《红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)》the scarlet letter(英文版)-第55章

rm；　imparting　ahard；　metallic　lustre　to　the　child"s　character。　She　wanted…　whatsome　people　want　throughout　life…　a　grief　that　should　deeply　touchher；　and　thus　humanise　and　make　her　capable　of　sympathy。　But　there　wastime　enough　yet　for　little　Pearl。 〃e；　my　child！〃　said　Hester；　looking　about　her　from　the　spot　wherePearl　had　stood　still　in　the　sunshine。　〃We　will　sit　down　a　littleway　within　the　wood；　and　rest　ourselves。〃 〃I　am　not　aweary；　mother；〃　replied　the　little　girl。　〃But　you　may　sitdown；　if　you　will　tell　me　a　story　meanwhile。〃 〃A　story；　child！〃　said　Hester。　〃And　about　what？〃 〃Oh；　a　story　about　the　Black　Man；〃　answered　Pearl；　taking　hold　ofher　mother"s　gown；　and　looking　up；　half　earnestly；　half　mischievously；into　her　face。　〃How　he　haunts　this　forest；　and　carries　a　book　withhim…　a　big；　heavy　book；　with　iron　clasps；　and　how　this　ugly　BlackMan　offers　his　book　and　an　iron　pen　to　everybody　that　meets　him　hereamong　the　trees；　and　they　are　to　write　their　names　with　their　ownblood。　And　then　he　sets　his　mark　on　their　bosoms！　Didst　thou　ever　meetthe　Black　Man；　mother？〃 〃And　who　told　you　this　story；　Pearl？〃　asked　her　mother；recognising　a　mon　superstition　of　the　period。 〃It　was　the　old　dame　in　the　chimney…corner；　at　the　house　where　youwatched　last　night；〃　said　the　child。　〃But　she　fancied　me　asleepwhile　she　was　talking　of　it。　She　said　that　a　thousand　and　a　thousandpeople　had　met　him　here；　and　had　written　in　his　book；　and　have　hismark　on　them。　And　that　ugly…tempered　lady；　old　Mistress　Hibbins；　wasone。　And；　mother；　the　old　dame　said　that　this　scarlet　letter　was　theBlack　Man"s　mark　on　thee；　and　that　it　glows　like　a　red　flame　when　thoumeetest　him　at　midnight；　here　in　the　dark　wood。　Is　it　true；　mother？And　dost　thou　go　to　meet　him　in　the　night…time？〃 〃Didst　thou　ever　awake；　and　find　thy　mother　gone？〃　asked　Hester。 〃Not　that　I　remember；〃　said　the　child。　〃If　thou　fearest　to　leaveme　in　our　cottage；　thou　mightest　take　me　along　with　thee。　I　would　verygladly　go！　But；　mother；　tell　me　now！　Is　there　such　a　Black　Man？　Anddidst　thou　ever　meet　him？　And　is　this　his　mark？〃 〃Wilt　thou　let　me　be　at　peace　if　I　once　tell　thee？〃　asked　hermother。 〃Yes；　if　thou　tellest　me　all；〃　answered　Pearl。 〃Once　in　my　life　I　met　the　Black　Man！〃　said　her　mother。　〃Thisscarlet　letter　is　his　mark！〃 Thus　conversing；　they　entered　sufficiently　deep　into　the　wood　tosecure　themselves　from　the　observation　of　any　casual　passenger　alongthe　forest　track。　Here　they　sat　down　on　a　luxuriant　heap　of　moss；which；　at　some　epoch　of　the　preceding　century；　had　been　a　giganticpine；　with　its　roots　and　trunk　in　the　darksome　shade；　and　its　headaloft　in　the　upper　atmosphere。　It　was　a　little　dell　where　they　hadseated　themselves；　with　a　leaf…strewn　bank　rising　gently　on　eitherside；　and　a　brook　flowing　through　the　midst；　over　a　bed　of　fallenand　drowned　leaves。　The　trees　impending　over　it　had　flung　down　greatbranches；　from　time　to　time；　which　choked　up　the　current；　andpelled　it　to　form　eddies　and　black　depths　at　some　points；　while；　inits　swifter　and　livelier　passages；　there　appeared　a　channel…way　ofpebbles；　and　brown；　sparkling　sand。　Letting　the　eyes　follow　alongthe　course　of　the　stream；　they　could　catch　the　reflected　light　fromits　water；　at　some　short　distance　within　the　forest；　but　soon　lost　alltraces　of　it　amid　the　bewilderment　of　tree…trunks　and　underbrush；and　here　and　there　a　huge　rock　covered　over　with　grey　lichens。　Allthese　giant　trees　and　boulders　of　granite　seemed　intent　on　making　amystery　of　the　course　of　this　small　brook；　fearing；　perhaps；　that；with　its　never…ceasing　loquacity；　it　should　whisper　tales　out　of　theheart　of　the　old　forest　whence　it　flowed；　or　mirror　its　revelations　onthe　smooth　surface　of　a　pool。　Continually；　indeed；　as　it　stole　onward；the　streamlet　kept　up　a　babble；　kind；　quiet；　soothing；　but　melancholy；like　the　voice　of　a　young　child　that　was　spending　its　infancywithout　playfulness；　and　knew　not　how　to　be　merry　among　sadacquaintance　and　events　of　sombre　hue。 〃O　brook！　O　foolish　and　tiresome　little　brook！〃　cried　Pearl；　afterlistening　awhile　to　its　talk。　〃Why　art　thou　so　sad？　Pluck　up　a　spirit；and　do　not　be　all　the　time　sighing　and　murmuring！〃 But　the　brook；　in　the　course　of　its　little　lifetime　among　theforest…trees；　had　gone　through　so　solemn　an　experience　that　it　couldnot　help　talking　about　it；　and　seemed　to　have　nothing　else　to　say。Pearl　resembled　the　brook　inasmuch　as　the　current　of　her　life　gushedfrom　a　well…spring　as　mysterious；　and　had　flowed　through　scenesshadowed　as　heavily　with　gloom。　But；　unlike　the　little　stream；　shedanced　and　sparkled；　and　prattled　airily　along　her　course。 〃What　does　this　sad　little　brook　say；　mother？〃　inquired　she。 〃If　thou　hadst　a　sorrow　of　thine　own；　the　brook　might　tell　thee　ofit；〃　answered　her　mother；　〃even　as　it　is　telling　me　of　mine！　Butnow；　Pearl；　I　hear　a　footstep　along　the　path；　and　the　noise　of　oneputting　aside　the　branches。　I　would　have　thee　betake　thyself　toplay；　and　leave　me　to　speak　with　him　that　es　yonder。〃 〃Is　it　the　Black　Man？〃　asked　Pearl。 〃Wilt　thou　go　and　play；　child？〃　repeated　her　mother。　〃But　do　notstray　far　into　the　wood。　And　take　heed　that　thou　e　at　my　firstcall。〃 〃Yes；　mother；〃　answered　Pearl。　〃But　if　it　be　the　Black　Man；　wiltthou　not　let　me　stay　a　moment；　and　look　at　him；　with　his　big　bookunder　his　arm？〃 〃Go；　silly　child！〃　said　her　mother　impatiently。　〃It　is　no　Black　Man！Thou　canst　see　him　now；　through　the　trees。　It　is　the　minister！〃 〃And　so　it　is！〃　said　the　child。　〃And；　mother；　he　has　his　hand　overhis　heart！　Is　it　because；　when　the　minister　wrote　his　name　in　thebook；　the　Black　Man　set　his　mark　in　that　place？　But　why　does　he　notwear　it　outside　his　bosom；　as　thou　dost；　mother？〃 〃Go　now；　child；　and　thou　shalt　tease　me　as　thou　wilt　anothertime；〃　cried　Hester　Prynne。　〃But　do　not　stray　far。　Keep　where　thoucanst　hear　the　babble　of　the　brook。〃 The　child　went　singing　away；　following　up　the　current　of　thebrook；　and　striving　to　mingle　a　more　lightsome　cadence　with　itsmelancholy　voice。　But　the　little　stream　would　not　be　forted；　andstill　kept　telling　its　unintelligible　secret　of　some　very　mournfulmystery　that　had　happened…　or　making　a　prophetic　lamentation　aboutsomething　that　was　yet　to　happen…　within　the　verge　of　th