红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第32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！
s done me worse wrong than I did him！〃 Let men tremble to win the hand of woman； unless they win along withit the utmost passion of her heart！ Else it may be their miserablefortune； as it was Roger Chillingworth's； when some mightier touchthan their own may have awakened all her sensibilities； to bereproached even for the calm content； the marble image of happiness；which they will have imposed upon her as the warm reality。 ButHester ought long ago to have done with this injustice。 What did itbetoken？ Had seven long years； under the torture of the scarletletter； inflicted so much of misery； and wrought out no repentance？ The emotions of that brief space； while she stood gazing after thecrooked figure of old Roger Chillingworth； threw a dark light onHester's state of mind； revealing much that she might not otherwisehave acknowledged to herself。 He being gone； she summoned back her child。 〃Pearl！ Little Pearl！ Where are you？〃 Pearl； whose activity of spirit never flagged； had been at no lossfor amusement while her mother talked with the old gatherer ofherbs。 At first； as already told； she had flirted fancifully withher own image in a pool of water； beckoning the phantom forth； and… asit declined to venture… seeking a passage for herself into itssphere of impalpable earth and unattainable sky。 Soon finding；however； that either she or the image was unreal； she turned elsewherefor better pastime。 She made little boats out of birch…bark； andfreighted them with snail…shells； and sent out more ventures on themighty deep than any merchant in New England； but the larger part ofthem foundered near the shore。 She seized a live horse…shoe by thetail； and made prize of several five…fingers； and laid out ajelly…fish to melt in the warm sun。 Then she took up the white foam；that streaked the line of the advancing tide； and threw it upon thebreeze； scampering after it； with winged footsteps； to catch the greatsnowflakes ere they fell。 Perceiving a flock of beach…birds； thatfed and fluttered along the shore； the naughty child picked up herapron full of pebbles； and； creeping from rock to rock after thesesmall sea…fowl； displayed remarkable dexterity in pelting them。 Onelittle grey bird； with a white breast； Pearl was almost sure； had beenhit by a pebble； and fluttered away with a broken wing。 But then theelf…child sighed； and gave up her sport； because it grieved her tohave done harm to a little being that was as wild as the sea…breeze；or as wild as Pearl herself。 Her final employment was to gather sea…weed； of various kinds； andmake herself a scarf； or mantle； and a head…dress； and thus assume theaspect of a little mermaid。 She inherited her mother's gift fordevising drapery and costume。 As the last touch to her mermaid garb；Pearl took some eel…grass； and imitated； as best she could； on her ownbosom； the decoration with which she was so familiar on hermother's。 A letter… the letter A… but freshly green； instead ofscarlet！ The child bent her chin upon her breast； and contemplatedthis device with strange interest； even as if the one only thing forwhich she had been sent into the world was to make out its hiddenimport。 〃I wonder if mother will ask me what it means？〃 thought Pearl。 Just then； she heard her mother's voice； and flitting along aslightly as one of the little sea…birds； appeared before Hester Prynne；dancing； laughing； and pointing her finger to the ornament upon herbosom。 〃My little Pearl；〃 said Hester； after a moment's silence； 〃the greenletter； and on thy childish bosom； has no purport。 But dost thou know；my child； what this letter means which thy mother is doomed to wear？〃 〃Yes； mother；〃 said the child。 〃It is the great letter A。 Thouhast taught me in the horn…book。〃 Hester looked steadily into her little face； but； though there wasthat singular expression which she had so often remarked in herblack eyes； she could not satisfy herself whether Pearl reallyattached any meaning to the symbol。 She felt a morbid desire toascertain the point。 〃Dost thou know； child； wherefore thy mother wears this letter？〃 〃Truly do I！〃 answered Pearl； looking brightly into her mother'sface。 〃It is for the same reason that the minister keeps his hand overhis heart！〃 〃And what reason is that？〃 asked Hester； half smiling at theabsurd incongruity of the child's observation； but； on secondthoughts； turning pale。 〃What has the letter to do with any heart；save mine？〃 〃Nay； mother； I have told all I know；〃 said Pearl； more seriouslythan she was wont to speak。 〃Ask yonder old man whom thou hast beentalking with！ It may be he can tell。 But in good earnest now； motherdear； what does this scarlet letter mean？… and why dost thou wear iton thy bosom？… and why does the minister keep his hand over hisheart？〃 She took her mother's hand in both her own； and gazed into hereyes with an earnestness that was seldom seen in her wild andcapricious character。 The thought occurred to Hester； that the childmight really be seeking to approach her with childlike confidence； anddoing what she could； and as intelligently as she knew how； toestablish a meeting…point of sympathy。 It showed Pearl in anunwonted aspect。 Heretofore； the mother； while loving her child withthe intensity of a soul affection； had schooled herself to hope forlittle other return than the waywardness of an April breeze； whichspends its time in airy sport； and has its gusts of inexplicablepassion； and is petulant in its best of moods； and chills oftener thancaresses you； when you take it to your bosom； in requital of whichmisdemeanours； it will sometimes； of its own vague purpose； kissyour cheek with a kind of doubtful tenderness； and play gently withyour hair； and then be gone about its other idle business； leaving adreamy pleasure at your heart。 And this； moreover； was a mother'sestimate of the child's disposition。 Any other observer might haveseen few but unamiable traits； and have given them a far darkercolouring。 But now the idea came strongly into Hester's mind； thatPearl； with her remarkable precocity and acuteness； might already haveapproached the age when she could be made a friend； and entrusted withas much of her mother's sorrows as could be imparted； withoutirreverence either to the parent or the child。 In the little chaosof Pearl's character； there might be seen emerging… and could havebeen； from the very first… the steadfast principles of anunflinching courage… an uncontrollable will… a sturdy pride； whichmight be disciplined into self…respect… and a bitter scorn of manythings； which； when examined； might be found to have the taint offalsehood in them。 She possessed affections； too； though hithertoacrid and disagreeable； as are the richest flavours of unripe fruit。With all these sterling attributes； thought Hester； the evil which sheinherited from her mother must be great indeed； if a noble woman donot grow out of this elfish child。 Pearl's inevitable tendency to hover about the enigma of the scarletletter seemed an innate quality of her being。 From the earliestepoch of her conscious life； she had entered upon this as herappointed mission。 Hester had often fancied that Providence had adesign of justice and retribution； in endowing the child with thismarked propensity； but never； until now； had she bethought herselfto ask； whether； linked with that design； there might not likewisebe a purpose of mercy and beneficence。 If little Pearl wereentertained with faith and trust； as a spirit messenger no less thanan earthly child； might it not be her errand to soothe away the sorrowthat lay cold in her mother's heart； and converted it into a tomb？…and to help her to overe the passion； once so wild； and even yetneither dead nor asleep； but only imprisoned within the same tomb…likeheart？ Such were some of the thoughts that now stirred in Hester's mind；with as much vivacity of impression as if they had actually beenwhispered into her ear。 And there was little Pearl； all this while；holding her mother's hand in both her own； and turning her faceupward； while she put these searching questions； once； and again；and still a third time。 〃What does the letter mean； mother？… and why dost thou wear it？… andwhy does the minister keep his hand over his heart？〃 〃What shall I say？〃 thought Hester to herself。 〃No！ If this be theprice of the child's sympathy； I cannot pay it。〃 Then she spoke aloud。 〃Silly Pearl；〃 said she； 〃what questions are these？ There are manythings in this world that a child must not ask about。 What know I ofthe minister's heart？ And as for the scarlet letter； I wear it for thesake of its gold thread。〃 In all the seven bygone years； Hester Prynne had never before beenfalse to the symbol on her bosom。 It may be that it was the talismanof a stern and severe； but yet a guardian spirit； who now forsook her；as recognising that； in spite of his strict watch over her heart； somenew evil had crept into it； or some old one had never been expelled。As for little Pearl； the earnestness soon passed out of her face。 But the child did not see fit to let the matter drop。 Two or threetimes； as her mother and she went homeward； and as often atsuppertime； and while Hester was putting her to bed； and once aftershe seemed to be fairly asleep； Pearl looked up； with mischiefgleaming in her black eyes。 〃Mother；〃 said she； 〃what does the scarlet letter mean？〃 And the next morning； the first indication the child gave of beingawake was by popping up her head from the pillow； and making thatother inquiry； which she had so unaccountably connected with herinvestigations about the scarlet letter… 〃Mother！… mother！… why does the minister keep his hand over hisheart？〃 〃Hold thy tongue； naughty child！〃 answered her mother； with anasperity that she had never permitted to herself before。 〃Do not teaseme； else I shall shut thee into the dark closet！〃 XVI。 A FOREST WALK。 HESTER PRYNNE remained constant in her resolve to make known toMr。 Dimmesdale； at whatever risk of present pain or ulteriorconsequences； the true character of the man who had crept into hisintimacy。 For several days； however； she vainly sought anopportunity of addressing him in some of the meditative walks whichshe knew him to be in the habit of taking； along the shores of thepeninsula； or on the wooded hills of the n
