红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第35部分
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an the rise and set of sun and moon； as so manyrevelations from a supernatural source。 Thus； a blazing spear； a swordof flame； a bow； or a sheaf of arrows； seen in the midnight sky；prefigured Indian warfare。 Pestilence was known to have been forebodedby a shower of crimson light。 We doubt whether any marked event； forgood or evil； ever befell New England； from its settlement down toRevolutionary times； of which the inhabitants had not beenpreviously warned by some spectacle of this nature。 Not seldom； it hadbeen seen by multitudes。 Oftener； however； its credibility rested onthe faith of some lonely eye…witness； who beheld the wonder throughthe coloured； magnifying； and distorting medium of his imagination；and shaped it more distinctly in his afterthought。 It was； indeed； amajestic idea； that the destiny of nations should be revealed； inthese awful hieroglyphics； on the cope of heaven。 A scroll so widemight not be deemed too expansive for Providence to write a people'sdoom upon。 The belief was a favourite one with our forefathers； asbetokening that their infant monwealth was under a celestialguardianship of peculiar intimacy and strictness。 But what shall wesay； when an individual discovers a revelation； addressed to himselfalone； on the same vast sheet of record！ In such a case； it could onlybe the symptom of a highly disordered mental state； when a man；rendered morbidly self…contemplative by long； intense； and secretpain； had extended his egotism over the whole expanse of nature； untilthe firmament itself should appear no more than a fitting page for hissoul's history and fate！ We impute it； therefore； solely to the disease in his own eye andheart； that the minister； looking upward to the zenith； beheld therethe appearance of an immense letter… the letter A… marked out in linesof dull red light。 Not but the meteor may have shown itself at thatpoint； burning duskily through a veil of cloud； but with no such shapeas his guilty imagination gave it； or； at least； with so littledefiniteness； that another's guilt might have seen another symbol init。 There was a singular circumstance that characterised Mr。Dimmesdale's psychological state at this moment。 All the time thathe gazed upward to the zenith； he was； nevertheless； perfectly awarethat little Pearl was pointing her finger towards old RogerChillingworth； who stood at no great distance from the scaffold。 Theminister appeared to see him； with the same glance that discernedthe miraculous letter。 To his features； as to all other objects； themeteoric light imparted a new expression； or it might well be that thephysician was not careful then； as at all other times； to hide themalevolence with which he looked upon his victim。 Certainly； if themeteor kindled up the sky； and disclosed the earth； with anawfulness that admonished Hester Prynne and the clergyman of the dayof judgment； then might Roger Chillingworth have passed with themfor the arch…fiend； standing there with a smile and scowl； to claimhis own。 So vivid was the expression； or so intense the minister'sperception of it； that it seemed still to remain painted on thedarkness； after the meteor had vanished； with an effect as if thestreet and all things else were at once annihilated。 〃Who is that man； Hester？〃 gasped Mr。 Dimmesdale； overe withterror。 〃I shiver at him！ Dost thou know the man？ I hate him； Hester！〃 She remembered her oath； and was silent。 〃I tell thee； my soul shivers at him！〃 muttered the ministeragain。 〃Who is he？ Who is he？ Canst thou do nothing for me？ I have anameless horror of the man！〃 〃Minister；〃 said little Pearl； 〃I can tell thee who he is！〃 〃Quickly； then； child！〃 said the minister； bending his ear closeto her lips。 〃Quickly！… and as low as thou canst whisper。〃 Pearl mumbled something into his ear； that sounded； indeed； likehuman language； but was only such gibberish as children may be heardamusing themselves with； by the hour together。 At all events； if itinvolved any secret information in regard to old RogerChillingworth； it was in a tongue unknown to the erudite clergyman；and did but increase the bewilderment of his mind。 The elvish childthen laughed aloud。 〃Dost thou mock me now？〃 said the minister。 〃Thou wast not bold！… thou wast not true！〃 answered the child。 〃Thouwouldst not promise to take my hand； and mother's hand； to…morrownoontide！〃 〃Worthy sir；〃 answered the physician； who had now advanced to thefoot of the platform。 〃Pious Master Dimmesdale！ can this be you？ Well；well； indeed！ We men of study； whose heads are in our books； have needto be straitly looked after！ We dream in our waking moments； andwalk in our sleep。 e； good sir； and my dear friend； I pray you； letme lead you home！〃 〃How knewest thou that I was here？〃 asked the minister fearfully。 〃Verily； and in good faith；〃 answered Roger Chillingworth； 〃I knewnothing of the matter。 I had spent the better part of the night at thebedside of the worshipful Governor Winthrop； doing what my poorskill might to give him ease。 He going home to a better world； I；likewise； was on my way homeward； when this strange light shone out。e with me； I beseech you； reverend sir； else you will be poorlyable to do Sabbath duty to…morrow。 Aha！ see now； how they troublethe brain… these books！… these books！ You should study less； good sir；and take a little pastime； or these night…whimseys will grow uponyou。〃 〃I will go home with you；〃 said Mr。 Dimmesdale。 With a chill despondency； like one awaking； all nerveless； from anugly dream； be yielded himself to the physician； and was led away。 The next day； however； being the Sabbath； he preached a discoursewhich was held to be the richest and most powerful； and the mostreplete with heavenly influences； that had ever proceeded from hislips。 Souls； it is said； more souls than one； were brought to thetruth by the efficacy of that sermon； and vowed within themselves tocherish a holy gratitude towards Mr。 Dimmesdale throughout the longhereafter。 But； as he came down the pulpit steps； the grey…beardedsexton met him； holding up a black glove； which the ministerrecognised as his own。 〃It was found；〃 said the sexton； 〃this morning； on the scaffoldwhere evil…doers are set up to public shame。 Satan dropped it there； Itake it； intending a scurrilous jest against your reverence。 But；indeed； he was blind and foolish； as he ever and always is。 A purehand needs no glove to cover it！〃 〃Thank you； my good friend；〃 said the minister gravely； but startledat heart； for； so confused was his remembrance； that he had almostbrought himself to look at the events of the past night asvisionary。 〃Yes； it seems to be my glove； indeed！〃 〃And； since Satan saw fit to steal it； your reverence must needshandle him without gloves； henceforward；〃 remarked the old sexton；grimly smiling。 〃But did your reverence hear of the portent that wasseen last night？… a great red letter in the sky… the letter A； whichwe interpret to stand for Angel。 For； as our good Governor Winthropwas made an angel this past night； it was doubtless held fit thatthere should be some notice thereof！〃 〃No；〃 answered the minister； 〃I had not heard of it。〃 XIII。 ANOTHER VIEW OF HESTER。 IN her late singular interview with Mr。 Dimmesdale； Hester Prynnewas shocked at the condition to which she found the clergyman reduced。His nerve seemed absolutely destroyed。 His moral force was abased intomore than childish weakness。 It grovelled helpless on the ground； evenwhile his intellectual faculties retained their pristine strength；or had perhaps acquired a morbid energy； which disease only could havegiven them。 With her knowledge of a train of circumstances hidden fromall others； she could readily infer that； besides the legitimateaction of his own conscience； a terrible machinery had been brought tobear； and was still operating； on Mr。 Dimmesdale's well…being andrepose。 Knowing what this poor fallen man had once been； her wholesoul was moved by the shuddering terror with which he had appealedto her… the outcast woman… for support against his instinctivelydiscovered enemy。 She decided； moreover； that he had a right to herutmost aid。 Little accustomed； in her long seclusion from society；to measure her ideas of right and wrong by any standard ext
