红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)- 第19部分

　marked　apprehension　into　his　face。　　〃Wouldst　thou　avenge　thyself　on　the　innocent　babe？〃　whispered　she。　　〃Foolish　woman！〃　responded　the　physician；　half　coldly；　halfsoothingly。　〃What　should　ail　me；　to　harm　this　misbegotten　andmiserable　babe？　The　medicine　is　potent　for　good；　and　were　it　my　child…yea；　mine　own；　as　well　as　thine！…　I　could　do　no　better　for　it。〃　　As　she　still　hesitated；　being；　in　fact；　in　no　reasonable　state　ofmind；　he　took　the　infant　in　his　arms；　and　himself　administered　thedraught。　It　soon　proved　its　efficacy；　and　redeemed　the　leech's　pledge。The　moans　of　the　little　patient　subsided；　its　convulsive　tossingsgradually　ceased；　and；　in　a　few　moments；　as　is　the　custom　of　youngchildren　after　relief　from　pain；　it　sank　into　a　profound　and　dewyslumber。　The　physician；　as　he　had　a　fair　right　to　be　termed；　nextbestowed　his　attention　on　the　mother。　With　calm　and　intent　scrutiny；he　felt　her　pulse；　looked　into　her　eyes…　a　gaze　that　made　her　heartshrink　and　shudder；　because　so　familiar；　and　yet　so　strange　andcold…　and；　finally；　satisfied　with　his　investigation；　proceeded　tomingle　another　draught。　　〃I　know　not　Lethe　nor　Nepenthe；〃　remarked　he；　〃but　I　have　learnedmany　new　secrets　in　the　wilderness；　and　here　is　one　of　them…　arecipe　that　an　Indian　taught　me；　in　requital　of　some　lessons　of　myown；　that　were　as　old　as　Paracelsus。　Drink　it！　It　may　be　less　soothingthan　a　sinless　conscience。　That　I　cannot　give　thee。　But　it　will　calmthe　swell　and　heaving　of　thy　passion；　like　oil　thrown　on　the　wavesof　a　tempestuous　sea。〃　　He　presented　the　cup　to　Hester；　who　received　it　with　a　slow；　earnestlook　into　his　face；　not　precisely　a　look　of　fear；　yet　full　of　doubtand　questioning；　as　to　what　his　purposes　might　be。　She　looked　alsoat　her　slumbering　child。　　〃I　have　thought　of　death；〃　said　she…　〃have　wished　for　it…　wouldeven　have　prayed　for　it；　were　it　fit　that　such　as　I　should　pray　foranything。　Yet；　if　death　be　in　this　cup；　I　bid　thee　think　again；　erethou　beholdest　me　quaff　it。　See！　It　is　even　now　at　my　lips。〃　　〃Drink；　then；〃　replied　he；　still　with　the　same　cold　posure。　〃Dostthou　know　me　so　little；　Hester　Prynne？　Are　my　purposes　wont　to　be　soshallow？　Even　if　I　imagine　a　scheme　of　vengeance；　what　could　I　dobetter　for　my　object　than　to　let　thee　live…　than　to　give　theemedicines　　against　all　harm　and　peril　of　life…　so　that　this　burningshame　may　still　blaze　upon　thy　bosom！〃　As　he　spoke；　he　laid　his　longforefinger　on　the　scarlet　letter；　which　forthwith　seemed　to　scorchinto　Hester's　breast；　as　if　it　had　been　red…hot。　He　noticed　herinvoluntary　gesture；　and　smiled。　〃Live；　therefore；　and　bear　aboutthy　doom　with　thee；　in　the　eyes　of　men　and　women…　in　the　eyes　of　himwhom　thou　didst　call　thy　husband…　in　the　eyes　of　yonder　child！　And；that　thou　mayest　live；　take　off　this　draught。〃　　Without　further　expostulation　or　delay；　Hester　Prynne　drained　thecup；　and；　at　the　motion　of　the　man　of　skill；　seated　herself　on　the　bedwhere　the　child　was　sleeping；　while　he　drew　the　only　chair　which　theroom　afforded；　and　took　his　own　seat　beside　her。　She　could　not　buttremble　at　these　preparations；　for　she　felt　that…　having　now　done　allthat　humanity；　or　principle；　or；　if　so　it　were；　a　refined　cruelty；impelled　him　to　do；　for　the　relief　of　physical　suffering…　he　wasnext　to　treat　with　her　as　the　man　whom　she　had　most　deeply　andirreparably　injured。　　〃Hester；〃　said　he；　〃I　ask　not　wherefore；　nor　how；　thou　hast　falleninto　the　pit；　or　say；　rather；　thou　hast　ascended　to　the　pedestal　ofinfamy；　on　which　I　found　thee。　The　reason　is　not　far　to　seek。　It　wasmy　folly；　and　thy　weakness。　I…　a　man　of　thought…　the　bookworm　of　greatlibraries…　a　man　already　in　decay；　having　given　my　best　years　tofeed　the　hungry　dream　of　knowledge…　what　had　I　to　do　with　youth　andbeauty　like　thine　own！　Misshapen　from　my　birth…hour；　how　could　Idelude　myself　with　the　idea　that　intellectual　gifts　might　veilphysical　deformity　in　a　young　girl's　fantasy！　Men　call　me　wise。　Ifsages　were　ever　wise　in　their　own　behoof；　I　might　have　foreseen　allthis。　I　might　have　known　that；　as　I　came　out　of　the　vast　and　dismalforest；　and　entered　this　settlement　of　Christian　men；　the　very　firstobject　to　meet　my　eyes　would　be　thyself；　Hester　Prynne；　standing　up；　astatue　of　ignominy；　before　the　people。　Nay；　from　the　moment　when　wecame　down　the　old　churchsteps　together；　a　married　pair；　I　might　havebeheld　the　bale…fire　of　that　scarlet　letter　blazing　at　the　end　ofour　path！〃　　〃Thou　knowest；〃　said　Hester…　for；　depressed　as　she　was；　she　couldnot　endure　this　last　quiet　stab　at　the　token　of　her　shame…　　〃thouknowest　that　I　was　frank　with　thee。　I　felt　no　love；　nor　feigned　any。〃　　〃True；〃　replied　he。　〃It　was　my　folly！　I　have　said　it。　But；　up　tothat　epoch　of　my　life；　I　had　lived　in　vain。　The　world　had　been　socheerless！　My　heart　was　a　habitation　large　enough　for　many　guests；　butlonely　and　chill；　and　without　a　household　fire。　I　longed　to　kindleone！　It　seemed　not　so　wild　a　dream…　old　as　I　was；　and　sombre　as　I　was；and　misshapen　as　I　was…　that　the　simple　bliss；　which　is　scatteredfar　and　wide；　for　all　mankind　to　gather　up；　might　yet　be　mine。　And　so；Hester；　I　drew　thee　into　my　heart；　into　its　innermost　chamber；　andsought　to　warm　thee　by　the　warmth　which　thy　presence　made　there！〃　　〃I　have　greatly　wronged　thee；〃　murmured　Hester。　　〃We　have　wronged　each　other；〃　answered　he。　〃Mine　was　the　firstwrong；　when　I　betrayed　thy　budding　youth　into　a　false　and　unnaturalrelation　with　my　decay。　Therefore；　as　a　man　who　has　not　thought　andphilosophised　in　vain；　I　seek　no　vengeance；　plot　no　evil　against　thee。Between　thee　and　me　the　scale　hangs　fairly　balanced。　But；　Hester；the　man　lives　who　has　wronged　us　both！　Who　is　he？〃　　〃Ask　me　not！〃　replied　Hester　Prynne；　looking　firmly　into　his　face。〃That　thou　shalt　never　know！〃　　〃Never；　sayest　thou？〃　rejoined　he；　with　a　smile　of　dark　andself…relying　intelligence。　〃Never　know　him！　Believe　me；　Hester；there　are　few　things…　whether　in　the　outward　world；　or；　to　a　certaindepth；　in　the　invisible　sphere　of　thought…　few　things　hidden　fromthe　man　who　devotes　himself　earnestly　and　unreservedly　to　the　solutionof　a　mystery。　Thou　mayest　cover　up　thy　secret　from　the　pryingmultitude。　Thou　mayest　conceal　it；　too；　from　the　ministers　andmagistrates；　even　as　thou　didst　this　day；　when　they　sought　to　wrenchthe　name　out　of　thy　heart；　and　give　thee　a　partner　on　thy　pedestal。But；　as　for　me；　I　e　to　the　inquest　with　other　senses　than　theypossess。　I　shall　seek　this　man；　as　I　have　sought　truth　in　books；　asI　have　sought　gold　in　alchemy。　There　is　a　sympathy　that　will　make　meconscious　of　him。　I　shall　see　him　tremble。　I　shall　feel　myselfshudder；　suddenly　and　unawares。　Sooner　or　later；　he　must　needs　bemine！〃　　The　eyes　of　the　wrinkled　scholar　glowed　so　intensely　upon　her；that　Hester　Prynne　clasped　her　hands　over　her　heart；　dreading　lesthe　should　read　the　secret　there　at　once。　　〃Thou　wilt　not　reveal　his　name？　Not　the　less　he　is　mine；〃　resumedhe；　with　a　look　of　confidence；　as　if　destiny　were　at　one　with　him。　〃Hebears　no　letter　of　infamy　wrought　into　his　garment；　as　thou　dost；but　I　shall　read　it　on　his　heart。　Yet　fear　not　for　him！　Think　not　thatI　shall　interfere　with　Heaven's　own　method　of　retribution；　or；　to　myown　loss；　betray　him　to　the　gripe　of　human　law。　Neither　do　thouimagine　that　I　shall　contrive