红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第56章

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at　it　had　so　faithfully　performed　itsoffice。　The　glow；　which　they　had　just　before　beheld　burning　on　hischeek；　was　extinguished；　like　a　flame　that　sinks　down　hopelessly　amongthe　late…decaying　embers。　It　seemed　hardly　the　face　of　a　man　alive；with　such　a　deathlike　hue；　it　was　hardly　a　man　with　life　in　him；that　tottered　on　his　path　so　nervelessly；　yet　tottered；　and　did　notfall！　　One　of　his　clerical　brethren…　it　was　the　venerable　John　Wilson…observing　the　state　in　which　Mr。　Dimmesdale　was　left　by　the　retiringwave　of　intellect　and　sensibility；　stepped　forward　hastily　to　offerhis　support。　The　minister　tremulously；　but　decidedly；　repelled　the　oldman's　arm。　He　still　walked　onward；　if　that　movement　could　be　sodescribed；　which　rather　resembled　the　wavering　effort　of　an　infant；with　its　mother's　arms　in　view；　outstretched　to　tempt　him　forward。　Andnow；　almost　imperceptible　as　were　the　latter　steps　of　his　progress；　hehad　e　opposite　the　well…remembered　and　weather…darkened　scaffold；where；　long　since；　with　all　that　dreary　lapse　of　time　between；Hester　Prynne　had　encountered　the　world's　ignominious　stare。　Therestood　Hester；　holding　little　Pearl　by　the　hand！　And　there　was　thescarlet　letter　on　her　breast！　The　minister　here　made　a　pause；　althoughthe　music　still　played　the　stately　and　rejoicing　march　to　which　theprocession　moved。　It　summoned　him　onward…　onward　to　the　festival！…　buthere　he　made　a　pause。　　Bellingham；　for　the　last　few　moments；　had　kept　an　anxious　eye　uponhim。　He　now　left　his　own　place　in　the　procession；　and　advanced　to　giveassistance；　judging；　from　Mr。　Dimmesdale's　aspect；　that　he　mustotherwise　inevitably　fall。　But　there　was　something　in　the　latter'sexpression　that　warned　back　the　magistrate；　although　a　man　not　readilyobeying　the　vague　intimations　that　pass　from　one　spirit　to　another。The　crowd；　meanwhile；　looked　on　with　awe　and　wonder。　This　earthlyfaintness　was；　in　their　view；　only　another　phase　of　the　ministers'celestial　strength；　nor　would　it　have　seemed　a　miracle　too　high　tobe　wrought　for　one　so　holy；　had　he　ascended　before　their　eyes；waxing　dimmer　and　brighter；　and　fading　at　last　into　the　light　ofheaven！　　He　turned　towards　the　scaffold；　and　stretched　forth　his　arms。　　〃Hester；〃　said　he；　〃e　hither！　e；　my　little　Pearl！〃　　It　was　a　ghastly　look　with　which　he　regarded　them；　but　there　wassomething　at　once　tender　and　strangely　triumphant　in　it。　The　child；with　the　bird…like　motion　which　was　one　of　her　characteristics；　flewto　him；　and　clasped　her　arms　about　his　knees。　Hester　Prynne…　slowly；as　if　impelled　by　inevitable　fate；　and　against　her　strongest　will…likewise　drew　near；　but　paused　before　she　reached　him。　At　thisinstant；　old　Roger　Chillingworth　thrust　himself　through　the　crowd…　or；perhaps；　so　dark；　disturbed；　and　evil　was　his　look；　he　rose　up　outof　some　her　region…　to　snatch　back　his　victim　from　what　he　soughtto　do！　Be　that　as　it　might；　the　old　man　rushed　forward；　and　caught　theminister　by　the　arm。　　〃Madman；　hold！　what　is　your　purpose？〃　whispered　he。　〃Wave　backthat　woman！　Cast　off　this　child！　All　shall　be　well！　Do　not　blackenyour　fame；　and　perish　in　dishonour。　I　can　yet　save　you！　Would　youbring　infamy　on　your　sacred　profession？〃　　〃Ha；　tempter！　Methinks　thou　art　too　late！〃　answered　the　minister；encountering　his　eye；　fearfully；　but　firmly。　〃Thy　power　is　not　what　itwas！　With　God's　help；　I　shall　escape　thee　now！〃　　He　again　extended　his　hand　to　the　woman　of　the　scarlet　letter。　　〃Hester　Prynne；〃　cried　he；　with　a　piercing　earnestness；　〃in　the　nameof　Him；　so　terrible　and　so　merciful；　who　gives　me　grace；　at　thislast　moment；　to　do　what…　for　my　own　heavy　sin　and　miserable　agony…　Iwithheld　myself　from　doing　seven　years　ago；　e　hither　now；　and　twihy　strength　about　me！　Thy　strength；　Hester；　but　let　it　be　guided　bythe　will　which　God　hath　granted　me！　This　wretched　and　wronged　oldman　is　opposing　it　with　all　his　might！…　with　all　his　own　might；　andthe　fiend's！　e；　Hester；　e！　Support　me　up　yonder　scaffold！〃　　The　crowd　was　in　a　tumult。　The　men　of　rank　and　dignity；　who　stoodmore　immediately　around　the　clergyman；　were　so　taken　by　surprise；and　so　perplexed　as　to　the　purport　of　what　they　saw…　unable　to　receivethe　explanation　which　most　readily　presented　itself；　or　to　imagine　anyother…　that　they　remained　silent　and　inactive　spectators　of　thejudgment　which　Providence　seemed　about　to　work。　They　beheld　theminister；　leaning　on　Hester's　shoulder；　and　supported　by　her　armaround　him；　approach　the　scaffold；　and　ascend　its　steps；　while　stillthe　little　hand　of　the　sin…born　child　was　clasped　in　his。　Old　RogerChillingworth　followed；　as　one　intimately　connected　with　the　dramaof　guilt　and　sorrow　in　which　they　had　all　been　actors；　and　wellentitled；　therefore；　to　be　present　at　its　closing　scene。　　〃Hadst　thou　sought　the　whole　earth　over；〃　said　he；　looking　darkly　atthe　clergyman；　〃there　was　no　one　place　so　secret…　no　high　place　norlowly　place；　where　thou　couldst　have　escaped　me…　save　on　this　veryscaffold！〃　　〃Thanks　be　to　Him　who　hath　led　me　hither〃　answered　the　minister。　　Yet　he　trembled；　and　turned　to　Hester　with　an　expression　of　doubtand　anxiety　in　his　eyes；　not　the　less　evidently　betrayed；　that　therewas　a　feeble　smile　upon　his　lips。　　〃Is　not　this　better；〃　murmured　he；　〃than　what　we　dreamed　of　in　theforest？〃　　〃I　know　not！　I　know　not！〃　she　hurriedly　replied。　〃Better？　Yea；　so　wemay　both　die；　and　little　Pearl　die　with　us！〃　　〃For　thee　and　Pearl；　be　it　as　God　shall　order；〃　said　the　minister；〃and　God　is　merciful！　Let　me　now　do　the　will　which　He　hath　madeplain　before　my　sight。　For；　Hester；　I　am　a　dying　man。　So　let　me　makehaste　to　take　my　shame　upon　me！〃　　Partly　supported　by　Hester　Prynne；　and　holding　one　hand　of　littlePearl's；　the　Reverend　Mr。　Dimmesdale　turned　to　the　dignified　andvenerable　rulers；　to　the　holy　ministers；　who　were　his　brethren；　to　thepeople；　whose　great　heart　was　thoroughly　appalled；　yet　overflowingwith　tearful　sympathy；　as　knowing　that　some　deep　life…matter…　which；if　full　of　sin；　was　full　of　anguish　and　repentance　likewise…　was　nowto　be　laid　open　to　them。　The　sun；　but　little　past　its　meridian；shone　down　upon　the　clergyman；　and　gave　a　distinctness　to　hisfigure；　as　he　stood　out　from　all　the　earth；　to　put　in　his　plea　ofguilty　at　the　bar　of　Eternal　Justice。　　〃People　of　New　England！〃　cried　he；　with　a　voice　that　rose　over　them；high；　solemn；　and　majestic…　yet　had　always　a　tremor　through　it；　andsometimes　a　shriek；　struggling　up　out　of　a　fathomless　depth　of　remorseand　woe…　〃ye；　that　have　loved　me！…　ye；　that　have　deemed　me　holy…behold　me　here；　the　one　sinner　of　the　world！　At　last！…　at　last！…　Istand　upon　the　spot　where；　seven　years　since；　I　should　have　stood；here；　with　this　woman；　whose　arm；　more　than　the　little　strengthwherewith　I　have　crept　hitherward；　sustains　me；　at　this　dreadfulmoment；　from　grovelling　down　upon　my　face！　Lo；　the　scarlet　letterwhich　Hester　wears！　Ye　have　all　shuddered　at　it！　Wherever　her　walkhath　been…　wherever；　so　miserably　burdened；　she　may　have　hoped　to　findrepose…　it　hath　cast　a　lurid　gleam　of　awe　and　horrible　repugnanceround　about　her。　But　there　stood　one　in　the　midst　of　you；　at　whosebrand　of　sin　and　infamy　ye　have　not　shuddered！〃　　It　seemed；　at　this　point；　as　if　the　minister　must　leave　theremainder　of　his　secret　undisclosed。　But　he　fought　back　the　bodilyweakness…　and；　still　more；　the　faintness　of　heart…　that　was　strivingfor　the　mastery　with　him。　He　threw　off　all　assistance；　and　steppedpassionately　forward　a　pace　before　the　woman　and　the　child。　　〃It　was　on　him！〃　he　continued；　with　a　kind　of　fierceness；　sodetermined　was　he　to　speak　out　the　whole。　〃God's　eye　beheld　it！　Theangels　were　forever　pointing　at　it！　The　Devil　knew　it　well；　andfretted　it　continually　with　the　touch　of　his　burning　finger！　But　hehid　it　cunningly　from　men；　and　walked　among　you　with　the　mien　of　aspirit；　mournful；　because　so　pure　in　a　sinful　world！…　and　sad；　becausehe　missed　his　heavenly　kindred！　Now；　at　the　death…hour；　he　stands　upbefore　you！　He　bids　you　look　again　at　Hester's　scarlet　letter！　Hetells　you；　that；　with　all　its　mysterious　horror；　it　is　but　theshadow　of　what　he　bears　on　his　own　breast；　and　that　even　this；　his　ownred　stigma；　is　no　more　than　the　type　of　what　has　seared　his　inmostheart！　Stand　any　here　that　question　God's　judgment　on　a　sinner？Behold！　Behold　a　dreadful　witness　of　it！〃　　With　a