红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第38部分
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her！ But； in very truth； she isright as regards this hateful token。 I must bear its torture yet alittle longer… only a few days longer… until we shall have left thisregion； and look back hither as to a land which we have dreamed of。The forest cannot hide it！ The mid…ocean shall take it from my hand；and swallow it up for ever！〃 With these words； she advanced to the margin of the brook； took upthe scarlet letter； and fastened it again into her bosom。 Hopefully；but a moment ago； as Hester had spoken of drowning it in the deep sea；there was a sense of inevitable doom upon her； as she thus receivedback this deadly symbol from the hand of fate。 She had flung it intoinfinite space！… she had drawn an hour's free breath！… and hereagain was the scarlet misery； glittering on the old spot！ So it everis； whether thus typified or no； that an evil deed invests itself withthe character of doom。 Hester next gathered up the heavy tresses ofher hair； and confined them beneath her cap。 As if there were awithering spell in the sad letter； her beauty； the warmth and richnessof her womanhood； departed； like fading sunshine； and a grey shadowseemed to fall across her。 When the dreary change was wrought； she extended her hand to Pearl。 〃Dost thou know thy mother now； child？〃 asked she reproachfully； butwith a subdued tone。 〃Wilt thou e across the brook； and own thymother； now that she has her shame upon her… now that she is sad？〃 〃Yes； now I will！〃 answered the child； bounding across the brook；and clasping Hester in her arms。 〃Now thou art my mother indeed！ And Iam thy little Pearl！〃 In a mood of tenderness that was not usual with her； she drew downher mother's head； and kissed her brow and both her cheeks。 Butthen… by a kind of necessity that always impelled this child toalloy whatever fort she might chance to give with a throb ofanguish… Pearl put up her mouth； and kissed the scarlet letter too！ 〃That was not kind！〃 said Hester。 〃When thou hast shown me alittle love； thou mockest me！〃 〃Why doth the minister sit yonder？〃 asked Pearl。 〃He waits to wele thee；〃 replied her mother。 〃e thou； andentreat his blessing！ He loves thee； my little Pearl； and loves thymother too。 Wilt thou not love him？ e！ he longs to greet thee！〃 〃Doth he love us？〃 said Pearl； looking up； with acuteintelligence； into her mother's face。 〃Will he go back with us； handin hand； we three together into the town？〃 〃Not now； dear child；〃 answered Hester。 〃But in days to e he willwalk hand in hand with us。 We will have a home and fireside of ourown； and thou shalt sit upon his knee； and he will teach thee manythings； and love thee dearly。 Thou wilt love him； wilt thou not？〃 〃And will he always keep his hand over his heart？〃 inquired Pearl。 〃Foolish child； what a question is that！〃 exclaimed her mother。〃e and ask his blessing！〃 But； whether influenced by the jealousy that seems instinctivewith every petted child towards a dangerous rival； or from whatevercaprice of her freakish nature； Pearl would show no favour to theclergyman。 It was only by an exertion of force that her mother broughther up to him； hanging back； and manifesting her reluctance by oddgrimaces； of which； ever since her babyhood； she had possessed asingular variety； and could transform her mobile physiognomy into aseries of different aspects； with a new mischief in them； each andall。 The minister… painfully embarrassed； but hoping that a kiss mightprove a talisman to admit him into the child's kindlier regards…bent forward； and impressed one on her brow。 Hereupon； Pearl brokeaway from her mother； and； running to the brook； stooped over it；and bathed her forehead； until the unwele kiss was quite washedoff； and diffused through a long lapse of the gliding water。 Shethen remained apart； silently watching Hester and the clergyman： whilethey talked together； and made such arrangements as were suggestedby their new position； and the purposes soon to be fulfilled。 And now this fateful interview had e to a close。 The dell wasto be left a solitude among its dark； old trees； which； with theirmultitudinous tongues； would whisper long of what had passed there；and no mortal be the wiser。 And the melancholy brook would add thisother tale to the mystery with which its little heart was alreadyoverburdened； and whereof it still kept up a murmuring babble； withnot a whit more cheerfulness of tone than for ages heretofore。 XX。 THE MINISTER IN A MAZE。 AS the minister departed； in advance of Hester Prynne and littlePearl； he threw a backward glance； half expecting that he shoulddiscover only some faintly traced features or outline of the motherand the child； slowly fading into the twilight of the woods。 Sogreat a vicissitude in his life could not at once be received as real。But there was Hester； clad in her grey robe； still standing beside thetree…trunk； which some blast had overthrown a long antiquity ago；and which time had ever since been covering with moss； so that thesetwo fated ones； with earth's heaviest burden on them； might theresit down together； and find a single hour's rest and solace。 And therewas Pearl； too； lightly dancing from the margin of the brook… now thatthe intrusive third person was gone… and taking her old place by hermother's side。 So the minister had not fallen asleep； and dreamed！ In order to free his mind from this indistinctness and duplicityof impression； which vexed it with a strange disquietude； herecalled and more thoroughly defined the plans which Hester andhimself had sketched for their departure。 It had been determinedbetween them； that the Old World； with its crowds and cities；offered them a more eligible shelter and concealment than the wilds ofNew England； or all America； with its alternatives of an Indianwigwam； or the few settlements of Europeans； scattered thinly alongthe seaboard。 Not to speak of the clergyman's health； so inadequate tosustain the hardships of a forest life； his native gifts； his culture；and his entire development； would secure him a home only in themidst of civilisation and refinement； the higher the state； the moredelicately adapted to it the man。 In furtherance of this choice； it sohappened that a ship lay in the harbour； one of those questionablecruisers； frequent at that day； which； without being absolutelyoutlaws of the deep； yet roamed over its surface with a remarkableirresponsibility of character。 This vessel had recently arrived fromthe Spanish Main； and； within three days' time； would sail forBristol。 Hester Prynne… whose vocation； as a self…enlisted Sister ofCharity； had brought her acquainted with the captain and crew… couldtake upon herself to secure the passage of two individuals and achild； with all the secrecy which circumstances rendered more thandesirable。 The minister had inquired of Hester； with no little interest； theprecise time at which the vessel might be expected to depart。 It wouldprobably be on the fourth day from the present。 〃That is mostfortunate！〃 he had then said to himself。 Now； why the Reverend Mr。Dimmesdale considered it so very fortunate； we hesitate to reveal。Nevertheless… to hold nothing back from the reader… it was because； onthe third day from the present； he was to preach the ElectionSermon； and； as such an occasion formed an honourable epoch in thelife of a New England clergyman； he could not have chanced upon a moresuitable mode and time of terminating his professional career。 〃Atleast； they shall say of me；〃 thought this exemplary man； 〃that Ileave no public duty unperformed； nor ill performed！〃 Sad； indeed；that an introspection so profound and acute as this poor minister'sshould be so miserably deceived！ We have had； and may still have；worse things to tell of him； but none； we apprehend； so pitiably weak；no evidence； at once so slight and irrefragable； of a subtledisease； that had long since begun to eat into the real substance ofhis character。 No man； for any considerable period； can wear oneface to himself and another to the multitude； without finallygetting bewildered as to which may be the true。 The excitement of Mr。 Dimmesdale's feelings； as he returned from hisinterview with Hester； lent him unaccustomed physical energy； andhurried him townward at a rapid pace。 The pathway among the woodsseemed wilder； more uncouth with its rude natural obstacles and lesstrodden by the foot of man than he remembered it on his outwardjourney。 But he leaped across the plashy places； thrust himselfthrough the clinging underbrush； climbed the ascent； plunged intothe hollow； and overcame； in short； all the difficulties of the track；with an unweariable activity that astonished him。 He could not butrecall how feebly； and with what frequent pauses for breath； he hadtoiled over the same ground； only two days before。 As he drew near thetown； he took an impression of change from the series of familiarobjects that presented themselves。 It seemed not yesterday； not one；nor two； but many days； or even years ago； since he had quittedthem。 There； indeed； was each former trace of the street； as heremembered it； and all the peculiarities of the houses； with the duemultitude of gable…peaks； and a weather…cock at every point wherehis memory suggested one。 Not the less； however； came thisimportunately obtrusive sense of change。 The same was true as regardedthe acquaintances whom he met； and all the well…known shapes ofhuman life； about the little town。 They looked neither older noryounger now； the beards of the aged were no whiter； nor could thecreeping babe of yesterday walk on his feet to…day； it wasimpossible to describe in what respect they differed from theindividuals on whom he had so recently bestowed a parting glance；and yet the minister's deepest sense seemed to inform him of theirmutability。 A similar impression struck him most remarkably； as hepassed under the walls of his own church。 The edifice had so verystrange； and yet so familiar； an aspect； that Mr。 Dimmesdale's mindvibrated between two ideas； either that he had seen it only in a dreamhitherto； or that he was merely dreaming about it now。 This phenomenon； in the various shapes which it assumed； indicatedno external change； but so sudden and important a change in thespectator of the familiar scene； that the intervening space of asingle day had operated on
