红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第35部分
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aid； but now； that there could be no good event forhim； or thee； or me； who are here wandering together in this gloomymaze of evil； and stumbling； at every step； over the guilt wherewithwe have strewn our path。 It is not so！ There might be good for thee；and thee alone； since thou hast been deeply wronged； and hast it atthy will to pardon。 Wilt thou give up that only privilege？ Wilt thoureject that priceless benefit？〃 〃Peace； Hester； peace！〃 replied the old man； with gloomysternness。 〃It is not granted me to pardon。 I have no such power asthou tellest me of。 My old faith； long forgotten； es back to me；and explains all that we do； and all we suffer。 By thy first stepawry； thou didst plant the germ of evil； but since that moment； it hasall been a dark necessity。 Ye that have wronged me are not sinful；save in a kind of typical illusion； neither am I fiend…like； whohave snatched a fiend's office from his hands。 It is our fate。 Let theblack flower blossom as it may！ Now go thy ways； and deal as thou wiltwith yonder man。〃 He waved his hand and betook himself again to his employment ofgathering herbs。 XV。 HESTER AND PEARL。 SO Roger Chillingworth… a deformed old figure； with a face thathaunted men's memories longer than they liked… took leave of HesterPrynne； and went stooping away along the earth。 He gathered here andthere an herb； or grubbed up a root； and put it into the basket on hisarm。 His grey beard almost touched the ground； as he crept onward。Hester gazed after him a little while； looking with a half fantasticcuriosity to see whether the tender grass of early spring would not beblighted beneath him； and show the wavering track of his footsteps；sere and brown； across its cheerful verdure。 She wondered what sort ofherbs they were； which the old man was so sedulous to gather。 Wouldnot the earth； quickened to an evil purpose by the sympathy of hiseye； greet him with poisonous shrubs； of species hitherto unknown；that would start up under his fingers？ Or might it suffice him； thatevery wholesome growth should be converted into somethingdeleterious and malignant at his touch？ Did the sun； which shone sobrightly everywhere else； really fall upon him？ Or was there； as itrather seemed； a circle of ominous shadow moving along with hisdeformity； whichever way he turned himself？ And whither was he nowgoing？ Would he not suddenly sink into the earth； leaving a barren andblasted spot； where； in due course of time； would be seen deadlynightshade； dogwood； henbane； and whatever else of vegetablewickedness the climate could produce； all flourishing with hideousluxuriance？ Or would he spread bat's wings and flee away； looking somuch the uglier； the higher he rose towards heaven？ 〃Be it sin or no；〃 said Hester Prynne bitterly； as she still gazedafter him； 〃I hate the man！〃 She upbraided herself for the sentiment； but could not overe orlessen it。 Attempting to do so； she thought of those long…past days；in a distant land； when he used to emerge at eventide from theseclusion of his study； and sit down in the firelight of their home；and in the light of her nuptial smile。 He needed to bask himself inthat smile； he said； in order that the chill of so many lonely hoursamong his books might be taken off the scholar's heart。 Such sceneshad once appeared not otherwise than happy； but now； as viewed throughthe dismal medium of her subsequent life； they classed themselvesamong her ugliest remembrances。 She marvelled how such scenes couldhave been！ She marvelled how she could ever have been wrought uponto marry him！ She deemed it her crime most to be repented of； that shehad ever endured； and reciprocated； the lukewarm grasp of his hand；and had suffered the smile of her lips and eyes to mingle and meltinto his own。 And it seemed a fouler offence mitted by RogerChillingworth； than any which had since been done him； that； in thetime when her heart knew no better； he had persuaded her to fancyherself happy by his side。 〃Yes； I hate him！〃 repeated Hester； more bitterly than before。 〃Hebetrayed me！ He has done me worse wrong than I did him！〃 Let men tremble to win the hand of woman； unless they win along withit the utmost passion of her heart！ Else it may be their miserablefortune； as it was Roger Chillingworth's； when some mightier touchthan their own may have awakened all her sensibilities； to bereproached even for the calm content； the marble image of happiness；which they will have imposed upon her as the warm reality。 ButHester ought long ago to have done with this injustice。 What did itbetoken？ Had seven long years； under the torture of the scarletletter； inflicted so much of misery； and wrought out no repentance？ The emotions of that brief space； while she stood gazing after thecrooked figure of old Roger Chillingworth； threw a dark light onHester's state of mind； revealing much that she might not otherwisehave acknowledged to herself。 He being gone； she summoned back her child。 〃Pearl！ Little Pearl！ Where are you？〃 Pearl； whose activity of spirit never flagged； had been at no lossfor amusement while her mother talked with the old gatherer ofherbs。 At first； as already told； she had flirted fancifully withher own image in a pool of water； beckoning the phantom forth； and… asit declined to venture… seeking a passage for herself into itssphere of impalpable earth and unattainable sky。 Soon finding；however； that either she or the image was unreal； she turned elsewherefor better pastime。 She made little boats out of birch…bark； andfreighted them with snail…shells； and sent out more ventures on themighty deep than any merchant in New England； but the larger part ofthem foundered near the shore。 She seized a live horse…shoe by thetail； and made prize of several five…fingers； and laid out ajelly…fish to melt in the warm sun。 Then she took up the white foam；that streaked the line of the advancing tide； and threw it upon thebreeze； scampering after it； with winged footsteps； to catch the greatsnowflakes ere they fell。 Perceiving a flock of beach…birds； thatfed and fluttered along the shore； the naughty child picked up herapron full of pebbles； and； creeping from rock to rock after thesesmall sea…fowl； displayed remarkable dexterity in pelting them。 Onelittle grey bird； with a white breast； Pearl was almost sure； had beenhit by a pebble； and fluttered away with a broken wing。 But then theelf…child sighed； and gave up her sport； because it grieved her tohave done harm to a little being that was as wild as the sea…breeze；or as wild as Pearl herself。 Her final employment was to gather sea…weed； of various kinds； andmake herself a scarf； or mantle； and a head…dress； and thus assume theaspect of a little mermaid。 She inherited her mother's gift fordevising drapery and costume。 As the last touch to her mermaid garb；Pearl took some eel…grass； and imitated； as best she could； on her ownbosom； the decoration with which she was so familiar on hermother's。 A letter… the letter A… but freshly green； instead ofscarlet！ The child bent her chin upon her breast； and contemplatedthis device with strange interest； even as if the one only thing forwhich she had been sent into the world was to make out its hiddenimport。 〃I wonder if mother will ask me what it means？〃 thought Pearl。 Just then； she heard her mother's voice； and flitting along aslightly as one of the little sea…birds； appeared before Hester Prynne；dancing； laughing； and pointing her finger to the ornament upon herbosom。 〃My little Pearl；〃 said Hester； after a moment's silence； 〃the greenletter； and on thy childish bosom； has no purport。 But dost thou know；my child； what this letter means which thy mother is doomed to wear？〃 〃Yes； mother；〃 said the child。 〃It is the great letter A。 Thouhast taught me in the horn…book。〃 Hester looked steadily into her little face； but； though there wasthat singular expression which she had so often remarked in herblack eyes； she could not satisfy herself whether Pearl reallyattached any meaning to the symbol。 She felt a morbid desire toascertain the point。 〃Dost thou know； child； wherefore thy mother wears this letter？〃 〃Truly do I！〃 answered Pearl； looking brightly into her mother'sface。 〃It is for the same reason that the minister keeps his hand overhis heart！〃 〃And what reason is that？〃 asked Hester； half smiling at theabsurd incongruity of the child's observation； but； on secondthoughts； turning pale。 〃What has the letter to do with any heart；save mine？〃 〃Nay； mother； I have told all I know；〃 said Pearl； more seriouslythan she was wont to speak。 〃Ask yonder old man whom thou hast beentalking with！ It may be he can tell。 But in good earnest now； motherdear； what does this scarlet letter mean？… and why dost thou wear iton thy bosom？… and why does the minister keep his hand over hisheart？〃 She took her mother's hand in both her own； and gazed into hereyes with an earnestness that was seldom seen in her wild andcapricious character。 The thought occurred to Hester； that the childmight really be seeking to approach her with childlike confidence； anddoing what she could； and as intelligently as she knew how； toestablish a meeting…point of sympathy。 It showed Pearl in anunwonted aspect。 Heretofore； the mother； while loving her child witht
