红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)- 第37部分

Prynne　andlittle　Pearl　came　into　the　market…place。　It　was　already　throngedwith　the　craftsmen　and　other　plebeian　inhabitants　of　the　town；　inconsiderable　numbers；　among　whom；　likewise；　were　many　rough　figures；whose　attire　of　deer…skins　marked　them　as　belonging　to　some　of　theforest　settlements；　which　surrounded　the　little　metropolis　of　thecolony。　　On　this　public　holiday；　as　on　all　other　occasions；　for　seven　yearspast；　Hester　was　clad　in　a　garment　of　coarse　grey　cloth。　Not　more　byits　hue　than　by　some　indescribable　peculiarity　in　its　fashion；　ithad　the　effect　of　making　her　fade　personally　out　of　sight　and　outline；while；　again；　the　scarlet　letter　brought　her　back　from　this　twilightindistinctness；　and　revealed　her　under　the　moral　aspect　of　its　ownillumination。　Her　face；　so　long　familiar　to　the　townspeople；　showedthe　marble　quietude　which　they　were　accustomed　to　behold　there。　It　waslike　a　mask；　or；　rather；　like　the　frozen　calmness　of　a　dead　woman'sfeatures；　owing　this　dreary　resemblance　to　the　fact　that　Hester　wasactually　dead；　in　respect　to　any　claim　of　sympathy；　and　had　departedout　of　the　world　with　which　she　still　seemed　to　mingle。　　It　might　be；　on　this　one　day；　that　there　was　an　expression　unseenbefore；　nor；　indeed；　vivid　enough　to　be　detected　now；　unless　somepreternaturally　gifted　observer　should　have　first　read　the　heart；and　have　afterwards　sought　a　corresponding　development　in　thecountenance　and　mien。　Such　a　spiritual　seer　might　have　conceived；that；　after　sustaining　the　gaze　of　the　multitude　through　sevenmiserable　years　as　a　necessity；　a　penance；　and　something　which　itwas　a　stern　religion　to　endure；　she　now；　for　one　last　time　more；encountered　it　freely　and　voluntarily；　in　order　to　convert　what　had　solong　been　agony　into　a　kind　of　triumph。　〃Look　your　last　on　the　scarletletter　and　its　wearer！〃…　the　people's　victim　and　life…long　bond…slave；as　they　fancied　her；　might　say　to　them。　〃Yet　a　little　while；　and　shewill　be　beyond　your　reach！　A　few　hours　longer；　and　the　deep；mysterious　ocean　will　quench　and　hide　for　ever　the　symbol　which　yehave　caused　to　burn　upon　her　bosom！〃　Nor　were　it　an　inconsistencytoo　improbable　to　be　assigned　to　human　nature；　should　we　suppose　afeeling　of　regret　in　Hester's　mind；　at　the　moment　when　she　was　aboutto　win　her　freedom　from　the　pain　which　had　been　thus　deeplyincorporated　with　her　being。　Might　there　not　be　an　irresistible　desireto　quaff　a　last；　long；　breathless　draught　of　the　cup　of　wormwood　andaloes；　with　which　nearly　all　her　years　of　womanhood　had　beenperpetually　flavoured？　The　wine　of　life；　henceforth　to　be　presented　toher　lips；　must　be　indeed　rich；　delicious；　and　exhilarating；　in　itschased　and　golden　beaker；　or　else　leave　an　inevitable　and　wearylanguor；　after　the　lees　of　bitterness　wherewith　she　had　beendrugged；　as　with　a　cordial　of　intensest　potency。　　Pearl　was　decked　out　with　airy　gaiety。　It　would　have　been　impossibleto　guess　that　this　bright　and　sunny　apparition　owed　its　existence　tothe　shape　of　gloomy　grey；　or　that　a　fancy；　at　once　so　gorgeous　andso　delicate　as　must　have　been　requisite　to　contrive　the　child'sapparel；　was　the　same　that　had　achieved　a　task　perhaps　more　difficult；in　imparting　so　distinct　a　peculiarity　to　Hester's　simple　robe。　Thedress；　so　proper　was　it　to　little　Pearl；　seemed　an　effluence；　orinevitable　development　and　outward　manifestation　of　her　character；no　more　to　be　separated　from　her　than　the　many…hued　brilliancy　froma　butterfly's　wing；　or　the　painted　glory　from　the　leaf　of　a　brightflower。　As　with　these；　so　with　the　child；　her　garb　was　all　of　one　ideawith　her　nature。　On　this　eventful　day；　moreover；　there　was　a　certainsingular　inquietude　and　excitement　in　her　mood；　resembling　nothingso　much　as　the　shimmer　of　a　diamond；　that　sparkles　and　flashes　withthe　varied　throbbings　of　the　breast　on　which　it　is　displayed。　Childrenhave　always　a　sympathy　in　the　agitations　of　those　connected　with　them；always；　especially；　a　sense　of　any　trouble　or　impending　revolution；　ofwhatever　kind；　in　domestic　circumstances；　and　therefore　Pearl；　who　wasthe　gem　on　her　mother's　unquiet　bosom；　betrayed；　by　the　very　danceof　her　spirits；　the　emotions　which　none　could　detect　in　the　marblepassiveness　of　Hester's　brow。　　This　effervescence　made　her　flit　with　a　birdlike　movement；　ratherthan　walk　by　her　mother's　side。　She　broke　continually　into　shouts　of　awild；　inarticulate；　and　sometimes　piercing　music。　When　they　reachedthe　market…place；　she　became　still　more　restless；　on　perceiving　thestir　and　bustle　that　enlivened　the　spot；　for　it　was　usually　morelike　the　broad　and　lonesome　green　before　a　village　meetinghouse；than　the　centre　of　a　town's　business。　　〃Why；　what　is　this；　mother？〃　cried　she。　〃Wherefore　have　all　thepeople　left　their　work　to…day？　Is　it　a　play…day　for　the　whole　world？See；　there　is　the　blacksmith！　He　has　washed　his　sooty　face；　and　put　onhis　Sabbath…day　clothes；　and　looks　as　if　he　would　gladly　be　merry；if　any　kind　body　would　only　teach　him　how！　And　there　is　MasterBrackett；　the　old　jailer；　nodding　and　smiling　at　me。　Why　does　he　doso；　mother？〃　　〃He　remembers　thee　a　little　babe；　my　child；〃　answered　Hester。　　〃He　should　not　nod　and　smile　at　me　for　all　that…　the　black；　grim；ugly…eyed　old　man！〃　said　Pearl。　〃He　may　nod　at　thee；　if　he　will；　forthou　art　clad　in　grey；　and　wearest　the　scarlet　letter。　But　see；mother；　how　many　faces　of　strange　people；　and　Indians　among　them；and　sailors！　What　have　they　all　e　to　do；　here　in　the　market…place？〃　　〃They　wait　to　see　the　procession　pass；〃　said　Hester。　〃For　theGovernor　and　the　magistrates　are　to　go　by；　and　the　ministers；　andall　the　great　people　and　good　people；　with　the　music　and　thesoldiers　marching　before　them。〃　　〃And　will　the　minister　be　there？〃　asked　Pearl。　〃And　will　he　hold　outboth　his　hands　to　me；　as　when　thou　ledst　me　to　him　from　thebrook…side？〃　　〃He　will　be　there；　child；〃　answered　her　mother。　〃But　he　will　notgreet　thee　to…day；　nor　must　thou　greet　him。〃　　〃What　a　strange；　sad　man　is　he！〃　said　the　child；　as　if　speakingpartly　to　herself。　〃In　the　dark　night…time　he　calls　us　to　him；　andholds　thy　hand　and　mine；　as　when　we　stood　with　him　on　the　scaffoldyonder！　And　in　the　deep　forest；　where　only　the　old　trees　can　hear；　andthe　strip　of　sky　see　it；　he　talks　with　thee；　sitting　on　a　heap　ofmoss！　And　he　kisses　my　forehead；　too；　so　that　the　little　brook　wouldhardly　wash　it　off！　But　here；　in　the　sunny　day；　and　among　all　thepeople；　he　knows　us　not；　nor　must　we　know　him！　A　strange；　sad　man　ishe；　with　his　hand　always　over　his　heart！〃　　〃Be　quiet；　Pearl！　Thou　understandest　not　these　things；〃　said　hermother。　〃Think　not　now　of　the　minister；　but　look　about　thee；　and　seehow　cheery　is　everybody's　face　to…day。　The　children　have　e　fromtheir　schools；　and　the　grown　people　from　their　workshops　and　theirfields；　on　purpose　to　be　happy。　For；　to…day；　a　new　man　is　beginning　torule　over　them；　and　so…　as　has　been　the　custom　of　mankind　ever　since　anation　was　first　gathered…　they　make　merry　and　rejoice；　as　if　a　goodand　golden　year　were　at　length　to　pass　over　the　poor　old　world！〃　　It　was　as　Hester　said；　in　regard　to　the　unwonted　jollity　thatbrightened　the　faces　of　the　people。　Into　this　festal　season　of　theyear…　as　it　already　was；　and　continued　to　be　during　the　greater　partof　two　centuries…　the　Puritans　pressed　whatever　mirth　and　publicjoy　they　deemed　allowable　to　human　infirmity；　thereby　so　fardispelling　the　customary　cloud；　that；　for　the　space　of　a　singleholiday；　they　appeared　scarcely　more　grave　than　most　other　munitiesat　a　period　of　general　affliction。　　But　we　perhaps　exaggerate　the　grey　or　sable　tinge；　which　undoubtedlycharacterised　the　mood　and　manners　of　the　age。　The　persons　now　inthe　market…place　of　Boston　had　not　been　born　to　an　inheritance　ofPuritanic　gloom。　They　were　native　Englishmen；　whose　fathers　hadlived　in　the　sunny　richness　of　the　Elizabethan　epoch；　a　time　whenthe　life　of　England；　viewed　as　one　great　mass；　would　appear　to　havebeen　as　stately；　magnificent；　and　joyous；　as　the　world　has　everwitnessed。　Had　they　followed　their　hereditary　taste；　the　New　Englandsettlers　would　have　illustrated　all　events　of　public　importance　bybonfires；　banquets；　pageantries；　and　processions。　Nor　would　it　havebeen　impracticable；　in　the　observance　of　majestic　ceremonies；　tobine　mirthful　recreation　with　solemnity；　and　give；　as　it　broidery　to　the　great　robe　of　state；　which　anation；　at　such　festivals；　puts　on。　There　was　some　shadow　of　anattempt　of　this　kind　in　the　mode　of　celebrating　the　day　on　which　thepolitical　year　of　the　colony　menced。　The　dim　reflection　of　aremembered　splendour；　a　colourless　and　manifold　diluted　repetitionof　what　they　had　beheld　in　proud　old　London…　we　will　not　say　at　aroyal　coronation；　but　at　a　Lord　Mayor's　show…　might　be　traced　in　thecustoms　which　our　forefathers　instituted；　with　reference　to　the　annualinstallation　of　magistrates。　The　fathers　and　founders　of　themonwealth…　the　statesman；　the　priest；　and　the　soldier…　deemed　ita　duty　then　to　assume　the　outward　state　and　majesty；　which；　inaccordance　with　antique　style；　was　looked　upon　as　the　proper　garb　ofpublic　or　social　eminence。　All　came　forth　to　move　in　procession　beforethe　people's　eye；　and　thus　impart　a　needed　dignity　to　the　simpleframework　of　a　government　so　newly　constructed。　　Then；　too；　the　people　were　countenanced；　if　not　encouraged；　inrelaxing　the　severe　and　close　application　to　their　various　modes　ofrugged　industry；　which；　at　all　other　times；　seemed　of　the　same　pieceand　material　with　their　religion。　Here；　it　is　true；　were　none　of　theappliances　which　popular　merriment　would　so　readily　have　found　inthe　England　of　Elizabeth's　time；　or　that　of　James…　no　rude　shows　ofa　theatrical　kind；　no　minstrel；　with　his　harp　and　legendary　ballad；nor　gleeman；　with　an　ape　dancing　to　his　music；　no　juggler；　with　histricks　of　mimic　witchcraft；　no　Merry　Andrew；　to　stir　up　themultitude　with　jests；　perhaps　hundreds　of　years　old；　but　stilleffective；　by　their　appeals　to　the　very　broadest　sources　of　mirthfulsympathy。　All　such　professors　of　the　several　branches　of　jocularitywould　have　been　sternly　repressed；　not　only　by　the　rigid　discipline　oflaw；　but　by　the　general　sentiment　which　gives　law　its　vitality。　Notthe　less；　however；　the　great；　honest　face　of　the　people　smiled…grimly；　perhaps；　but　widely　too。　Nor　were　sports　wanting；　such　asthe　colonists　had　witnessed；　and　shared　in；　long　ago；　at　the　countryfairs　and　on　the　village…greens　of　England；　and　which　it　was　thoughtwell　to　keep　alive　on　this　new　soil；　for　the　sake　of　the　courage　andmanliness　that　were　essential　in　them。　Wrestling…matches；　in　thedifferent　fashions　of　Cornwall　and　Devonshire；　were　seen　here　andthere　about　the　market…place；　in　one　corner；　there　was　a　friendly　boutat　quarterstaff；　and…　what　attracted　most　interest　of　all…　on　theplatform　of　the　pillory；　already　so　noted　in　our　pages；　two　masters　ofdefence　were　mencing　an　exhibition　with　the　buckler　and　broadsword。But；　much　to　the　disappointment　of　the　crowd；　this　latter　business　wasbroken　off　by　the　interposition　of　the　town　beadle；　who　had　no　idea　ofpermitting　the　majesty　of　the　law　to　be　violated　by　such　an　abuse　ofone　of　its　consecrated　places。　　It　may　not　be　too　much　to　affirm；　on　the　whole　（the　people　beingthen　in　the　first　stages　of　joyless　deportment；　and　the　offspring　ofsires　who　had　known　how　to　be　merry；　in　their　day）；　that　they　wouldpare　favourably；　in　point　of　holiday　kee