红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第23章

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　mebetter　than　these　men　can。　I　will　not　lose　the　child！　Speak　for　me！Thou　knowest…　for　thou　hast　sympathies　which　these　men　lack…　thouknowest　what　is　in　my　heart；　and　what　are　a　mother's　rights；　and　howmuch　the　stronger　they　are；　when　that　mother　has　but　her　child　and　thescarlet　letter！　Look　thou　to　it！　I　will　not　lose　the　child！　Look　toit！〃　　At　this　wild　and　singular　appeal；　which　indicated　that　HesterPrynne's　situation　had　provoked　her　to　little　less　than　madness；　theyoung　minister　at　once　came　forward；　pale；　and　holding　his　hand　overhis　heart；　as　was　his　custom　whenever　his　peculiarly　nervoustemperament　was　thrown　into　agitation。　He　looked　now　more　careworn　andemaciated　than　as　we　described　him　at　the　scene　of　Hester's　publicignominy；　and　whether　it　were　his　failing　health；　or　whatever　thecause　might　be；　his　large　dark　eyes　had　a　world　of　pain　in　theirtroubled　and　melancholy　depth。　　〃There　is　truth　in　what　she　says；〃　began　the　minister；　with　avoice　sweet；　tremulous；　but　powerful；　insomuch　that　the　hallre…echoed；　and　the　hollow　armour　rang　with　it…　〃truth　in　what　Hestersays；　and　in　the　feeling　which　inspires　her！　God　gave　her　the　child；and　gave　her；　too；　an　instinctive　knowledge　of　its　nature　andrequirements…　both　seemingly　so　peculiar…　which　no　other　mortalbeing　can　possess。　And；　moreover；　is　there　not　a　quality　of　awfulsacredness　in　the　relation　between　this　mother　and　this　child？〃　　〃Ay！…　how　is　that；　good　Master　Dimmesdale？〃　interrupted　theGovernor。　〃Make　that　plain；　I　pray　you！〃　　〃It　must　be　even　so；〃　resumed　the　minister。　〃For；　if　we　deem　itotherwise；　do　we　not　thereby　say　that　the　Heavenly　Father；　the　Creatorof　all　flesh；　hath　lightly　recognised　a　deed　of　sin；　and　made　of　noaccount　the　distinction　between　unhallowed　lust　and　holy　love？　Thischild　of　its　father's　guilt　and　its　mother's　shame　hath　e　fromthe　hand　of　God；　to　work　in　many　ways　upon　her　heart；　who　pleads　soearnestly；　and　with　such　bitterness　of　spirit；　the　right　to　keepher。　It　was　meant　for　a　blessing；　for　the　one　blessing　of　her　life！　Itwas　meant；　doubtless；　as　the　mother　herself　hath　told　us；　for　aretribution　too；　a　torture　to　be　felt　at　many　an　unthought…ofmoment；　a　pang；　a　sting；　an　ever…recurring　agony；　in　the　midst　of　atroubled　joy！　Hath　she　not　expressed　this　thought　in　the　garb　of　thepoor　child；　so　forcibly　reminding　us　of　that　red　symbol　which　searsher　bosom？〃　　〃Well　said　again！〃　cried　good　Mr。　Wilson。　〃I　feared　the　woman　had　nobetter　thought　than　to　make　a　mountebank　of　her　child！〃　　〃Oh；　not　so！…　not　so！〃　continued　Mr。　Dimmesdale。　〃She　recognises；believe　me；　the　solemn　miracle　which　God　hath　wrought；　in　theexistence　of　that　child。　And　may　she　feel；　too…　what；　methinks；　is　thevery　truth…　that　this　boon　was　meant；　above　all　things　else；　to　keepthe　mother's　soul　alive；　and　to　preserve　her　from　blacker　depths　ofsin　into　which　Satan　might　else　have　sought　to　plunge　her！　Thereforeit　is　good　for　this　poor；　sinful　woman　that　she　hath　an　infantimmortality；　a　being　capable　of　eternal　joy　or　sorrow；　confided　to　hercare…　to　be　trained　up　by　her　to　righteousness…　to　remind　her；　atevery　moment；　of　her　fall…　but　yet　to　teach　her；　as　it　were　by　theCreator's　sacred　pledge；　that；　if　she　bring　the　child　to　heaven；　thechild　also　will　bring　its　parent　thither！　Herein　is　the　sinful　motherhappier　than　the　sinful　father。　For　Hester　Prynne's　sake；　then；　and　noless　for　the　poor　child's　sake；　let　us　leave　them　as　Providence　hathseen　fit　to　place　them！〃　　〃You　speak；　my　friend；　with　a　strange　earnestness；〃　said　old　RogerChillingworth；　smiling　at　him。　　〃And　there　is　a　weighty　import　in　what　my　young　brother　hathspoken；〃　added　the　Reverend　Mr。　Wilson。　〃What　say　you；　worshipfulMaster　Bellingham？　Hath　he　not　pleaded　well　for　the　poor　woman？〃　　〃Indeed　hath　he；〃　answered　the　magistrate；　〃and　hath　adduced　sucharguments；　that　we　will　even　leave　the　matter　as　it　now　stands；　solong；　at　least；　as　there　shall　be　no　further　scandal　in　the　woman。Care　must　be　had；　nevertheless；　to　put　the　child　to　due　and　statedexamination　in　the　catechism；　at　thy　hands　or　Master　Dimmesdale's。Moreover；　at　a　proper　season；　the　tithing…men　must　take　heed　thatshe　go　both　to　school　and　to　meeting。〃　　The　young　minister；　on　ceasing　to　speak；　had　withdrawn　a　few　stepsfrom　the　group；　and　stood　with　his　face　partially　concealed　in　theheavy　folds　of　the　window…curtain；　while　the　shadow　of　his　figure；which　the　sunlight　cast　upon　the　floor；　was　tremulous　with　thevehemence　of　his　appeal。　Pearl；　that　wild　and　flighty　little　elf；stole　softly　towards　him；　and　taking　his　hand　in　the　grasp　of　both　herown；　laid　her　cheek　against　it；　a　caress　so　tender；　and　withal　sounobtrusive；　that　her　mother；　who　was　looking　on；　asked　herself；　〃Isthat　my　Pearl？〃　Yet　she　knew　that　there　was　love　in　the　child's　heart；although　it　mostly　revealed　itself　in　passion；　and　hardly　twice　in　herlifetime　had　been　softened　by　such　gentleness　as　now。　The　minister…for；　save　the　long…sought　regards　of　woman；　nothing　is　sweeter　thanthese　marks　of　childish　preference；　accorded　spontaneously　by　aspiritual　instinct；　and　therefore　seeming　to　imply　in　us　somethingtruly　worthy　to　be　loved…　the　minister　looked　round；　laid　his　handon　the　child's　head；　hesitated　an　instant；　and　then　kissed　her　brow。Little　Pearl's　unwonted　mood　of　sentiment　lasted　no　longer；　shelaughed；　and　went　capering　down　the　hall；　so　airily；　that　old　Mr。Wilson　raised　a　question　whether　even　her　tiptoes　touched　the　floor。　　〃The　little　baggage　had　witchcraft　in　her；　I　profess；〃　said　he　toMr。　Dimmesdale。　〃She　needs　no　old　woman's　broomstick　to　fly　withal！〃　　〃A　strange　child！〃　remarked　old　Roger　Chillingworth。　〃It　is　easyto　see　the　mother's　part　in　her。　Would　it　be　beyond　a　philosopher'sresearch；　think　ye；　gentlemen；　to　analyse　that　child's　nature；　and；from　its　make　and　mould；　to　give　a　shrewd　guess　at　the　father？〃　　〃Nay；　it　would　be　sinful；　in　such　a　question；　to　follow　the　clewof　profane　philosophy；〃　said　Mr。　Wilson。　〃Better　to　fast　and　pray　uponit；　and　still　better；　it　may　be；　to　leave　the　mystery　as　we　find　it；unless　Providence　reveal　it　of　its　own　accord。　Thereby；　every　goodChristian　man　hath　a　title　to　show　a　father's　kindness　towards　thepoor；　deserted　babe。〃　　The　affair　being　so　satisfactorily　concluded；　Hester　Prynne；　withPearl；　departed　from　the　house。　As　they　descended　the　steps；　it　isaverred　that　the　lattice　of　a　chamber…window　was　thrown　open；　andforth　into　the　sunny　day　was　thrust　the　face　of　Mistress　Hibbins；Governor　Bellingham's　bitter…tempered　sister；　and　the　same　who；　afew　years　later；　was　executed　as　a　witch。　　〃Hist；　hist！〃　said　she；　while　her　ill…omened　physiognomy　seemed　tocast　a　shadow　over　the　cheerful　newness　of　the　house。　〃Wilt　thou　gowith　us　to…night？　There　will　be　a　merry　pany　in　the　forest；　and　Iwell…nigh　promised　the　Black　Man　that　ely　Hester　Prynne　should　makeone。〃　　〃Make　my　excuse　to　him；　so　please　you！〃　answered　Hester；　with　atriumphant　smile。　〃I　must　tarry　at　home；　and　keep　watch　over　my　littlePearl。　Had　they　taken　her　from　me；　I　would　willingly　have　gone　withthee　into　the　forest；　and　signed　my　name　in　the　Black　Man's　booktoo；　and　that　with　mine　own　blood！〃　　〃We　shall　have　thee　there　anon！〃　said　the　witch…lady；　frowning；　asshe　drew　back　her　head。　　But　here…　if　we　suppose　this　interview　betwixt　Mistress　Hibbinsand　Hester　Prynne　to　be　authentic；　and　not　a　parable…　was　already　anillustration　of　the　young　minister's　argument　against　sundering　therelation　of　a　fallen　mother　to　the　offspring　of　her　frailty。　Even　thusearly　had　the　child　saved　her　from　Satan's　snare。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　IX。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　LEECH。　　UNDER　the　appellation　of　Roger　Chillingworth；　the　reader　willremember；　was　hidden　another　name；　which　its　former　wearer　hadresolved　should　never　more　be　spoken。　It　has　been　related；　how；　in　thecrowd　that　witnessed　Hester　Prynne's　ignominious　exposure；　stood　aman；　elderly；　travel…worn；　who；　just　emerging　from　the　perilouswilderness；　beheld　the　woman；　in　whom　he　hoped　to　find　embodied　thewarmth　and　cheerfulness　of　home；　set　up　as　a　type　of　sin　before　thepeople。　Her　matronly　fame　was　trodden　under　all　men's　feet。　Infamy　wasbabbling　around　her　in　the　public　market…place。　For　her　kindred；should　the　tidings　ever　reach　them；　and　for　the　panions　of　herunspotted　life；　there　remained　nothing　but　the　contagion　of　herdishonour；　which　would　not　fail　to　be　distributed　in　strict　accordanceand　proportion　with　the　intimacy　and　sacredness　of　their　previousrelationship。　Then　why…　since　the　choice　was　with　himself…　shouldthe　individual；　whose　connection　with　the　fallen　woman　had　been　themost　intimate　and　sacred　of　them　all；　e　forward　to　vindicate　hisclaim　to　an　inheritance　so　little　desirable？　He　resolved　not　to　bepilloried　beside　her　on　her　pedestal　of　shame。　Unknown　to　all　butHester　Prynne；　and　possessing　the　lock　and　key　of　her　silence；　hechose　to　withdraw　his　name　from　the　roll　of　mankind；　and　as　regardedhis　former　ties　and　interests；　to　vanish　out　of　life　as　pletelyas　if　he　indeed　lay　at　the　bottom　of　the　ocean；　whither　rumour　hadlong　ago　consigned　him。　This　purpose　once　effected；　new　interestswould　immediately　spring　up；　and　likewise　a　new　purpose；　dark；　it　istrue；　if　not　guilty；　but　of　force　enough　to　engage　the　full　strengthof　his　faculties。　　In　pursuance　of　this　resolv