红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第章

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　the　onlychild　to　whom　this　inauspicious　origin　was　assigned　among　the　NewEngland　Puritans。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　VII。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　GOVERNOR'S　HALL。　　HESTER　PRYNNE　went；　one　day；　to　the　mansion　of　GovernorBellingham；　with　a　pair　of　gloves；　which　she　had　fringed　andembroidered　to　his　order；　and　which　were　to　be　worn　on　some　greatoccasion　of　state；　for；　though　the　chances　of　a　popular　election　hadcaused　this　former　ruler　to　descend　a　step　or　two　from　the　highestrank；　he　still　held　an　honourable　and　influential　place　among　thecolonial　magistracy。　　Another　and　far　more　important　reason　than　the　delivery　of　a　pair　ofembroidered　gloves　impelled　Hester；　at　this　time；　to　seek　an　interviewwith　a　personage　of　so　much　power　and　activity　in　the　affairs　of　thesettlement。　It　had　reached　her　ears；　that　there　was　a　design　on　thepart　of　some　of　the　leading　inhabitants；　cherishing　the　more　rigidorder　of　principles　in　religion　and　government；　to　deprive　her　ofher　child。　On　the　supposition　that　Pearl；　as　already　hinted；　was　ofdemon　origin；　these　good　people　not　unreasonably　argued　that　aChristian　interest　in　the　mother's　soul　required　them　to　remove　such　astumbling…block　from　her　path。　If　the　child；　on　the　other　hand；　werereally　capable　of　moral　and　religious　growth；　and　possessed　theelements　of　ultimate　salvation；　then；　surely；　it　would　enjoy　all　thefairer　prospect　of　these　advantages；　by　being　transferred　to　wiser　andbetter　guardianship　than　Hester　Prynne's。　Among　those　who　promoted　thedesign；　Governor　Bellingham　was　said　to　be　one　of　the　most　busy。　Itmay　appear　singular；　and；　indeed；　not　a　little　ludicrous；　that　anaffair　of　this　kind；　which；　in　later　days；　would　have　been　referred　tono　higher　jurisdiction　than　that　of　the　selectmen　of　the　town；should　then　have　been　a　question　publicly　discussed；　and　on　whichstatesmen　of　eminence　took　sides。　At　that　epoch　of　pristinesimplicity；　however；　matters　of　even　slighter　public　interest；　andof　far　less　intrinsic　weight；　than　the　welfare　of　Hester　and　herchild；　were　strangely　mixed　up　with　the　deliberations　of　legislatorsand　acts　of　state。　The　period　was　hardly；　if　at　all；　earlier　than　thatof　our　story；　when　a　dispute　concerning　the　right　of　property　in　apig；　not　only　caused　a　fierce　and　bitter　contest　in　the　legislativebody　of　the　colony；　but　resulted　in　an　important　modification　of　theframework　itself　of　the　legislature。　　Full　of　concern；　therefore…　but　so　conscious　of　her　own　right　thatit　seemed　scarcely　an　unequal　match　between　the　public；　on　the　oneside；　and　a　lonely　woman；　backed　by　the　sympathies　of　nature；　on　theother…　Hester　Prynne　set　forth　from　her　solitary　cottage。　LittlePearl；　of　course；　was　her　panion。　She　was　now　of　an　age　to　runlightly　along　by　her　mother's　side；　and；　constantly　in　motion；　frommorn　till　sunset；　could　have　acplished　a　much　longer　journey　thanthat　before　her。　Often；　nevertheless；　more　from　caprice　thannecessity；　she　demanded　to　be　taken　up　in　arms；　but　was　soon　asimperious　to　be　set　down　again；　and　frisked　onward　before　Hester　onthe　grassy　pathway；　with　many　a　harmless　trip　and　tumble。　We　havespoken　of　Pearl's　rich　and　luxuriant　beauty；　a　beauty　that　shonewith　deep　and　vivid　tints；　a　bright　plexion；　eyes　possessingintensity　both　of　depth　and　glow；　and　hair　already　of　a　deep；　glossybrown；　and　which；　in　after　years；　would　be　nearly　akin　to　black。　Therewas　fire　in　her　and　throughout　her；　she　seemed　the　unpremeditatedoffshoot　of　a　passionate　moment。　Her　mother；　in　contriving　the　child'sgarb；　had　allowed　the　gorgeous　tendencies　of　her　imagination　theirfull　play；　arraying　her　in　a　crimson　velvet　tunic；　of　a　peculiarcut；　abundantly　embroidered　with　fantasies　and　flourishes　of　goldthread。　So　much　strength　of　colouring；　which　must　have　given　a　wan　andpallid　aspect　to　cheeks　of　a　fainter　bloom；　was　admirably　adapted　toPearl's　beauty；　and　made　her　the　very　brightest　little　jet　of　flamethat　ever　danced　upon　the　earth。　　But　it　was　a　remarkable　attribute　of　this　garb；　and；　indeed；　ofthe　child's　whole　appearance；　that　it　irresistibly　and　inevitablyreminded　the　beholder　of　the　token　which　Hester　Prynne　was　doomed　towear　upon　her　bosom。　It　was　the　scarlet　letter　in　another　form；　thescarlet　letter　endowed　with　life！　The　mother　herself…　as　if　the　redignominy　were　so　deeply　scorched　into　her　brain　that　all　herconceptions　assumed　its　form…　had　carefully　wrought　out　thesimilitude；　lavishing　many　hours　of　morbid　ingenuity；　to　create　ananalogy　between　the　object　of　her　affection　and　the　emblem　of　herguilt　and　torture。　But；　in　truth；　Pearl　was　the　one；　as　well　as　theother；　and　only　in　consequence　of　that　identity　had　Hester　contrivedso　perfectly　to　represent　the　scarlet　letter　in　her　appearance。　　As　the　two　wayfarers　came　within　the　precincts　of　the　town；　thechildren　of　the　Puritans　looked　up　from　their　play…　or　what　passed　forplay　with　those　sombre　little　urchins…　and　spake　gravely　one　toanother…　　〃Behold；　verily；　there　is　the　woman　of　the　scarlet　letter；　and；　of　atruth；　moreover；　there　is　the　likeness　of　the　scarlet　letter　runningalong　by　her　side！　e；　therefore；　and　let　us　fling　mud　at　them！〃　　But　Pearl；　who　was　a　dauntless　child；　after　frowning；　stamping　herfoot；　and　shaking　her　little　hand　with　a　variety　of　threateninggestures；　suddenly　made　a　rush　at　the　knot　of　her　enemies；　and　putthem　all　to　flight。　She　resembled；　in　her　fierce　pursuit　of　them；　aninfant　pestilence…　the　scarlet　fever；　or　some　such　half…fledgedangel　of　judgment…　whose　mission　was　to　punish　the　sins　of　therising　generation。　She　screamed　and　shouted；　too；　with　a　terrificvolume　of　sound；　which；　doubtless；　caused　the　hearts　of　thefugitives　to　quake　within　them。　The　victory　acplished；　Pearlreturned　quietly　to　her　mother；　and　looked　up；　smiling；　into　her　face。　　Without　further　adventure；　they　reached　the　dwelling　of　GovernorBellingham。　This　was　a　large　wooden　house；　built　in　a　fashion　of　whichthere　are　specimens　still　extant　in　the　streets　of　our　elder　towns；now　moss…grown；　crumbling　to　decay；　and　melancholy　at　heart　with　themany　sorrowful　or　joyful　occurrences；　remembered　or　forgotten；　thathave　happened；　and　passed　away；　within　their　dusky　chambers。　Then；however；　there　was　the　freshness　of　the　passing　year　on　itsex