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红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第30部分

小说: 红字-the scarlet letter(英文版) 字数: 每页4000字

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ns who speculate the most boldly oftenconform with the most perfect quietude to the external regulationsof society。 The thought suffices them; without investing itself in theflesh and blood of action。 So it seemed to be with Hester。 Yet; hadlittle Pearl never e to her from the spiritual world; it might havebeen far otherwise。 Then; she might have e down to us in history;hand in hand with Ann Hutchinson; as the foundress of a religioussect。 She might; in one of her phases; have been a prophetess。 Shemight; and not improbably would; have suffered death from the sterntribunals of the period; for attempting to undermine the foundationsof the Puritan establishment。 But; in the education of her child;the mother's enthusiasm of thought had something to wreak itself upon。Providence; in the person of this little girl; had assigned toHester's charge the germ and blossom of womanhood; to be cherished anddeveloped amid a host of difficulties。 Everything was against her。 Theworld was hostile。 The child's own nature had something wrong in it;which continually betokened that she had been born amiss… theeffluence of her mother's lawless passion… and often impelled Hesterto ask; in bitterness of heart; whether it were for ill or good thatthe poor little creature had been born at all。  Indeed; the same dark question often rose into her mind; withreference to the whole race of womanhood。 Was existence worthaccepting; even to the happiest among them? As concerned her ownindividual existence; she had long ago decided in the negative; anddismissed the point as settled。 A tendency to speculation; though itmay keep an; yet makes her sad。 She discerns;it may be; such a hopeless task before her。 As a first step; the wholesystem of society is to be torn down; and built up anew。 Then; thevery nature of the opposite sex; or its long hereditary habit; whichhas bee like nature; is to be essentially modified; before womancan be allowed to assume what seems a fair and suitable position。Finally; all other difficulties being obviated; woman cannot takeadvantage of these preliminary reforms; until she herself shall haveundergone a still mightier change; in which; perhaps; the etherealessence; wherein she has her truest life; will be found to haveevaporated。 A woman never overes these problems by any exerciseof thought。 They are not to be solved; or only in one way。 If herheart chance to e uppermost; they vanish。 Thus; Hester Prynne;whose heart had lost its regular and healthy throb; wandered without aclew in the dark labyrinth of mind; now turned aside by aninsurmountable precipice; now starting back from a deep chasm。 Therewas wild and ghastly scenery all around her; and a home and fortnowhere。 At times; a fearful doubt strove to possess her soul; whetherit were not better to send Pearl at once to heaven; and go herselfto such futurity as Eternal Justice should provide。  The scarlet letter had not done its office。  Now; however; her interview with the Reverend Mr。 Dimmesdale; on thenight of his vigil; had given her a new theme of reflection; andheld up to her an object that appeared worthy of any exertion andsacrifice for its attainment。 She had witnessed the intense miserybeneath which the minister struggled; or; to speak more accurately;had ceased to struggle。 She saw that he stood on the verge oflunacy; if he had not already stepped across it。 It was impossibleto doubt; that; whatever painful efficacy there might be in the secretsting of remorse; a deadlier venom had been infused into it by thehand that proffered relief。 A secret enemy had been continually by hisside; under the semblance of a friend and helper; and had availedhimself of the opportunities thus afforded for tampering with thedelicate springs of Mr。 Dimmesdale's nature。 Hester could not butask herself; whether there had not originally been a defect oftruth; courage; and loyalty; on her own part; in allowing the ministerto be thrown into a position where so much evil was to be foreboded;and nothing auspicious to be hoped。 Her only justification lay inthe fact; that she had been able to discern no method of rescuinghim from a blacker ruin than had overwhelmed herself; except byacquiescing in Roger Chillingworth's scheme of disguise。 Under thatimpulse; she had made her choice; and had chosen; as it nowappeared; the more wretched alternative of the two。 She determinedto redeem her error; so far as it might yet be possible。Strengthened by years of hard and solemn trial; she felt herself nolonger so inadequate to cope with Roger Chillingworth as on thatnight; abased by sin; and half maddened by the ignominy that was stillnew; when they had talked together in the prison…chamber。 She hadclimbed her way; since then; to a higher point。 The old man; on theother hand; had brought himself nearer to her level; or perhapsbelow it; by the revenge which he had stooped for。  In fine; Hester Prynne resolved to meet her former husband; and dowhat might be in her power for the rescue of the victim on whom he hadso evidently set his gripe。 The occasion was not long to seek。 Oneafternoon; walking with Pearl in a retired part of the peninsula;she beheld the old physician; with a basket on one arm; and a staff inthe other hand; stooping along the ground; in quest of roots and herbsto concoct his medicines withal。                             XIV。                   HESTER AND THE PHYSICIAN。  HESTER bade little Pearl run down to the margin of the water; andplay with the shells and tangled seaweed; until she should have talkedawhile with yonder gatherer of herbs。 So the child flew away like abird; and; making bare her small white feet; went pattering alongthe moist margin of the sea。 Here and there she came to a full stop;and peeped curiously into a pool; left by the retiring tide as amirror for Pearl to see her face in。 Forth peeped at her; out of thepool; with dark; glistening curls around her head; and an elf…smile inher eyes; the image of a little maid; whom Pearl; having no otherplaymate; invited to take her hand; and run a race with her。 But thevisionary little maid; on her part; beckoned likewise; as if to say;〃This is a better place! e thou into the pool!〃 And Pearl; steppingin; mid…leg deep; beheld her own white feet at the bottom; while;out of a still lower depth; came the gleam of a kind of fragmentarysmile; floating to and fro in the agitated water。  Meanwhile; her mother had accosted the physician。  〃I would speak a word with you;〃 said she… 〃a word that concernsus much。〃  〃Aha! and is it Mistress Hester that has a word for old RogerChillingworth?〃 answered he; raising himself from his stoopingposture。 〃With all my heart! Why; mistress; I hear good tidings ofyou; on all hands! No longer ago than yester…eve; a magistrate; a wiseand godly man; was discoursing of your affairs; Mistress Hester; andwhispered me that there had been question concerning you in thecouncil。 It was debated whether or no; with safety to the mon weal;yonder scarlet letter might be taken off your bosom。 On my life;Hester; I made my entreaty to the worshipful magistrate that itmight be done forthwith!〃  〃It lies not in the pleasure of the magistrates to take off thisbadge。〃 calmly replied Hester。 〃Were I worthy to be quit of it; itwould fall away of its own nature; or be transformed into somethingthat should speak a different purport。〃  〃Nay; then; wear it; if it suit you better;〃 rejoined he。 〃A womanmust needs follow her own fancy touching the adornment of herperson。 The letter is gaily embroidered; and shows right bravely onyour bosom!〃  All this while; Hester had been looking steadily at the old man; andwas shocked; as well as wonder…smitten; to discern what a change hadbeen wrought upon him within the past seven years。 It was not somuch that he had grown older; for though the traces of advancinglife were visible; he bore his age well; and seemed to retain a wiryvigour and alertness。 But the former aspect of an intellectual andstudious man; calm and quiet; which was what she best remembered inhim; had altogether vanished; and been succeeded by an eager;searching; almost fierce; yet carefully guarded look。 It seemed tobe his wish and purpose to mask this expression with a smile; butthe latter played him false; and flickered over his visage soderisively; that the spectator could see his blackness all thebetter for it。 Ever and anon; too; there came a glare of red light outof his eyes; as if the old man's soul were on fire; and kept onsmouldering duskily within his breast; until; by some casual puff ofpassion; it was blown into a momentary flame。 This he repressed; asspeedily as possible; and strove to look as if nothing of the kind hadhappened。  In a word; old Roger Chillingworth was a striking evidence ofman's faculty of transforming himself into a devil; if he will only;for a reasonable space of time; undertake a devil's office。 Thisunhappy person had effected such a transformation; by devotinghimself; for seven years; to the constant analysis of a heart fullof torture; and deriving his enjoyment thence; and adding fuel tothose fiery tortures which he analysed and gloated over。  The scarlet letter burned on Hester Prynne's bosom。 Here was anotherruin; the responsibility of which came partly home to her。  〃What see you in my face;〃 asked the physician; 〃that you look at itso earnestly?〃  〃Something that would make me weep; if there were any tears bitterenough for it;〃 answered she。 〃But let it pass! It is of yondermiserable man that I would speak。〃  〃And what of him?〃 cried Roger Chillingworth eagerly; as if he lovedthe topic; and were glad of an opportunity to discuss it with the onlyperson of whom he could make a confidant。 〃Not to hide the truth;Mistress Hester; my thoughts happen just now to be busy with thegentleman。 So speak freely; and I will make answer。〃  〃When we last spake together;〃 said Hester; 〃now seven years ago; itwas your pleasure to extort a promise of secrecy; as touching theformer relation betwixt yourself and me。 As the life and good fameof yonder man were in your hands; there seemed no choice to me; saveto be silent; in accordance with your behest。 Yet it was not withoutheavy misgivings that I thus bound myself; for; having cast off allduty towards other human beings; there remained a duty towards him;and something whispered me tha

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