红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第48章

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It　was　perceived；　too；　that　while　Hester　never　put　forward　eventhe　humblest　title　to　share　in　the　world's　privileges…　further　than　tobreathe　the　mon　air；　and　earn　daily　bread　for　little　Pearl　andherself　by　the　faithful　labour　of　her　hands…　she　was　quick　toacknowledge　her　sisterhood　with　the　race　of　man；　whenever　benefitswere　to　be　conferred。　None　so　ready　as　she　to　give　of　her　littlesubstance　to　every　demand　of　poverty；　even　though　the　bitter…heartedpauper　threw　back　a　gibe　in　requital　of　the　food　brought　regularlyto　his　door；　or　the　garments　wrought　for　him　by　the　fingers　that　couldhave　embroidered　a　monarch's　robe。　None　so　self…devoted　as　Hester；when　pestilence　stalked　through　the　town。　In　all　seasons　ofcalamity；　indeed；　whether　general　or　of　individuals；　the　outcast　ofsociety　at　once　found　her　place。　She　came；　not　as　a　guest；　but　as　arightful　inmate　into　the　household　that　was　darkened　by　trouble；　as　ifits　gloomy　twilight　were　a　medium　in　which　she　was　entitled　to　holdintercourse　with　her　fellow…creatures。　There　glimmered　the　embroideredletter；　with　fort　in　its　unearthly　ray。　Elsewhere　the　token　of　sin；it　was　the　taper　of　the　sick…chamber。　It　had　even　thrown　its　gleam；　inthe　sufferer's　hard　extremity；　across　the　verge　of　time。　It　hadshown　him　where　to　set　his　foot；　while　the　light　of　earth　was　fastbeing　dim；　and　ere　the　light　of　futurity　could　reach　him。　In　suchemergencies；　Hester's　nature　showed　itself　warm　and　rich；　awell…spring　of　human　tenderness；　unfailing　to　every　real　demand；　andinexhaustible　by　the　largest。　Her　breast；　with　its　badge　of　shame；　wasbut　the　softer　pillow　for　the　head　that　needed　one。　She　wasself…ordained　a　Sister　of　Mercy；　or；　we　may　rather　say；　the　world'sheavy　hand　had　so　ordained　her；　when　neither　the　world　nor　shelooked　forward　to　this　result。　The　letter　was　the　symbol　of　hercalling。　Such　helpfulness　was　found　in　her…　so　much　power　to　do；　andpower　to　sympathise…　that　many　people　refused　to　interpret　the　scarletA　by　its　original　signification。　They　said　that　it　meant　Able；　sostrong　was　Hester　Prynne；　with　a　woman's　strength。　　It　was　only　the　darkened　house　that　could　contain　her。　When　sunshinecame　again；　she　was　not　there。　Her　shadow　had　faded　across　thethreshold。　The　helpful　inmate　had　departed；　without　one　backwardglance　to　gather　up　the　meed　of　gratitude；　if　any　were　in　the　heartsof　those　whom　she　had　served　so　zealously。　Meeting　them　in　the　street；she　never　raised　her　head　to　receive　their　greeting。　If　they　wereresolute　to　accost　her；　she　laid　her　finger　on　the　scarlet　letterand　passed　on。　This　might　be　pride；　but　was　so　like　humility；　thatit　produced　all　the　softening　influence　of　the　latter　quality　on　thepublic　mind。　The　public　is　despotic　in　its　temper；　it　is　capable　ofdenying　mon　justice；　when　too　strenuously　demanded　as　a　right；but　quite　as　frequently　it　awards　more　than　justice　when　the　appeal　ismade；　as　despots　love　to　have　it　made；　entirely　to　its　generosity。Interpreting　Hester　Prynne's　deportment　as　an　appeal　of　this　nature；society　was　inclined　to　show　its　former　victim　a　more　benigncountenance　than　she　cared　to　be　favoured　with；　or；　perchance；　thanshe　deserved。　　The　rulers；　and　the　wise　and　learned　men　of　the　munity；　werelonger　in　acknowledging　the　influence　of　Hester's　good　qualitiesthan　the　people。　The　prejudices　which　they　shared　in　mon　with　thelatter　were　fortified　in　themselves　by　an　iron　framework　of　reasoning；that　made　it　a　far　tougher　labour　to　expel　them。　Day　by　day；nevertheless；　their　sour　and　rigid　wrinkles　were　relaxing　intosomething　which；　in　the　due　course　of　years；　might　grow　to　be　anexpression　of　almost　benevolence。　Thus　it　was　with　the　men　of　rank；　onwhom　their　eminent　position　imposed　the　guardianship　of　the　publicmorals。　Individuals　in　private　life；　meanwhile；　had　quite　forgivenHester　Prynne　for　her　frailty；　nay；　more；　they　had　begun　to　lookupon　the　scarlet　letter　as　the　token；　not　of　that　one　sin；　for　whichshe　had　borne　so　long　and　dreary　a　penance；　but　of　her　many　good　deedssince。　〃Do　you　see　that　woman　with　the　embroidered　badge？〃　theywould　say　to　strangers。　〃It　is　our　Hester…　the　town's　own　Hester…who　is　so　kind　to　the　poor；　so　helpful　to　the　sick；　so　fortableto　the　afflicted！〃　Then；　it　is　true；　the　propensity　of　human　nature　totell　the　very　worst　of　itself；　when　embodied　in　the　person　of　another；would　constrain　them　to　whisper　the　black　scandal　of　bygone　years。It　was　none　the　less　a　fact；　however；　that；　in　the　eyes　of　the　verymen　who　spoke　thus；　the　scarlet　letter　had　the　effect　of　the　crosson　a　nun's　bosom。　It　imparted　to　the　wearer　a　kind　of　sacredness；which　enabled　her　to　walk　securely　amid　all　peril。　Had　she　fallenamong　thieves；　it　would　have　kept　her　safe。　It　was　reported；　andbelieved　by　many；　that　an　Indian　had　drawn　his　arrow　against　thebadge；　and　that　the　missile　struck　it；　but　fell　harmless　to　theground。　　The　effect　of　the　symbol…　or；　rather；　of　the　position　in　respectto　society　that　was　indicated　by　it…　on　the　mind　of　Hester　Prynneherself；　was　powerful　and　peculiar。　All　the　light　and　graceful　foliageof　her　character　had　been　withered　up　by　this　red…hot　brand；　and　hadlong　ago　fallen　away；　leaving　a　bare　and　harsh　outline；　which　mighthave　been　repulsive；　had　she　possessed　friends　or　panions　to　berepelled　by　it。　Even　the　attractiveness　of　her　person　had　undergonea　similar　change。　It　might　be　partly　owing　to　the　studied　austerity　ofher　dress；　and　partly　to　the　lack　of　demonstration　in　her　manners。It　was　a　sad　transformation；　too；　that　her　rich　and　luxuriant　hair　hadeither　been　cut　off；　or　was　so　pletely　hidden　by　a　cap；　that　nota　shining　lock　of　it　ever　once　gushed　into　the　sunshine。　It　was　due　inpart　to　all　these　causes；　but　still　more　to　something　else；　that　thereseemed　to　be　no　longer　anything　in　Hester's　face　for　Love　to　dwellupon；　nothing　in　Hester's　form；　though　majestic　and　statue…like；that　Passion　would　ever　dream　of　clasping　in　its　embrace；　nothing　inHester's　bosom；　to　make　it　ever　again　the　pillow　of　Affection。　Someattribute　had　departed　from　her；　the　permanence　of　which　had　beenessential　to　keep　her　a　woman。　Such　is　frequently　the　fate；　and　suchthe　stern　development；　of　the　feminine　character　and　person；　whenthe　woman　has　encountered；　and　lived