红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第7部分
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iled to think that it had now anotherkind of vogue。 The Custom…House marker imprinted it； with a stenciland black paint； on pepper…bags； and baskets of anatto； andcigar…boxes； and bales of all kinds of dutiable merchandise； intestimony that these modities had paid the impost； and goneregularly through the office。 Borne on such queer vehicle of fame； aknowledge of my existence； so far as a name conveys it； was carriedwhere it had never been before； and； I hope； will never go again。 But the past was not dead。 Once in a great while； the thoughts； thathad seemed so vital and so active； yet had been put to rest soquietly； revived again。 One of the most remarkable occasions； when thehabit of bygone days awoke in me； was that which brings it withinthe law of literary propriety to offer the public the sketch which Iam now writing。 In the second story of the Custom…House； there is a large room； inwhich the brick…work and naked rafters have never been covered withpanelling and plaster。 The edifice… originally projected on a scaleadapted to the old mercial enterprise of the port； and with an ideaof subsequent prosperity destined never to be realised… contains farmore space than its occupants know what to do with。 This airy hall；therefore； over the Collector's apartments； remains unfinished to thisday； and； in spite of the aged cobwebs that festoon its dusky beams；appears still to await the labour of the carpenter and mason。 At oneend of the room； in a recess； were a number of barrels； piled one uponanother； containing bundles of official documents。 Large quantities ofsimilar rubbish lay lumbering the floor。 It was sorrowful to think howmany days； and weeks； and months； and years of toil； had been wastedon these musty papers； which were now only an encumbrance on earth；and were hidden away in this forgotten corner； never more to beglanced at by human eyes。 But； then； what reams of othermanuscripts… filled not with the dulness of official formalities；but with the thought of inventive brains and the rich effusion of deephearts… had gone equally to oblivion； and that； moreover； withoutserving a purpose in their day； as these heaped…up papers had； and…saddest of all… without purchasing for their writers the fortablelivelihood which the clerks of the Custom…House had gained by theseworthless scratchings of the pen！ Yet not altogether worthless；perhaps； as materials of local history。 Here； no doubt； statisticsof the former merce of Salem might be discovered； and memorialsof her princely merchants… old King Derby； old Billy Gray； old SimonForrester； and many another magnate in his day… whose powdered head；however； was scarcely in the tomb； before his mountain…pile ofwealth began to dwindle。 The founders of the greater part of thefamilies which now pose the aristocracy of Salem might here betraced； from the petty and obscure beginnings of their traffic； atperiods generally much posterior to the Revolution； upward to whattheir children look upon as long…established rank。 Prior to the Revolution； there is a dearth of records； the earlierdocuments and archives of the Custom…House having； probably； beencarried off to Halifax； when all the King's officials acpaniedthe British army in its flight from Boston。 It has often been a matterof regret with me； for； going back； perhaps； to the days of theProtectorate； those papers must have contained many references toforgotten or remembered men； and to antique customs； which wouldhave affected me with the same pleasure as when I used to pick upIndian arrow…heads in the field near the Old Manse。 But； one idle and rainy day； it was my fortune to make a discoveryof some little interest。 Poking and burrowing into the heaped…uprubbish in the corner； unfolding one and another document； and readingthe names of vessels that had long ago foundered at sea or rotted atthe wharves； and those of merchants； never heard of now on 'Change；nor very readily decipherable on their mossy tombstones； glancing atsuch matters with the saddened； weary； half…reluctant interest whichwe bestow on the corpse of dead activity… and exerting my fancy；sluggish with little use； to raise up from these dry bones an image ofthe old town's brighter aspect； when India was a new region； andonly Salem knew the way thither… I chanced to lay my hand on a smallpackage； carefully done up in a piece of ancient yellow parchment。This envelope had the air of an official record of some period longpast； when clerks engrossed their stiff and formal chirography on moresubstantial materials than at present。 There was something about itthat quickened an instinctive curiosity； and made me undo the fadedred tape； that tied up the package； with the sense that a treasurewould here be brought to light。 Unbending the rigid folds of theparchment cover； I found it to be a mission； under the hand andseal of Governor Shirley； in favour of one Jonathan Pue； as Surveyorof his Majesty's Customs for the port of Salem； in the Province ofMassachusetts Bay。 I remembered to have read （probably in Felt'sAnnals） a notice of the decease of Mr。 Surveyor Pue； about fourscoreyears ago； and likewise； in a newspaper of recent times； an account ofthe digging up of his remains in the little graveyard of St。 Peter'sChurch； during the renewal of that edifice。 Nothing； if I rightly callto mind； was left of my respected predecessor； save an imperfectskeleton； and some fragments of apparel； and a wig of majesticfrizzle； which； unlike the head that it once adorned； was in verysatisfactory preservation。 But； on examining the papers which theparchment mission served to envelop； I found more traces of Mr。Pue's mental part； and the internal operations of his head； than thefrizzled wig had contained of the venerable skull itself。 They were documents； in short； not official； but of a privatenature； or； at least； written in his private capacity； andapparently with his own hand。 I could account for their being includedin the heap of Custom…House lumber only by the fact； that Mr。 Pue'sdeath had happened suddenly； and that these papers； which heprobably kept in his official desk； had never e to the knowledge ofhis heirs； or were supposed to relate to the business of therevenue。 On the transfer of the archives to Halifax； this package；proving to be of no public concern； was left behind； and hadremained ever since unopened。 The ancient Surveyor… being little molested； I suppose； at thatearly day； with business pertaining to his office… seems to havedevoted some of his many leisure hours to researches as a localantiquarian； and other inquisitions of a similar nature。 Thesesupplied material for petty activity to a mind that would otherwisehave been eaten up with rust。 A portion of his facts； by…the…bye；did me good service in the preparation of the article entitled 〃MAINSTREET；〃 included in the present volume。 The remainder may perhapsbe applied to purposes equally valuable； hereafter； or notimpossibly may be worked up； so far as they go； into a regular historyof Salem； should my veneration for the natal soil ever impel me toso pious a task。 Meanwhile； they shall be at the mand of anygentleman； inclined； and petent； to take the unprofitable labouroff my hands。 As a final disposition； I contemplate depositing themwith the Essex Historical Society。 But the object that most drew my attention； in the mysteriouspackage； was a certain affair of fine red cloth； much worn andfaded。 There were traces about it of gold embroidery； which；however； was greatly frayed and defaced； so that none； or very little；of the glitter was left。 It had been wrought； as was easy to perceive；with wonderful skill of needlework； and the stitch （as I am assured byladies conversant with such mysteries）… gives evidence of a nowforgotten art； not to be recovered even by the process of pickingout the threads。 This rag of scarlet cloth… for time； and wear； anda sacrilegious moth； had reduced it to little other than a rag… oncareful examination； assumed the shape of a letter。 It was the capitalletter A。 By an accurate measurement； each limb proved to be preciselythree inches and a quarter in length。 It had been intended； therecould be no doubt； as an ornamental article of dress； but how it wasto be worn； or what rank； honour； and dignity； in by…past
