红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第19章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　day；　but　was　in　one　of　those　moods　ofperverse　merriment　which；　whenever　they　occurred；　seemed　to　remove　herentirely　out　of　the　sphere　of　sympathy　or　human　contact。　She　nowskipped　irreverently　from　one　grave　to　another；　until；　ing　to　thebroad；　flat；　armorial　tombstone　of　a　departed　worthy…　perhaps　of　IsaacJohnson　himself…　she　began　to　dance　upon　it。　In　reply　to　hermother's　mand　and　entreaty　that　she　would　behave　more　decorously；little　Pearl　paused　to　gather　the　prickly　burrs　from　a　tall　burdockwhich　grew　beside　the　tomb。　Taking　a　handful　of　these；　she　arrangedthem　along　the　lines　of　the　scarlet　letter　that　decorated　the　maternalbosom；　to　which　the　burrs；　as　their　nature　was；　tenaciously　adhered。Hester　did　not　pluck　them　off。　　Roger　Chillingworth　had　by　this　time　approached　the　window；　andsmiled　grimly　down。　　〃There　is　no　law；　nor　reverence　for　authority；　no　regard　for　humanordinances　or　opinions；　right　or　wrong；　mixed　up　with　that　child'sposition；〃　remarked　her；　as　much　to　himself　as　to　his　panion。　〃Isaw　her；　the　other　day；　bespatter　the　Governor　himself　with　water；at　the　cattle…trough　in　Spring　Lane。　What；　in　Heaven's　name；　is　she？Is　the　imp　altogether　evil？　Hath　she　affections？　Hath　she　anydiscoverable　principle　of　being？〃　　〃None…　save　the　freedom　of　a　broken　law；〃　answered　Mr。　Dimmesdale；in　a　quiet　way；　as　if　he　had　been　discussing　the　point　within　himself。〃Whether　capable　of　good　I　know　not。〃　　The　child　probably　overheard　their　voices；　for；　looking　up　to　thewindow；　with　a　bright；　but　naughty　smile　of　mirth　and　intelligence；she　threw　one　of　the　prickly　burrs　at　the　Reverend　Mr。　Dimmesdale。　Thesensitive　clergyman　shrunk；　with　nervous　dread；　from　the　lightmissile。　Detecting　his　emotion；　Pearl　clapped　her　little　hands；　in　themost　extravagant　ecstasy。　Hester　Prynne；　likewise；　had　involuntarilylooked　up；　and　all　these　four　persons；　old　and　young；　regarded　oneanother　in　silence；　till　the　child　laughed　aloud；　and　shouted；　〃eaway；　mother！　e　away；　or　yonder　old　Black　Man　will　catch　you！　Hehath　got　hold　of　the　minister　already。　e　away；　mother；　or　he　willcatch　you！　But　he　cannot　catch　little　Pearl！〃　　So　she　drew　her　mother　away；　skipping；　dancing；　and　friskingfantastically；　among　the　hillocks　of　the　dead　people；　like　acreature　that　had　nothing　in　mon　with　a　bygone　and　buriedgeneration；　nor　owned　herself　akin　to　it。　It　was　as　if　she　had　beenmade　afresh；　out　of　new　elements；　and　must　perforce　be　permitted　tolive　her　own　life；　and　be　a　law　unto　herself；　without　hereccentricities　being　reckoned　to　her　for　a　crime。　　〃There　goes　a　woman；〃　resumed　Roger　Chillingworth；　after　a　pause；〃who；　be　her　demerits　what　they　may；　hath　none　of　that　mystery　ofhidden　sinfulness　which　you　deem　so　grievous　to　be　borne。　Is　HesterPrynne　the　less　miserable；　think　you；　for　that　scarlet　letter　on　herbreast？〃　　〃I　do　verily　believe　it；〃　answered　the　clergyman。　〃Nevertheless；　Icannot　answer　for　her。　There　was　a　look　of　pain　in　her　face；　which　Iwould　gladly　have　been　spared　the　sight　of。　But　still；　methinks；　itmust　needs　be　better　for　the　sufferer　to　be　free　to　show　his　pain；as　this　poor　woman　Hester　is；　than　to　cover　it　all　up　in　his　heart。〃　　There　was　another　pause；　and　the　physician　began　anew　to　examine　andarrange　the　plants　which　he　had　gathered。　　〃You　inquired　of　me；　a　little　time　agone；〃　said　he；　at　length；　〃myjudgment　as　touching　your　health。〃　　〃I　did；〃　answered　the　clergyman；　〃and　would　gladly　learn　it。　Speakfrankly；　I　pray　you；　be　it　for　life　or　death。〃　　〃Freely；　then；　and　plainly；〃　said　the　physician；　still　busy　with　hisplants；　but　keeping　a　wary　eye　on　Mr。　Dimmesdale；　〃the　disorder　is　astrange　one；　not　so　much　in　itself；　nor　as　outwardly　manifested…　in　sofar；　at　least；　as　the　symptoms　have　been　laid　open　to　myobservation。　Looking　dally　at　you；　my　good　sir；　and　watching　thetokens　of　your　aspect；　now　for　months　gone　by；　I　should　deem　you　a　mansore　sick；　it　may　be；　yet　not　so　sick　but　that　an　instructed　andwatchful　physician　might　well　hope　to　cure　you。　But…　I　know　not　whatto　say…　the　disease　is　what　I　seem　to　know；　yet　know　it　not。〃　　〃You　speak　in　riddles；　learned　sir；〃　said　the　pale　minister；glancing　aside　out　of　the　window。　　〃Then；　to　speak　more　plainly；〃　continued　the　physician；　〃and　I　cravepardon；　sir…　should　it　seem　to　require　pardon…　for　this　needfulplainness　of　my　speech。　Let　me　ask；　as　your　friend…　as　one　havingcharge；　under　Providence；　of　your　life　and　physical　well…being…　hathall　the　operation　of　this　disorder　been　fairly　laid　open　and　recountedto　me？〃　　〃How　can　you　question　it？〃　asked　the　minister。　〃Surely；　it　werechild's　play；　to　call　in　a　physician；　and　then　hide　the　sore！〃　　〃You　would　tell　me；　then；　that　I　know　all？〃　said　Roger　Chillingworthdeliberately；　and　fixing　an　eye；　bright　with　intense　andconcentrated　intelligence；　on　the　minister's　face。　〃Be　it　so！　But；again！　He　to　whom　only　the　outward　and　physical　evil　is　laid　open；knoweth；　oftentimes；　but　half　the　evil　which　be　is　called　upon　tocure。　A　bodily　disease；　which　we　look　upon　as　whole　and　entirewithin　itself；　may；　after　all；　be　but　a　symptom　of　some　ailment　in　thespiritual　part。　Your　pardon；　once　again；　good　sir；　if　my　speech　givethe　shadow　of　offence。　You；　sir；　of　all　men　whom　I　have　known；　arehe　whose　body　is　the　closest　conjoined；　and　imbued；　and　identified；　soto　speak；　with　the　spirit　whereof　it　is　the　instrument。〃　　〃Then　I　need　ask　no　further；〃　said　the　clergyman；　somewhat　hastilyrising　from　his　chair。　〃You　deal　not；　I　take　it；　in　medicine　for　thesoul！〃　　〃Thus；　a　sickness；〃　continued　Roger　Chillingworth　going　on；　in　anunaltered　tone；　without　heeding　the　interruption；　but　standing　upand　confronting　the　emaciated　and　white…cheeked　minister；　with　hislow；　dark；　and　misshapen　figure…　〃a　sickness；　a　sore　place；　if　we　mayso　call　it；　in　your　spirit；　hath　immediately　its　appropriatemanifestation　in　your　bodily　frame。　Would　you；　therefore；　that　yourphysician　heal　the　bodily　evil？　How　may　this　be；　unless　you　firstlay　open　to　him　the　wound　or　trouble　in　your　soul？〃　　〃No！…　not　to　thee！…　not　to　an　earthly　physician！〃　cried　Mr。Dimmesdale　passionately；　and　turning　his　eyes；　full　and　bright；　andwith　a　kind　of　fierceness；　on　old　Roger　Chillingworth。　〃Not　to　thee！But；　if　it　be　the　soul's　disease；　then　do　I　mit　myself　to　the　onePhysician　of　the　soul！　He；　if　it　stand　with　His　good　pleasure；　cancure；　or　He　can　kill！　Let　Him　do　with　me　as；　in　His　justice　andwisdom；　He　shall　see　good。　But　who　art　thou；　that　meddlest　in　thismatter？…　that　dares　thrust　himself　between　the　sufferer　and　his　God？〃　　With　a　frantic　gesture；　he　rushed　out　of　the　room。　　〃It　is　as　well　to　have　made　this　step；〃　said　Roger　Chillingworthto　himself；　looking　after　the　minister；　with　a　grave　smile。　〃Thereis　nothing　lost。　We　shall　be　friends　again　anon。　But　see；　now；　howpassion　takes　hold　upon　this　man；　and　hurrieth　him　out　of　himself！As　with　one　passion；　so　with　another！　He　hath　done　a　wild　thing　erenow；　this　pious　Master　Dimmesdale；　in　the　hot　passion　of　his　heart！〃　　It　proved　not　difficult　to　re…establish　the　intimacy　of　the　twopanions；　on　the　same　footing　and　in　the　same　degree　asheretofore。　The　young　clergyman；　after　a　few　hours　of　privacy；　wassensible　that　the　disorder　of　his　nerves　had　hurried　him　into　anunseemly　outbreak　of　temper；　which　there　had　been　nothing　in　thephysician's　words　to　excuse　or　palliate。　He　marvelled；　indeed；　atthe　violence　with　which　he　had　thrust　back　the　kind　old　man；　whenmerely　proffering　the　advice　which　it　was　his　duty　to　bestow；　andwhich　the　minister　himself　had　expressly　sought。　With　these　remorsefulfeelings；　he　lost　no　time　in　making　the　amplest　apologies；　andbesought　his　friend　still　to　continue　the　care；　which；　if　notsuccessful　in　restoring　him　to　health；　had；　in　all　probability；　beenthe　means　of　prolonging　his　feeble　existence　to　that　hour。　RogerChillingworth　readily　assented；　and　went　on　with　his　medicalsupervision　of　the　minister；　doing　his　best　for　him；　in　all　goodfaith；　but　always　quitting　the　patient's　apartment；　at　the　close　ofa　professional　interview；　with　a　mysterious　and　puzzled　smile　upon　hislips。　This　expression　was　invisible　in　Mr。　Dimmesdale's　presence；but　grew　strongly　evident　as　the　physician　crossed　the　threshold。　　〃A　rare　case！〃　he　muttered。　〃I　must　needs　look　deeper　into　it。　Astrange　sympathy　betwixt　soul　and　body！　Were　it　only　for　the　art'ssake；　I　must　search　this　matter　to　the　bottom！〃　　It　came　to　pass；　not　long　after　the　scene　above　recorded；　that　theReverend　Mr。　Dimmesdale；　at　noon…day；　and　entirely　unawares；　fell　intoa　deep；　deep　slumber；　sitting　in　his　chair；　with　a　largeblack…letter　volume　open　before　him　on　the　table。　It　must　have　beena　work　of　vast　ability　in　the　somniferous　school　of　literature。　Theprofound　depth　of　the　minister's　repose　was　the　more　remarkable；inasmuch　as　he　was　one　of　those　persons　whose　sleep；　ordinarily；　is　aslight；　as　fitful；　and　as　easily　scared　away；　as　a　small　bird　hoppingon　a　twig。　To　such　an　unwonted　remoteness；　however；　had　his　spirit　nowwithdrawn　into　itself；　that　he　stirred　not　in　his　chair；　when　oldRoger　Chillingworth；　without　any　extraordinary　precaution；　came　intothe　room。　The　physician　advanced　directly　in　front　of　his　patient；laid　his　hand　upon　his　bosom；　and　thrust　aside　the　vestment；　that；hitherto；　had　always　covered　it　even　from　the　professional　eye。　　Then；　indeed；　Mr。　Dimmesdale　shuddered；　and　slightly　stirred。　　After　a　brief　pause；　the　physician　turned　away。　　But；　with　what　a　wild　look　of　wonder；　joy；　and　horror！　With　what　aghastly　rapture；　as　it　were；　too　mighty　to　be　expressed　only　by　theeye　and　features；　and　therefore　bursting　forth　through　the　wholeugliness　of　his　figure；　and　making　itself　even　riotously　manifest　bythe　extravagant　gestures　with　which　he　threw　up　his　arms　towards　theceiling；　and　stamped　his　foot　upon　the　floor！　Had　a　man　seen　old　RogerChillingworth；　at　that　moment　of　his　ecstasy；　he　would　have　had　noneed　to　ask　how　Satan　ports　himself；　when　a　precious　human　soulis　lost　to　heaven；　and　won　into　his　kingdom。　　But　what　distinguished　the　physician's　ecstasy　from　Satan's　wasthe　trait　of　wonder　in　it！　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　XI。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　INTERIOR　OF　A　HEART。　　AFTER　the　incident　last　described；　the　intercourse　between　theclergyman　and　the　physician；　though　externally　the　same；　was　really　ofanother　character　than　it　had　previously　been。　The　intellect　ofRoger　Chillingworth　had　now　a　sufficiently　plain　path　before　it。　Itwas　not；　indeed；　precisely　that　which　he　had　laid　out　for　himself　toread。　Calm；　gentle；　passionless；　as　he　appeared；　there　alice；　hitherto　latent；　but　active　now；　inthis　unfortunate　old　man；　which　led　him　to　imagine　a　more　intimaterevenge　than　any　mortal　had　ever　wreaked　upon　an　enemy。　To　makehimself　the　one　trusted　friend；　to　whom　should　be　confided　all　thefear；　the　remorse；　the　agony；　the　ineffectual　repentance；　the　backwardrush　of　sinful　thoughts；　expelled　in　vain！　All　that　guilty　sorrow；hidden　from　the　world；　whose　great　heart　would　have　pitied　andforgiven；　to　be　revealed　to　him；　the　Pitiless；　to　him；　theUnforgiving！　All　that　dark　treasure　to　be　lavished　on　the　very　man；　towhom　nothing　else　could　so　adequately　pay　the　debt　of　vengeance。　　The　clergyman's　shy　and　sensitive　reserve　had　balked　this　scheme。Roger　Chillingworth；　however；　was　inclined　to　be　hardly；　if　at　all；less　satisfied　with　the　aspect　of　affairs；　which　Providence…　using　theavenger　and　his　victim　for　its　own　purposes；　and；　perchance；pardoning；　where　it　seemed　most　to　punish…　had　substituted　for　hisblack　devices。　A　revelation；　he　could　almost　say；　had　been　grantedto　him。　It　mattered　little；　for　his　object；　whether　celestial；　or　fromwhat　other　region。　By　its　aid；　in　all　the　subsequent　relations　betwixthim　and　Mr。　Dimmesdale；　not　merely　the　external　presence；　but　the　veryinmost　soul；　of　the　latter　seemed　to　be　brought　out　before　his　eyes；so　that　he　could　see　and　prehend　its　every　movement。　He　became；thenceforth；　not　a　spectator　only；　but　a　chief　actor；　in　the　poorminister's　interior　world。　He　could　play　upon　him　as　he　chose。　Wouldhe　arouse　him　with　a　throb　of　agony？　The　victim　was　for　ever　on　therack；　it　needed　only　to　know　the　spring　that　controlled　the　engine…and　the　physician　knew　it　well！　Would　be　startle　him　with　sudden　fear？As　at　the　waving　of　a　magician's　wand；　uprose　a　grisly　phantom…　uprosea　thousand　phantoms…　in　many　shapes；　of　death；　or　more　awful　shame；all　flocking　round　about　tie　clergyman；　and　pointing　with　theirfingers　at　his　breast！　　All　this　was　acplished　with　a　subtlety　so　perfect；　that　theminister；　though　he　had　constantly　a　dim　perception　of　some　evilinfluence　watching　over　him；　could　never　gain　a　knowledge　of　itsactual　nature。　True；　he　looked　doubtfully；　fearfully…　even；　attimes；　with　horror　and　the　bitterness　of　hatred…　at　the　deformedfigure　of　the　old　physician。　His　gestures；　his　gait；　his　grizzledbeard；　his　slightest　and　most　indifferent　acts；　the　very　fashion　ofhis　garments；　were　odious　in　the　clergyman's　sight；　a　token　implicitlyto　be　relied　on；　of　a　deeper　antipathy　in　the　breast　of　the　latterthan　he　was　willing　to　acknowledge　to　himself。　For；　as　it　wasimpossible　to　assign　a　reason　for　such　distrust　and　abhorrence；　so　Mr。Dimmesdale；　conscious　that　the　poison　of　one　morbid　spot　was　infectinghis　heart's　entire　substance；　attributed　all　his　presentiments　to　noother　cause。　He　took　himself　to　task　for　his　bad　sympathies　inreference　to　Rog