红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第34章
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al city； while looking thitherwardto see the triumphant pilgrim pass within its gates… now； in short；good Father Wilson was moving homeward； aiding his footsteps with alighted lantern！ The glimmer of this luminary suggested the aboveconceits to Mr。 Dimmesdale； who smiled… nay； almost laughed at them…and then wondered if he were going mad。 As the Reverend Mr。 Wilson passed beside the scaffold； closelymuffling his Geneva cloak about him with one arm； and holding thelantern before his breast with the other； the minister could hardlyrestrain himself from speaking。 〃A good evening to you； venerable Father Wilson！ e up hither； Ipray you； and pass a pleasant hour with me！〃 Good heavens！ Had Mr。 Dimmesdale actually spoken？ For one instant；he believed that these words had passed his lips。 But they wereuttered only within his imagination。 The venerable Father Wilsoncontinued to step slowly onward； looking carefully at the muddypathway before his feet； and never once turning his head toward theguilty platform。 When the light of the glimmering lantern had fadedquite away； the minister discovered； by the faintness which cameover him； that the last few moments had been a crisis of terribleanxiety； although his mind had made an involuntary effort to relieveitself by a kind of lurid playfulness。 Shortly afterwards； the like grisly sense of the humorous againstole in among the solemn phantoms of his thought。 He felt his limbsgrowing stiff with the unaccustomed chilliness of the night； anddoubted whether he should be able to descend the steps of thescaffold。 Morning would break； and find him there。 The neighbourhoodwould begin to rouse itself。 The earliest riser； ing forth in thedim twilight； would perceive a vaguely defined figure aloft on theplace of shame； and； half crazed betwixt alarm and curiosity； wouldgo； knocking from door to door； summoning all the people to behold theghost… as he needs must think it… of some defunct transgressor。 Adusky tumult would flap its wings from one house to another。 Then… themorning light still waxing stronger… old patriarchs would rise up ingreat haste； each in his flannel gown； and matronly dames； withoutpausing to put off their night…gear。 The whole tribe of decorouspersonages； who had never heretofore been seen with a single hair oftheir heads awry； would start into public view； with the disorder of anightmare in their aspects。 Old Governor Bellingham would egrimly forth； with his King James ruff fastened askew； and MistressHibbins； with some twigs of the forest clinging to her skirts； andlooking sourer than ever； as having hardly got a wink of sleep afterher night ride； and good Father Wilson； too； after spending half thenight at a death…bed； and liking ill to be disturbed； thus early；out of his dreams about the glorified saints。 Hither； likewise；would e the elders and deacons of Mr Dimmesdale's church； and theyoung virgins who so idolised their minister； and had made a shrinefor him in their white bosoms； which now； by…the…bye； in their hurryand confusion； they would scantily have given themselves time to coverwith their kerchiefs。 All people； in a word； would e stumbling overtheir thresholds； and turning up their amazed and horror…strickenvisages around the scaffold。 Whom would they discern there； with thered eastern light upon his brow？ Whom； but the Reverend ArthurDimmesdale； half frozen to death； overwhelmed with shame； and standingwhere Hester Prynne had stood！ Carried away by the grotesque horror of this picture； theminister； unawares； and to his own infinite alarm； burst into agreat peal of laughter。 It was immediately responded to by a light；airy； childish laugh； in which； with a thrill of the heart… but heknew not whether of exquisite pain； or pleasure as acute… herecognised the tones of little Pearl。 〃Pearl！ Little Pearl！〃 cried he； after a moment's pause； then；suppressing his voice… 〃Hester！ Hester Prynne！ Are you there？〃 〃Yes； it is Hester Prynne！〃 she replied； in a tone of surprise；and the minister heard her footsteps approaching from the sidewalk；along which she had been passing。 〃It is I； and my little Pearl。〃 〃Whence e you； Hester？〃 asked the minister。 〃What sent youhither？〃 〃I have been watching at a death…bed；〃 answered Hester Prynne… 〃atGovernor Winthrop's death…bed； and have taken his measure for arobe； and am now going homeward to my dwelling。〃 〃e up hither； Hester； thou and little Pearl；〃 said the ReverendMr。 Dimmesdale。 〃Ye have both been here before； but I was not withyou。 e up hither once again； and we will stand all three together！〃 She silently ascended the steps； and stood on the platform；holding little Pearl by the hand。 The minister felt for the child'sother hand； and took it。 The moment that he did so； there came whatseemed a tumultuous rush of new life； other life than his own； pouringlike a torrent into his heart； and hurrying through all his veins；as if the mother and the child were municating their vital warmthto his half…torpid system。 The three formed an electric chain。 〃Minister！〃 whispered little Pearl。 〃What wouldst thou say； child？〃 asked Mr。 Dimmesdale。 〃Wilt thou stand here with mother and me； to…morrow noontide？〃inquired Pearl。 〃Nay； not so； my little Pearl；〃 answered the minister； for； with thenew energy of the moment； all the dread of public exposure； that hadso long been the anguish of his life； had returned upon him； and hewas already trembling at the conjunction in which… with a strange joy；nevertheless… he now found himself。 〃Not so； my child。 I shall；indeed； stand with thy mother and thee one other day； but notto…morrow。〃 Pearl laughed； and attempted to pull away her hand。 But the ministerheld it fast。 〃A moment longer； my child！〃 said he。 〃But wilt thou promise；〃 asked Pearl； 〃to take my hand； and mother'shand； to…morrow noontide？〃 〃Not then； Pearl；〃 said the minister； 〃but another time。〃 〃And what other time？〃 persisted the child。 〃At the great judgment day；〃 whispered the minister… and；strangely enough； the sense that he was a professional teacher ofthe truth impelled him to answer the child so。 〃Then； and there；before the judgment…seat； thy mother； and thou； and I； must standtogether。 But the daylight of this world shall not see our meeting！〃 Pearl laughed again。 But； before Mr。 Dimmesdale had done speaking； a light gleamed farand wide over all the muffled sky。 It was doubtless caused by one ofthose meteors which the night…watcher may so often observe burning outto waste； in the vacant regions of the atmosphere。 So powerful was itsradiance； that it thoroughly illuminated the dense medium of cloudbetwixt the sky and earth。 The great vault brightened； like the domeof an immense lamp。 It showed the familiar scene of the street； withthe distinctness of mid…day； but also with the awfulness that isalways imparted to familiar objects by an unaccustomed light。 Thewooden houses； with their jutting stories and quaint gable…peaks；the door…steps and thresholds； with the early grass springing up aboutthem； the garden…plots； black with freshly turned earth； thewheel…track； little worn； and； even in the market…place； margined withgreen on either side all… were visible； but with a singularity ofaspect that seemed to give another moral interpretation to thethings of this world than they had ever borne before。 And therestood the minister； with his hand over his heart； and Hester Prynne；with the embroidered letter glimmering on her bosom； and little Pearl；herself a symbol； and the connecting link between those two。 Theystood in the noon of that strange and solemn splendour； as if itwere the light that is to reveal all secrets； and the daybreak thatshall unite all who belong to one another。 There was witchcraft in little Pearl's eyes； and her face； as sheglanced upward at the minister； wore that naughty smile which made itsexpression frequently so elvish。 She withdrew her hand from Mr。Dimmesdale's； and pointed across the street。 But he clasped both hishands over his breast； and cast his eyes towards the zenith。 Nothing was more mon； in those days； than to interpret allmeteoric appearances； and other natural phenomena； that occurredwith less regularity than the rise and set of sun and moon； as so manyrevelations from a supernatural source。 Thus； a blazi
