红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第47章
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ther's threats； any morethan mollified by her entreaties； now suddenly burst into a fit ofpassion； gesticulating violently； and throwing her small figure intothe most extravagant contortions。 She acpanied this wild outbreakwith piercing shrieks； which the woods reverberated on all sides； sothat； alone as she was in her childish and unreasonable wrath； itseemed as if a hidden multitude were lending her their sympathy andencouragement。 Seen in the brook； once more； was the shadowy wraith ofPearl's image； crowned and girdled with flowers； but stamping itsfoot； wildly gesticulating； and； in the midst of all； still pointingits small forefinger at Hester's bosom！ 〃I see what ails the child；〃 whispered Hester to the clergyman；and turning pale in spite of a strong effort to conceal her troubleand annoyance。 〃Children will not abide any； the slightest； changein the accustomed aspect of things that are daily before their eyes。Pearl misses something which she has always seen me wear！〃 〃I pray you；〃 answered the minister； 〃if thou hast any means ofpacifying the child； do it forthwith！ Save it were the cankeredwrath of an old witch； like Mistress Hibbins；〃 added he； attempting tosmile； 〃I know nothing that I would not sooner encounter than thispassion in a child。 In Pearl's young beauty； as in the wrinkled witch；it has a preternatural effect。 Pacify her； if thou lovest me！〃 Hester turned again towards Pearl； with a crimson blush upon hercheek； a conscious glance aside at the clergyman； and then a heavysigh； while； even before she had time to speak； the blush yielded to adeadly pallor。 〃Pearl；〃 said she sadly； 〃look down at thy feet！ There… beforethee！… the hither side of the brook！〃 The child turned her eyes to the point indicated； and there laythe scarlet letter； so close upon the margin of the stream； that thegold embroidery was reflected in it。 〃Bring it hither！〃 said Hester。 〃e thou and take it up！〃 answered Pearl。 〃Was ever such a child！〃 observed Hester； aside to the minister。〃Oh； I have much to tell thee about her！ But； in very truth； she isright as regards this hateful token。 I must bear its torture yet alittle longer… only a few days longer… until we shall have left thisregion； and look back hither as to a land which we have dreamed of。The forest cannot hide it！ The mid…ocean shall take it from my hand；and swallow it up for ever！〃 With these words； she advanced to the margin of the brook； took upthe scarlet letter； and fastened it again into her bosom。 Hopefully；but a moment ago； as Hester had spoken of drowning it in the deep sea；there was a sense of inevitable doom upon her； as she thus receivedback this deadly symbol from the hand of fate。 She had flung it intoinfinite space！… she had drawn an hour's free breath！… and hereagain was the scarlet misery； glittering on the old spot！ So it everis； whether thus typified or no； that an evil deed invests itself withthe character of doom。 Hester next gathered up the heavy tresses ofher hair； and confined them beneath her cap。 As if there were awithering spell in the sad letter； her beauty； the warmth and richnessof her womanhood； departed； like fading sunshine； and a grey shadowseemed to fall across her。 When the dreary change was wrought； she extended her hand to Pearl。 〃Dost thou know thy mother now； child？〃 asked she reproachfully； butwith a subdued tone。 〃Wilt thou e across the brook； and own thymother； now that she has her shame upon her… now that she is sad？〃 〃Yes； now I will！〃 answered the child； bounding across the brook；and clasping Hester in her arms。 〃Now thou art my mother indeed！ And Iam thy little Pearl！〃 In a mood of tenderness that was not usual with her； she drew downher mother's head； and kissed her brow and both her cheeks。 Butthen… by a kind of necessity that always impelled this child toalloy whatever fort she might chance to give with a throb ofanguish… Pearl put up her mouth； and kissed the scarlet letter too！ 〃That was not kind！〃 said Hester。 〃When thou hast shown me alittle love； thou mockest me！〃 〃Why doth the minister sit yonder？〃 asked Pearl。 〃He waits to wele thee；〃 replied her mother。 〃e thou； andentreat his blessing！ He loves thee； my little Pearl； and loves thymother too。 Wilt thou not love him？ e！ he longs to greet thee！〃 〃Doth he love us？〃 said Pearl； looking up； with acuteintelligence； into her mother's face。 〃Will he go back with us； handin hand； we three together into the town？〃 〃Not now； dear child；〃 answered Hester。 〃But in days to e he willwalk hand in hand with us。 We will have a home and fireside of ourown； and thou shalt sit upon his knee； and he will teach thee manythings； and love thee dearly。 Thou wilt love him； wilt thou not？〃 〃And will he always keep his hand over his heart？〃 inquired Pearl。 〃Foolish child； what a question is that！〃 exclaimed her mother。〃e and ask his blessing！〃 But； whether influenced by the jealousy that seems instinctivewith every petted child towards a dangerous rival； or from whatevercaprice of her freakish nature； Pearl would show no favour to theclergyman。 It was only by an exertion of force that her mother broughther up to him； hanging back； and manifesting her reluctance by oddgrimaces； of which； ever since her babyhood； she had possessed asingular variety； and could transform her mobile physiognomy into aseries of different aspects； with a new mischief in them； each andall。 The minister… painfully embarrassed； but hoping that a kiss mightprove a talisman to admit him into the child's kindlier regards…bent forward； and impressed one on her brow。 Hereupon； Pearl brokeaway from her mother； and； running to the brook； stooped over it；and bathed her forehead； until the unwele kiss was quite washedoff； and diffused through a long lapse of the gliding water。 Shethen remained apart； silently watching Hester and the clergyman： whilethey talked together； and made such arrangements as were suggestedby their new position； and the purposes soon to be fulfilled。 And now this fateful interview had e to a close。 The dell wasto be left a solitude among its dark； old trees； which； with theirmultitudinous tongues； would whisper long of what had passed there；and no mortal be the wiser。 And the melancholy brook would add thisother tale to the mystery with which its little heart was alreadyoverburdened； and whereof it still kept up a murmuring babble； withnot a whit more cheerfulness of tone than for ages heretofore。 XX。 THE MINISTER IN A MAZE。 AS the minister departed； in advance of Hester Prynne and littlePearl； he threw a backward glance； half expecting that he shoulddiscover only some faintly traced features or outline of the motherand the child； slowly fading into the twilight of the woods。 Sogreat a vicissitude in his life could not at once be received as real。But there was Hester； clad in her grey robe； still standing beside thetree…trunk； which some blast had overthrown a long antiquity ago；and which time had ever since been covering with moss； so that thesetwo fated ones； with earth's heaviest burden on them； might theresit down together； and find a single hour's rest and solace。 And therewas Pearl； too； lightly dancing from the margin of the brook… now thatthe intrusive third person was gone… and taking her old place by hermother's side。 So the minister had not fallen asleep； and dreamed！ In order to free his mind from this indistinctness and duplicityof impression； which vexed it with a strange disquietude； herecalled and more thoroughly defined the plans which Hester andhimself had sketched for their departure。 It had been determinedbetween them； that the Old World； with its crowds and cities；offered them a more eligible shelter and concealment than the wilds ofNew England； or all America； with its alternatives of an Indianwigwam； or the few settlements of Europeans； scattered thinly alongthe seaboard。 Not to speak of the clergyman's health； so inadequate tosustain the hardships of a forest life； his native gifts； his culture；and his entire development； would secure him a home only in themidst of civilisation and refinement； the higher the state； the moredelicately adapted to it the man。 In furtherance of this choice； it sohappened that a ship lay in the harbour
