《红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)》the scarlet letter(英文版)-第60章

the　dungeonof　his　own　heart…　of　breathing　the　wild；　free　atmosphere　of　anunredeemed；　unchristianised；　lawless　region。　His　spirit　rose；　as　itwere；　with　a　bound；　and　attained　a　nearer　prospect　of　the　sky；　thanthroughout　all　the　misery　which　had　kept　him　grovelling　on　theearth。　Of　a　deeply　religious　temperament；　there　was　inevitably　a　tingeof　the　devotional　in　his　mind。 〃Do　I　feel　joy　again？〃　cried　he；　wondering　at　himself。　〃Methoughtthe　germ　of　it　was　dead　in　me！　O　Hester；　thou　art　my　better　angel！　Iseem　to　have　flung　myself…　sick；　sin…stained；　and　sorrow…blackened…down　upon　these　forest…leaves；　and　to　have　risen　up　all　made　anew；　andwith　new　powers　to　glorify　Him　that　hath　been　merciful！　This　isalready　the　better　life！　Why　did　we　not　find　it　sooner？〃 〃Let　us　not　look　back；〃　answered　Hester　Prynne。　〃the　past　is　gone！Wherefore　should　we　linger　upon　it　now？　See！　With　this　symbol；　Iundo　it　all；　and　make　it　as　it　had　never　been！〃 So　speaking；　she　undid　the　clasp　that　fastened　the　scarlet　letter；and；　taking　it　from　her　bosom；　threw　it　to　a　distance　among　thewithered　leaves。　The　mystic　token　alighted　on　the　hither　verge　ofthe　stream。　With　a　hand"s　breadth　farther　flight　it　would　havefallen　into　the　water；　and　have　given　the　little　brook　another　woeto　carry　onward；　besides　the　unintelligible　tale　which　it　still　keptmurmuring　about。　But　there　lay　the　embroidered　letter；　glittering　likea　lost　jewel；　which　some　ill…fated　wanderer　might　pick　up；　andthenceforth　be　haunted　by　strange　phantoms　of　guilt；　sinkings　of　theheart；　and　unaccountable　misfortune。 The　stigma　gone；　Hester　heaved　a　long；　deep　sigh；　in　which　theburden　of　shame　and　anguish　departed　from　her　spirit。　Oh；　exquisiterelief！　She　had　not　known　the　weight；　until　she　felt　the　freedom！　Byanother　impulse；　she　took　off　the　formal　cap　that　confined　her　hair；and　down　it　fell　upon　her　shoulders；　dark　and　rich；　with　at　once　ashadow　and　a　light　in　its　abundance；　and　imparting　the　charm　ofsoftness　to　her　features。　There　played　around　her　mouth；　and　beamedout　of　her　eyes；　a　radiant　and　tender　smile；　that　seemed　gushingfrom　the　very　heart　of　womanhood。　A　crimson　flush　was　glowing　on　hercheek；　that　had　been　long　so　pale。　Her　sex；　her　youth；　and　the　wholerichness　of　the　beauty；　came　back　from　what　men　call　the　irrevocablepast；　and　clustered　themselves；　with　her　maiden　hope；　and　ahappiness　before　unknown；　within　the　magic　circle　of　this　hour。　And；as　if　the　gloom　of　the　earth　and　sky　had　been　but　the　effluence　ofthese　two　mortal　hearts；　it　vanished　with　their　sorrow。　All　at　once；as　with　a　sudden　smile　of　heaven；　forth　burst　the　sunshine；　pouringa　very　flood　into　the　obscure　forest；　gladdening　each　green　leaf；transmuting　the　yellow　fallen　ones　to　gold；　and　gleaming　adown　thegrey　trunks　of　the　solemn　trees。　The　objects　that　had　made　a　shadowhitherto；　embodied　the　brightness　now。　The　course　of　the　littlebrook　might　be　traced　by　its　merry　gleam　afar　into　the　wood"s　heart　ofmystery；　which　had　bee　a　mystery　of　joy。 Such　was　the　sympathy　of　Nature…　that　wild；　heathen　Nature　of　theforest；　never　subjugated　by　human　law；　nor　illumined　by　highertruth…　with　the　bliss　of　these　two　spirits！　Love；　whether　newlyborn；　or　aroused　from　a　death…like　slumber；　must　always　create　asunshine；　filling　the　heart　so　full　of　radiance；　that　it　overflowsupon　the　outward　world。　Had　the　forest　still　kept　its　gloom；　itwould　have　been　bright　in　Hester"s　eyes；　and　bright　in　ArthurDimmesdale"s！ Hester　looked　at　him　with　the　thrill　of　another　joy。 〃Thou　must　know　Pearl！〃　said　she。　〃Our　little　Pearl！　Thou　hastseen　her…　yes；　I　know　it！…　but　thou　wilt　see　her　now　with　othereyes。　She　is　a　strange　child！　I　hardly　prehend　her！　But　thou　wiltlove　her　dearly；　as　I　do；　and　wilt　advise　me　how　to　deal　with　her。〃 〃Dost　thou　think　the　child　will　be　glad　to　know　me？〃　asked　theminister；　somewhat　uneasily。　〃I　have　long　shrunk　from　children；because　they　often　show　a　distrust…　a　backwardness　to　be　familiar　withme。　I　have　even　been　afraid　of　little　Pearl！〃 〃Ah；　that　was　sad！〃　answered　the　mother。　〃But　she　will　love　theedearly；　and　thou　her。　She　is　not　far　off。　I　will　call　her！　Pearl！Pearl！〃 〃I　see　the　child；〃　observed　the　minister。　〃Yonder　she　is；　standingin　a　streak　of　sunshine；　a　good　way　off；　on　the　other　side　of　thebrook；　So　thou　thinkest　the　child　will　love　me？〃 Hester　smiled；　and　again　called　to　Pearl；　who　was　visible；　at　somedistance；　as　the　minister　had　described　her；　like　abright…apparelled　vision；　in　a　sunbeam；　which　fell　down　upon　herthrough　an　arch　of　boughs。　The　ray　quivered　to　and　fro；　making　herfigure　dim　or　distinct…　now　like　a　real　child；　now　like　a　child"sspirit…　as　the　splendour　went　and　came　again。　She　heard　her　mother"svoice；　and　approached　slowly　through　the　forest。 Pearl　had　not　found　the　hour　pass　wearisomely；　while　her　mothersat　talking　with　the　clergyman。　The　great　black　forest…　stern　as　itshowed　itself　to　those　who　brought　the　guilt　and　troubles　of　the　worldinto　its　bosom…　became　the　playmate　of　the　lonely　infant；　as　well　asit　knew　how。　Sombre　as　it　was；　it　put　on　the　kindest　of　its　moods　towele　her。　It　offered　her　the　partridge…berries；　the　growth　of　thepreceding　autumn；　but　ripening　only　in　the　spring；　and　now　red　asdrops　of　blood　upon　the　withered　leaves。　These　Pearl　gathered；　and　waspleased　with　their　wild　flavour。　The　small　denizens　of　thewilderness　hardly　took　pains　to　move　out　of　her　path。　A　partridge；indeed；　with　a　brood　of　ten　behind　her；　ran　forward　threatingly；　butsoon　repented　of　her　fierceness；　and　clucked　to　her　young　ones　notto　be　afraid。　A　pigeon；　alone　on　a　low　branch；　allowed　Pearl　to　ebeneath；　and　uttered　a　sound　as　much　of　greeting　as　alarm。　A　squirrel；from　the　lofty　depths　of　his　domestic　tree；　chattered　either　inanger　or　merriment…　for　a　squirrel　is　such　a　choleric　and　humorouslittle　personage；　that　it　is　hard　to　distinguish　between　his　moods…　sohe　chattered　at　the　child；　and　flung　down　a　nut　upon　her　head。　Itwas　a　last　year"s　nut；　and　already　gnawed　by　his　sharp　tooth。　A　fox；startled　from　his　sleep　by　her　light　footstep　on　the　leaves；　lookedinquisitively　at　Pearl；　as　doubting　whether　it　were　better　to　stealoff；　or　renew　his　nap　on　the　same　spot。　A　wolf；　it　is　said…　but　herethe　tale　has　surely