红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第章

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　needlessly　and　imperceptibly；　the　mighty　floodof　merce　at　New　York　or　Boston。　On　some　such　morning；　when　three　orfour　vessels　happen　to　have　arrived　at　once…　usually　from　Africa　orSouth　America…　or　to　be　on　the　verge　of　their　departure　thitherward；there　is　a　sound　of　frequent　feet；　passing　briskly　up　and　down　thegranite　steps。　Here；　before　his　own　wife　has　greeted　him；　you　maygreet　the　sea…flushed　shipmaster；　just　in　port；　with　his　vessel'spapers　under　his　arm；　in　a　tarnished　tin　box。　Here；　too；　es　hisowner；　cheerful　or　sombre；　gracious　or　in　the　sulks；　accordingly　ashis　scheme　of　the　now　acplished　voyage　has　been　realised　inmerchandise　that　will　readily　be　turned　to　gold；　or　has　buried　himunder　a　bulk　of　inmodities；　such　as　nobody　will　care　to　rid　him　of。Here；　likewise…　the　germ　of　the　wrinkle…browed；　grizzly…bearded；care…worn　merchant…　we　have　the　smart　young　clerk；　who　gets　thetaste　of　traffic　as　a　wolf…cub　does　of　blood；　and　already　sendsadventures　in　his　master's　ships；　when　he　had　better　be　sailingmimic…boats　upon　a　mill…pond。　Another　figure　in　the　scene　is　theoutward…bound　sailor；　in　quest　of　a　protection；　or　the　recentlyarrived　one；　pale　and　feeble；　seeking　a　passport　to　the　hospital。Nor　must　we　forget　the　captains　of　the　rusty　little　schooners　thatbring　firewood　from　the　British　provinces；　a　rough…looking　set　oftarpaulins；　without　the　alertness　of　the　Yankee　aspect；　butcontributing　an　item　of　no　slight　importance　to　our　decaying　trade。　　Cluster　all　these　individuals　together；　as　they　sometimes　were；　withother　miscellaneous　ones　to　diversify　the　group；　and；　for　the　timebeing；　it　made　the　Custom…House　a　stirring　scene。　More　frequently；however；　on　ascending　the　steps；　you　would　discern…　in　the　entry；　ifit　were　summer　time；　or　in　their　appropriate　rooms；　if　wintry　orinclement　weather…　a　row　of　venerable　figures；　sitting　inold…fashioned　chairs；　which　were　tipped　on　their　hind　legs　backagainst　the　wall。　Oftentimes　they　were　asleep；　but　occasionallymight　be　heard　talking　together；　in　voices　between　speech　and　a　snore；and　with　that　lack　of　energy　that　distinguishes　the　occupants　ofalms…houses；　and　all　other　human　beings　who　depend　for　subsistence　oncharity；　on　monopolised　labour；　or　anything　else　but　their　ownindependent　exertions。　These　old　gentlemen…　seated；　like　Matthew；　atthe　receipt　of　customs；　but　not　very　liable　to　be　summoned　thence；like　him；　for　apostolic　errands…　were　Custom…House　officers。　　Furthermore；　on　the　left　hand　as　you　enter　the　front　door；　is　acertain　room　or　office；　about　fifteen　feet　square；　and　of　a　loftyheight；　with　two　of　its　arched　windows　manding　a　view　of　theaforesaid　dilapidated　wharf；　and　the　third　looking　across　a　narrowlane；　and　along　a　portion　of　Derby　Street。　All　three　give　glimpsesof　the　shops　of　grocers；　block…makers；　slop…sellers；　andship…chandlers；　around　the　doors　of　which　are　generally　to　be　seen；laughing　and　gossiping；　clusters　of　old　salts；　and　such　otherwharf…rats　as　haunt　the　Wapping　of　a　seaport。　The　room　itself　iscobwebbed；　and　dingy　with　old　paint；　its　floor　is　strewn　with　greysand；　in　a　fashion　that　has　elsewhere　fallen　into　long　disuse；　andit　is　easy　to　conclude；　from　the　general　slovenliness　of　the　place；that　this　is　a　sanctuary　into　which　womankind；　with　her　tools　ofmagic；　the　broom　and　mop；　has　very　infrequent　access。　In　the　way　offurniture；　there　is　a　stove　with　a　voluminous　funnel；　an　old　pinedesk；　with　a　three…legged　stool　beside　it；　two　or　threewooden…bottom　chairs；　exceedingly　decrepit　and　infirm；　and…　not　toforget　the　library…　on　some　shelves；　a　score　or　two　of　volumes　ofthe　Acts　of　Congress；　and　a　bulky　Digest　of　the　Revenue　Laws。　A　tinpipe　ascends　through　the　ceiling；　and　forms　a　medium　of　vocalmunication　with　other　parts　of　the　edifice。　And　here；　some　sixmonths　ago…　pacing　from　corner　to　corner；　or　lounging　on　thelong…legged　stool；　with　his　elbow　on　the　desk；　and　his　eyeswandering　up　and　down　the　columns　of　the　morning　newspaper…　youmight　have　recognised；　honoured　reader；　the　same　individual　whoweled　you　into　his　cheery　little　study；　where　the　sunshineglimmered　so　pleasantly　through　the　willow　branches；　on　the　westernside　of　the　Old　Manse。　But　now；　should　you　go　thither　to　seek　him；　youwould　inquire　in　vain　for　the　Locofoco　Surveyor。　The　besom　of　reformhas　swept　him　out　of　office；　and　a　worthier　successor　wears　hisdignity；　and　pockets　his　emoluments。　　This　old　town　of　Salem…　my　native　place；　though　I　have　dwelt　muchaway　from　it；　both　in　boyhood　and　maturer　years…　possesses；　or　didpossess；　a　hold　on　my　affections；　the　force　of　which　I　have　neverrealised　during　my　seasons　of　actual　residence　here。　Indeed；　so　far　asits　physical　aspect　is　concerned；　with　its　flat；　unvaried　surface；covered　chiefly　with　wooden　houses；　few　or　none　of　which　pretend　toarchitectural　beauty…　its　irregularity；　which　is　neither　picturesquenor　quaint；　but　only　tame…　its　long　and　lazy　street；　loungingwearisomely　through　the　whole　extent　of　the　peninsula；　with　GallowsHill　and　New　Guinea　at　one　end；　and　a　view　of　the　alms…house　at　theother…　such　being　the　features　of　my　native　town；　it　would　be　quite　asreasonable　to　form　a　sentimental　attachment　to　a　disarrangedchecker…board。　And　yet；　though　invariably　happiest　elsewhere；　there　iswithin　me　a　feeling　for　old　Salem；　which；　in　lack　of　a　betterphrase；　I　must　be　content　to　call　affection。　The　sentiment　is　probablyassignable　to　the　deep　and　aged　roots　which　my　family　has　struckinto　the　soil。　It　is　now　nearly　two　centuries　and　a　quarter　sincethe　original　Briton；　the　earliest　emigrant　of　my　name；　made　hisappearance　in　the　wild　and　forest…bordered　settlement；　which　has　sincebee　a　city。　And　here　his　descendants　have　been　born　and　died；　andhave　mingled　their　earthy　substance　with　the　soil；　until　no　smallportion　of　it　must　necessarily　be　akin　to　the　mortal　framewherewith；　for　a　little　while；　I　walk　the　streets。　In　part；　therefore；the　attachment　which　I　speak　of　is　the　mere　sensuous　sympathy　ofdust　for　dust。　Few　of　my　countrymen　can　know　what　it　is；　nor；　asfrequent　transplantation　is　perhaps　better　for　the　stock；　need　theyconsider　it　desirable　to　know。　　But　the　sentiment　has　likewise　its　moral　quality。　The　figure　of　thatfirst　ancestor；　invested　by　family　tradit