红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第37部分
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tter to stealoff； or renew his nap on the same spot。 A wolf； it is said… but herethe tale has surely lapsed into the improbable… came up； and smeltof Pearl's robe； and offered his savage head to be patted by her hand。The truth seems to be； however； that the mother…forest； and these wildthings which it nourished； all recognised a kindred wildness in thehuman child。 And she was gentler here than in the grassy…margined streets ofthe settlement； or in her mother's cottage。 The flowers appeared toknow it； and one and another whispered as she passed； 〃Adorn thyselfwith me； thou beautiful child； adorn thyself with me！〃… and； to pleasethem； Pearl gathered the violets； and anemones； and columbines； andsome twigs of the freshest green； which the old trees held down beforeher eyes。 With these she decorated her hair； and her young waist；and became a nymph…child； or an infant dryad； or whatever else wasin closest sympathy with the antique wood。 In such guise had Pearladorned herself； when she heard her mother's voice； and came slowlyback。 Slowly； for she saw the clergyman！ XIX。 THE CHILD AT THE BROOK…SIDE。 〃THOU wilt love her dearly；〃 repeated Hester Prynne； as she andthe minister sat watching little Pearl。 〃Dost thou not think herbeautiful？ And see with what natural skill she has made those simpleflowers adorn her！ Had she gathered pearls； and diamonds； andrubies； in the wood； they could not have bee her better。 She is asplendid child！ But I know whose brow she has！〃 〃Dost thou know； Hester；〃 said Arthur Dimmesdale； ile； 〃that this dear child； tripping about always at thy side；hath caused me many an alarm？ Methought… O Hester； what a thought isthat； and how terrible to dread it！… that my own features werepartly repeated in her face； and so strikingly that the world mightsee them！ But she is mostly thine！〃 〃No； no！ Not mostly！〃 answered the mother； with a tender smile。 〃Alittle longer and thou needest not be afraid to trace whose childshe is。 But how strangely beautiful she looks； with those wild flowersin her hair！ It is as if one of the fairies； whom we left in ourdear old England； had decked her out to meet us。〃 It was with a feeling which neither of them had ever beforeexperienced； that they sat and watched Pearl's slow advance。 In herwas visible the tie that united them。 She had been offered to theworld； these seven years past； as the living hieroglyphic； in whichwas revealed the secret they so darkly sought to hide… all writtenin this symbol… all plainly manifest… had there been a prophet ormagician skilled to read the character of flame！ And Pearl was theoneness of their being。 Be the foregone evil what it might； howcould they doubt that their earthly lives and future destinies wereconjoined； when they beheld at once the material union； and thespiritual idea； in whom they met； and were to dwell immortallytogether？ Thoughts like these… and perhaps other thoughts； whichthey did not acknowledge or define… threw an awe about the child； asshe came onward。 〃Let her see nothing strange… no passion nor eagerness… in thy wayof accosting her；〃 whispered Hester。 〃Our Pearl is a fitful andfantastic little elf； sometimes。 Especially； she is seldom tolerant ofemotion； when she does not fully prehend the why and wherefore。 Butthe child hath strong affections！ She loves me； and will love thee！〃 〃Thou canst not think；〃 said the minister； glancing aside atHester Prynne； 〃how my heart dreads this interview； and yearns for it！But； in truth； as I already told thee； children are not readily won tobe familiar with me。 They will not climb my knee； nor prattle in myear； nor answer to my smile； but stand apart； and eye me strangely。Even little babes； when I take them in my arms； weep bitterly。 YetPearl； twice in her little lifetime； hath been kind to me！ The firsttime… thou knowest it well！ The last was when thou ledst her with theeto the house of yonder stern old Governor。〃 〃And thou didst plead so bravely in her behalf and mine！〃 answeredthe mother。 〃I remember it； and so shall little Pearl。 Fear nothing！She may be strange and shy at first； but will soon learn to lovethee！〃 By this time Pearl had reached the margin of the brook； and stood onthe farther side； gazing silently at Hester and the clergyman； whostill sat together on the mossy tree…trunk； waiting to receive her。Just where she had paused； the brook chanced to form a pool； so smoothand quiet that it reflected a perfect image of her little figure； withall the brilliant picturesqueness of her beauty； in its adornment offlowers and wreathed foliage； but more refined and spiritualisedthan the reality。 This image； so nearly identical with the livingPearl； seemed to municate somewhat of its own shadowy andintangible quality to the child herself。 It was strange； the way inwhich Pearl stood； looking so steadfastly at them through the dimmedium of the forest…gloom； herself； meanwhile； all glorified with aray of sunshine； that was attracted thitherward as by a certainsympathy。 In the brook beneath stood another child… another and thesame… with likewise its ray of golden light。 Hester felt herself； insome indistinct and tantalising manner； estranged from Pearl； as ifthe child； in her lonely； ramble through the forest； had strayed outof the sphere in which she and her mother dwelt together； and wasnow vainly seeking to return to it。 There was both truth and error in the impression； the child andmother were estranged； but through Hester's fault； not Pearl's。Since the latter rambled from her side； another inmate had beenadmitted within the circle of the mother's feelings； and so modifiedthe aspect of them all； that Pearl； the returning wanderer； couldnot find her wonted place； and hardly knew where she was。 〃I have a strange fancy；〃 observed the sensitive minister； 〃thatthis brook is the boundary between two worlds； and that thou canstnever meet thy Pearl again。 Or is she an elfish spirit； who； as thelegends of our childhood taught us； is forbidden to cross a runningstream？ Pray hasten her； for this delay has already imparted atremor to my nerves。〃 〃e； dearest child！〃 said Hester encouragingly； and stretching outboth her arms。 〃How slow thou art！ When hast thou been so sluggishbefore now？ Here is a friend of mine； who must be thy friend also。Thou wilt have twice as much love； henceforward； as thy mother alonecould give thee！ Leap across the brook； and e to us。 Thou canstleap like a young deer！〃 Pearl； without responding in any manner to these honey…sweetexpressions； remained on the other side of the brook。 Now she fixedher bright； wild eyes on her mother； now on the minister； and nowincluded them both in the same glance； as if to detect and explainto herself the relation which they bore to one another。 For someunaccountable reason； as Arthur Dimmesdale felt the child's eyesupon himself； his hand… with that gesture so habitual as to havebee involuntary… stole over his heart。 At length； assuming asingular air of authority； Pearl stretched out her hand； with thesmall forefinger extended； and pointing evidently towards her mother'sbreast。 And beneath； in the mirror of the brook； there was theflower…girdled and sunny image of little Pearl； pointing her smallforefinger too。 〃Thou strange child； why dost thou not e to me？〃 exclaimedHester。 Pearl still pointed with her forefinger； and a frown gathered on herbrow； the more impressive from the childish； the almost baby…likeaspect of the features that conveyed it。 As her mother still keptbeckoning to her； and arraying her face in a holiday suit ofunaccustomed smiles； the child stamped her foot with a yet moreimperious look and gesture。 In the brook； again； was the fantasticbeauty of the image； with its reflected frown； its pointed finger； andimperious gesture； giving emphasis to the aspect of little Pearl。 〃Hasten； Pearl； or I shall be angry with thee！〃 cried Hester Prynne；who； however inured to such behaviour on the elf…child's part at otherseasons； was naturally anxious for a more seemly deportment now。 〃Leapacross the brook； naughty child； and run hither！ Else I must e tothee！〃 But Pearl； not a whit startled at her mother's threats； any morethan mollified by her entreaties； now suddenly burst into a fit ofpassion； gesticulating violently； and throwing her small figure intothe most extravagant contortions。 She acpanied this wild outbreakwith piercing shrieks； which the woods reverberated on all sides； sothat； alone as she was in her childish and unreasonable wrath； itseemed as if a hidden multitude were lending her their sympathy andencouragement。 Seen in the brook； once more； was the shadowy wraith ofPearl's image； crowned and girdled with flowers； but stamping itsfoot； wildly gesticulating； and； in the midst of all； still pointingits small forefinger at Hester's bosom！ 〃I see what ails the child；〃 whispered Hester to the clergyman；and turning pale in spite of a strong effort to conceal her troubleand annoyance。 〃Children will not abide any； the slightest； changein the accustomed aspect of things that are daily before their eyes。Pearl misses something which she has always seen me wear！〃 〃I pray you；〃 answered the minister； 〃if thou hast any means ofpacifying the child； do it forthwith！ Save it were the cankeredwrath of an old witch； like Mistress Hibbins；〃 added he； attempting tosmile； 〃I know nothing that I would not sooner encounter than thispassion in a child。 In Pearl's young beauty； as in the wrinkled witch；it has a preternatural effect。 Pacify her； if thou lovest me！〃 Hester turned again towards Pearl； with a crimson blush upon hercheek； a conscious glance aside at the clergyman； and then a heavysigh； while； even before she had time to speak； the blush yielded to adeadly pallor。 〃Pearl；〃 said she sadly； 〃look down at thy feet！ There… beforethee！… the hither side of the brook！〃 The child turned her eyes to the point indicated； and there laythe scarlet letter； so close upon the margin of the stream； that thegold embroidery was reflected in it。 〃Bring it hither！〃 said Hester。 〃e thou and take it up！〃 answered Pearl。 〃Was ever such a child！〃 observed Hester； aside to the minister。〃Oh； I have much to tell thee about her！ But； in very truth； she isright as regards this hateful token。 I must bear its torture yet alit
