红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第31章

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way；　within　their　dusky　chambers。　Then；however；　there　was　the　freshness　of　the　passing　year　on　itsexterior；　and　the　cheerfulness；　gleaming　forth　from　the　sunny　windows；of　a　human　habitation；　into　which　death　had　never　entered。　It　had；indeed；　a　very　cheery　aspect；　the　walls　being　overspread　with　a　kindof　stucco；　in　which　fragments　of　broken　glass　were　intermixed；　sothat；　when　the　sunshine　fell　aslant…wise　over　the　front　of　theedifice；　it　glittered　and　sparkled　as　if　diamonds　had　been　flungagainst　it　by　the　double　handful。　The　brilliancy　might　have　befittedAladdin's　palace；　rather　than　the　mansion　of　a　grave　old　Puritanruler。　It　was　further　decorated　with　strange　and　seeminglycabalistic　figures　and　diagrams；　suitable　to　the　quaint　taste　of　theage；　which　had　been　drawn　in　the　stucco　when　newly　laid　on；　and　hadnow　grown　hard　and　durable；　for　the　admiration　of　after　times。　　Pearl；　looking　at　this　bright　wonder　of　a　house；　began　to　caperand　dance；　and　imperatively　required　that　the　whole　breadth　ofsunshine　should　be　stripped　off　its　front；　and　given　her　to　play　with。　　〃No；　my　little　Pearl！〃　said　her　mother。　〃Thou　must　gather　thineown　sunshine。　I　have　none　to　give　thee！〃　　They　approached　the　door；　which　was　of　an　arched　form；　and　flankedon　each　side　by　a　narrow　tower　or　projection　of　the　edifice；　in　bothof　which　were　lattice…windows；　with　wooden　shutters　to　close　over　themat　need。　Lifting　the　iron　hammer　that　hung　at　the　portal；　HesterPrynne　gave　a　summons；　which　was　answered　by　one　of　the　Governor'sbond…servants；　a　free…born　Englishman；　but　now　a　seven　years'　slave。During　that　term　he　was　to　be　the　property　of　his　master；　and　asmuch　a　modity　of　bargain　and　sale　as　an　ox；　or　a　joint…stool。　Theserf　wore　the　blue　coat；　which　was　the　customary　garb　of　serving…menat　that　period；　and　long　before；　in　the　old　hereditary　halls　ofEngland。　　〃Is　the　worshipful　Governor　Bellingham　within？〃　inquired　Hester。　　〃Yea；　forsooth；〃　replied　the　bond…servant；　staring　with　wide…openeyes　at　the　scarlet　letter；　which；　being　a　new…er　in　the　country；he　had　never　before　seen。　〃Yea；　his　honourable　worship　is　within。But　he　hath　a　godly　minister　or　two　with　him；　and　likewise　a　leech。　Yemay　not　see　his　worship　now。〃　　〃Nevertheless；　I　will　enter；〃　answered　Hester　Prynne；　and　thebond…servant；　perhaps　judging　from　the　decision　of　her　air；　and　theglittering　symbol　in　her　bosom；　that　she　was　a　great　lady　in　the　land；offered　no　opposition。　　So　the　mother　and　little　Pearl　were　admitted　into　the　hall　ofentrance。　With　many　variations；　suggested　by　the　nature　of　hisbuilding…materials；　diversity　of　climate；　and　a　different　mode　ofsocial　life；　Governor　Bellingham　had　planned　his　new　habitationafter　the　residences　of　gentlemen　of　fair　estate　in　his　native　land。Here；　then；　was　a　wide　and　reasonably　lofty　hall；　extending　throughthe　whole　depth　of　the　house　and　forming　a　medium　of　generalmunication；　more　or　less　directly；　with　all　the　other　apartments。At　one　extremity；　this　spacious　room　was　lighted　by　the　windows　of　thetwo　towers；　which　formed　a　small　recess　on　either　side　of　theportal。　At　the　other　end；　though　partly　muffled　by　a　curtain；　it　wasmore　powerfully　illuminated　by　one　of　those　embowed　hall…windows　whichwe　read　of　in　old　books；　and　which　was　provided　with　a　keep　andcushioned　seat。　Here；　on　the　cushion；　lay　a　folio　tome；　probably　ofthe　Chronicles　of　England；　or　other　such　substantial　literature；even　as；　in　our　own　days；　we　scatter　gilded　volumes　on　thecentre…table；　to　be　turned　over　by　the　casual　guest。　The　furnitureof　the　hall　consisted　of　some　ponderous　chairs；　the　backs　of　whichwere　elaborately　carved　with　wreaths　of　oaken　flowers；　and　likewisea　table　in　the　same　taste；　the　whole　being　of　the　Elizabethan　age；or　perhaps　earlier；　and　heirlooms；　transferred　hither　from　theGovernor's　paternal　home。　On　the　table…　in　token　that　the　sentiment　ofold　English　hospitality　had　not　been　left　behind…　stood　a　large　pewtertankard；　at　the　bottom　of　which；　had　Hester　or　Pearl　peeped　into　it；they　might　have　seen　the　frothy　remnant　of　a　recent　draught　of　ale。　　On　the　wall　hung　a　row　of　portraits；　representing　the　forefathers　ofthe　Bellingham　lineage；　some　with　armour　on　their　breasts；　andothers　with　stately　ruffs　and　robes　of　peace。　All　were　characterisedby　the　sternness　and　severity　which　old　portraits　so　invariably　puton；　as　if　they　were　the　ghosts；　rather　than　the　pictures；　ofdeparted　worthies；　and　were　gazing　with　harsh　and　intolerant　criticismat　the　pursuits　and　enjoyments　of　living　men。　　At　about　the　centre　of　the　oaken　panels；　that　lined　the　hall；　wassuspended　a　suit　of　mail；　not；　like　the　pictures；　an　ancestralrelic；　but　of　the　most　modern　date；　for　it　had　been　manufactured　bya　skilful　armourer　in　London；　the　same　year　in　which　GovernorBellingham　came　over　to　New　England。　There　was　a　steel　headpiece；　acuirass；　a　gorget；　and　greaves；　with　a　pair　of　gauntlets　and　a　swordhanging　beneath；　all；　and　especially　the　helmet　and　breastplate；　sohighly　burnished　as　to　glow　with　white　radiance；　and　scatter　anillumination　everywhere　about　upon　the　floor。　This　bright　panoplywas　not　meant　for　mere　idle　show；　but　had　been　worn　by　the　Governor　onmany　a　solemn　muster　and　training　field；　and　had　glittered；moreover；　at　the　head　of　a　regiment　in　the　Pequod　war。　For；　thoughbred　a　lawyer；　and　accustomed　to　speak　of　Bacon；　Coke；　Noye；　andFinch；　as　his　professional　associates；　the　exigencies　of　this　newcountry　had　transformed　Governor　Bellingham　into　a　soldier；　as　well　asa　statesman　and　ruler。　　Little　Pearl…　who　was　as　greatly　pleased　with　the　gleaming　armour　asshe　had　been　with　the　glittering　frontispiece　of　the　house…　spent　sometime　looking　into　the　polished　mirror　of　the　breastplate。　　〃Mother；〃　cried　she；　〃I　see　you　here。　Look！　Look！〃　　Hester　looked；　by　way　of　humouring　the　child；　and　she　saw　that；owing　to　the　peculiar　effect　of　this　convex　mirror；　the　scarlet　letterwas　represented　in　exaggerated　and　gigantic　proportions；　so　as　to　begreatly　the　most　prominent　feature　of　her　appearance。　In　truth；　sheseemed　absolutely　hidden　behind　it。　Pearl　pointed　upward；　also；　at　asimilar　picture　in　the　head…piece；　smiling　at　her　mother；　with　theelfish　intelligence　that　was　so　familiar　an　expression　on　her　smallphysi