红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第55章

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se　or　exaggerated　rumours；　butwho　had　never　beheld　it　with　their　own　bodily　eyes。　These；　afterexhausting　other　modes　of　amusement；　now　thronged　about　HesterPrynne　with　rude　and　boorish　intrusiveness。　Unscrupulous　as　it　was；however；　it　could　not　bring　them　nearer　than　a　circuit　of　severalyards。　At　that　distance　they　accordingly　stood；　fixed　there　by　thecentrifugal　force　of　the　repugnance　which　the　mystic　symbolinspired。　The　whole　gang　of　sailors；　likewise；　observing　the　pressof　spectators；　and　learning　the　purport　of　the　scarlet　letter；　cameand　thrust　their　sunburnt　and　desperado…looking　faces　into　the　ring。Even　the　Indians　were　affected　by　a　sort　of　cold　shadow　of　the　whiteman's　curiosity；　and；　gliding　through　the　crowd；　fastened　theirsnake…like　black　eyes　on　Hester's　bosom；　conceiving；　perhaps；　that　thewearer　of　this　brilliantly　embroidered　badge　must　needs　be　a　personageof　high　dignity　among　her　people。　Lastly　the　inhabitants　of　the　town（their　own　interest　in　this　worn…out　subject　languidly　revivingitself；　by　sympathy　with　what　they　saw　others　feel）　lounged　idly　tothe　same　quarter；　and　tormented　Hester　Prynne；　perhaps　more　than　allthe　rest；　with　their　cool；　well…acquainted　gaze　at　her　familiar　shame。Hester　saw　and　recognised　the　self…same　faces　of　that　group　ofmatrons；　who　had　awaited　her　forthing　from　the　prison…door；　sevenyears　ago；　all　save　one；　the　youngest　and　only　passionate　amongthem；　whose　burial…robe　she　had　since　made。　At　the　final　hour；　whenshe　was　so　soon　to　fling　aside　the　burning　letter；　it　had　strangelybee　the　centre　of　more　remark　and　excitement；　and　was　thus　madeto　sear　her　breast　more　painfully；　than　at　any　time　since　the　firstday　she　put　it　on。　　While　Hester　stood　in　that　magic　circle　of　ignominy；　where　thecunning　cruelty　of　her　sentence　seemed　to　have　fixed　her　for　ever；　theadmirable　preacher　was　looking　down　from　the　sacred　pulpit　upon　anaudience；　whose　very　inmost　spirits　had　yielded　to　his　control。　Thesainted　minister　in　the　church！　The　woman　of　the　scarlet　letter　in　themarket…place！　What　imagination　would　have　been　irreverent　enough　tosurmise　that　the　same　scorching　stigma　was　on　them　both！　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　XXIII。　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　REVELATION　OF　THE　SCARLET　LETTER。　　THE　eloquent　voice；　on　which　the　souls　of　the　listening　audience　hadbeen　borne　aloft　as　on　the　swelling　waves　of　the　sea；　at　length　cameto　a　pause。　There　was　a　momentary　silence；　profound　as　what　shouldfollow　the　utterance　of　oracles。　Then　ensued　a　murmur　andhalf…hushed　tumult；　as　if　the　auditors；　released　from　the　high　spellthat　had　transported　them　into　the　region　of　another's　mind；　werereturning　into　themselves；　with　all　their　awe　and　wonder　still　heavyon　them。　In　a　moment　more；　the　crowd　began　to　gush　forth　from　thedoors　of　the　church。　Now　that　there　was　an　end；　they　needed　otherbreath；　more　fit　to　support　the　gross　and　earthly　life　into　which　theyrelapsed；　than　that　atmosphere　which　the　preacher　had　converted　intowords　of　flame；　and　had　burdened　with　the　rich　fragrance　of　histhought。　　In　the　open　air　their　rapture　broke　into　speech。　The　street　andthe　market…place　absolutely　babbled；　from　side　to　side；　with　applausesof　the　minister。　His　hearers　could　not　rest　until　they　had　told　oneanother　of　what　each　knew　better　than　he　could　tell　or　hear。　Accordingto　their　united　testimony；　never　had　man　spoken　in　so　wise；　so　high；and　so　holy　a　spirit；　as　he　that　spake　this　day；　nor　had　inspirationever　breathed　through　mortal　lips　more　evidently　than　it　did　throughhis。　Its　influence　could　be　seen；　as　it　were；　descending　upon　him；　andpossessing　him；　and　continually　lifting　him　out　of　the　writtendiscourse　that　lay　before　him；　and　filling　him　with　ideas　that　musthave　been　as　marvellous　to　himself　as　to　his　audience。　His　subject；　itappeared；　had　been　the　relation　between　the　Deity　and　themunities　of　mankind；　with　a　special　reference　to　the　New　Englandwhich　they　were　here　planting　in　the　wilderness。　And；　as　he　drewtowards　the　close；　a　spirit　as　of　prophecy　had　e　upon　him；constraining　him　to　its　purpose　as　mightily　as　the　old　prophets　ofIsrael　were　constrained；　only　with　this　difference；　that；　whereasthe　Jewish　seers　had　denounced　judgments　and　ruin　on　their　country；　itwas　his　mission　to　foretell　a　high　and　glorious　destiny　for　thenewly　gathered　people　of　the　Lord。　But；　throughout　it　all；　and　throughthe　whole　discourse；　there　had　been　a　certain　deep；　sad　undertone　ofpathos；　which　could　not　be　interpreted　otherwise　than　as　the　naturalregret　of　one　soon　to　pass　away。　Yes；　their　minister　whom　they　soloved…　and　who　so　loved　them　all；　that　he　could　not　departheavenward　without　a　sigh…　had　the　foreboding　of　untimely　death　uponhim；　and　would　soon　leave　them　in　their　tears！　This　idea　of　histransitory　stay　on　earth　gave　the　last　emphasis　to　the　effect　whichthe　preacher　had　produced；　it　was　as　if　an　angel；　in　his　passage　tothe　skies；　had　shaken　his　bright　wings　over　the　people　for　an　instant…at　once　a　shadow　and　a　splendour…　and　had　shed　down　a　shower　of　goldentruths　upon　them。　　Thus；　there　had　e　to　the　Reverend　Mr。　Dimmesdale…　as　to　most　men；in　their　various　spheres；　though　seldom　recognised　until　they　see　itfar　behind　them…　an　epoch　of　life　more　brilliant　and　full　of　triumphthan　any　previous　one；　or　that　any　which　could　hereafter　be。　He　stood；at　this　moment；　on　the　very　proudest　eminence　of　superiority；　to　whichthe　gifts　of　intellect；　rich　lore；　prevailing　eloquence；　and　areputation　of　whitest　sanctity；　could　exalt　a　clergyman　in　NewEngland's　earliest　days；　when　the　professional　character　was　of　itselfa　lofty　pedestal。　Such　was　the　position　which　the　minister　occupied；as　he　bowed　his　head　forward　on　the　cushions　of　the　pulpit；　at　theclose　of　his　Election　Sermon。　Meanwhile　Hester　Prynne　was　standingbeside　the　scaffold　of　the　pillory；　with　the　scarlet　letter　stillburning　on　her　breast！　　Now　was　heard　again　the　clangour　of　the　music；　and　the　measuredtramp　of　the　military　escort；　issuing　from　the　church…door。　Theprocession　was　to　be　marshalled　thence　to　the　town…hall；　plete　the　ceremonies　of　the　day。　　Once　more；　therefore；　the　train　of　venerable　and　majestic　fatherswas　seen　moving　through　a　broad　pathway　of　the　people；　who　drew　backreverently；　on　either　side；　as　the　Governor　and　magistrates；　the　oldand　wise　men；　the　holy　ministers；　and　all　that　were　eminent　andrenowned；　advanced　into　the　midst　of　them。　When　they　were　fairly　inthe　market…place；　their　presence　was　greeted　by　a　shout。　This…though　doubtless　it　might　acquire　additional　force　and　volume　from　thechild…　like　loyalty　which　the　age　awarded　to　its　rulers…　was　felt　tobe　an　irrepressible　outburst　of　enthusiasm　kindled　in　the　auditorsby　that　high　strain　of　eloquence　which　was　yet　reverberating　intheir　ears。　Each　felt　the　impulse　in　himself；　and；　in　the　same　breath；caught　it　from　his　neighbour。　Within　the　church；　it　had　hardly　beenkept　down；　beneath　the　sky；　it　pealed　upward　to　the　zenith。　There　werehuman　beings　enough；　and　enough　of　highly　wrought　and　symphoniousfeeling；　to　produce　that　more　impressive　sound　than　the　organ　tones　ofthe　blast；　or　the　thunder；　or　the　roar　of　the　sea；　even　that　mightyswell　of　many　voices；　blended　into　one　great　voice　by　the　universalimpulse　which　makes　likewise　one　vast　heart　out　of　the　many。　Never；from　the　soil　of　New　England；　had　gone　up　such　a　shout！　Never；　onNew　England　soil；　had　stood　the　man　so　honoured　by　his　mortal　brethrenas　the　preacher！　　How　fared　it　with　him　then？　Were　there　not　the　brilliant　particlesof　a　halo　in　the　air　about　his　head！　So　etherealised　by　spirit　as　hewas；　and　so　apotheosised　by　worshipping　admirers；　did　his　footsteps；in　the　procession；　really　tread　upon　the　dust　of　earth？　　As　the　ranks　of　military　men　and　civil　fathers　moved　onward；　alleyes　were　turned　towards　the　point　where　the　minister　was　seen　toapproach　among　them。　The　shout　died　into　a　murmur；　as　one　portion　ofthe　crowd　after　another　obtained　a　glimpse　of　him。　How　feeble　and　palehe　looked；　amid　all　his　triumph！　The　energy…　or　say；　rather；　theinspiration　which　had　held　him　up；　until　he　should　have　deliveredthe　sacred　message　that　brought　its　own　strength　along　with　it　fromheaven…　was　withdrawn；　now　that　it　had　so　faithfully　performed　itsoffice。　The　glow；　which　they　had　just　before　beheld　burning　on