红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第41部分
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he very danceof her spirits； the emotions which none could detect in the marblepassiveness of Hester's brow。 This effervescence made her flit with a birdlike movement； ratherthan walk by her mother's side。 She broke continually into shouts of awild； inarticulate； and sometimes piercing music。 When they reachedthe market…place； she became still more restless； on perceiving thestir and bustle that enlivened the spot； for it was usually morelike the broad and lonesome green before a village meetinghouse；than the centre of a town's business。 〃Why； what is this； mother？〃 cried she。 〃Wherefore have all thepeople left their work to…day？ Is it a play…day for the whole world？See； there is the blacksmith！ He has washed his sooty face； and put onhis Sabbath…day clothes； and looks as if he would gladly be merry；if any kind body would only teach him how！ And there is MasterBrackett； the old jailer； nodding and smiling at me。 Why does he doso； mother？〃 〃He remembers thee a little babe； my child；〃 answered Hester。 〃He should not nod and smile at me for all that… the black； grim；ugly…eyed old man！〃 said Pearl。 〃He may nod at thee； if he will； forthou art clad in grey； and wearest the scarlet letter。 But see；mother； how many faces of strange people； and Indians among them；and sailors！ What have they all e to do； here in the market…place？〃 〃They wait to see the procession pass；〃 said Hester。 〃For theGovernor and the magistrates are to go by； and the ministers； andall the great people and good people； with the music and thesoldiers marching before them。〃 〃And will the minister be there？〃 asked Pearl。 〃And will he hold outboth his hands to me； as when thou ledst me to him from thebrook…side？〃 〃He will be there； child；〃 answered her mother。 〃But he will notgreet thee to…day； nor must thou greet him。〃 〃What a strange； sad man is he！〃 said the child； as if speakingpartly to herself。 〃In the dark night…time he calls us to him； andholds thy hand and mine； as when we stood with him on the scaffoldyonder！ And in the deep forest； where only the old trees can hear； andthe strip of sky see it； he talks with thee； sitting on a heap ofmoss！ And he kisses my forehead； too； so that the little brook wouldhardly wash it off！ But here； in the sunny day； and among all thepeople； he knows us not； nor must we know him！ A strange； sad man ishe； with his hand always over his heart！〃 〃Be quiet； Pearl！ Thou understandest not these things；〃 said hermother。 〃Think not now of the minister； but look about thee； and seehow cheery is everybody's face to…day。 The children have e fromtheir schools； and the grown people from their workshops and theirfields； on purpose to be happy。 For； to…day； a new man is beginning torule over them； and so… as has been the custom of mankind ever since anation was first gathered… they make merry and rejoice； as if a goodand golden year were at length to pass over the poor old world！〃 It was as Hester said； in regard to the unwonted jollity thatbrightened the faces of the people。 Into this festal season of theyear… as it already was； and continued to be during the greater partof two centuries… the Puritans pressed whatever mirth and publicjoy they deemed allowable to human infirmity； thereby so fardispelling the customary cloud； that； for the space of a singleholiday； they appeared scarcely more grave than most other munitiesat a period of general affliction。 But we perhaps exaggerate the grey or sable tinge； which undoubtedlycharacterised the mood and manners of the age。 The persons now inthe market…place of Boston had not been born to an inheritance ofPuritanic gloom。 They were native Englishmen； whose fathers hadlived in the sunny richness of the Elizabethan epoch； a time whenthe life of England； viewed as one great mass； would appear to havebeen as stately； magnificent； and joyous； as the world has everwitnessed。 Had they followed their hereditary taste； the New Englandsettlers would have illustrated all events of public importance bybonfires； banquets； pageantries； and processions。 Nor would it havebeen impracticable； in the observance of majestic ceremonies； tobine mirthful recreation with solemnity； and give； as it broidery to the great robe of state； which anation； at such festivals； puts on。 There was some shadow of anattempt of this kind in the mode of celebrating the day on which thepolitical year of the colony menced。 The dim reflection of aremembered splendour； a colourless and manifold diluted repetitionof what they had beheld in proud old London… we will not say at aroyal coronation； but at a Lord Mayor's show… might be traced in thecustoms which our forefathers instituted； with reference to the annualinstallation of magistrates。 The fathers and founders of themonwealth… the statesman； the priest； and the soldier… deemed ita duty then to assume the outward state and majesty； which； inaccordance with antique style； was looked upon as the proper garb ofpublic or social eminence。 All came forth to move in procession beforethe people's eye； and thus impart a needed dignity to the simpleframework of a government so newly constructed。 Then； too； the people were countenanced； if not encouraged； inrelaxing the severe and close application to their various modes ofrugged industry； which； at all other times； seemed of the same pieceand material with their religion。 Here； it is true； were none of theappliances which popular merriment would so readily have found inthe England of Elizabeth's time； or that of James… no rude shows ofa theatrical kind； no minstrel； with his harp and legendary ballad；nor gleeman； with an ape dancing to his music； no juggler； with histricks of mimic witchcraft； no Merry Andrew； to stir up themultitude with jests； perhaps hundreds of years old； but stilleffective； by their appeals to the very broadest sources of mirthfulsympathy。 All such professors of the several branches of jocularitywould have been sternly repressed； not only by the rigid discipline oflaw； but by the general sentiment which gives law its vitality。 Notthe less； however； the great； honest face of the people smiled…grimly； perhaps； but widely too。 Nor were sports wanting； such asthe colonists had witnessed； and shared in； long ago； at the countryfairs and on the village…greens of England； and which it was thoughtwell to keep alive on this new soil； for the sake of the courage andmanliness that were essential in them。 Wrestling…matches； in thedifferent fashions of Cornwall and Devonshire； were seen here andthere about the market…place； in one corner； there was a friendly boutat quarterstaff； and… what attracted most interest of all… on theplatform of the pillory； already so noted in our pages； two masters ofdefence were mencing an exhibition with the buckler and broadsword。But； much to the disappointment of the crowd； this latter business wasbroken off by the interposition of the town beadle； who had no idea ofpermitting the majesty of the law to be violated by such an abuse ofone of its consecrated places。 It may not be too much to affirm； on the whole （the people beingthen in the first stages of joyless deportment； and the offspring ofsires who had known how to be merry； in their day）； that they wouldpare favourably； in point of holiday keeping； with theirdescendants； even at so long an interval as ourselves。 Their immediateposterity； the generation next to the early emigrants； wore theblackest shade of Puritanism； and so darkened the national visage withit； that all the subsequent years have not sufficed to clear it up。 Wehave yet to learn again the forgotten art of gaiety。 The picture of human life in the market…place； though its generaltint was the sad grey； brown； or black of the English emigrants； wasyet enlivened by some diversity of hue。 A party of Indians… in theirsavage finery of curiously embroidered deer…skin robes；wampum…belts； red and yellow ochre； and feathers； and armed with thebow and arrow and stone…headed spear… stood apart； with countenancesof inflexible gravity； beyond what even the Puritan aspect couldattain。 Nor； wild as were these painted barbarians； were they thewildest feature of the scene。 This distinction could more justly beclaimed by some mariners…a part of the crew of the vessel from theSpanish Main… who had e ashore to see the humours of ElectionDay。 They were rough…looking desperadoes； with sun…blackened faces；and an immensity of beard； their wide； short trousers were confinedabout the waist by belts； often clasped with a rough plate of gold；and sustaining always a long knife； and； in some instances； a sword。From beneath their broad…brimmed hats of palm…leaf； gleamed eyeswhich； even in good…nature and merriment； had a kind of animalferocity。 They transgressed； without fear or scruple； the rules ofbehaviour that were binding on all others； smoking tobacco under thebeadle's very nose； although each whiff would have cost a townsman ashilling； and quaffing； at their pleasure； draughts of pocket…flasks； which they freely tendered to thegaping crowd around them。 It remarkably characterised the inpletemorality of the age； rigid as we call it； that a license was allowedthe seafaring class； not merely for their freaks on shore； but for farmore desperate deeds on their proper element。 The sailor of that daywould go near to be arraigned as a pirate in our own。 There could belittle doubt； for instance； that this very ship's crew； though nounfavourable specimens of the nautical brotherhood； had been guilty；as we should phrase it； of depredations on the Spanish merce；such as would have perilled all their necks in a modern court ofjustice。 But the sea in those old times； heaved； swelled； and foamed； verymuch at its own will； or subject only to the tempestuous wind； withhardly any attempts at regulation by human law。 The buccaneer on thewave might relinquish his calling； and bee at once； if he chose；a man of probity and piety on land； nor； even in the full career ofhis reckless life； was he regarded as a personage with whom it wasdisreputable to traffic； or casually associate。 Thus； the Puritanelders； in their black cloaks； starched bands； and steeple…crownedhats； smiled not unbenignantly at the clamour and rude deportment ofthese jolly seafaring men； and it excited neither surprise noranim…adversion； when so reputable a citizen as o
