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红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第24部分

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emercy; to disclose; whether by uttered words; or by type or emblem;the secrets that may be buried with a human heart。 The heart; makingitself guilty of such secrets; must perforce hold them until the daywhen all hidden things shall be revealed。 Nor have I so read orinterpreted Holy Writ; as to understand that the disclosure of humanthoughts and deeds; then to be made; is intended as a part of theretribution。 That; surely; were a shallow view of it。 No; theserevelations; unless I greatly err; are meant merely to promote theintellectual satisfaction of all intelligent beings; who will standwaiting; on that day; to see the dark problem of this life made plain。A knowledge of men's hearts will be needful to the pletest solutionof that problem。 And I conceive; moreover; that the hearts holdingsuch miserable secrets as you speak of will yield them up; at thatlast day; not with reluctance; but with a joy unutterable。〃  〃Then why not reveal them here?〃 asked Roger Chillinginister。 〃Why should not the guilty onessooner avail themselves of this unutterable solace?〃  〃They mostly do;〃 said the clergyman; griping hard at his breast; asif afflicted with an importunate throb of pain。 〃Many; many a poorsoul hath given its confidence to me; not only on the deathbed; butwhile strong in life; and fair in reputation。 And ever; after suchan outpouring; oh; what a relief have I witnessed in those sinfulbrethren! even as in one who at last draws free air; after longstifling with his own polluted breath。 How can it be otherwise? Whyshould a wretched man; guilty; we will say; of murder; prefer tokeep the dead corpse buried in his own heart; rather than fling itforth at once; and let the universe take care of it?〃  〃Yet some men bury their secrets thus;〃 observed the calm physician。  〃True; there are such men;〃 answered Mr。 Dimmesdale。 〃But; not tosuggest more obvious reasons; it may be that they are kept silent bythe very constitution of their nature。 Or… can we not suppose it?…guilty as they may be; retaining; nevertheless; a zeal for God's gloryand man's welfare; they shrink from displaying themselves black andfilthy in the view of men; because; thenceforward; no good can beachieved by them; no evil of the past be redeemed by better service。So; to their own unutterable torment; they go about among theirfellow…creatures; looking pure as new…fallen snow; while theirhearts are all speckled and spotted with iniquity of which they cannotrid themselves。〃  〃These men deceive themselves;〃 said Roger Chillingworth; withsomewhat more emphasis than usual; and making a slight gesture withhis forefinger。 〃They fear to take up the shame that rightfullybelongs to them。 Their love for man; their zeal for God's service…these holy impulses may or may not coexist in their hearts with theevil inmates to which their guilt has unbarred the door; and whichmust needs propagate a hellish breed within them。 But; if they seek toglorify God; let them not lift heavenward their unclean hands! If theywould serve their fellow…men; let them do it by making manifest thepower and reality of conscience; in constraining them to penitentialself…abasement! Wouldst thou have me to believe; O wise and piousfriend; that a false show can be better… can be more for God'sglory; or man's welfare… than God's own truth? Trust me; such mendeceive themselves!〃  〃It may be so;〃 said the young clergyman; indifferently; aswaiving a discussion that he considered irrelevant or unseasonable。 Hehad a ready faculty; indeed; of escaping from any topic thatagitated his too sensitive and nervous temperament。 〃But; now; I wouldask of my well…skilled physician; whether; in good sooth; he deemsme to have profited by his kindly care of this weak frame of mine?〃  Before Roger Chillingworth could answer; they heard the clear;wild laughter of a young child's voice; proceeding from the adjacentburial…ground。 Looking instinctively from the open window… for itwas summer…time… the minister beheld Hester Prynne and little Pearlpassing along the footpath that traversed the enclosure。 Pearllooked as beautiful as the day; but was in one of those moods ofperverse merriment which; whenever they occurred; seemed to remove herentirely out of the sphere of sympathy or human contact。 She nowskipped irreverently from one grave to another; until; ing to thebroad; flat; armorial tombstone of a departed worthy… perhaps of IsaacJohnson himself… she began to dance upon it。 In reply to hermother's mand and entreaty that she would behave more decorously;little Pearl paused to gather the prickly burrs from a tall burdockwhich grew beside the tomb。 Taking a handful of these; she arrangedthem along the lines of the scarlet letter that decorated the maternalbosom; to which the burrs; as their nature was; tenaciously adhered。Hester did not pluck them off。  Roger Chillingworth had by this time approached the window; andsmiled grimly down。  〃There is no law; nor reverence for authority; no regard for humanordinances or opinions; right or wrong; mixed up with that child'sposition;〃 remarked her; as much to himself as to his panion。 〃Isaw her; the other day; bespatter the Governor himself with water;at the cattle…trough in Spring Lane。 What; in Heaven's name; is she?Is the imp altogether evil? Hath she affections? Hath she anydiscoverable principle of being?〃  〃None… save the freedom of a broken law;〃 answered Mr。 Dimmesdale;in a quiet way; as if he had been discussing the point within himself。〃Whether capable of good I know not。〃  The child probably overheard their voices; for; looking up to thewindow; with a bright; but naughty smile of mirth and intelligence;she threw one of the prickly burrs at the Reverend Mr。 Dimmesdale。 Thesensitive clergyman shrunk; with nervous dread; from the lightmissile。 Detecting his emotion; Pearl clapped her little hands; in themost extravagant ecstasy。 Hester Prynne; likewise; had involuntarilylooked up; and all these four persons; old and young; regarded oneanother in silence; till the child laughed aloud; and shouted; 〃eaway; mother! e away; or yonder old Black Man will catch you! Hehath got hold of the minister already。 e away; mother; or he willcatch you! But he cannot catch little Pearl!〃  So she drew her mother away; skipping; dancing; and friskingfantastically; among the hillocks of the dead people; like acreature that had nothing in mon with a bygone and buriedgeneration; nor owned herself akin to it。 It was as if she had beenmade afresh; out of new elements; and must perforce be permitted tolive her own life; and be a law unto herself; without hereccentricities being reckoned to her for a crime。  〃There goes a woman;〃 resumed Roger Chillingworth; after a pause;〃who; be her demerits what they may; hath none of that mystery ofhidden sinfulness which you deem so grievous to be borne。 Is HesterPrynne the less miserable; think you; for that scarlet letter on herbreast?〃  〃I do verily believe it;〃 answered the clergyman。 〃Nevertheless; Icannot answer for her。 There was a look of pain in her face; which Iwould gladly have been spared the sight of。 But still; methinks; itmust needs be better for the sufferer to be free to show his pain;as this poor woman Hester is; than to cover it all up in his heart。〃  There was another pause; and the physician began anew to examine andarrange the plants which he had gathered。  〃You inquired of me; a little time agone;〃 said he; at length; 〃myjudgment as touching your health。〃  〃I did;〃 answered the clergyman; 〃and would gladly learn it。 Speakfrankly; I pray you; be it for life or death。〃  〃Freely; then; and plainly;〃 said the physician; still busy with hisplants; but keeping a wary eye on Mr。 Dimmesdale; 〃the disorder is astrange one; not so much in itself; nor as outwardly manifested… in sofar; at least; as the symptoms have been laid open to myobservation。 Looking dally at you; my good sir; and watching thetokens of your aspect; now for months gone by; I should deem you a mansore sick; it may be; yet not so sick but that an instructed andwatchful physician might well hope to cure you。 But… I know not whatto say… the disease is what I seem to know; yet know it not。〃  〃You speak in riddles; learned sir;〃 said the pale minister;glancing aside out of the window。  〃Then; to speak more plainly;〃 continued the physician; 〃and I cravepardon; sir… should it seem to require pardon… for this needfulplainness of my speech。 Let me ask; as your friend… as one havingcharge; under Providence; of your life and physical well…being… hathall the operation of this disorder been fairly laid open and recountedto me?〃  〃How can you question it?〃 asked the minister。 〃Surely; it werechild's play; to call in a physician; and then hide the sore!〃  〃You would tell me; then; that I know all?〃 said Roger Chillingworthdeliberately; and fixing an eye; bright with intense andconcentrated intelligence; on the minister's face。 〃Be it so! But;again! He to whom only the outward and physical evil is laid open;knoweth; oftentimes; but half the evil which be is called upon tocure。 A bodily disease; which we look upon as whole and entirewithin itself; may; after all; be but a symptom of some ailment in thespiritual part。 Your pardon; once again; good sir; if my speech givethe shadow of offence。 You; sir; of all men whom I have known; arehe whose body is the closest conjoined; and imbued; and identified; soto speak; with the spirit whereof it is the instrument。〃  〃Then I need ask no further;〃 said the clergyman; somewhat hastilyrising from his chair。 〃You deal not; I take it; in medicine for thesoul!〃  〃Thus; a sickness;〃 continued Roger Chillingworth going on; in anunaltered tone; without heeding the interruption; but standing upand confronting the emaciated and white…cheeked minister; with hislow; dark; and misshapen figure… 〃a sickness; a sore place; if we mayso call it; in your spirit; hath immediately its appropriatemanifestation in your bodily frame。 Would you; therefore; that yourphysician heal the bodily evil? How may this be; unless you firstlay open to him the wound or trouble in your soul?〃  〃No!… not to thee!… not to an earthly physician!〃 cried Mr。Dimmesdale passionately; and turning his eyes; full and bright; andwith a kind of fierceness; on old Roger Chillingworth。 〃Not to thee!But; if it be the soul's disease; then 
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