红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)- 第14部分

sensibility　and　a　vast　power　ofself…restraint。　Notwithstanding　his　high　native　gifts　and　scholar…likeattainments；　there　was　an　air　about　this　young　minister…　anapprehensive；　a　startled；　a　half…frightened　look…　as　of　a　being　whofelt　himself　quite　astray　and　at　a　loss　in　the　pathway　of　humanexistence；　and　could　only　be　at　ease　in　some　seclusion　of　his　own。Therefore；　so　far　as　his　duties　would　permit；　he　trod　in　the　shadowybypaths；　and　thus　kept　himself　simple　and　childlike；　ing　forth；when　occasion　was；　with　a　freshness；　and　fragrance；　and　dewy　purity　ofthought；　which；　as　many　people　said；　affected　them　like　the　speechof　an　angel。　　Such　was　the　young　man　whom　the　Reverend　Mr。　Wilson　and　the　Governorhad　introduced　so　openly　to　the　public　notice；　bidding　him　speak；　inthe　hearing　of　all　men；　to　that　mystery　of　a　woman's　soul；　so　sacredeven　in　its　pollution。　The　trying　nature　of　his　position　drove　theblood　from　his　cheek；　and　made　his　lips　tremulous。　　〃Speak　to　the　woman；　my　brother；〃　said　Mr。　Wilson。　〃It　is　ofmoment　to　her　soul；　and　therefore；　as　the　worshipful　Governor　says；momentous　to　thine　own；　in　whose　charge　hers　is。　Exhort　her　to　confessthe　truth！〃　　The　Reverend　Mr。　Dimmesdale　bent　his　head；　in　silent　prayer；　as　itseemed；　and　then　came　forward。　　〃Hester　Prynne；〃　said　he；　leaning　over　the　balcony；　and　looking　downsteadfastly　into　her　eyes；　〃thou　hearest　what　this　good　man　says；and　seest　the　accountability　under　which　I　labour。　If　thou　feelestit　to　be　for　thy　soul's　peace；　and　that　thy　earthly　punishment　willthereby　be　made　more　effectual　to　salvation；　I　charge　thee　to　speakout　the　name　of　thy　fellow…sinner　and　fellow…sufferer！　Be　not　silentfrom　any　mistaken　pity　and　tenderness　for　him；　for　believe　me；　Hester；though　he　were　to　step　down　from　a　high　place；　and　stand　therebeside　thee；　on　thy　pedestal　of　shame；　yet　better　were　it　so；　thanto　hide　a　guilty　heart　through　life。　What　can　thy　silence　do　forhim；　except　it　tempt　him…　yea；　pel　him；　as　it　were…　to　addhypocrisy　to　sin？　Heaven　hath　granted　thee　an　open　ignominy；　thatthereby　thou　mayest　work　out　an　open　triumph　over　the　evil　withinthee；　and　the　sorrow　without。　Take　heed　how　thou　deniest　to　him…who；　perchance；　hath　not　the　courage　to　grasp　it　for　himself…　thebitter；　but　wholesome；　cup　that　is　now　presented　to　thy　lips！〃　　The　young　pastor's　voice　was　tremulously　sweet；　rich；　deep；　andbroken。　The　feeling　that　it　so　evidently　manifested；　rather　than　thedirect　purport　of　the　words；　caused　it　to　vibrate　within　all　hearts；and　brought　the　listeners　into　one　accord　of　sympathy。　Even　the　poorbaby；　at　Hester's　bosom；　was　affected　by　the　same　influence；　for　itdirected　its　hitherto　vacant　gaze　towards　Mr。　Dimmesdale；　and　heldup　its　little　arms；　with　a　half…pleased；　half…plaintive　murmur。　Sopowerful　seemed　the　minister's　appeal；　that　the　people　could　notbelieve　but　that　Hester　Prynne　would　speak　out　the　guilty　name；　orelse　that　the　guilty　one　himself；　in　whatever　high　or　lowly　place　hestood；　would　be　drawn　forth　by　an　inward　and　inevitable　necessity；　andpelled　to　ascend　the　scaffold。　　Hester　shook　her　head。　　〃Woman；　transgress　not　beyond　the　limits　of　Heaven's　mercy！〃　criedthe　Reverend　Mr。　Wilson；　more　harshly　than　before。　〃That　little　babehath　been　gifted　with　a　voice；　to　second　and　confirm　the　counsel　whichthou　hast　heard。　Speak　out　the　name！　That；　and　thy　repentance；　mayavail　to　take　the　scarlet　letter　off　thy　breast。〃　　〃Never！〃　replied　Hester　Prynne；　looking；　not　at　Mr。　Wilson；　but　intothe　deep　and　troubled　eyes　of　the　younger　clergyman。　〃It　is　too　deeplybranded。　Ye　cannot　take　it　off。　And　would　that　I　might　endure　hisagony；　as　well　as　mine！〃　　〃Speak；　woman！〃　said　another　voice；　coldly　and　sternly；　proceedingfrom　the　crowd　about　the　scaffold。　〃Speak；　and　give　your　child　afather！〃　　〃I　will　not　speak！〃　answered　Hester；　turning　pale　as　death；　butresponding　to　this　voice；　which　she　too　surely　recognized。　〃And　mychild　must　seek　a　heavenly　Father；　she　shall　never　know　an　earthlyone！〃　　〃She　will　not　speak！〃　murmured　Mr。　Dimmesdale；　who；　leaning　over　thebalcony；　with　his　hand　upon　his　heart；　had　awaited　the　result　of　hisappeal。　He　now　drew　back；　with　a　long　respiration。　〃Wondrousstrength　and　generosity　of　a　woman's　heart！　She　will　not　speak！〃　　Discerning　the　impractible　state　of　the　poor　culprit's　mind；　theelder　clergyman；　who　had　carefully　prepared　himself　for　theoccasion；　addressed　to　the　multitude　a　discourse　on　sin；　in　all　itsbranches；　but　with　continual　reference　to　the　ignominious　letter。　Soforcibly　did　he　dwell　upon　this　symbol；　for　the　hour　or　more　duringwhich　his　periods　were　rolling　over　the　people's　heads；　that　itassumed　new　terrors　in　their　imagination；　and　seemed　to　derive　itsscarlet　hue　from　the　flames　of　the　infernal　pit。　Hester　Prynne；meanwhile；　kept　her　place　upon　the　pedestal　of　shame；　with　glazedeyes；　and　an　air　of　weary　indifference。　She　had　borne；　that　morning；all　that　nature　could　endure；　and　as　her　temperament　was　not　of　theorder　that　escapes　from　too　intense　suffering　by　a　swoon；　her　spiritcould　only　shelter　itself　beneath　a　stony　crust　of　insensibility；while　the　faculties　of　animal　life　remained　entire。　In　this　state；　thevoice　of　the　preacher　thundered　remorselessly；　but　unavailingly；upon　her　ears。　The　infant；　during　the　latter　portion　of　her　ordeal；pierced　the　air　with　its　wailings　and　screams；　she　strove　to　hushit；　mechanically；　but　seemed　scarcely　to　sympathise　with　itstrouble。　With　the　same　hard　demeanour；　she　was　led　back　to　prison；　andvanished　from　the　public　gaze　within　its　iron…clamped　portal。　It　waswhispered；　by　those　who　peered　after　her；　that　the　scarlet　letterthrew　a　lurid　gleam　along　the　dark　passage…way　of　the　interior。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　IV。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　INTERVIEW。　　AFTER　her　return　to　the　prison；　Hester　Prynne　was　found　to　be　in　astate　of　nervous　excitement　that　demanded　constant　watchfulness；lest　she　should　perpetrate　violence　on　herself；　or　do　somehalf…frenzied　mischief　to　the　poor　babe。　As　night　approached；　itproving　impossible　to　quell　her　insubordination　by　rebuke　or　threatsof　punishment；　Master　Brackett；　the　jailer；　thought　fit　to　introduce　aphysician。　He　described　him　as　a　man　of　skill　in　all　Christian　modesof　physical　science；　and　likewise　familiar　with　whatever　the　savagepeople　could　teach；　in　respect　to　medicinal　herbs　and　roots　thatgrew　in　the　forest。　To　say　the　truth；　there　was　much　need　ofprofessional　assistance；　not　merely　for　Hester　herself；　but　still　moreurgently　for　the　child；　who；　drawing　its　sustenance　from　thematernal　bosom；　seemed　to　have　drank　in　with　it　all　the　turmoil；　theanguish　and　despair；　which　pervaded　the　mother's　system。　It　nowwrithed　in　convulsions　of　pain；　and　was　a　forcible　type；　in　its　littleframe；　of　the　moral　agony　which　Hester　Prynne　had　borne　throughout　theday。　　Closely　following　the　jailer　into　the　dismal　apartment；　appearedthat　individual　of　singular　aspect；　whose　presence　in　the　crowd　hadbeen　of　such　deep　interest　to　the　wearer　of　the　scarlet　letter。　He　waslodged　in　the　prison；　not　as　suspected　of　any　offence；　but　as　the　mostconvenient　and　suitable　mode　of　disposing　of　him；　until　themagistrates　should　have　conferred　with　the　Indian　sagamores　respectinghis　ransom。　His　name　was　announced　as　Roger　Chillingworth。　The　jailer；after　ushering　him　into　the　room；　remained　a　moment；　marvelling　at　theparative　quiet　that　followed　his　entrance；　for　Hester　Prynne　hadimmediately　bee　as　still　as　death；　although　the　child　continuedto　moan。　　〃Prithee；　friend；　leave　me　alone　with　my　patient；〃　said　thepractitioner。　〃Trust　me；　good　jailer；　you　shall　briefly　have　peacein　your　house；　and；　I　promise　you；　Mistress　Prynne　shall　hereafterbe　more　amenable　to　just　authority　than　you　may　have　found　herheretofore。〃　　〃Nay；　if　your　worship　can　acplish　that；〃　answered　MasterBrackett；　〃I　shall　own　you　for　a　man　of　skill　indeed！　Verily；　thewoman　hath　been　like　a　possessed　one；　and　there　lacks　little；　that　Ishould　take　in　hand　to　drive　Satan　out　of　her　with　stripes。〃　　The　stranger　had　entered　the　room　with　the　characteristic　quietudeof　the　profession　to　which　he　announced　himself　as　belonging。　Nordid　his　demeanour　change；　when　the　withdrawal　of　the　prison　keeperleft　him　face　to　face　with　the　woman；　whose　absorbed　notice　of　him；　inthe　crowd；　had　intimated　so　close　a　relation　between　himself　andher。　His　first　care　was　given　to　the　child；　whose　cries；　indeed；　asshe　lay　writhing　on　the　trundle…bed；　made　it　of　peremptory　necessityto　postpone　all　other　business　to　the　task　of　soothing　her。　Heexamined　the　infant　carefully；　and　then　proceeded　to　unclasp　aleathern　case；　which　he　took　from　beneath　his　dress。　It　appeared　tocontain　medical　preparations；　one　of　which　he　mingled　with　a　cup　ofwater。　　〃My　old　studies　in　alchemy；〃　observed　he；　〃and　my　sojourn；　for　abovea　year　past；　among　a　people　well　versed　in　the　kindly　properties　ofsimples；　have　made　a　better　physician　of　me　than　many　that　claim　themedical　degree。　Here；　woman！　The　child　is　yours…　she　is　none　ofmine…　neither　will　she　recognise　my　voice　or　aspect　as　a　father's。Administer　this　draught；　therefore；　with　thine　own　hand。〃　　Hester　repelled　the　offered　medicine；　at　the　same　time　gazing　withstrongly　marked　apprehension　into　his　face。　　〃Wouldst　thou　avenge　thyself　on　the　innocent　babe？〃　whispered　s