红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)-第41章

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tter　to　stealoff；　or　renew　his　nap　on　the　same　spot。　A　wolf；　it　is　said…　but　herethe　tale　has　surely　lapsed　into　the　improbable…　came　up；　and　smeltof　Pearl's　robe；　and　offered　his　savage　head　to　be　patted　by　her　hand。The　truth　seems　to　be；　however；　that　the　mother…forest；　and　these　wildthings　which　it　nourished；　all　recognised　a　kindred　wildness　in　thehuman　child。　　And　she　was　gentler　here　than　in　the　grassy…margined　streets　ofthe　settlement；　or　in　her　mother's　cottage。　The　flowers　appeared　toknow　it；　and　one　and　another　whispered　as　she　passed；　〃Adorn　thyselfwith　me；　thou　beautiful　child；　adorn　thyself　with　me！〃…　and；　to　pleasethem；　Pearl　gathered　the　violets；　and　anemones；　and　columbines；　andsome　twigs　of　the　freshest　green；　which　the　old　trees　held　down　beforeher　eyes。　With　these　she　decorated　her　hair；　and　her　young　waist；and　became　a　nymph…child；　or　an　infant　dryad；　or　whatever　else　wasin　closest　sympathy　with　the　antique　wood。　In　such　guise　had　Pearladorned　herself；　when　she　heard　her　mother's　voice；　and　came　slowlyback。　　Slowly；　for　she　saw　the　clergyman！　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　XIX。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　CHILD　AT　THE　BROOK…SIDE。　　〃THOU　wilt　love　her　dearly；〃　repeated　Hester　Prynne；　as　she　andthe　minister　sat　watching　little　Pearl。　〃Dost　thou　not　think　herbeautiful？　And　see　with　what　natural　skill　she　has　made　those　simpleflowers　adorn　her！　Had　she　gathered　pearls；　and　diamonds；　andrubies；　in　the　wood；　they　could　not　have　bee　her　better。　She　is　asplendid　child！　But　I　know　whose　brow　she　has！〃　　〃Dost　thou　know；　Hester；〃　said　Arthur　Dimmesdale；　ile；　〃that　this　dear　child；　tripping　about　always　at　thy　side；hath　caused　me　many　an　alarm？　Methought…　O　Hester；　what　a　thought　isthat；　and　how　terrible　to　dread　it！…　that　my　own　features　werepartly　repeated　in　her　face；　and　so　strikingly　that　the　world　mightsee　them！　But　she　is　mostly　thine！〃　　〃No；　no！　Not　mostly！〃　answered　the　mother；　with　a　tender　smile。　〃Alittle　longer　and　thou　needest　not　be　afraid　to　trace　whose　childshe　is。　But　how　strangely　beautiful　she　looks；　with　those　wild　flowersin　her　hair！　It　is　as　if　one　of　the　fairies；　whom　we　left　in　ourdear　old　England；　had　decked　her　out　to　meet　us。〃　　It　was　with　a　feeling　which　neither　of　them　had　ever　beforeexperienced；　that　they　sat　and　watched　Pearl's　slow　advance。　In　herwas　visible　the　tie　that　united　them。　She　had　been　offered　to　theworld；　these　seven　years　past；　as　the　living　hieroglyphic；　in　whichwas　revealed　the　secret　they　so　darkly　sought　to　hide…　all　writtenin　this　symbol…　all　plainly　manifest…　had　there　been　a　prophet　ormagician　skilled　to　read　the　character　of　flame！　And　Pearl　was　theoneness　of　their　being。　Be　the　foregone　evil　what　it　might；　howcould　they　doubt　that　their　earthly　lives　and　future　destinies　wereconjoined；　when　they　beheld　at　once　the　material　union；　and　thespiritual　idea；　in　whom　they　met；　and　were　to　dwell　immortallytogether？　Thoughts　like　these…　and　perhaps　other　thoughts；　whichthey　did　not　acknowledge　or　define…　threw　an　awe　about　the　child；　asshe　came　onward。　　〃Let　her　see　nothing　strange…　no　passion　nor　eagerness…　in　thy　wayof　accosting　her；〃　whispered　Hester。　〃Our　Pearl　is　a　fitful　andfantastic　little　elf；　sometimes。　Especially；　she　is　seldom　tolerant　ofemotion；　when　she　does　not　fully　prehend　the　why　and　wherefore。　Butthe　child　hath　strong　affections！　She　loves　me；　and　will　love　thee！〃　　〃Thou　canst　not　think；〃　said　the　minister；　glancing　aside　atHester　Prynne；　〃how　my　heart　dreads　this　interview；　and　yearns　for　it！But；　in　truth；　as　I　already　told　thee；　children　are　not　readily　won　tobe　familiar　with　me。　They　will　not　climb　my　knee；　nor　prattle　in　myear；　nor　answer　to　my　smile；　but　stand　apart；　and　eye　me　strangely。Even　little　babes；　when　I　take　them　in　my　arms；　weep　bitterly。　YetPearl；　twice　in　her　little　lifetime；　hath　been　kind　to　me！　The　firsttime…　thou　knowest　it　well！　The　last　was　when　thou　ledst　her　with　theeto　the　house　of　yonder　stern　old　Governor。〃　　〃And　thou　didst　plead　so　bravely　in　her　behalf　and　mine！〃　answeredthe　mother。　〃I　remember　it；　and　so　shall　little　Pearl。　Fear　nothing！She　may　be　strange　and　shy　at　first；　but　will　soon　learn　to　lovethee！〃　　By　this　time　Pearl　had　reached　the　margin　of　the　brook；　and　stood　onthe　farther　side；　gazing　silently　at　Hester　and　the　clergyman；　whostill　sat　together　on　the　mossy　tree…trunk；　waiting　to　receive　her。Just　where　she　had　paused；　the　brook　chanced　to　form　a　pool；　so　smoothand　quiet　that　it　reflected　a　perfect　image　of　her　little　figure；　withall　the　brilliant　picturesqueness　of　her　beauty；　in　its　adornment　offlowers　and　wreathed　foliage；　but　more　refined　and　spiritualisedthan　the　reality。　This　image；　so　nearly　identical　with　the　livingPearl；　seemed　to　municate　somewhat　of　its　own　shadowy　andintangible　quality　to　the　child　herself。　It　was　strange；　the　way　inwhich　Pearl　stood；　looking　so　steadfastly　at　them　through　the　dimmedium　of　the　forest…gloom；　herself；　meanwhile；　all　glorified　with　aray　of　sunshine；　that　was　attracted　thitherward　as　by　a　certainsympathy。　In　the　brook　beneath　stood　another　child…　another　and　thesame…　with　likewise　its　ray　of　golden　light。　Hester　felt　herself；　insome　indistinct　and　tantalising　manner；　estranged　from　Pearl；　as　ifthe　child；　in　her　lonely；　ramble　through　the　forest；　had　strayed　outof　the　sphere　in　which　she　and　her　mother　dwelt　together；　and　wasnow　vainly　seeking　to　return　to　it。　　There　was　both　truth　and　error　in　the　impression；　the　child　andmother　were　estranged；　but　through　Hester's　fault；　not　Pearl's。Since　the　latter　rambled　from　her　side；　another　inmate　had　beenadmitted　within　the　circle　of　the　mother's　feelings；　and　so　modifiedthe　aspect　of　them　all；　that　Pearl；　the　returning　wanderer；　couldnot　find　her　wonted　place；　and　hardly　knew　where　she　was。　　〃I　have　a　strange　fancy；〃　observed　the　sensitive　minister；　〃thatthis　brook　is　the　boundary　between　two　worlds；　and　that　thou　canstnever　meet　thy　Pearl　again。　Or　is　she　an　elfish　spirit；　who；　as　thelegends　of　our　childhood　taught　us；　is　forbidden　to　cross　a　runningstream？　Pray　hasten　her；　for　this　delay　has　already　imparted　atremor　to　my　nerves。〃　　〃e；　dearest　child！〃　said　Hester　encouragingly；　and　stretching　outboth　her　arms。　〃How　slow　thou　art！　When　hast　thou　been　so　sluggishbefore　now？　Here　is　a　friend　of　mine；　who　must　be　thy　friend　also。Thou　wilt　have　twice　as　much　love；　henceforward；　as　thy　mother　alonecould　give　thee！　Leap　across　the　brook；　and　e　to　us。　Thou　canstleap　like　a　young　deer！〃　　Pearl；　without　responding　in　any　manner　to　these　honey…sweetexpressions；　remained　on　the　other　side　of　the　brook。　Now　she　fixedher　bright；　wild　eyes　on　her　mother；　now　on　the　minister；　and　nowincluded　them　both　in　the　same　glance；　as　if　to　detect　and　explainto　herself　the　relation　which　they　bore　to　one　another。　For　someunaccountable　reason；　as　Arthur　Dimmesdale　felt　the　child's　eyesupon　himself；　his　hand…　with　that　gesture　so　habitual　as　to　havebee　involuntary…　stole　over　his　heart。　At　length；　assuming　asingular　air　of　authority；　Pearl　stretched　out　her　hand；　with　thesmall　forefinger　extended；　and　pointing　evidently　towards　her　mother'sbreast。　And　beneath；　in　the　mirror　of　the　brook；　there　was　theflower…girdled　and　sunny　image　of　little　Pearl；　pointing　her　smallforefinger　too。　　〃Thou　strange　child；　why　dost　thou　not　e　to　me？〃　exclaimedHester。　　Pearl　still　pointed　with　her　forefinger；　and　a　frown　gathered　on　herbrow；　the　more　impressive　from　the　childish；　the　almost　baby…likeaspect　of　the　features　that　conveyed　it。　As　her　mother　still　keptbeckoning　to　her；　and　arraying　her　face　in　a　holiday　suit　ofunaccustomed　smiles；　the　child　stamped　her　foot　with　a　yet　moreimperious　look　and　gesture。　In　the　brook；　again；　was　the　fantasticbeauty　of　the　image；　with　its　reflected　frown；　its　pointed　finger；　andimperious　gesture；　giving　emphasis　to　the　aspect　of　little　Pearl。　　〃Hasten；　Pearl；　or　I　shall　be　angry　with　thee！〃　cried　Hester　Prynne；who；　however　inured　to　such　behaviour　on　the　elf…child's　part　at　otherseasons；　was　naturally　anxious　for　a　more　seemly　deportment　now。　〃Leapacross　the　brook；　naughty　child；　and　run　hither！　Else　I　must　e　tothee！〃　　But　Pearl；　not　a　whit　startled　at　her　mother's　threats；　any　morethan　mollified　by　her　entreaties；　now　suddenly　burst　into　a　fit　ofpassion；　gesticulating　violently；　and　throwing　her　small　figure　intothe　most　extravagant　contortions。　She　acpanied　this　wild　outbreakwith　piercing　shrieks；　which　the　woods　reverberated　on　all　sides；　sothat；　alone　as　she　was　in　her　childish　and　unreasonable　wrath；　itseemed　as　if　a　hidden　multitude　were　lending　her　their　sympathy　andencouragement。　Seen　in　the　brook；　once　more；　was　the　shadowy　wraith　ofPearl's　image；　crowned　and　girdled　with　flowers；　but　stamping　itsfoot；　wildly　gesticulating；　and；　in　the　midst　of　all；　still　pointingits　small　forefinger　at　Hester's　bosom！　　〃I　see　what　ails　the　child；〃　whispered　Hester　to　the　clergyman；and　turning　pale　in　spite　of　a　strong　effort　to　conceal　her　troubleand　annoyance。　〃Children　will　not　abide　any；　the　slightest；　changein　the　accustomed　aspect　of　things　that　are　daily　before　their　eyes。Pearl　misses　something　which　she　has　always　seen　me　wear！〃　　〃I　pray　you；〃　answered　the　minister；　〃if　thou　hast　any　means　ofpacifying　the　child；　do　it　forthwith！　Save　it　were　the　cankeredwrath　o