红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第16部分
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ld。 Hester shook her head。 〃Woman； transgress not beyond the limits of Heaven's mercy！〃 criedthe Reverend Mr。 Wilson； more harshly than before。 〃That little babehath been gifted with a voice； to second and confirm the counsel whichthou hast heard。 Speak out the name！ That； and thy repentance； mayavail to take the scarlet letter off thy breast。〃 〃Never！〃 replied Hester Prynne； looking； not at Mr。 Wilson； but intothe deep and troubled eyes of the younger clergyman。 〃It is too deeplybranded。 Ye cannot take it off。 And would that I might endure hisagony； as well as mine！〃 〃Speak； woman！〃 said another voice； coldly and sternly； proceedingfrom the crowd about the scaffold。 〃Speak； and give your child afather！〃 〃I will not speak！〃 answered Hester； turning pale as death； butresponding to this voice； which she too surely recognized。 〃And mychild must seek a heavenly Father； she shall never know an earthlyone！〃 〃She will not speak！〃 murmured Mr。 Dimmesdale； who； leaning over thebalcony； with his hand upon his heart； had awaited the result of hisappeal。 He now drew back； with a long respiration。 〃Wondrousstrength and generosity of a woman's heart！ She will not speak！〃 Discerning the impractible state of the poor culprit's mind； theelder clergyman； who had carefully prepared himself for theoccasion； addressed to the multitude a discourse on sin； in all itsbranches； but with continual reference to the ignominious letter。 Soforcibly did he dwell upon this symbol； for the hour or more duringwhich his periods were rolling over the people's heads； that itassumed new terrors in their imagination； and seemed to derive itsscarlet hue from the flames of the infernal pit。 Hester Prynne；meanwhile； kept her place upon the pedestal of shame； with glazedeyes； and an air of weary indifference。 She had borne； that morning；all that nature could endure； and as her temperament was not of theorder that escapes from too intense suffering by a swoon； her spiritcould only shelter itself beneath a stony crust of insensibility；while the faculties of animal life remained entire。 In this state； thevoice of the preacher thundered remorselessly； but unavailingly；upon her ears。 The infant； during the latter portion of her ordeal；pierced the air with its wailings and screams； she strove to hushit； mechanically； but seemed scarcely to sympathise with itstrouble。 With the same hard demeanour； she was led back to prison； andvanished from the public gaze within its iron…clamped portal。 It waswhispered； by those who peered after her； that the scarlet letterthrew a lurid gleam along the dark passage…way of the interior。 IV。 THE INTERVIEW。 AFTER her return to the prison； Hester Prynne was found to be in astate of nervous excitement that demanded constant watchfulness；lest she should perpetrate violence on herself； or do somehalf…frenzied mischief to the poor babe。 As night approached； itproving impossible to quell her insubordination by rebuke or threatsof punishment； Master Brackett； the jailer； thought fit to introduce aphysician。 He described him as a man of skill in all Christian modesof physical science； and likewise familiar with whatever the savagepeople could teach； in respect to medicinal herbs and roots thatgrew in the forest。 To say the truth； there was much need ofprofessional assistance； not merely for Hester herself； but still moreurgently for the child； who； drawing its sustenance from thematernal bosom； seemed to have drank in with it all the turmoil； theanguish and despair； which pervaded the mother's system。 It nowwrithed in convulsions of pain； and was a forcible type； in its littleframe； of the moral agony which Hester Prynne had borne throughout theday。 Closely following the jailer into the dismal apartment； appearedthat individual of singular aspect； whose presence in the crowd hadbeen of such deep interest to the wearer of the scarlet letter。 He waslodged in the prison； not as suspected of any offence； but as the mostconvenient and suitable mode of disposing of him； until themagistrates should have conferred with the Indian sagamores respectinghis ransom。 His name was announced as Roger Chillingworth。 The jailer；after ushering him into the room； remained a moment； marvelling at theparative quiet that followed his entrance； for Hester Prynne hadimmediately bee as still as death； although the child continuedto moan。 〃Prithee； friend； leave me alone with my patient；〃 said thepractitioner。 〃Trust me； good jailer； you shall briefly have peacein your house； and； I promise you； Mistress Prynne shall hereafterbe more amenable to just authority than you may have found herheretofore。〃 〃Nay； if your worship can acplish that；〃 answered MasterBrackett； 〃I shall own you for a man of skill indeed！ Verily； thewoman hath been like a possessed one； and there lacks little； that Ishould take in hand to drive Satan out of her with stripes。〃 The stranger had entered the room with the characteristic quietudeof the profession to which he announced himself as belonging。 Nordid his demeanour change； when the withdrawal of the prison keeperleft him face to face with the woman； whose absorbed notice of him； inthe crowd； had intimated so close a relation between himself andher。 His first care was given to the child； whose cries； indeed； asshe lay writhing on the trundle…bed； made it of peremptory necessityto postpone all other business to the task of soothing her。 Heexamined the infant carefully； and then proceeded to unclasp aleathern case； which he took from beneath his dress。 It appeared tocontain medical preparations； one of which he mingled with a cup ofwater。 〃My old studies in alchemy；〃 observed he； 〃and my sojourn； for abovea year past； among a people well versed in the kindly properties ofsimples； have made a better physician of me than many that claim themedical degree。 Here； woman！ The child is yours… she is none ofmine… neither will she recognise my voice or aspect as a father's。Administer this draught； therefore； with thine own hand。〃 Hester repelled the offered medicine； at the same time gazing withstrongly marked apprehension into his face。 〃Wouldst thou avenge thyself on the innocent babe？〃 whispered she。 〃Foolish woman！〃 responded the physician； half coldly； halfsoothingly。 〃What should ail me； to harm this misbegotten andmiserable babe？ The medicine is potent for good； and were it my child…yea； mine own； as well as thine！… I could do no better for it。〃 As she still hesitated； being； in fact； in no reasonable state ofmind； he took the infant in his arms； and himself administered thedraught。 It soon proved its efficacy； and redeemed the leech's pledge。The moans of the little patient subsided； its convulsive tossingsgradually ceased； and； in a few moments； as is the custom of youngchildren after relief from pain； it sank into a profound and dewyslumber。 The physician； as he had a fair right to be termed； nextbestowed his attention on the mother。 With calm and intent scrutiny；he felt her pulse； looked into her eyes… a gaze that made her heartshrink and shudder； because so familiar； and yet so strange andcold… and； finally； satisfied with his investigation； proceeded tomingle another draught。 〃I know not Lethe nor Nepenthe；〃 remarked he； 〃but I have learnedmany new secrets in the wilderness； and here is one of them… arecipe that an Indian taught me； in requital of some lessons of myown； that were as old as Paracelsus。 Drink it！ It may be less soothingthan a sinless conscience。 That I cannot give thee。 But it will calmthe swell and heaving of thy passion； like oil thrown on the wavesof a tempestuous sea。〃 He presented the cup to Hester； who received it with a slow； earnestlook into his face； not precisely a look of fear； yet full of doubtand questioning； as to what his purposes might be。 She looked alsoat her slumbering child。 〃I have thought of death；〃 said she… 〃have wished for it… wouldeven have prayed for it； were it fit that such as I should pray foranything。 Yet； if death be in this cup； I bid thee think again； erethou beholdest me quaff it。 See！ It is even now at my lips。〃 〃Drink； then；〃 replied he； still with the same cold posure。 〃Dostthou know me so little； Hester Prynne？ Are my purposes wont to be
