红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第15部分
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marked apprehension into his face。 〃Wouldst thou avenge thyself on the innocent babe？〃 whispered she。 〃Foolish woman！〃 responded the physician； half coldly； halfsoothingly。 〃What should ail me； to harm this misbegotten andmiserable babe？ The medicine is potent for good； and were it my child…yea； mine own； as well as thine！… I could do no better for it。〃 As she still hesitated； being； in fact； in no reasonable state ofmind； he took the infant in his arms； and himself administered thedraught。 It soon proved its efficacy； and redeemed the leech's pledge。The moans of the little patient subsided； its convulsive tossingsgradually ceased； and； in a few moments； as is the custom of youngchildren after relief from pain； it sank into a profound and dewyslumber。 The physician； as he had a fair right to be termed； nextbestowed his attention on the mother。 With calm and intent scrutiny；he felt her pulse； looked into her eyes… a gaze that made her heartshrink and shudder； because so familiar； and yet so strange andcold… and； finally； satisfied with his investigation； proceeded tomingle another draught。 〃I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe；〃 remarked he； 〃but I have learnedmany new secrets in the wilderness； and here is one of them… arecipe that an Indian taught me； in requital of some lessons of myown； that were as old as Paracelsus。 Drink it！ It may be less soothingthan a sinless conscience。 That I cannot give thee。 But it will calmthe swell and heaving of thy passion； like oil thrown on the wavesof a tempestuous sea。〃 He presented the cup to Hester； who received it with a slow； earnestlook into his face； not precisely a look of fear； yet full of doubtand questioning； as to what his purposes might be。 She looked alsoat her slumbering child。 〃I have thought of death；〃 said she… 〃have wished for it… wouldeven have prayed for it； were it fit that such as I should pray foranything。 Yet； if death be in this cup； I bid thee think again； erethou beholdest me quaff it。 See！ It is even now at my lips。〃 〃Drink； then；〃 replied he； still with the same cold posure。 〃Dostthou know me so little； Hester Prynne？ Are my purposes wont to be soshallow？ Even if I imagine a scheme of vengeance； what could I dobetter for my object than to let thee live… than to give theemedicines against all harm and peril of life… so that this burningshame may still blaze upon thy bosom！〃 As he spoke； he laid his longforefinger on the scarlet letter； which forthwith seemed to scorchinto Hester's breast； as if it had been red…hot。 He noticed herinvoluntary gesture； and smiled。 〃Live； therefore； and bear aboutthy doom with thee； in the eyes of men and women… in the eyes of himwhom thou didst call thy husband… in the eyes of yonder child！ And；that thou mayest live； take off this draught。〃 Without further expostulation or delay； Hester Prynne drained thecup； and； at the motion of the man of skill； seated herself on the bedwhere the child was sleeping； while he drew the only chair which theroom afforded； and took his own seat beside her。 She could not buttremble at these preparations； for she felt that… having now done allthat humanity； or principle； or； if so it were； a refined cruelty；impelled him to do； for the relief of physical suffering… he wasnext to treat with her as the man whom she had most deeply andirreparably injured。 〃Hester；〃 said he； 〃I ask not wherefore； nor how； thou hast falleninto the pit； or say； rather； thou hast ascended to the pedestal ofinfamy； on which I found thee。 The reason is not far to seek。 It wasmy folly； and thy weakness。 I… a man of thought… the bookworm of greatlibraries… a man already in decay； having given my best years tofeed the hungry dream of knowledge… what had I to do with youth andbeauty like thine own！ Misshapen from my birth…hour； how could Idelude myself with the idea that intellectual gifts might veilphysical deformity in a young girl's fantasy！ Men call me wise。 Ifsages were ever wise in their own behoof； I might have foreseen allthis。 I might have known that； as I came out of the vast and dismalforest； and entered this settlement of Christian men； the very firstobject to meet my eyes would be thyself； Hester Prynne； standing up； astatue of ignominy； before the people。 Nay； from the moment when wecame down the old churchsteps together； a married pair； I might havebeheld the bale…fire of that scarlet letter blazing at the end ofour path！〃 〃Thou knowest；〃 said Hester… for； depressed as she was； she couldnot endure this last quiet stab at the token of her shame… 〃thouknowest that I was frank with thee。 I felt no love； nor feigned any。〃 〃True；〃 replied he。 〃It was my folly！ I have said it。 But； up tothat epoch of my life； I had lived in vain。 The world had been socheerless！ My heart was a habitation large enough for many guests； butlonely and chill； and without a household fire。 I longed to kindleone！ It seemed not so wild a dream… old as I was； and sombre as I was；and misshapen as I was… that the simple bliss； which is scatteredfar and wide； for all mankind to gather up； might yet be mine。 And so；Hester； I drew thee into my heart； into its innermost chamber； andsought to warm thee by the warmth which thy presence made there！〃 〃I have greatly wronged thee；〃 murmured Hester。 〃We have wronged each other；〃 answered he。 〃Mine was the firstwrong； when I betrayed thy budding youth into a false and unnaturalrelation with my decay。 Therefore； as a man who has not thought andphilosophised in vain； I seek no vengeance； plot no evil against thee。Between thee and me the scale hangs fairly balanced。 But； Hester；the man lives who has wronged us both！ Who is he？〃 〃Ask me not！〃 replied Hester Prynne； looking firmly into his face。〃That thou shalt never know！〃 〃Never； sayest thou？〃 rejoined he； with a smile of dark andself…relying intelligence。 〃Never know him！ Believe me； Hester；there are few things… whether in the outward world； or； to a certaindepth； in the invisible sphere of thought… few things hidden fromthe man who devotes himself earnestly and unreservedly to the solutionof a mystery。 Thou mayest cover up thy secret from the pryingmultitude。 Thou mayest conceal it； too； from the ministers andmagistrates； even as thou didst this day； when they sought to wrenchthe name out of thy heart； and give thee a partner on thy pedestal。But； as for me； I e to the inquest with other senses than theypossess。 I shall seek this man； as I have sought truth in books； asI have sought gold in alchemy。 There is a sympathy that will make meconscious of him。 I shall see him tremble。 I shall feel myselfshudder； suddenly and unawares。 Sooner or later； he must needs bemine！〃 The eyes of the wrinkled scholar glowed so intensely upon her；that Hester Prynne clasped her hands over her heart； dreading lesthe should read the secret there at once。 〃Thou wilt not reveal his name？ Not the less he is mine；〃 resumedhe； with a look of confidence； as if destiny were at one with him。 〃Hebears no letter of infamy wrought into his garment； as thou dost；but I shall read it on his heart。 Yet fear not for him！ Think not thatI shall interfere with Heaven's own method of retribution； or； to myown loss； betray him to the gripe of human law。 Neither do thouimagine that I shall contrive aught against his life； no； noragainst his fame； if； as I judge； he be a man of fair repute。 Lethim live！ Let him hide himself in outward honour； if he may！ Not theless he shall be mine！〃 〃Thy acts are like mercy；〃 said Hester； bewildered and appalled。〃But thy words interpret thee as a terror！〃 〃One thing； thou that wast my wife； I would enjoin upon thee；〃continued the scholar。 〃Thou hast kept the secret of thy paramour。Keep； likewise； mine！ There are none in this land that know me。Breathe not； to any human soul； that thou didst ever call mehusband！ Here； on this wild outskirt of the earth； I shall pitch mytent； for； elsewhere a wanderer； and isolated from human interests；I find here a woman； a man； a child； amongst whom and myself thereexist the closest ligaments。 No matter whether of love or hate； nomatter whether of right or wrong！ Thou and thine； Hester Prynne；belong to me。 My home is where thou art； and where he is。 But betrayme not！〃 〃Wherefore dost thou desire it？〃 inquired Hester； shrinking； shehardly knew why； from this secret bond。 〃Why not announce thyselfopenly； and cast me off at once？〃 〃It may be；〃 he replied； 〃because I will not encounter the dishonourthat besmirches the husband of a faithless woman。 It may be forother reasons。 Enough； it is my purpose to live and die unknown。Let； therefore； thy husband be to the world as one already dead； andof whom no tidings shall ever e。 Recognise me not； by word； bysign； by look！ Breathe not the secret； above all； to the man thouwottest of。 Shouldst thou fail me in this； beware！ His fame； hisposition； his life； will be in my hands。 Beware！〃 〃I will keep thy secret； as I have his；〃 said Hester。 〃Swear it！〃 rejoined he。 And she took the oath。 〃And now； Mistress Prynne；〃 said old Roger Chillingworth； as hewas hereafter to be named； 〃I leave thee alone； alone with thy infant；and the scarlet letter！ How is it； Hester？ Doth thy sentence bind theeto wear the token in thy sleep？ Art thou not afraid of nightmaresand hideous dreams？〃 〃Why dost thou smile so at
