红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第13部分
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ievousmishaps by sea and land； and have been long held in bonds among theheathen folk； to the southward； and am now brought hither by thisIndian； to be redeemed out of my captivity。 Will it please you；therefore； to tell me of Hester Prynne's… have I her name rightly？… ofthis woman's offences； and what has brought her to yonder scaffold？〃 〃Truly； friend； and methinks it must gladden your heart； afteryour troubles and sojourn in the wilderness；〃 said the townsman； 〃tofind yourself； at length； in a land where iniquity is searched out；and punished in the sight of rulers and people； as here in our godlyNew England。 Yonder woman； sir； you must know； was the wife of acertain learned man； English by birth； but who had long dwelt inAmsterdam； whence； some good time agone； he was minded to cross overand cast in his lot with us of the Massachusetts。 To this purpose；he sent his wife before him； remaining himself to look after somenecessary affairs。 Marry； good sir； in some two years； or less； thatthe woman has been a dweller here in Boston； no tidings have e ofthis learned gentleman； Master Prynne； and his young wife； look you；being left to her own misguidance…〃 〃Ah！… aha！… I conceive you；〃 said the stranger； with a bitter smile。〃So learned a man as you speak of should have learned this； too； inhis books。 And who； by your favour； sir； may be the father of yonderbabe… it is some three or four months old； I should judge… whichMistress Prynne is holding in her arms？〃 〃Of a truth； friend； that matter remaih a riddle； and theDaniel who shall expound it is yet a…wanting；〃 answered thetownsman。 〃Madam Hester absolutely refuseth to speak； and themagistrates have laid their heads together in vain。 Peradventure theguilty one stands looking on at this sad spectacle； unknown of man；and forgetting that God sees him。〃 〃The learned man；〃 observed the stranger； with another smile；〃should e himself； to look into the mystery。〃 〃It behooves him well； if he be still in life；〃 responded thetownsman。 〃Now； good sir； our Massachusetts magistracy； bethinkingthemselves that this woman is youthful and fair； and doubtless wasstrongly tempted to her fall… and that； moreover； as is most likely；her husband may be at the bottom of the sea… they have not been boldto put in force the extremity of our righteous law against her。 Thepenalty thereof is death。 But in their great mercy and tenderness ofheart； they have doomed Mistress Prynne to stand only a space of threehours on the platform of the pillory； and then and thereafter； for theremainder of her natural life； to wear a mark of shame upon herbosom。〃 〃A wise sentence！〃 remarked the stranger； gravely bowing his head。〃Thus she will be a living sermon against sin； until the ignominiousletter be engraved upon her tombstone。 It irks me； nevertheless；that the partner of her iniquity should not； at least； stand on thescaffold by her side。 But he will be known！… he will be known！… hewill be known！〃 He bowed courteously to the municative townsman； and；whispering a few words to his Indian attendant； they both made theirway through the crowd。 While this passed； Hester Prynne had been standing on herpedestal； still with a fixed gaze towards the stranger； so fixed agaze that； at moments of intense absorption； all other objects inthe visible world seemed to vanish； leaving only him and her。 Suchan interview； perhaps； would have been more terrible than even to meethim as she now did； with the hot； mid…day sun burning down upon herface； and lighting up its shame； with the scarlet token of infamy onher breast； with the sin…born infant in her arms； with a whole people；drawn forth as to a festival； staring at the features that should havebeen seen only in the quiet gleam of the fireside； in the happy shadowof a home； or beneath a matronly veil； at church。 Dreadful as itwas； she was conscious of a shelter in the presence of thesethousand witnesses。 It was better to stand thus； with so manybetwixt him and her； than to greet him； face to face； they twoalone。 She fled for refuge； as it were； to the public exposure； anddreaded the moment when its protection should be withdrawn from her。Involved in these thoughts； she scarcely heard a voice behind her；until it had repeated her name more than once； in a loud and solemntone； audible to the whole multitude。 〃Hearken unto me； Hester Prynne！〃 said the voice。 It has already been noticed； that directly over the platform onwhich Hester Prynne stood was a kind of balcony； or open gallery；appended to the meeting…house。 It was the place whence proclamationswere wont to be made； amidst an assemblage of the magistracy； with allthe ceremonial that attended such public observances in those days。Here； to witness the scene which we are describing； sat GovernorBellingham himself； with four sergeants about his chair； bearinghalberds； as a guard of honour。 He wore a dark feather in his hat； aborder of embroidery on his cloak； and a black velvet tunic beneath； agentleman advanced in years； with a hard experience written in hiswrinkles。 He was not ill fitted to be the head and representative of amunity； which owed its origin and progress； and its present stateof development； not to the impulses of youth； but to the stern andtempered energies of manhood； and the sombre sagacity of age；acplishing so much； precisely because it imagined and hoped solittle。 The other eminent characters； by whom the chief ruler wassurrounded； were distinguished by a dignity of mien； belonging to aperiod when the forms of authority were felt to possess the sacrednessof Divine institutions。 They were； doubtless； good men； just； andsage。 But； out of the whole human family； it would not have beeneasy to select the same number of wise and virtuous persons； whoshould be less capable of sitting in judgment on an erring woman'sheart； and disentangling its mesh of good and evil； than the sagesof rigid aspect towards whom Hester Prynne now turned her face。 Sheseemed conscious； indeed； that whatever sympathy she might expect； layin the larger and warmer heart of the multitude； for； as she liftedher eyes towards the balcony； the unhappy woman grew pale andtrembled。 The voice which had called her attention was that of the reverendand famous John Wilson； the eldest clergyman of Boston； a greatscholar； like most of his contemporaries in the profession； and withala man of kind and genial spirit。 This last attribute； however； hadbeen less carefully developed than his intellectual gifts； and was； intruth； rather a matter of shame than self…congratulation with him。There he stood； with a border of grizzled locks beneath his skull…cap；while his grey eyes； accustomed to the shaded light of his study； werewinking； like those of Hester's infant； in the unadulterated sunshine。He looked like the darkly engraved portraits which we see prefixedto old volumes of sermons； and had no more right than one of thoseportraits would have； to step forth； as he now did； and meddle an guilt； passion； and anguish。 〃Hester Prynne；〃 said the clergyman； 〃I have striven with my youngbrother here； under whose preaching of the Word you have beenprivileged to sit〃… here Mr。 Wilson laid his hand on the shoulder of apale young man beside him… 〃I have sought； I say； to persuade thisgodly youth； that he should deal with you； here in the face of Heaven；and before these wise and upright rulers； and in hearing of all thepeople； as touching the vileness and blackness of your sin。 Knowingyour natural temper better than I； he could the better judge whatarguments to use； whether of tenderness or terror； such as mightprevail over your hardness and obstinacy； insomuch that you shouldno longer hide the name of him who tempted you to this grievousfall。 But he opposes to me （with a young man's over…softness； albeitwise beyond his years） that it were wronging the very nature ofwoman to force her to lay open her heart's secrets in such broaddaylight； and in presence of so great a multitude。 Truly； as Isought to convince him； the shame lay in the mission of the sin；and not in the showing of it forth。 What say you to it； once again；brother Dimmesdale！ Must it be thou； or I； that shall deal with thispoor sinner's soul？〃 There was a murmur among the dignified and reverend occupants of thebalcony； and Governor Bellingham gave expression to its purport；speaking in an authoritative voice； although tempered with respecttowards the youthful clergyman whom he addressed。 〃Good Master Dimmesdale；〃 said he； 〃the responsibility of thiswoman's soul lies greatly with you。 It behooves you； therefore； toexhort her to repentance； and to confession； as a proof andconsequence thereof。〃 The directness of this appeal drew the eyes of the whole crowdupon the Reverend Mr。 Dimmesdale； a young clergyman； who had e fromone of the great English universities； bringing all the learning ofthe age into our wild forest…land。 His eloquence and religious fervourhad already given the earnest of high eminence in his profession。 Hewas a person of very striking aspect； with a white； lofty； andimpending brow； large； brown； melancholy eyes； and a mouth which；unless when he forcibly pressed it； was apt to be tremulous；expressing both nervous sensibility and a vast power ofself…restraint。 Notwithstanding his high native gifts and scholar…lik
