红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第26部分

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rest　and　solace。　And　therewas　Pearl；　too；　lightly　dancing　from　the　margin　of　the　brook…　now　thatthe　intrusive　third　person　was　gone…　and　taking　her　old　place　by　hermother's　side。　So　the　minister　had　not　fallen　asleep；　and　dreamed！　　In　order　to　free　his　mind　from　this　indistinctness　and　duplicityof　impression；　which　vexed　it　with　a　strange　disquietude；　herecalled　and　more　thoroughly　defined　the　plans　which　Hester　andhimself　had　sketched　for　their　departure。　It　had　been　determinedbetween　them；　that　the　Old　World；　with　its　crowds　and　cities；offered　them　a　more　eligible　shelter　and　concealment　than　the　wilds　ofNew　England；　or　all　America；　with　its　alternatives　of　an　Indianwigwam；　or　the　few　settlements　of　Europeans；　scattered　thinly　alongthe　seaboard。　Not　to　speak　of　the　clergyman's　health；　so　inadequate　tosustain　the　hardships　of　a　forest　life；　his　native　gifts；　his　culture；and　his　entire　development；　would　secure　him　a　home　only　in　themidst　of　civilisation　and　refinement；　the　higher　the　state；　the　moredelicately　adapted　to　it　the　man。　In　furtherance　of　this　choice；　it　sohappened　that　a　ship　lay　in　the　harbour；　one　of　those　questionablecruisers；　frequent　at　that　day；　which；　without　being　absolutelyoutlaws　of　the　deep；　yet　roamed　over　its　surface　with　a　remarkableirresponsibility　of　character。　This　vessel　had　recently　arrived　fromthe　Spanish　Main；　and；　within　three　days'　time；　would　sail　forBristol。　Hester　Prynne…　whose　vocation；　as　a　self…enlisted　Sister　ofCharity；　had　brought　her　acquainted　with　the　captain　and　crew…　couldtake　upon　herself　to　secure　the　passage　of　two　individuals　and　achild；　with　all　the　secrecy　which　circumstances　rendered　more　thandesirable。　　The　minister　had　inquired　of　Hester；　with　no　little　interest；　theprecise　time　at　which　the　vessel　might　be　expected　to　depart。　It　wouldprobably　be　on　the　fourth　day　from　the　present。　〃That　is　mostfortunate！〃　he　had　then　said　to　himself。　Now；　why　the　Reverend　Mr。Dimmesdale　considered　it　so　very　fortunate；　we　hesitate　to　reveal。Nevertheless…　to　hold　nothing　back　from　the　reader…　it　was　because；　onthe　third　day　from　the　present；　he　was　to　preach　the　ElectionSermon；　and；　as　such　an　occasion　formed　an　honourable　epoch　in　thelife　of　a　New　England　clergyman；　he　could　not　have　chanced　upon　a　moresuitable　mode　and　time　of　terminating　his　professional　career。　〃Atleast；　they　shall　say　of　me；〃　thought　this　exemplary　man；　〃that　Ileave　no　public　duty　unperformed；　nor　ill　performed！〃　Sad；　indeed；that　an　introspection　so　profound　and　acute　as　this　poor　minister'sshould　be　so　miserably　deceived！　We　have　had；　and　may　still　have；worse　things　to　tell　of　him；　but　none；　we　apprehend；　so　pitiably　weak；no　evidence；　at　once　so　slight　and　irrefragable；　of　a　subtledisease；　that　had　long　since　begun　to　eat　into　the　real　substance　ofhis　character。　No　man；　for　any　considerable　period；　can　wear　oneface　to　himself　and　another　to　the　multitude；　without　finallygetting　bewildered　as　to　which　may　be　the　true。　　The　excitement　of　Mr。　Dimmesdale's　feelings；　as　he　returned　from　hisinterview　with　Hester；　lent　him　unaccustomed　physical　energy；　andhurried　him　townward　at　a　rapid　pace。　The　pathway　among　the　woodsseemed　wilder；　more　uncouth　with　its　rude　natural　obstacles　and　lesstrodden　by　the　foot　of　man　than　he　remembered　it　on　his　outwardjourney。　But　he　leaped　across　the　plashy　places；　thrust　himselfthrough　the　clinging　underbrush；　climbed　the　ascent；　plunged　intothe　hollow；　and　overcame；　in　short；　all　the　difficulties　of　the　track；with　an　unweariable　activity　that　astonished　him。　He　could　not　butrecall　how　feebly；　and　with　what　frequent　pauses　for　breath；　he　hadtoiled　over　the　same　ground；　only　two　days　before。　As　he　drew　near　thetown；　he　took　an　impression　of　change　from　the　series　of　familiarobjects　that　presented　themselves。　It　seemed　not　yesterday；　not　one；nor　two；　but　many　days；　or　even　years　ago；　since　he　had　quittedthem。　There；　indeed；　was　each　former　trace　of　the　street；　as　heremembered　it；　and　all　the　peculiarities　of　the　houses；　with　the　duemultitude　of　gable…peaks；　and　a　weather…cock　at　every　point　wherehis　memory　suggested　one。　Not　the　less；　however；　came　thisimportunately　obtrusive　sense　of　change。　The　same　was　true　as　regardedthe　acquaintances　whom　he　met；　and　all　the　well…known　shapes　ofhuman　life；　about　the　little　town。　They　looked　neither　older　noryounger　now；　the　beards　of　the　aged　were　no　whiter；　nor　could　thecreeping　babe　of　yesterday　walk　on　his　feet　to…day；　it　wasimpossible　to　describe　in　what　respect　they　differed　from　theindividuals　on　whom　he　had　so　recently　bestowed　a　parting　glance；and　yet　the　minister's　deepest　sense　seemed　to　inform　him　of　theirmutability。　A　similar　impression　struck　him　most　remarkably；　as　hepassed　under　the　walls　of　his　own　church。　The　edifice　had　so　verystrange；　and　yet　so　familiar；　an　aspect；　that　Mr。　Dimmesdale's　mindvibrated　between　two　ideas；　either　that　he　had　seen　it　only　in　a　dreamhitherto；　or　that　he　was　merely　dreaming　about　it　now。　　This　phenomenon；　in　the　various　shapes　which　it　assumed；　indicatedno　external　change；　but　so　sudden　and　important　a　change　in　thespectator　of　the　familiar　scene；　that　the　intervening　space　of　asingle　day　had　operated　on　his　consciousness　like　the　lapse　ofyears。　The　minister's　own　will；　and　Hester's　will；　and　the　fate　thatgrew　between　them；　had　wrought　this　transformation。　It　was　the　sametown　as　heretofore；　but　the　same　minister　returned　not　from　theforest。　He　might　have　said　to　the　friends　who　greeted　him；　〃I　am　notthe　man　for　whom　you　take　me！　I　left　him　yonder　in　the　forest；withdrawn　into　a　secret　dell；　by　a　mossy　tree…trunk；　and　near　amelancholy　brook！　Go；　seek　your　minister；　and　see　if　his　emaciatedfigure；　his　thin　cheek；　his　white；　heavy；　pain…wrinkled　brow；　be　notflung　down　there；　like　a　cast…off　garment！〃　His　friends；　no　doubt；would　still　have　insisted　with　him…　〃Thou　art　thyself　the　man！〃…　butthe　error　would　have　been　their　own；　not　his。　　Before　Mr。　Dimmesdale　reached　home；　his　inner　man　gave　him　otherevidences　of　a　revolution　in　the　sphere　of　thought　and　feeling。　Intruth；　nothing　short　of　a　total　change　of　dynasty　and　moral　code；　inthat　interior　kingdom；　was　adequate　to　account　for　the　impulses　nowmunicated　to　the　unfortunate　and　startled　minister。　At　every　stephe　was　incited　to　do　some　strange；　wild；　wicked　thing　or　other；　with　asense　that　it　would　be　at　once　involuntary　and　intentional；　in　spiteof　himself；　yet　growing　out　of　a　profounder　self　than　that　whichopposed　the　impulse。　For　instance；　he　met　one　of　his　own　deacons。The　good　old　man　addressed　him　with　the　paternal　affection　andpatriarchal　privilege；　which　his　venerable　age；　his　upright　and　holycharacter；　and　his　station　in　the　Church；　entitled　him　to　use；　and；conjoined　with　this；　the　deep；　almost　worshipping　respect；　which　theminister's　professional　and　private　claims　alike　demanded。　Never　wasthere　a　more　beautiful　example　of　how　the　majesty　of　age　and　wisdommay　port　with　the　obeisance　and　respect　enjoined　upon　it；　as　from　alower　social　rank；　and　inferior　order　of　endowment；　towards　ahigher。　Now；　during　a　conversation　of　some　two　or　three　momentsbetween　the　Reverend　Mr。　Dimmesdale　and　this　excellent　andhoary…bearded　deacon；　it　was　only　by　the　most　careful　self…controlthat　the　former　could　refrain　from　uttering　certain　blasphemoussuggestions　that　rose　into　his　mind；　respecting　themunion…supper。　He　absolutely　trembled　and　turned　pale　as　ashes；lest　his　tongue　should　wag　itself；　in　utterance　of　these　horriblematters；　and　plead　his　own　consent　for　so　doing；　without　his　havingfairly　given　it。　And；　even　with　this　terror　in　his　heart；　he　couldhardly　avoid　laughing；　to　imagine　how　the　sanctified　old　patriarchaldeacon　would　have　been　petrified　by　his　minister's　impiety。　　Again；　another　incident　of　the　same　nature。　Hurrying　along　thestreet；　the　Reverend　Mr。　Dimmesdale　encountered　the　eldest　femalemember　of　his　church；　a　most　pious　and　exemplary　old　dame；　poor；widowed；　lonely；　and　with　a　heart　as　full　of　reminiscences　about　herdead　husband　and　children；　and　her　dead　friends　of　long　ago；　as　aburial…ground　is　full　of　storied　gravestones。　Yet　all　this；　whichwould　else　have　been　such　heavy　sorrow；　was　made　almost　a　solemn　joyto　her　devout　old　soul；　by　religious　consolations　and　the　truths　ofScripture；　wherewith　she　had　fed　herself　continually　for　more　thanthirty　years。　And；　since　Mr。　Dimmesdale　had　taken　her　in　charge；　thegood　grandam's　chief　earthly　fort…　which；　unless　it　had　beenlikewise　a　heavenly　fort；　could　have　been　none　at　all…　was　tomeet　her　pastor；　whether　casually；　or　of　set　purpose；　and　be　refreshedwith　a　word　of　warm；　fragrant；　heaven…breathing　Gospel　truth；　from　hisbeloved　lips；　into　her　dulled；　but　rapturously　attentive　ear。　But；on　this　occasion；　up　to　the　moment　of　putting　his　lips　to　the　oldwoman's　ear；　Mr。　Dimmesdale；　as　the　great　enemy　of　souls　would　haveit；　could　recall　no　text　of　Scripture；　nor　aught　else；　except　a　brief；pithy；　and；　as　it　then　appeared　to　him；　unanswerable　argumentagainst　the　immortality　of　the　human　soul。　The　instilment　thereof　intoher　mind　would　probably　have　caused　this　aged　sister　to　drop　downdead；　at　once；　as　by　the　effect　of　an　intensely　poisonous　infusion。What　he　really　did　whisper；　the　minister　could　never　afterwardsrecollect。　There　was；　perhaps；　a　fortunate　disorder　in　hisutterance；　which　failed　to　impart　any　distinct　idea　to　the　goodwidow's　prehension；　or　which　Providence　interpreted　after　amethod　of　its　own。　Assuredly；　as　the　minister　looked　back；　he　beheldan　expression　of　divine　gratitude　and　ecstasy　that　seemed　like　theshine　of　the　celestial　city　on　her　face；　so　wrinkled　and　ashy　pale。　　Again；　a　third　instance。　After　parting　from　the　old　church…member；he　met　the　youngest　sister　of　them　all。　It　was　a　maiden　newly　won…　andwon　by　the　Reverend　Mr。　Dimmesdale's　own　sermon；　on　the　Sabbathafter　his　vigil；　to　barter　the　transitory　pleasures　of　the　world　forthe　heavenly　hope；　that　was　to　assume　brighter　substance　as　lifegrew　dark　around　her；　and　which　would　gild　the　utter　gloom　withfinal　glory。　She　was　fair　and　pure　as　a　lily　that　had　bloomed　inParadise。　The　minister　knew　well　that　he　was　himself　enshrinedwithin　the　stainless　sanctity　of　her　heart；　which　hung　its　snowycurtains　about　his　image；　imparting　to　religion　the　warmth　of　love；and　to　love　a　religious　purity。　Satan；　that　afternoon；　had　surelyled　the　poor　young　girl　away　from　her　mother's　side；　and　thrown　herinto　the　pathway　of　this　sorely　tempted；　or…　shall　we　not　rather　say？…this　lost　and　desperate　man。　As　she　drew　nigh；　the　arch…fiendwhispered　him　to　condense　into　small　pass　and　drop　into　hertender　bosom　a　germ　of　evil　that　would　be　sure　to　blossom　darkly　soon；and　bear　black　fruit　betimes。　Such　was　his　sense　of　power　over　thisvirgin　soul；　trusting　him　as　she　did；　that　the　minister　felt　potent　toblight　all　the　field　of　innocence　with　but　one　wicked　look；　anddevelop　all　its　opposite　with　but　a　word。　So…　with　a　mightier　strugglethan　he　had　yet　sustained…　he　held　his　Geneva　cloak　before　his　face；and　hurried　onward；　making　no　sign　of　recognition；　and　leaving　theyoung　sister　to　digest　his　rudeness　as　she　might。　She　ransacked　herconscience…　which　was　full　of　harmless　little　matters；　like　herpocket；　or　her　workbag…　and　took　herself　to　task；　poor　thing！　for　athousand　imaginary　faults；　and　went　about　her　household　duties　withswollen　eyelids　the　next　morning。　　Before　the　minister　had　time　to　celebrate　his　victory　over　this　lasttemptation；　he　was　conscious　of　another　impulse；　more　ludicrous；　andalmost　as　horrible。　It　was…　we　blush　to　tell　it…　it　was　to　stopshort　in　the　road；　and　teach　some　very　wicked　words　to　a　knot　oflittle　Puritan　children　who　were　playing　there；　and　had　but　just　begunto　talk。　Denying　himself　this　freak；　as　unworthy　of　his　cloth；　hemet　a　drunken　seaman；　one　of　the　ship's　crew　from　the　Spanish　Main。And　here；　since　he　had　so　valiantly　forborne　all　other　wickedness；poor　Mr。　Dimmesdale　longed；　at　least　to　shake　hands　with　the　tarryblackguard；　and　recreate　himself　with　a　few　improper　jests；　such　asdissolute　sailors　so　abound　with；　and　a　volley　of　good；　round；solid；　satisfactory；　and　heaven…defying　oaths！　It　was　not　so　much　abetter　principle；　as　partly　his　natural　good　taste；　and　still　more　hisbuckramed　habit　of　clerical　decorum；　that　carried　him　safely　throughthe　latter　crisis。　　〃What　is　it　that　haunts　and　tempts　me　thus？〃　cried　the　minister　tohimself；　at　length；　pausing　in　the　street；　and　striking　his　handagainst　his　forehead。　〃Am　I　mad？　or　am　I　given　over　utterly　to　thefiend？　Did　I　make　a　contract　with　him　in　the　forest；　and　sign　itwith　my　blood？　And　does　he　now　summon　me　to　its　fulfilment；　bysuggesting　the　performance　of　every　wickedness　which　his　most　foulimagination　can　conceive？〃　　At　the　moment　when　the　Reverend　Mr。　Dimmesdale　thus　muned　withhimself；　and　struck　his　forehead　with　his　hand；　old　MistressHibbins；　the　reputed　witch…lady；　is　said　to　have　been　passing　by。She　made　a　very　grand　appearance；　having　on　a　high　head…dress；　arich　gown　of　velvet；　and　a　ruff　done　up　with　the　famous　yellow　starch；of　which　Ann　Turner；　her　especial　friend；　had　taught　her　the　secret；before　this　last　good　lady　had　been　hanged　for　Sir　Thomas　Overbury'smurder。　Whether　the　witch　had　read　the　minister's　thoughts；　or　no；　shecame　to　a　full　stop；　looked　shrewdly　into　his　face；　smiled　craftily；and…　though　little　given　to　converse　with　clergymen…　began　aconversation。　　〃So；　reverend　sir；　you　have　made　a　visit　into　the　forest；〃observed　the　witch…lady；　nodding　her　high　head…dress　at　him。　〃The　nexttime；　I　pray　you　to　allow　me　only　a　fair　warning；　and　I　shall　be　proudto　bear　you　pany。　Without　taking　overmuch　upon　myself；　my　good　wordwill　go　far　towards　gaining　any　strange　gentleman　a　fair　receptionfrom　yonder　potentate　you　wot　of！〃　　〃I　profess；　madam；〃　answered　the　clergyman；　with　a　graveobeisance；　such　as　the　lady's　rank　demanded；　and　his　own　good…breedingmade　imperative…　〃I　profess；　on　my　conscience　and　character；　that　Iam　utterly　bewildered　as　touching　the　purport　of　your　words！　I　wentnot　into　the　forest　to　seek　a　potentate；　neither　do　I；　at　any　futuretime；　design　a　visit　thither；　with　a　view　to　gaining　the　favour　ofsuch　personage。　My　one　sufficient　object　was　to　greet　that　piousfriend　of　mine；　the　Apostle　Eliot；　and　rejoice　with　him　over　themany　precious　souls　he　hath　won　from　heathendom！〃　　〃Ha；　ha；　ha！〃　cackled　the　old　witch…lady；　still　nodding　her　highhead…dress　at　the　minister。　〃Well；　well；　we　must　needs　talk　thus　inthe　daytime！　You　carry　it　off　like　an　old　hand！　But　at　midnight；　andin　the　forest；　we　shall　have　other　talk　together！〃　　She　passed　on　with　her　aged　stateliness；　but　often　turning　backher　head　and　smiling　at　him；　like　one　willing　to　recognise　a　secretintimacy　of　connection。　　〃Have　I　then　sold　myself；〃　thought　the　minister；　〃to　the　fiend　whom；if　men　say　true；　this　yellow…starched　and　velveted　old　hag　haschosen　for　her　prince　and　master！〃　　The　wretched　minister！　He　had　made　a　bargain　very　like　it！　Temptedby　a　dream　of　happiness；　he　had　yielded　himself；　with　deliberatechoice；　as　he　had　never　done　before；　to　what　he　knew　was　deadly　sin。And　the　infectious　poison　of　that　sin　had　been　thus　rapidly　diffusedthroughout　his　moral　system。　It　had　stupefied　all　blessed　impulses；and　awakened　into　vivid　life　the　whole　brotherhood　of　bad　ones。　Scorn；bitterness；　unprovoked　malignity；　gratuitous　desire　of　ill；　ridiculeof　whatever　was　good