红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第47章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ther's　threats；　any　morethan　mollified　by　her　entreaties；　now　suddenly　burst　into　a　fit　ofpassion；　gesticulating　violently；　and　throwing　her　small　figure　intothe　most　extravagant　contortions。　She　acpanied　this　wild　outbreakwith　piercing　shrieks；　which　the　woods　reverberated　on　all　sides；　sothat；　alone　as　she　was　in　her　childish　and　unreasonable　wrath；　itseemed　as　if　a　hidden　multitude　were　lending　her　their　sympathy　andencouragement。　Seen　in　the　brook；　once　more；　was　the　shadowy　wraith　ofPearl's　image；　crowned　and　girdled　with　flowers；　but　stamping　itsfoot；　wildly　gesticulating；　and；　in　the　midst　of　all；　still　pointingits　small　forefinger　at　Hester's　bosom！　　〃I　see　what　ails　the　child；〃　whispered　Hester　to　the　clergyman；and　turning　pale　in　spite　of　a　strong　effort　to　conceal　her　troubleand　annoyance。　〃Children　will　not　abide　any；　the　slightest；　changein　the　accustomed　aspect　of　things　that　are　daily　before　their　eyes。Pearl　misses　something　which　she　has　always　seen　me　wear！〃　　〃I　pray　you；〃　answered　the　minister；　〃if　thou　hast　any　means　ofpacifying　the　child；　do　it　forthwith！　Save　it　were　the　cankeredwrath　of　an　old　witch；　like　Mistress　Hibbins；〃　added　he；　attempting　tosmile；　〃I　know　nothing　that　I　would　not　sooner　encounter　than　thispassion　in　a　child。　In　Pearl's　young　beauty；　as　in　the　wrinkled　witch；it　has　a　preternatural　effect。　Pacify　her；　if　thou　lovest　me！〃　　Hester　turned　again　towards　Pearl；　with　a　crimson　blush　upon　hercheek；　a　conscious　glance　aside　at　the　clergyman；　and　then　a　heavysigh；　while；　even　before　she　had　time　to　speak；　the　blush　yielded　to　adeadly　pallor。　　〃Pearl；〃　said　she　sadly；　〃look　down　at　thy　feet！　There…　beforethee！…　the　hither　side　of　the　brook！〃　　The　child　turned　her　eyes　to　the　point　indicated；　and　there　laythe　scarlet　letter；　so　close　upon　the　margin　of　the　stream；　that　thegold　embroidery　was　reflected　in　it。　　〃Bring　it　hither！〃　said　Hester。　　〃e　thou　and　take　it　up！〃　answered　Pearl。　　〃Was　ever　such　a　child！〃　observed　Hester；　aside　to　the　minister。〃Oh；　I　have　much　to　tell　thee　about　her！　But；　in　very　truth；　she　isright　as　regards　this　hateful　token。　I　must　bear　its　torture　yet　alittle　longer…　only　a　few　days　longer…　until　we　shall　have　left　thisregion；　and　look　back　hither　as　to　a　land　which　we　have　dreamed　of。The　forest　cannot　hide　it！　The　mid…ocean　shall　take　it　from　my　hand；and　swallow　it　up　for　ever！〃　　With　these　words；　she　advanced　to　the　margin　of　the　brook；　took　upthe　scarlet　letter；　and　fastened　it　again　into　her　bosom。　Hopefully；but　a　moment　ago；　as　Hester　had　spoken　of　drowning　it　in　the　deep　sea；there　was　a　sense　of　inevitable　doom　upon　her；　as　she　thus　receivedback　this　deadly　symbol　from　the　hand　of　fate。　She　had　flung　it　intoinfinite　space！…　she　had　drawn　an　hour's　free　breath！…　and　hereagain　was　the　scarlet　misery；　glittering　on　the　old　spot！　So　it　everis；　whether　thus　typified　or　no；　that　an　evil　deed　invests　itself　withthe　character　of　doom。　Hester　next　gathered　up　the　heavy　tresses　ofher　hair；　and　confined　them　beneath　her　cap。　As　if　there　were　awithering　spell　in　the　sad　letter；　her　beauty；　the　warmth　and　richnessof　her　womanhood；　departed；　like　fading　sunshine；　and　a　grey　shadowseemed　to　fall　across　her。　　When　the　dreary　change　was　wrought；　she　extended　her　hand　to　Pearl。　　〃Dost　thou　know　thy　mother　now；　child？〃　asked　she　reproachfully；　butwith　a　subdued　tone。　〃Wilt　thou　e　across　the　brook；　and　own　thymother；　now　that　she　has　her　shame　upon　her…　now　that　she　is　sad？〃　　〃Yes；　now　I　will！〃　answered　the　child；　bounding　across　the　brook；and　clasping　Hester　in　her　arms。　〃Now　thou　art　my　mother　indeed！　And　Iam　thy　little　Pearl！〃　　In　a　mood　of　tenderness　that　was　not　usual　with　her；　she　drew　downher　mother's　head；　and　kissed　her　brow　and　both　her　cheeks。　Butthen…　by　a　kind　of　necessity　that　always　impelled　this　child　toalloy　whatever　fort　she　might　chance　to　give　with　a　throb　ofanguish…　Pearl　put　up　her　mouth；　and　kissed　the　scarlet　letter　too！　　〃That　was　not　kind！〃　said　Hester。　〃When　thou　hast　shown　me　alittle　love；　thou　mockest　me！〃　　〃Why　doth　the　minister　sit　yonder？〃　asked　Pearl。　　〃He　waits　to　wele　thee；〃　replied　her　mother。　〃e　thou；　andentreat　his　blessing！　He　loves　thee；　my　little　Pearl；　and　loves　thymother　too。　Wilt　thou　not　love　him？　e！　he　longs　to　greet　thee！〃　　〃Doth　he　love　us？〃　said　Pearl；　looking　up；　with　acuteintelligence；　into　her　mother's　face。　〃Will　he　go　back　with　us；　handin　hand；　we　three　together　into　the　town？〃　　〃Not　now；　dear　child；〃　answered　Hester。　〃But　in　days　to　e　he　willwalk　hand　in　hand　with　us。　We　will　have　a　home　and　fireside　of　ourown；　and　thou　shalt　sit　upon　his　knee；　and　he　will　teach　thee　manythings；　and　love　thee　dearly。　Thou　wilt　love　him；　wilt　thou　not？〃　　〃And　will　he　always　keep　his　hand　over　his　heart？〃　inquired　Pearl。　　〃Foolish　child；　what　a　question　is　that！〃　exclaimed　her　mother。〃e　and　ask　his　blessing！〃　　But；　whether　influenced　by　the　jealousy　that　seems　instinctivewith　every　petted　child　towards　a　dangerous　rival；　or　from　whatevercaprice　of　her　freakish　nature；　Pearl　would　show　no　favour　to　theclergyman。　It　was　only　by　an　exertion　of　force　that　her　mother　broughther　up　to　him；　hanging　back；　and　manifesting　her　reluctance　by　oddgrimaces；　of　which；　ever　since　her　babyhood；　she　had　possessed　asingular　variety；　and　could　transform　her　mobile　physiognomy　into　aseries　of　different　aspects；　with　a　new　mischief　in　them；　each　andall。　The　minister…　painfully　embarrassed；　but　hoping　that　a　kiss　mightprove　a　talisman　to　admit　him　into　the　child's　kindlier　regards…bent　forward；　and　impressed　one　on　her　brow。　Hereupon；　Pearl　brokeaway　from　her　mother；　and；　running　to　the　brook；　stooped　over　it；and　bathed　her　forehead；　until　the　unwele　kiss　was　quite　washedoff；　and　diffused　through　a　long　lapse　of　the　gliding　water。　Shethen　remained　apart；　silently　watching　Hester　and　the　clergyman：　whilethey　talked　together；　and　made　such　arrangements　as　were　suggestedby　their　new　position；　and　the　purposes　soon　to　be　fulfilled。　　And　now　this　fateful　interview　had　e　to　a　close。　The　dell　wasto　be　left　a　solitude　among　its　dark；　old　trees；　which；　with　theirmultitudinous　tongues；　would　whisper　long　of　what　had　passed　there；and　no　mortal　be　the　wiser。　And　the　melancholy　brook　would　add　thisother　tale　to　the　mystery　with　which　its　little　heart　was　alreadyoverburdened；　and　whereof　it　still　kept　up　a　murmuring　babble；　withnot　a　whit　more　cheerfulness　of　tone　than　for　ages　heretofore。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　XX。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　MINISTER　IN　A　MAZE。　　AS　the　minister　departed；　in　advance　of　Hester　Prynne　and　littlePearl；　he　threw　a　backward　glance；　half　expecting　that　he　shoulddiscover　only　some　faintly　traced　features　or　outline　of　the　motherand　the　child；　slowly　fading　into　the　twilight　of　the　woods。　Sogreat　a　vicissitude　in　his　life　could　not　at　once　be　received　as　real。But　there　was　Hester；　clad　in　her　grey　robe；　still　standing　beside　thetree…trunk；　which　some　blast　had　overthrown　a　long　antiquity　ago；and　which　time　had　ever　since　been　covering　with　moss；　so　that　thesetwo　fated　ones；　with　earth's　heaviest　burden　on　them；　might　theresit　down　together；　and　find　a　single　hour's　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