红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第3部分
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amed of making their appearance at theCustom…House during a large part of the year； but； after a torpidwinter； would creep out into the warm sunshine of May or June； golazily about what they termed duty； and； at their own leisure andconvenience； betake themselves to bed again。 I must plead guilty tothe charge of abbreviating the official breath of more than one ofthese venerable servants of the republic。 They were allowed； on myrepresentation； to rest from their arduous labours； and soonafterwards… as if their sole principle of life had been zeal for theircountry's service； as I verily believe it was… withdrew to a betterworld。 It is a pious consolation to me； that； through my interference；a sufficient space was allowed them for repentance of the evil andcorrupt practices； into which； as a matter of course； everyCustom…House officer must be supposed to fall。 Neither the front northe back entrance of the Custom…House opens on the road to Paradise。 The greater part of my officers were Whigs。 It was well for theirvenerable brotherhood that the new Surveyor was not a politician； and；though a faithful Democrat in principle； neither received nor held hisoffice with any reference to political services。 Had it beenotherwise… had an active politician been put into this influentialpost； to assume the easy task of making head against a Whig Collector；whose infirmities withheld him from the personal administration of hisoffice… hardly a man of the old corps would have drawn the breath ofofficial life within a month after the exterminating angel had e upthe Custom…House steps。 According to the received code in suchmatters； it would have been nothing short of duty； in a politician； tobring every one of those white heads under the axe of theguillotine。 It was plain enough to discern； that the old fellowsdreaded some such discourtesy at my hands。 It pained； and at thesame time amused me； to behold the terrors that attended my advent； tosee a furrowed cheek； weather…beaten by half a century of storm；turn ashy pale at the glance of so harmless an individual as myself；to detect； as one or another addressed me； the tremor of a voice；which； in long…past days； had been wont to bellow through aspeaking…trumpet； hoarsely enough to frighten Boreas himself tosilence。 They knew； these excellent old persons； that； by allestablished rule… and； as regarded some of them； weighed by their ownlack of efficiency for business… they ought to have given place toyounger men； more orthodox in politics； and altogether fitter thanthemselves to serve our mon Uncle。 I knew it too； but could neverquite find in my heart to act upon the knowledge。 Much anddeservedly to my own discredit； therefore； and considerably to thedetriment of my official conscience； they continued； during myincumbency； to creep about the wharves； and loiter up and down theCustom…House steps。 They spent a good deal of time； also； asleep intheir accustomed corners； with their chairs tilted back against thewall； awaking； however； once or twice in a forenoon； to bore oneanother with the several thousandth repetition of old sea…stories； andmouldy jokes； that had grown to be passwords and countersigns amongthem。 The discovery was soon made； I imagine； that the new Surveyor had nogreat harm in him。 So； with lightsome hearts； and the happyconsciousness of being usefully employed… in their own behalf； atleast； if not for our beloved country… these good old gentlemen wentthrough the various formalities of office。 Sagaciously under theirspectacles； did they peep into the holds of vessels！ Mighty wastheir fuss about little matters； and marvellous； sometimes； theobtuseness that allowed greater ones to slip between their fingers！Whenever such a mischance occurred… when a waggon…load of valuablemerchandise had been smuggled ashore； at noonday； perhaps； anddirectly beneath their unsuspicious noses… nothing could exceed thevigilance and alacrity with which they proceeded to lock； anddouble…lock； and secure with tape and sealing…wax； all the avenuesof the delinquent vessel。 Instead of a reprimand for their previousnegligence； the case seemed rather to require an eulogium on theirpraiseworthy caution； after the mischief had happened； a gratefulrecognition of the promptitude of their zeal； the moment that therewas no longer any remedy。 Unless people are more than monly disagreeable； it is myfoolish habit to contract a kindness for them。 The better part of mypanion's character； if it have a better part； is that which usuallyes uppermost in my regard； and forms the type whereby I recognisethe man。 As most of these old Custom…House officers had good traits；and as my position in reference to them； being paternal andprotective； was favourable to the growth of friendly sentiments； Isoon grew to like them all。 It was pleasant； in the summerforenoons… when the fervent heat； that almost liquefied the rest ofthe human family； merely municated a genial warmth to theirhalf…torpid systems… it was pleasant to hear them chatting in the backentry； a row of them all tipped against the wall； as usual； whilethe frozen witticisms of past generations were thawed out； and camebubbling with laughter from their lips。 Externally； the jollity ofaged men has much in mon with the mirth of children； the intellect；any more than a deep sense of humour； has little to do with thematter； it is； with both； a gleam that plays upon the surface； andimparts a sunny and cheery aspect alike to the green branch； and grey；mouldering trunk。 In one case； however； it is real sunshine； in theother； it more resembles the phosphorescent glow of decaying wood。 It would be sad injustice； the reader must understand； torepresent all my excellent old friends as in their dotage。 In thefirst place； my coadjutors were not invariably old； there were menamong them in their strength and prime； of marked ability andenergy； and altogether superior to the sluggish and dependent modeof life on which their evil stars had cast them。 Then； moreover； thewhite locks of age were sometimes found to be the thatch of anintellectual tenement in good repair。 But； as respects the majority ofmy corps of veterans； there will be no wrong done； if I characterisethem generally as a set of wearisome old souls； who had gatherednothing worth preservation from their varied experience of life。They seemed to have flung away all the golden grain of practicalwisdom； which they had enjoyed so many opportunities of harvesting；and most carefully to have stored their memories with the husks。They spoke with far more interest and unction of their morning'sbreakfast； or yesterday's； to…day's； or to…morrow's dinner； than ofthe shipwreck of forty or fifty years ago； and all the world's wonderswhich they had witnessed with their youthful eyes。 The father of the Custom…House… the patriarch； not only of thislittle squad of officials； but； I am bold to say； of the respectablebody of tide…waiters all over the United States… was a certainpermanent Inspector。 He might truly be termed a legitimate son ofthe revenue system； dyed in the wool； or； rather； born in thepurple； since his sire； a Revolutionary colonel； and formerlycollector of the port； had created an office for him； and appointedhim to fill it； at a period of the early ages which few living men cannow remember。 This Inspector； when I first knew him； was a man offourscore years； or thereabouts； and certainly one of the mostwonderful specimens of winter…green that you would be likely todiscover in a lifetime's search。 With his florid cheek； his pactfigure； smartly arrayed in a bright…buttoned blue coat； his briskand vigorous step； and his hale and hearty aspect； altogether heseemed… not young； indeed… but a kind of new contrivance of MotherNature in the shape of man； whom age and infirmity had no businessto touch。 His voice and laugh； which perpetually reechoed throughthe Custom…House； had nothing of the tremulous quaver and cackle of anold man's utterance； they came strutting out of his lungs； like thecrow of a cock； of the blast of a clarion。 Looking at him merely as ananimal… and there was very little else to look at… he was a mostsatisfactory object； from the thorough healthfulness and wholesomenessof his system； and his capacity； at that extreme age； to enjoy all； ornearly all； the delights which he had ever aimed at； or conceivedof。 The careless security of his life in the Custom…House； on aregular ine； and with but slight and infrequent apprehensions ofremoval； had no doubt contributed to make time pass lightly overhim。 The original and more potent causes； however； lay in the rareperfection of his animal nature； the moderate proportion of intellect；and the very trifling admixture of moral and spiritual ingredients；these latter qualities； indeed； being in barely enough measure to keepthe old gentleman from walking on all…fours。 He possessed no powerof thought； no depth of feeling； no troublesome sensibilities；nothing； in short； but a few monplace instincts； which； aided bythe cheerful temper that grew inevitably out of his physicalwell…being； did duty very respectably； and to general acceptance； inlieu of a heart。 He had been the husband of three wives； all longsince dead； the father of twenty children； most of whom； at everyage of childhood or maturity； had likewise returned to dust。 Here； onewould suppose； might have been sorrow enough to imbue the sunniestdisposition； through and through； with a sable tinge。 Not so withour old Inspector！ One brief sigh sufficed to carry off the entireburden of these dismal reminiscences。 The next moment； he was as readyfor sport as any unbreeched infant； far readier than the Collector'sjunior clerk； who； at nieen years； was much the elder and graverman of the two。 I used to watch and study this patriarchal personage with； Ithink； livelier curiosity than any other form of humanity therepresented to my notice。 He was； in truth； a rare phenomenon； soperfect in one point of view； so shallow； so delusive； soimpalpable； such an absolute nonentity； in every other。 Myconclusion was that he had no soul； no heart； no mind； nothing； as Ihave already said； but instincts： and yet； withal； so cunningly hadthe few materials of his character been put together； that there wasno painful perception of deficiency； but； on my part； an entirecontentment
