红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)- 第40部分

nes。　Scorn；bitterness；　unprovoked　malignity；　gratuitous　desire　of　ill；　ridiculeof　whatever　was　good　and　holy；　all　awoke；　to　tempt；　even　while　theyfrightened　him。　And　his　encounter　with　old　Mistress　Hibbins；　if　itwere　a　real　incident；　did　but　show　his　sympathy　and　fellowship　withwicked　mortals；　and　the　world　of　perverted　spirits。　　He　had；　by　this　time；　reached　his　dwelling；　on　the　edge　of　theburial…ground；　and；　hastening　up　the　stairs；　took　refuge　in　his　study。The　minister　was　glad　to　have　reached　this　shelter；　without　firstbetraying　himself　to　the　world　by　any　of　those　strange　and　wickedeccentricities　to　which　he　had　been　continually　impelled　while　passingthrough　the　streets。　He　entered　the　accustomed　room；　and　looked　aroundhim　on　its　books；　its　windows；　its　fireplace；　and　the　tapestriedfort　of　the　walls；　with　the　same　perception　of　strangeness　that　hadhaunted　him　throughout　his　walk　from　the　forest…dell　into　the　town；and　thitherward。　Here　he　had　studied　and　written；　here；　gone　throughfast　and　vigil；　and　e　forth　half　alive；　here　striven　to　pray；　here；borne　a　hundred　thousand　agonies！　There　was　the　Bible；　in　its　rich　oldHebrew；　with　Moses　and　the　Prophets　speaking　to　him；　and　God's　voicethrough　all！　There；　on　the　table；　with　the　inky　pen　beside　it；　wasan　unfinished　sermon；　with　a　sentence　broken　in　the　midst；　where　histhoughts　had　ceased　to　gush　out　upon　the　page；　two　days　before。　Heknew　that　it　was　himself；　the　thin　and　white…cheeked　minister；　who　haddone　and　suffered　these　things；　and　written　thus　far　into　the　ElectionSermon！　But　he　seemed　to　stand　apart；　and　eye　this　former　self　withscornful；　pitying；　but　half…envious　curiosity。　That　self　was　gone。Another　man　had　returned　out　of　the　forest；　a　wiser　one；　with　aknowledge　of　hidden　mysteries　which　the　simplicity　of　the　former　nevercould　have　reached。　A　bitter　kind　of　knowledge　that！　　While　occupied　with　these　reflections；　a　knock　came　at　the　door　ofthe　study；　and　the　minister　said；　〃e　in！〃…　not　wholly　devoid　ofan　idea　that　he　might　behold　an　evil　spirit。　And　so　he　did！　It　was　oldRoger　Chillingworth　that　entered。　The　minister　stood；　white　andspeechless；　with　one　hand　on　the　Hebrew　Scriptures；　and　the　otherspread　upon　his　breast。　　〃Wele　home；　reverend　sir；〃　said　the　physician。　〃And　how　found　youthat　godly　man；　the　Apostle　Eliot？　But　methinks；　dear　sir；　you　lookpale；　as　if　the　travel　through　the　wilderness　had　been　too　sore　foryou。　Will　not　my　aid　be　requisite　to　put　you　in　heart　and　strengthto　preach　your　Election　Sermon？〃　　〃Nay；　I　think　not　so；〃　rejoined　the　Reverend　Mr。　Dimmesdale。　〃Myjourney；　and　the　sight　of　the　holy　Apostle　yonder；　and　the　free　airwhich　I　have　breathed；　have　done　me　good；　after　so　long　confinement　inmy　study。　I　think　to　need　no　more　of　your　drugs；　my　kind　physician；good　though　they　be；　and　administered　by　a　friendly　hand。〃　　All　this　time；　Roger　Chillingworth　was　looking　at　the　ministerwith　the　grave　and　intent　regard　of　a　physician　towards　his　patient。But；　in　spite　of　his　outward　show；　the　latter　was　almost　convincedof　the　old　man's　knowledge；　or；　at　least；　his　confident　suspicion；with　respect　to　his　own　interview　with　Hester　Prynne。　The　physicianknew　then；　that；　in　the　minister's　regard；　he　was　no　longer　atrusted　friend；　but　his　bitterest　enemy。　So　much　being　known；　it　wouldappear　natural　that　a　part　of　it　should　be　expressed。　It　issingular；　however；　how　long　a　time　often　passes　before　words　embodythings；　and　with　what　security　two　persons；　who　choose　to　avoid　acertain　subject；　may　approach　its　very　verge；　and　retire　withoutdisturbing　it。　Thus；　the　minister　felt　no　apprehension　that　RogerChillingworth　would　touch；　in　express　words；　upon　the　real　positionwhich　they　sustained　towards　one　another。　Yet　did　the　physician；　inhis　dark　way；　creep　frightfully　near　the　secret。　　〃Were　it　not　better；〃　said　he；　〃that　you　use　my　poor　skill　to…night？Verily；　dear　sir；　we　must　take　pains　to　make　you　strong　and　vigorousfor　this　occasion　of　the　Election　discourse。　The　people　look　for　greatthings　from　you；　apprehending　that　another　year　may　e　about；　andfind　their　pastor　gone。〃　　〃Yea；　to　another　world；〃　replied　the　minister；　with　piousresignation。　〃Heaven　grant　it　be　a　better　one；　for；　in　good　sooth；　Ihardly　think　to　tarry　with　my　flock　through　the　flitting　seasons　ofanother　year！　But；　touching　your　medicine；　kind　sir；　in　my　presentframe　of　body；　I　need　it　not。〃　　〃I　joy　to　hear　it；〃　answered　the　physician。　〃It　may　be　that　myremedies；　so　long　administered　in　vain；　begin　now　to　take　dueeffect。　Happy　man　were　I；　and　well　deserving　of　New　England'sgratitude；　could　I　achieve　this　cure！〃　　〃I　thank　you　from　my　heart；　most　watchful　friend；〃　said　the　ReverendMr。　Dimmesdale；　with　a　solemn　smile。　〃I　thank　you；　and　can　but　requiteyour　good　deeds　with　my　prayers。〃　　〃A　good　man's　prayers　are　golden　repense！〃　rejoined　old　RogerChillingworth；　as　he　took　his　leave。　〃Yea；　they　are　the　current　goldcoin　of　the　New　Jerusalem；　with　the　King's　own　mint；　mark　on　them！〃　　Left　alone；　the　minister　summoned　a　servant　of　the　house；　andrequested　food；　which；　being　set　before　him；　he　ate　with　ravenousappetite。　Then；　flinging　the　already　written　pages　of　the　ElectionSermon　into　the　fire；　he　forthwith　began　another；　which　he　wrotewith　such　an　impulsive　flow　of　thought　and　emotion；　that　he　fanciedhimself　inspired；　and　only　wondered　that　Heaven　should　see　fit　totransmit　the　grand　and　solemn　music　of　its　oracles　through　so　foulan　organ…pipe　as　he。　However；　leaving　that　mystery　to　solve　itself；　orgo　unsolved　for　ever；　he　drove　his　task　onward；　with　earnest　haste　andecstasy。　Thus　the　night　fled　away；　as　if　it　were　winged　steed；　andhe　careering　on　it；　morning　came；　and　peeped；　blushing；　through　thecurtains；　and　at　last　sunrise　threw　a　golden　beam　into　the　study　andlaid　it　right　across　the　minister's　bedazzled　eyes。　There　he　was；　withthe　pen　still　between　his　fingers；　and　a　vast　immeasurable　tract　ofwritten　space　behind　him！　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　XXI。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　NEW　ENGLAND　HOLIDAY。　　BETIMES　in　the　morning　of　the　day　on　which　the　new　Governor　was　toreceive　his　office　at　the　hands　of　the　people；　Hester　Prynne　andlittle　Pearl　came　into　the　market…place。　It　was　already　throngedwith　the　craftsmen　and　other　plebeian　inhabitants　of　the　town；　inconsiderable　numbers；　among　whom；　likewise；　were　many　rough　figures；whose　attire　of　deer…skins　marked　them　as　belonging　to　some　of　theforest　settlements；　which　surrounded　the　little　metropolis　of　thecolony。　　On　this　public　holiday；　as　on　all　other　occasions；　for　seven　yearspast；　Hester　was　clad　in　a　garment　of　coarse　grey　cloth。　Not　more　byits　hue　than　by　some　indescribable　peculiarity　in　its　fashion；　ithad　the　effect　of　making　her　fade　personally　out　of　sight　and　outline；while；　again；　the　scarlet　letter　brought　her　back　from　this　twilightindistinctness；　and　revealed　her　under　the　moral　aspect　of　its　ownillumination。　Her　face；　so　long　familiar　to　the　townspeople；　showedthe　marble　quietude　which　they　were　accustomed　to　behold　there。　It　waslike　a　mask；　or；　rather；　like　the　frozen　calmness　of　a　dead　woman'sfeatures；　owing　this　dreary　resemblance　to　the　fact　that　Hester　wasactually　dead；　in　respect　to　any　claim　of　sympathy；　and　had　departedout　of　the　world　with　which　she　still　seemed　to　mingle。　　It　might　be；　on　this　one　day；　that　there　was　an　expression　unseenbefore；　nor；　indeed；　vivid　enough　to　be　detected　now；　unless　somepreternaturally　gifted　observer　should　have　first　read　the　heart；and　have　afterwards　sought　a　corresponding　development　in　thecountenance　and　mien。　Such　a　spiritual　seer　might　have　conceived；that；　after　sustaining　the　gaze　of　the　multitude　through　sevenmiserable　years　as　a　necessity；　a　penance；　and　something　which　itwas　a　stern　religion　to　endure；　she　now；　for　one　last　time　more；encountered　it　freely　and　voluntarily；　in　order　to　convert　what　had　solong　been　agony　into　a　kind　of　triumph。　〃Look　your　last　on　the　scarletletter　and　its　wearer！〃…　the　people's　victim　and　life…long　bond…slave；as　they　fancied　her；　might　say　to　them。　〃Yet　a　little　while；　and　shewill　be　beyond　your　reach！　A　few　hours　longer；　and　the　deep；mysterious　ocean　will　quench　and　hide　for　ever　the　symbol　which　yehave　caused　to　burn　upon　her　bosom！〃　Nor　were　it　an　inconsistencytoo　improbable　to　be　assigned　to　human　nature；　should　we　suppose　afeeling　of　regret　in　Hester's　mind；　at　the　moment　when　she　was　aboutto　win　her　freedom　from　the　pain　which　had　been　thus　deeplyincorporated　with　her　being。　Might　there　not　be　an　irresistible　desireto　quaff　a　last；　long；　breathless　draught　of　the　cup　of　wormwood　andaloes；　with　which　nearly　all　her　years　of　womanhood　had　beenperpetually　flavoured？　The　wine　of　life；　henceforth　to　be　presented　toher　lips；　must　be　indeed　rich；　delicious；　and　exhilarating；　in　itschased　and　golden　beaker；　or　else　leave　an　inevitable　and　wearylanguor；　after　the　lees　of　bitterness　wherewith　she　had　beendrugged；　as　with　a　cordial　of　intensest　potency。　　Pearl　was　decked　out　with　airy　gaiety。　It　would　have　been　impossibleto　guess　that　this　bright　and　sunny　apparition　owed　its　existence　tothe　shape　of　gloomy　grey；　or　that　a　fancy；　at　once　so　gorgeous　andso　delicate　as　must　have　been　requisite　to　contrive　the　child'sapparel；　was　the　same　that　had　achieved　a　task　perhaps　more　difficult；in　imparting　so　distinct　a　peculiarity　to　Hester's　simple　robe。　Thedress；　so　proper　was　it　to　little　Pearl；　seemed　an　effluence；　orinevitable　development　and　outward　manifestation　of　her　character；no　more　to　be　separated　from　her　than　the　many…hued　brilliancy　froma　butterfly's　wing；　or　the　painted　glory　from　the　leaf　of　a　brightflower。　As　with　these；　so　with　the　child；　her　garb　was　all　of　one　ideawith　her　nature。　On　this　eventful　day；　moreover；　there　was　a　certainsingular　inquietude　and　excitement　in　her　mood；　resembling　nothingso　much　as　the　shimmer　of　a　diamond；　that　sparkles　and　flashes　withthe　varied　throbbings　of　the　breast　on　which　it　is　displayed。　Childrenhave　always　a　sympathy　in　the　agitations　of　those　connected　with　them；always；　especially；　a　sense　of　any　trouble　or　impending　revolution；　ofwhatever　kind；　in　domestic　circumstances；　and　therefore　Pearl；　who　wasthe　gem　on　her　mother's　unquiet　bosom；　betrayed；　by　the　very　danceof　her　spirits；　the　emotions　which　none　could　detect　in　the　marblepassiveness　of　Hester