红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第27章

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　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　do　I　mit　myself　to　the　onePhysician　of　the　soul！　He；　if　it　stand　with　His　good　pleasure；　cancure；　or　He　can　kill！　Let　Him　do　with　me　as；　in　His　justice　andwisdom；　He　shall　see　good。　But　who　art　thou；　that　meddlest　in　thismatter？…　that　dares　thrust　himself　between　the　sufferer　and　his　God？〃　　With　a　frantic　gesture；　he　rushed　out　of　the　room。　　〃It　is　as　well　to　have　made　this　step；〃　said　Roger　Chillingworthto　himself；　looking　after　the　minister；　with　a　grave　smile。　〃Thereis　nothing　lost。　We　shall　be　friends　again　anon。　But　see；　now；　howpassion　takes　hold　upon　this　man；　and　hurrieth　him　out　of　himself！As　with　one　passion；　so　with　another！　He　hath　done　a　wild　thing　erenow；　this　pious　Master　Dimmesdale；　in　the　hot　passion　of　his　heart！〃　　It　proved　not　difficult　to　re…establish　the　intimacy　of　the　twopanions；　on　the　same　footing　and　in　the　same　degree　asheretofore。　The　young　clergyman；　after　a　few　hours　of　privacy；　wassensible　that　the　disorder　of　his　nerves　had　hurried　him　into　anunseemly　outbreak　of　temper；　which　there　had　been　nothing　in　thephysician's　words　to　excuse　or　palliate。　He　marvelled；　indeed；　atthe　violence　with　which　he　had　thrust　back　the　kind　old　man；　whenmerely　proffering　the　advice　which　it　was　his　duty　to　bestow；　andwhich　the　minister　himself　had　expressly　sought。　With　these　remorsefulfeelings；　he　lost　no　time　in　making　the　amplest　apologies；　andbesought　his　friend　still　to　continue　the　care；　which；　if　notsuccessful　in　restoring　him　to　health；　had；　in　all　probability；　beenthe　means　of　prolonging　his　feeble　existence　to　that　hour。　RogerChillingworth　readily　assented；　and　went　on　with　his　medicalsupervision　of　the　minister；　doing　his　best　for　him；　in　all　goodfaith；　but　always　quitting　the　patient's　apartment；　at　the　close　ofa　professional　interview；　with　a　mysterious　and　puzzled　smile　upon　hislips。　This　expression　was　invisible　in　Mr。　Dimmesdale's　presence；but　grew　strongly　evident　as　the　physician　crossed　the　threshold。　　〃A　rare　case！〃　he　muttered。　〃I　must　needs　look　deeper　into　it。　Astrange　sympathy　betwixt　soul　and　body！　Were　it　only　for　the　art'ssake；　I　must　search　this　matter　to　the　bottom！〃　　It　came　to　pass；　not　long　after　the　scene　above　recorded；　that　theReverend　Mr。　Dimmesdale；　at　noon…day；　and　entirely　unawares；　fell　intoa　deep；　deep　slumber；　sitting　in　his　chair；　with　a　largeblack…letter　volume　open　before　him　on　the　table。　It　must　have　beena　work　of　vast　ability　in　the　somniferous　school　of　literature。　Theprofound　depth　of　the　minister's　repose　was　the　more　remarkable；inasmuch　as　he　was　one　of　those　persons　whose　sleep；　ordinarily；　is　aslight；　as　fitful；　and　as　easily　scared　away；　as　a　small　bird　hoppingon　a　twig。　To　such　an　unwonted　remoteness；　however；　had　his　spirit　nowwithdrawn　into　itself；　that　he　stirred　not　in　his　chair；　when　oldRoger　Chillingworth；　without　any　extraordinary　precaution；　came　intothe　room。　The　physician　advanced　directly　in　front　of　his　patient；laid　his　hand　upon　his　bosom；　and　thrust　aside　the　vestment；　that；hitherto；　had　always　covered　it　even　from　the　professional　eye。