红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第50章

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cern　no　method　of　rescuinghim　from　a　blacker　ruin　than　had　overwhelmed　herself；　except　byacquiescing　in　Roger　Chillingworth's　scheme　of　disguise。　Under　thatimpulse；　she　had　made　her　choice；　and　had　chosen；　as　it　nowappeared；　the　more　wretched　alternative　of　the　two。　She　determinedto　redeem　her　error；　so　far　as　it　might　yet　be　possible。Strengthened　by　years　of　hard　and　solemn　trial；　she　felt　herself　nolonger　so　inadequate　to　cope　with　Roger　Chillingworth　as　on　thatnight；　abased　by　sin；　and　half　maddened　by　the　ignominy　that　was　stillnew；　when　they　had　talked　together　in　the　prison…chamber。　She　hadclimbed　her　way；　since　then；　to　a　higher　point。　The　old　man；　on　theother　hand；　had　brought　himself　nearer　to　her　level；　or　perhapsbelow　it；　by　the　revenge　which　he　had　stooped　for。　　In　fine；　Hester　Prynne　resolved　to　meet　her　former　husband；　and　dowhat　might　be　in　her　power　for　the　rescue　of　the　victim　on　whom　he　hadso　evidently　set　his　gripe。　The　occasion　was　not　long　to　seek。　Oneafternoon；　walking　with　Pearl　in　a　retired　part　of　the　peninsula；she　beheld　the　old　physician；　with　a　basket　on　one　arm；　and　a　staff　inthe　other　hand；　stooping　along　the　ground；　in　quest　of　roots　and　herbsto　concoct　his　medicines　withal。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　XIV。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　HESTER　AND　THE　PHYSICIAN。　　HESTER　bade　little　Pearl　run　down　to　the　margin　of　the　water；　andplay　with　the　shells　and　tangled　seaweed；　until　she　should　have　talkedawhile　with　yonder　gatherer　of　herbs。　So　the　child　flew　away　like　abird；　and；　making　bare　her　small　white　feet；　went　pattering　alongthe　moist　margin　of　the　sea。　Here　and　there　she　came　to　a　full　stop；and　peeped　curiously　into　a　pool；　left　by　the　retiring　tide　as　amirror　for　Pearl　to　see　her　face　in。　Forth　peeped　at　her；　out　of　thepool；　with　dark；　glistening　curls　around　her　head；　and　an　elf…smile　inher　eyes；　the　image　of　a　little　maid；　whom　Pearl；　having　no　otherplaymate；　invited　to　take　her　hand；　and　run　a　race　with　her。　But　thevisionary　little　maid；　on　her　part；　beckoned　likewise；　as　if　to　say；〃This　is　a　better　place！　e　thou　into　the　pool！〃　And　Pearl；　steppingin；　mid…leg　deep；　beheld　her　own　white　feet　at　the　bottom；　while；out　of　a　still　lower　depth；　came　the　gleam　of　a　kind　of　fragmentarysmile；　floating　to　and　fro　in　the　agitated　water。　　Meanwhile；　her　mother　had　accosted　the　physician。　　〃I　would　speak　a　word　with　you；〃　said　she…　〃a　word　that　concernsus　much。〃　　〃Aha！　and　is　it　Mistress　Hester　that　has　a　word　for　old　RogerChillingworth？〃　answered　he；　raising　himself　from　his　stoopingposture。　〃With　all　my　heart！　Why；　mistress；　I　hear　good　tidings　ofyou；　on　all　hands！　No　longer　ago　than　yester…eve；　a　magistrate；　a　wiseand　godly　man；　was　discoursing　of　your　affairs；　Mistress　Hester；　andwhispered　me　that　there　had　been　question　concerning　you　in　thecouncil。　It　was　debated　whether　or　no；　with　safety　to　the　mon　weal；yonder　scarlet　letter　might　be　taken　off　your　bosom。　On　my　life；Hester；　I　made　my　entreaty　to　the　worshipful　magistrate　that　itmight　be　done　forthwith！〃　　〃It　lies　not　in　the　pleasure　of　the　magistrates　to　take　off　thisbadge。〃　calmly　replied　Hester。　〃Were　I　worthy　to　be　quit　of　it；　itwould　fall　away　of　its　own　nature；　or　be　transformed　into　somethingthat　should　speak　a　different　purport。〃　　〃Nay；　then；　wear　it；　if　it　suit　you　better；〃　rejoined　he。　〃A　womanmust　needs　follow　her　own　fancy　touching　the　adornment　of　herperson。　The　letter　is　gaily　embroidered；　and　shows　right　bravely　onyour　bosom！〃　　All　this　while；　Hester　had　been　looking　steadily　at　the　old　man；　andwas　shocked；　as　well　as　wonder…smitten；　to　discern　what　a　change　hadbeen　wrought　upon　him　within　the　past　seven　years。　It　was　not　somuch　that　he　had　grown　older；　for　though　the　traces　of　advancinglife　were　visible；　he　bore　his　age　well；　and　seemed　to　retain　a　wiryvigour　and　alertness。　But　the　former　aspect　of　an　intellectual　andstudious　man；　calm　and　quiet；　which　was　what　she　best　remembered　inhim；　had　altogether　vanished；　and　been　succeeded　by　an　eager；searching；　almost　fierce；　yet　carefully　guarded　look。　It　seemed　tobe　his　wish　and　purpose　to　mask　this　expression　with　a　smile；　butthe　latter　played　him　false；　and　flickered　over　his　visage　soderisively；　that　the　spectator　could　see　his　blackness　all　thebetter　for　it。　Ever　and　anon；　too；　there　came　a　glare　of　red　light　outof　his　eyes；　as　if　the　old　man's　soul　were　on　fire；　and　kept　onsmouldering　duskily　within　his　breast；　until；　by　some　casual　puff　ofpassion；　it　was　blown　into　a　momentary　flame。　This　he　repressed；　asspeedily　as　possible；　and　strove　to　look　as　if　nothing　of　the　kind　hadhappened。　　In　a　word；　old　Roger　Chillingworth　was　a　striking　evidence　ofman's　faculty　of　transforming　himself　into　a　devil；　if　he　will　only；for　a　reasonable　space　of　time；　undertake　a　devil's　office。　Thisunhappy　person　had　effected　such　a　transformation；　by　devotinghimself；　for　seven　years；　to　the　constant　analysis　of　a　heart　fullof　torture；　and　deriving　his　enjoyment　thence；　and　adding　fuel　tothose　fiery　tortures　which　he　analysed　and　gloated　over。　　The　scarlet　letter　burned　on　Hester　Prynne's　bosom。　Here　was　anotherruin；　the　responsibility　of　which　came　partly　home　to　her。　　〃What　see　you　in　my　face；〃　asked　the　physician；　〃that　you　look　at　itso　earnestly？〃　　〃Something　that　would　make　me　weep；　if　there　were　any　tears　bitterenough　for　it；〃　answered　she。　〃But　let　it　pass！　It　is　of　yondermiserable　man　that　I　would　speak。〃　　〃And　what　of　him？〃　cried　Roger　Chillingworth　eagerly；　as　if　he　lovedthe　topic；　and　were　glad　of　an　opportunity　to　discuss　it　with　the　onlyperson　of　whom　he　could　make　a　confidant。　〃Not　to　hide　the　truth；Mistress　Hester；　my　thoughts　happen　just　now　to　be　busy　with　thegentleman。　So　speak　freely；　and　I　will　make　answer。〃　　〃When　we　last　spake　together；〃　said　Hester；　〃now　seven　years　ago；　itwas　your　pleasure　to　extort　a　promise　of　secrecy；　as　touching　theformer　relation　betwixt　yourself　and　me。　As　the　life　and　good　fameof　yonder　man　were　in　your　hands；　there　seemed　no　choice　to　me；　saveto　be　silent；　in　accordance　with　your　behest。　Yet　it　was　not　withoutheavy　misgivings　that　I　thus　bound　myself；　for；　having　cast　off　allduty　towards　other　human　beings；　there　remained　a　duty　towards　him；and　something　whispered　me　tha