《红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)》the scarlet letter(英文版)-第74章

atherswas　seen　moving　through　a　broad　pathway　of　the　people；　who　drew　backreverently；　on　either　side；　as　the　Governor　and　magistrates；　the　oldand　wise　men；　the　holy　ministers；　and　all　that　were　eminent　andrenowned；　advanced　into　the　midst　of　them。　When　they　were　fairly　inthe　market…place；　their　presence　was　greeted　by　a　shout。　This…though　doubtless　it　might　acquire　additional　force　and　volume　from　thechild…　like　loyalty　which　the　age　awarded　to　its　rulers…　was　felt　tobe　an　irrepressible　outburst　of　enthusiasm　kindled　in　the　auditorsby　that　high　strain　of　eloquence　which　was　yet　reverberating　intheir　ears。　Each　felt　the　impulse　in　himself；　and；　in　the　same　breath；caught　it　from　his　neighbour。　Within　the　church；　it　had　hardly　beenkept　down；　beneath　the　sky；　it　pealed　upward　to　the　zenith。　There　werehuman　beings　enough；　and　enough　of　highly　wrought　and　symphoniousfeeling；　to　produce　that　more　impressive　sound　than　the　organ　tones　ofthe　blast；　or　the　thunder；　or　the　roar　of　the　sea；　even　that　mightyswell　of　many　voices；　blended　into　one　great　voice　by　the　universalimpulse　which　makes　likewise　one　vast　heart　out　of　the　many。　Never；from　the　soil　of　New　England；　had　gone　up　such　a　shout！　Never；　onNew　England　soil；　had　stood　the　man　so　honoured　by　his　mortal　brethrenas　the　preacher！ How　fared　it　with　him　then？　Were　there　not　the　brilliant　particlesof　a　halo　in　the　air　about　his　head！　So　etherealised　by　spirit　as　hewas；　and　so　apotheosised　by　worshipping　admirers；　did　his　footsteps；in　the　procession；　really　tread　upon　the　dust　of　earth？ As　the　ranks　of　military　men　and　civil　fathers　moved　onward；　alleyes　were　turned　towards　the　point　where　the　minister　was　seen　toapproach　among　them。　The　shout　died　into　a　murmur；　as　one　portion　ofthe　crowd　after　another　obtained　a　glimpse　of　him。　How　feeble　and　palehe　looked；　amid　all　his　triumph！　The　energy…　or　say；　rather；　theinspiration　which　had　held　him　up；　until　he　should　have　deliveredthe　sacred　message　that　brought　its　own　strength　along　with　it　fromheaven…　was　withdrawn；　now　that　it　had　so　faithfully　performed　itsoffice。　The　glow；　which　they　had　just　before　beheld　burning　on　hischeek；　was　extinguished；　like　a　flame　that　sinks　down　hopelessly　amongthe　late…decaying　embers。　It　seemed　hardly　the　face　of　a　man　alive；with　such　a　deathlike　hue；　it　was　hardly　a　man　with　life　in　him；that　tottered　on　his　path　so　nervelessly；　yet　tottered；　and　did　notfall！ One　of　his　clerical　brethren…　it　was　the　venerable　John　Wilson…observing　the　state　in　which　Mr。　Dimmesdale　was　left　by　the　retiringwave　of　intellect　and　sensibility；　stepped　forward　hastily　to　offerhis　support。　The　minister　tremulously；　but　decidedly；　repelled　the　oldman"s　arm。　He　still　walked　onward；　if　that　movement　could　be　sodescribed；　which　rather　resembled　the　wavering　effort　of　an　infant；with　its　mother"s　arms　in　view；　outstretched　to　tempt　him　forward。　Andnow；　almost　imperceptible　as　were　the　latter　steps　of　his　progress；　hehad　e　opposite　the　well…remembered　and　weather…darkened　scaffold；where；　long　since；　with　all　that　dreary　lapse　of　time　between；Hester　Prynne　had　encountered　the　world"s　ignominious　stare。　Therestood　Hester；　holding　little　Pearl　by　the　hand！　And　there　was　thescarlet　letter　on　her　breast！　The　minister　here　made　a　pause；　althoughthe　music　still　played　the　stately　and　rejoicing　march　to　which　theprocession　moved。　It　summoned　him　onward…　onward　to　the　festival！…　buthere　he　made　a　pause。 Bellingham；　for　the　last　few　moments；　had　kept　an　anxious　eye　uponhim。　He　now　left　his　own　place　in　the　procession；　and　advanced　to　giveassistance；　judging；　from　Mr。　Dimmesdale"s　aspect；　that　he　mustotherwise　inevitably　fall。　But　there　was　something　in　the　latter"sexpression　that　warned　back　the　magistrate；　although　a　man　not　readilyobeying　the　vague　intimations　that　pass　from　one　spirit　to　another。The　crowd；　meanwhile；　looked　on　with　awe　and　wonder。　This　earthlyfaintness　was；　in　their　view；　only　another　phase　of　the　ministers"celestial　strength；　nor　would　it　have　seemed　a　miracle　too　high　tobe　wrought　for　one　so　holy；　had　he　ascended　before　their　eyes；waxing　dimmer　and　brighter；　and　fading　at　last　into　the　light　ofheaven！ He　turned　towards　the　scaffold；　and　stretched　forth　his　arms。 〃Hester；〃　said　he；　〃e　hither！　e；　my　little　Pearl！〃 It　was　a　ghastly　look　with　which　he　regarded　them；　but　there　wassomething　at　once　tender　and　strangely　triumphant　in　it。　The　child；with　the　bird…like　motion　which　was　one　of　her　characteristics；　flewto　him；　and　clasped　her　arms　about　his　knees。　Hester　Prynne…　slowly；as　if　impelled　by　inevitable　fate；　and　against　her　strongest　will…likewise　drew　near；　but　paused　before　she　reached　him。　At　thisinstant；　old　Roger　Chillingworth　thrust　himself　through　the　crowd…　or；perhaps；　so　dark；　disturbed；　and　evil　was　his　look；　he　rose　up　outof　some　her　region…　to　snatch　back　his　victim　from　what　he　soughtto　do！　Be　that　as　it　might；　the　old　man　rushed　forward；　and　caught　theminister　by　the　arm。 〃Madman；　hold！　what　is　your　purpose？〃　whispered　he。　〃Wave　backthat　woman！　Cast　off　this　child！　All　shall　be　well！　Do　not　blackenyour　fame；　and　perish　in　dishonour。　I　can　yet　save　you！　Would　youbring　infamy　on　your　sacred　profession？〃 〃Ha；　tempter！　Methinks　thou　art　too　late！〃　answered　the　minister；encountering　his　eye；　fearfully；　but　firmly。　〃Thy　power　is　not　what　itwas！　With　God"s　help；　I　shall　escape　thee　now！〃 He　again　extended　his　hand　to　the　woman　of　the　scarlet　letter。 〃Hester　Prynne；〃　cried　he；　with　a　piercing　earnestness；　〃in　the　nameof　Him；　so　terrible　and　so　merciful；　who　gives　me　grace；　at　thislast　moment；　to　do　what…　for　my　own　heavy　sin　and　miserable　agony…　Iwithheld　myself　from　doing　seven　years　ago；　e　hither　now；　and　twihy　strength　about　me！　Thy　strength；　Hester；　but　let　it　be　guided　bythe　will　which　God　hath　granted　me！　This　wretched　and　wronged　oldman　is　opposing　it　with　all　his　might！…　with　all　his　own　might；　andthe　fiend"s！　e；　Hester；　e！　Support　me　up　yonder　scaffold！〃 The　crowd　was　in　a　tumult。　The　men　of　rank　and　dignity；　who　stoodmore　immediately　around　the　clergyman；　were　so　taken　by　surprise；and　so　perplexed　as　to　the　purport　of　what　they　saw…　unable　to　receivethe　explanation　which　most　readily　presented　its