《红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)》the scarlet letter(英文版)-第71章

and　the　mossytree…trunk；　where；　sitting　hand　in　hand；　they　had　mingled　their　sadand　passionate　talk　with　the　melancholy　murmur　of　the　brook。　Howdeeply　had　they　known　each　other　then！　And　was　this　the　man？　Shehardly　knew　him　now！　He；　moving　proudly　past；　enveloped；　as　it　were；in　the　rich　music；　with　the　procession　of　majestic　and　venerablefathers；　he；　so　unattainable　in　his　worldly　position；　and　still　moreso　in　that　far　vista　of　his　unsympathising　thoughts；　through　which　shenow　beheld　him！　Her　spirit　sank　with　the　idea　that　all　must　havebeen　a　delusion；　and　that；　vividly　as　she　had　dreamed　it；　therecould　be　no　real　bond　betwixt　the　clergyman　and　herself。　And　thus　muchof　woman　was　there　in　Hester；　that　she　could　scarcely　forgive　him…least　of　all　now；　when　the　heavy　footstep　of　their　approaching　Fatemight　be　heard；　nearer；　nearer；　nearer！…　for　being　able　sopletely　to　withdraw　himself　from　their　mutual　world；　while　shegroped　darkly；　and　stretched　forth　her　cold　hands；　and　found　him　not。 Pearl　either　saw　and　responded　to　her　mother"s　feelings；　orherself　felt　the　remoteness　and　intangibility　that　had　fallen　aroundthe　minister。　While　the　procession　passed；　the　child　was　uneasy；fluttering　up　and　down；　like　a　bird　on　the　point　of　taking　flight。When　the　whole　had　gone　by；　she　looked　up　into　Hester"s　face。 〃Mother；〃　said　she；　〃was　that　the　same　minister　that　kissed　me　bythe　brook？〃 〃Hold　thy　peace；　dear　little　Pearl！〃　whispered　her　mother。　〃Wemust　not　always　talk　in　the　market…place　of　what　happens　to　us　inthe　forest。〃 〃I　could　not　be　sure　that　it　was　he；　so　strange　he　looked；〃continued　the　child。　〃Else　I　would　have　run　to　him；　and　bid　him　kissme　now；　before　all　the　people；　even　as　he　did　yonder　among　the　darkold　trees。　What　would　the　minister　have　said；　mother？　Would　he　haveclapped　his　hand　over　his　heart；　and　scowled　on　me；　and　bid　mebegone？〃 〃What　should　he　say；　Pearl？〃　answered　Hester；　〃save　that　it　was　notime　to　kiss；　and　that　kisses　are　not　to　be　given　in　the　market…place？Well　for　thee；　foolish　child；　that　thou　didst　not　speak　to　him！〃 Another　shade　of　the　same　sentiment；　in　reference　to　Mr。　Dimmesdale；was　expressed　by　a　person　whose　eccentricities…　or　insanity；　as　weshould　term　it…　led　her　to　do　what　few　of　the　townspeople　would　haveventured　on；　to　begin　a　conversation　with　the　wearer　of　the　scarletletter；　in　public。　It　was　Mistress　Hibbins；　who；　arrayed　in　greatmagnificence；　with　a　triple　ruff；　a　broidered　stomacher；　a　gown　ofrich　velvet；　and　a　gold…headed　cane；　had　e　forth　to　see　theprocession。　As　this　ancient　lady　had　the　renown　（which　subsequentlycost　her　no　less　a　price　than　her　life）　of　being　a　principal　actorin　all　the　works　of　necromancy　that　were　continually　going　forward；the　crowd　gave　way　before　her；　and　seemed　to　fear　the　touch　of　hergarment；　as　if　it　carried　the　plague　among　its　gorgeous　folds。　Seen　inconjunction　with　Hester　Prynne…　kindly　as　so　many　now　felt　towards　thelatter…　the　dread　inspired　by　Mistress　Hibbins　was　doubled；　and　causeda　general　movement　from　that　part　of　the　market…place　in　which　the　twowomen　stood。 〃Now；　what　mortal　imagination　could　conceive　it！〃　whispered　theold　lady；　confidentially；　to　Hester。　〃Yonder　divine　man！　That　saint　onearth；　as　the　people　uphold　him　to　be；　and　as…　I　must　needs　say…　hereally　looks！　Who；　now；　that　saw　him　pass　in　the　procession；　wouldthink　how　little　while　it　is　since　he　went　forth　out　of　his　study…chewing　a　Hebrew　text　of　Scripture　in　his　mouth；　I　warrant…　to　take　anairing　in　the　forest！　Aha！　we　know　what　that　means；　Hester　Prynne！But；　truly；　forsooth；　I　find　it　hard　to　believe　him　the　same　man。　Manya　church…member　saw　I；　walking　behind　the　music；　that　has　danced　inthe　same　measure　with　me；　when　Somebody　was　fiddler；　and；　it　might　be；an　Indian　powwow　or　a　Lapland　wizard　changing　hands　with　us！　That　isbut　a　trifle；　when　a　woman　knows　the　world。　But　this　minister！　Couldstthou　surely　tell；　Hester；　whether　he　was　the　same　man　that　encounteredthee　on　the　forest…path？〃 〃Madam；　I　know　not　of　what　you　speak；〃　answered　Hester　Prynne；feeling　Mistress　Hibbins　to　be　of　infirm　mind；　yet　strangelystartled　and　awe…stricken　by　the　confidence　with　which　she　affirmeda　personal　connection　between　so　many　persons　（herself　among　them）　andthe　Evil　One。　〃It　is　not　for　me　to　talk　lightly　of　a　learned　and　piousminister　of　the　Word；　like　the　Reverend　Mr。　Dimmesdale！〃 〃Fie；　woman；　fie！〃　cried　the　old　lady；　shaking　her　finger　at　Hester。〃Dost　thou　think　I　have　been　to　the　forest　so　many　times；　and　have　yetno　skill　to　judge　who　else　has　been　there？　Yea；　though　no　leaf　ofthe　wild　garlands；　which　they　wore　while　they　danced；　be　left　in　theirhair！　I　know　thee；　Hester；　for　I　behold　the　token。　We　may　all　see　itin　the　sunshine；　and　it　glows　like　a　red　flame　in　the　dark。　Thouwearest　it　openly；　so　there　need　be　no　question　about　that。　But　thisminister！　Let　me　tell　thee；　in　thine　ear！　When　the　Black　Man　seesone　of　his　own　servants；　signed　and　sealed；　so　shy　of　owning　to　thebond　as　is　the　Reverend　Mr。　Dimmesdale；　he　hath　a　way　of　orderingmatters　so　that　the　mark　shall　be　disclosed　in　open　daylight　to　theeyes　of　all　the　world！　What　is　it　that　the　minister　seeks　to　hide；with　his　hand　always　over　his　heart？　Ha；　Hester　Prynne！〃 〃What　is　it；　good　Mistress　Hibbins？〃　eagerly　asked　little　Pearl。〃Hast　thou　seen　it？〃 〃No　matter；　darling！〃　responded　Mistress　Hibbins；　making　Pearl　aprofound　reverence。　〃Thou　thyself　wilt　see　it；　one　time　or　another。They　say；　child；　thou　art　of　the　lineage　of　the　Prince　of　the　Air！Wilt　thou　ride　with　me；　some　fine　night；　to　see　thy　father？　Thenthou　shalt　know　wherefore　the　minister　keeps　his　hand　over　his　heart！〃 Laughing　so　shrilly　that　all　the　market…place　could　hear　her；　theweird　old　gentlewoman　took　her　departure。 By　this　time　the　preliminary　prayer　had　been　offered　in　themeeting…house；　and　the　accents　of　the　Reverend　Mr。　Dimmesdale　wereheard　mencing　his　discourse。　An　irresistible　feeling　kept　Hesternear　the　spot。　As　the　sacred　edifice　was　too　much　thronged　to　admitanother　auditor；　she　took　up　her　position　close　beside　the　scaffold　ofthe　pillory。　It　was　in　sufficient　proximity　to　bring　the　wholesermon　to　her　ears；　in　the　shape　of　an　indistinct；　but　varied；murmur　and　flow