红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第17部分

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ll　with　the　same　cold　posure。　〃Dostthou　know　me　so　little；　Hester　Prynne？　Are　my　purposes　wont　to　be　soshallow？　Even　if　I　imagine　a　scheme　of　vengeance；　what　could　I　dobetter　for　my　object　than　to　let　thee　live…　than　to　give　theemedicines　　against　all　harm　and　peril　of　life…　so　that　this　burningshame　may　still　blaze　upon　thy　bosom！〃　As　he　spoke；　he　laid　his　longforefinger　on　the　scarlet　letter；　which　forthwith　seemed　to　scorchinto　Hester's　breast；　as　if　it　had　been　red…hot。　He　noticed　herinvoluntary　gesture；　and　smiled。　〃Live；　therefore；　and　bear　aboutthy　doom　with　thee；　in　the　eyes　of　men　and　women…　in　the　eyes　of　himwhom　thou　didst　call　thy　husband…　in　the　eyes　of　yonder　child！　And；that　thou　mayest　live；　take　off　this　draught。〃　　Without　further　expostulation　or　delay；　Hester　Prynne　drained　thecup；　and；　at　the　motion　of　the　man　of　skill；　seated　herself　on　the　bedwhere　the　child　was　sleeping；　while　he　drew　the　only　chair　which　theroom　afforded；　and　took　his　own　seat　beside　her。　She　could　not　buttremble　at　these　preparations；　for　she　felt　that…　having　now　done　allthat　humanity；　or　principle；　or；　if　so　it　were；　a　refined　cruelty；impelled　him　to　do；　for　the　relief　of　physical　suffering…　he　wasnext　to　treat　with　her　as　the　man　whom　she　had　most　deeply　andirreparably　injured。　　〃Hester；〃　said　he；　〃I　ask　not　wherefore；　nor　how；　thou　hast　falleninto　the　pit；　or　say；　rather；　thou　hast　ascended　to　the　pedestal　ofinfamy；　on　which　I　found　thee。　The　reason　is　not　far　to　seek。　It　wasmy　folly；　and　thy　weakness。　I…　a　man　of　thought…　the　bookworm　of　greatlibraries…　a　man　already　in　decay；　having　given　my　best　years　tofeed　the　hungry　dream　of　knowledge…　what　had　I　to　do　with　youth　andbeauty　like　thine　own！　Misshapen　from　my　birth…hour；　how　could　Idelude　myself　with　the　idea　that　intellectual　gifts　might　veilphysical　deformity　in　a　young　girl's　fantasy！　Men　call　me　wise。　Ifsages　were　ever　wise　in　their　own　behoof；　I　might　have　foreseen　allthis。　I　might　have　known　that；　as　I　came　out　of　the　vast　and　dismalforest；　and　entered　this　settlement　of　Christian　men；　the　very　firstobject　to　meet　my　eyes　would　be　thyself；　Hester　Prynne；　standing　up；　astatue　of　ignominy；　before　the　people。　Nay；　from　the　moment　when　wecame　down　the　old　churchsteps　together；　a　married　pair；　I　might　havebeheld　the　bale…fire　of　that　scarlet　letter　blazing　at　the　end　ofour　path！〃　　〃Thou　knowest；〃　said　Hester…　for；　depressed　as　she　was；　she　couldnot　endure　this　last　quiet　stab　at　the　token　of　her　shame…　　〃thouknowest　that　I　was　frank　with　thee。　I　felt　no　love；　nor　feigned　any。〃　　〃True；〃　replied　he。　〃It　was　my　folly！　I　have　said　it。　But；　up　tothat　epoch　of　my　life；　I　had　lived　in　vain。　The　world　had　been　socheerless！　My　heart　was　a　habitation　large　enough　for　many　guests；　butlonely　and　chill；　and　without　a　household　fire。　I　longed　to　kindleone！　It　seemed　not　so　wild　a　dream…　old　as　I　was；　and　sombre　as　I　was；and　misshapen　as　I　was…　that　the　simple　bliss；　which　is　scatteredfar　and　wide；　for　all　mankind　to　gather　up；　might　yet　be　mine。　And　so；Hester；　I　drew　thee　into　my　heart；　into　its　innermost　chamber；　andsought　to　warm　thee　by　the　warmth　which　thy　presence　made　there！〃　　〃I　have　greatly　wronged　thee；〃　murmured　Hester。　　〃We　have　wronged　each　other；〃　answered　he。　〃Mine　was　the　firstwrong；　when　I　betrayed　thy　budding　youth　into　a　false　and　unnaturalrelation　with　my　decay。　Therefore；　as　a　man　who　has　not　thought　andphilosophised　in　vain；　I　seek　no　vengeance；　plot　no　evil　against　thee。Between　thee　and　me　the　scale　hangs　fairly　balanced。　But；　Hester；the　man　lives　who　has　wronged　us　both！　Who　is　he？〃　　〃Ask　me　not！〃　replied　Hester　Prynne；　looking　firmly　into　his　face。〃That　thou　shalt　never　know！〃　　〃Never；　sayest　thou？〃　rejoined　he；　with　a　smile　of　dark　andself…relying　intelligence。　〃Never　know　him！　Believe　me；　Hester；there　are　few　things…　whether　in　the　outward　world；　or；　to　a　certaindepth；　in　the　invisible　sphere　of　thought…　few　things　hidden　fromthe　man　who　devotes　himself　earnestly　and　unreservedly　to　the　solutionof　a　mystery。　Thou　mayest　cover　up　thy　secret　from　the　pryingmultitude。　Thou　mayest　conceal　it；　too；　from　the　ministers　andmagistrates；　even　as　thou　didst　this　day；　when　they　sought　to　wrenchthe　name　out　of　thy　heart；　and　give　thee　a　partner　on　thy　pedestal。But；　as　for　me；　I　e　to　the　inquest　with　other　senses　than　theypossess。　I　shall　seek　this　man；　as　I　have　sought　truth　in　books；　asI　have　sought　gold　in　alchemy。　There　is　a　sympathy　that　will　make　meconscious　of　him。　I　shall　see　him　tremble。　I　shall　feel　myselfshudder；　suddenly　and　unawares。　Sooner　or　later；　he　must　needs　bemine！〃　　The　eyes　of　the　wrinkled　scholar　glowed　so　intensely　upon　her；that　Hester　Prynne　clasped　her　hands　over　her　heart；　dreading　lesthe　should　read　the　secret　there　at　once。　　〃Thou　wilt　not　reveal　his　name？　Not　the　less　he　is　mine；〃　resumedhe；　with　a　look　of　confidence；　as　if　destiny　were　at　one　with　him。　〃Hebears　no　letter　of　infamy　wrought　into　his　garment；　as　thou　dost；but　I　shall　read　it　on　his　heart。　Yet　fear　not　for　him！　Think　not　thatI　shall　interfere　with　Heaven's　own　method　of　retribution；　or；　to　myown　loss；　betray　him　to　the　gripe　of　human　law。　Neither　do　thouimagine　that　I　shall　contrive　aught　against　his　life；　no；　noragainst　his　fame；　if；　as　I　judge；　he　be　a　man　of　fair　repute。　Lethim　live！　Let　him　hide　himself　in　outward　honour；　if　he　may！　Not　theless　he　shall　be　mine！〃　　〃Thy　acts　are　like　mercy；〃　said　Hester；　bewildered　and　appalled。〃But　thy　words　interpret　thee　as　a　terror！〃　　〃One　thing；　thou　that　wast　my　wife；　I　would　enjoin　upon　thee；〃continued　the　scholar。　〃Thou　hast　kept　the　secret　of　thy　paramour。Keep；　likewise；　mine！　There　are　none　in　this　land　that　know　me。Breathe　not；　to　any　human　soul；　that　thou　didst　ever　call　mehusband！　Here；　on　this　wild　outskirt　of　the　earth；　I　shall　pitch　mytent；　for；　elsewhere　a　wanderer；　and　isolated　from　human　interests；I　find　here　a　woman；　a　man；　a　child；　amongst　whom　and　myself　thereexist　the　closest　ligaments。　No　matter　whether　of　love　or　hate；　nomatter　whether　of　right　or　wrong！　Thou　and　thine；　Hester　Prynne；belong　to　me。　My　home　is　where　thou　art；　and　where　he　is。　But　betrayme　not！〃　　〃Wherefore　dost　thou　desire　it？〃　inquired　Hester；　shrinking；　shehardly　knew　why；　from　this　secret　bond。　〃Why　not　announce　thyselfopenly；　and　cast　me　off　at　once？〃　　〃It　may　be；〃　he　replied；　〃because　I　will　not　encounter　the　dishonourthat　besmirches　the　husband　of　a　faithless　woman。　It　may　be　forother　reasons。　Enough；　it　is　my　purpose　to　live　and　die　unknown。Let；　therefore；　thy　husband　be　to　the　world　as　one　already　dead；　andof　whom　no　tidings　shall　ever　e。　Recognise　me　not；　by　word；　bysign；　by　look！　Breathe　not　the　secret；　above　all；　to　the　man　thouwottest　of。　Shouldst　thou　fail　me　in　this；　beware！　His　fame；　hisposition；　his　life；　will　be　in　my　hands。　Beware！〃　　〃I　will　keep　thy　secret；　as　I　have　his；〃　said　Hester。　　〃Swear　it！〃　rejoined　he。　　And　she　took　the　oath。　　〃And　now；　Mistress　Prynne；〃　said　old　Roger　Chillingworth；　as　hewas　hereafter　to　be　named；　〃I　leave　thee　alone；　alone　with　thy　infant；and　the　scarlet　letter！　How　is　it；　Hester？　Doth　thy　sentence　bind　theeto　wear　the　token　in　thy　sleep？　Art　thou　not　afraid　of　nightmaresand　hideous　dreams？〃　　〃Why　dost　thou　smile　so　at　me？〃　inquired　Hester；　troubled　at　theexpression　of　his　eyes。　〃Art　thou　like　the　Black　Man　that　haunts　theforest　round　about　us？　Hast　thou　enticed　me　into　a　bond　that　willprove　the　ruin　of　my　soul？〃　　〃Not　thy　soul；〃　he　answered；　with　another　smile。　〃No；　not　thy　soul。〃　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　V。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　HESTER　AT　HER　NEEDLE。　　HESTER　PRYNNE'S　term　of　confinement　was　now　at　an　end。　Herprison…door　was　thrown　open；　and　she　came　forth　into　the　sunshine；which；　falling　on　all　alike；　seemed；　to　her　sick　and　morbid　heart；as　if　meant　for　no　other　purpose　than　to　reveal　the　scarlet　letteron　her　breast。　Perhaps　there　was　a　more　real　torture　in　her　firstunattended　footsteps　from　the　threshold　of　the　prison；　than　even　inthe　procession　and　spectacle　that　have　been　described；　where　she　wasmade　the　mon　infamy；　at　which　all　mankind　was　summoned　to　point　itsfinger。　Then；　she　was　supported　by　an　unnatural　tension　of　the　nerves；and　by　all　the　bative　energy　of　her　character；　which　enabled　her　toconvert　the　scene　into