红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第16章

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ld。　　Hester　shook　her　head。　　〃Woman；　transgress　not　beyond　the　limits　of　Heaven's　mercy！〃　criedthe　Reverend　Mr。　Wilson；　more　harshly　than　before。　〃That　little　babehath　been　gifted　with　a　voice；　to　second　and　confirm　the　counsel　whichthou　hast　heard。　Speak　out　the　name！　That；　and　thy　repentance；　mayavail　to　take　the　scarlet　letter　off　thy　breast。〃　　〃Never！〃　replied　Hester　Prynne；　looking；　not　at　Mr。　Wilson；　but　intothe　deep　and　troubled　eyes　of　the　younger　clergyman。　〃It　is　too　deeplybranded。　Ye　cannot　take　it　off。　And　would　that　I　might　endure　hisagony；　as　well　as　mine！〃　　〃Speak；　woman！〃　said　another　voice；　coldly　and　sternly；　proceedingfrom　the　crowd　about　the　scaffold。　〃Speak；　and　give　your　child　afather！〃　　〃I　will　not　speak！〃　answered　Hester；　turning　pale　as　death；　butresponding　to　this　voice；　which　she　too　surely　recognized。　〃And　mychild　must　seek　a　heavenly　Father；　she　shall　never　know　an　earthlyone！〃　　〃She　will　not　speak！〃　murmured　Mr。　Dimmesdale；　who；　leaning　over　thebalcony；　with　his　hand　upon　his　heart；　had　awaited　the　result　of　hisappeal。　He　now　drew　back；　with　a　long　respiration。　〃Wondrousstrength　and　generosity　of　a　woman's　heart！　She　will　not　speak！〃　　Discerning　the　impractible　state　of　the　poor　culprit's　mind；　theelder　clergyman；　who　had　carefully　prepared　himself　for　theoccasion；　addressed　to　the　multitude　a　discourse　on　sin；　in　all　itsbranches；　but　with　continual　reference　to　the　ignominious　letter。　Soforcibly　did　he　dwell　upon　this　symbol；　for　the　hour　or　more　duringwhich　his　periods　were　rolling　over　the　people's　heads；　that　itassumed　new　terrors　in　their　imagination；　and　seemed　to　derive　itsscarlet　hue　from　the　flames　of　the　infernal　pit。　Hester　Prynne；meanwhile；　kept　her　place　upon　the　pedestal　of　shame；　with　glazedeyes；　and　an　air　of　weary　indifference。　She　had　borne；　that　morning；all　that　nature　could　endure；　and　as　her　temperament　was　not　of　theorder　that　escapes　from　too　intense　suffering　by　a　swoon；　her　spiritcould　only　shelter　itself　beneath　a　stony　crust　of　insensibility；while　the　faculties　of　animal　life　remained　entire。　In　this　state；　thevoice　of　the　preacher　thundered　remorselessly；　but　unavailingly；upon　her　ears。　The　infant；　during　the　latter　portion　of　her　ordeal；pierced　the　air　with　its　wailings　and　screams；　she　strove　to　hushit；　mechanically；　but　seemed　scarcely　to　sympathise　with　itstrouble。　With　the　same　hard　demeanour；　she　was　led　back　to　prison；　andvanished　from　the　public　gaze　within　its　iron…clamped　portal。　It　waswhispered；　by　those　who　peered　after　her；　that　the　scarlet　letterthrew　a　lurid　gleam　along　the　dark　passage…way　of　the　interior。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　IV。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　INTERVIEW。　　AFTER　her　return　to　the　prison；　Hester　Prynne　was　found　to　be　in　astate　of　nervous　excitement　that　demanded　constant　watchfulness；lest　she　should　perpetrate　violence　on　herself；　or　do　somehalf…frenzied　mischief　to　the　poor　babe。　As　night　approached；　itproving　impossible　to　quell　her　insubordination　by　rebuke　or　threatsof　punishment；　Master　Brackett；　the　jailer；　thought　fit　to　introduce　aphysician。　He　described　him　as　a　man　of　skill　in　all　Christian　modesof　physical　science；　and　likewise　familiar　with　whatever　the　savagepeople　could　teach；　in　respect　to　medicinal　herbs　and　roots　thatgrew　in　the　forest。　To　say　the　truth；　there　was　much　need　ofprofessional　assistance；　not　merely　for　Hester　herself；　but　still　moreurgently　for　the　child；　who；　drawing　its　sustenance　from　thematernal　bosom；　seemed　to　have　drank　in　with　it　all　the　turmoil；　theanguish　and　despair；　which　pervaded　the　mother's　system。　It　nowwrithed　in　convulsions　of　pain；　and　was　a　forcible　type；　in　its　littleframe；　of　the　moral　agony　which　Hester　Prynne　had　borne　throughout　theday。　　Closely　following　the　jailer　into　the　dismal　apartment；　appearedthat　individual　of　singular　aspect；　whose　presence　in　the　crowd　hadbeen　of　such　deep　interest　to　the　wearer　of　the　scarlet　letter。　He　waslodged　in　the　prison；　not　as　suspected　of　any　offence；　but　as　the　mostconvenient　and　suitable　mode　of　disposing　of　him；　until　themagistrates　should　have　conferred　with　the　Indian　sagamores　respectinghis　ransom。　His　name　was　announced　as　Roger　Chillingworth。　The　jailer；after　ushering　him　into　the　room；　remained　a　moment；　marvelling　at　theparative　quiet　that　followed　his　entrance；　for　Hester　Prynne　hadimmediately　bee　as　still　as　death；　although　the　child　continuedto　moan。　　〃Prithee；　friend；　leave　me　alone　with　my　patient；〃　said　thepractitioner。　〃Trust　me；　good　jailer；　you　shall　briefly　have　peacein　your　house；　and；　I　promise　you；　Mistress　Prynne　shall　hereafterbe　more　amenable　to　just　authority　than　you　may　have　found　herheretofore。〃　　〃Nay；　if　your　worship　can　acplish　that；〃　answered　MasterBrackett；　〃I　shall　own　you　for　a　man　of　skill　indeed！　Verily；　thewoman　hath　been　like　a　possessed　one；　and　there　lacks　little；　that　Ishould　take　in　hand　to　drive　Satan　out　of　her　with　stripes。〃　　The　stranger　had　entered　the　room　with　the　characteristic　quietudeof　the　profession　to　which　he　announced　himself　as　belonging。　Nordid　his　demeanour　change；　when　the　withdrawal　of　the　prison　keeperleft　him　face　to　face　with　the　woman；　whose　absorbed　notice　of　him；　inthe　crowd；　had　intimated　so　close　a　relation　between　himself　andher。　His　first　care　was　given　to　the　child；　whose　cries；　indeed；　asshe　lay　writhing　on　the　trundle…bed；　made　it　of　peremptory　necessityto　postpone　all　other　business　to　the　task　of　soothing　her。　Heexamined　the　infant　carefully；　and　then　proceeded　to　unclasp　aleathern　case；　which　he　took　from　beneath　his　dress。　It　appeared　tocontain　medical　preparations；　one　of　which　he　mingled　with　a　cup　ofwater。　　〃My　old　studies　in　alchemy；〃　observed　he；　〃and　my　sojourn；　for　abovea　year　past；　among　a　people　well　versed　in　the　kindly　properties　ofsimples；　have　made　a　better　physician　of　me　than　many　that　claim　themedical　degree。　Here；　woman！　The　child　is　yours…　she　is　none　ofmine…　neither　will　she　recognise　my　voice　or　aspect　as　a　father's。Administer　this　draught；　therefore；　with　thine　own　hand。〃　　Hester　repelled　the　offered　medicine；　at　the　same　time　gazing　withstrongly　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