame； and standingwhere Hester Prynne had stood！ Carried away by the grotesque horror of this picture； theminister； unawares； and to his own infinite alarm； burst into agreat peal of laughter。 It was immediately responded to by a light；airy； childish laugh； in which； with a thrill of the heart… but heknew not whether of exquisite pain； or pleasure as acute… herecognised the tones of little Pearl。 〃Pearl！ Little Pearl！〃 cried he； after a moment's pause； then；suppressing his voice… 〃Hester！ Hester Prynne！ Are you there？〃 〃Yes； it is Hester Prynne！〃 she replied； in a tone of surprise；and the minister heard her footsteps approaching from the sidewalk；along which she had been passing。 〃It is I； and my little Pearl。〃 〃Whence e you； Hester？〃 asked the minister。 〃What sent youhither？〃 〃I have been watching at a death…bed；〃 answered Hester Prynne… 〃atGovernor Winthrop's death…bed； and have taken his measure for arobe； and am now going homeward to my dwelling。〃 〃e up hither； Hester； thou and little Pearl；〃 said the ReverendMr。 Dimmesdale。 〃Ye have both been here before； but I was not withyou。 e up hither once again； and we will stand all three together！〃 She silently ascended the steps； and stood on the platform；holding little Pearl by the hand。 The minister felt for the child'sother hand； and took it。 The moment that he did so； there came whatseemed a tumultuous rush of new life； other life than his own； pouringlike a torrent into his heart； and hurrying through all his veins；as if the mother and the child were municating their vital warmthto his half…torpid system。 The three formed an electric chain。 〃Minister！〃 whispered little Pearl。 〃What wouldst thou say； child？〃 asked Mr。 Dimmesdale。 〃Wilt thou stand here with mother and me； to…morrow noontide？〃inquired Pearl。 〃Nay； not so； my little Pearl；〃 answered the minister； for； with thenew energy of the moment； all the dread of public exposure； that hadso long been the anguish of his life； had returned upon him； and hewas already trembling at the conjunction in which… with a strange joy；nevertheless… he now found himself。 〃Not so； my child。 I shall；indeed； stand with thy mother and thee one other day； but notto…morrow。〃 Pearl laughed； and attempted to pull away her hand。 But the ministerheld it fast。 〃A moment longer； my child！〃 said he。 〃But wilt thou promise；〃 asked Pearl； 〃to take my hand； and mother'shand； to…morrow noontide？〃 〃Not then； Pearl；〃 said the minister； 〃but another time。〃 〃And what other time？〃 persisted the child。 〃At the great judgment day；〃 whispered the minister… and；strangely enough； the sense that he was a professional teacher ofthe truth impelled him to answer the child so。 〃Then； and there；before the judgment…seat； thy mother； and thou； and I； must standtogether。 But the daylight of this world shall not see
