红字-the scarlet letter(英文版)- 第52部分

never　subjugated　by　human　law；　nor　illumined　by　highertruth…　with　the　bliss　of　these　two　spirits！　Love；　whether　newlyborn；　or　aroused　from　a　death…like　slumber；　must　always　create　asunshine；　filling　the　heart　so　full　of　radiance；　that　it　overflowsupon　the　outward　world。　Had　the　forest　still　kept　its　gloom；　itwould　have　been　bright　in　Hester's　eyes；　and　bright　in　ArthurDimmesdale's！　　Hester　looked　at　him　with　the　thrill　of　another　joy。　　〃Thou　must　know　Pearl！〃　said　she。　〃Our　little　Pearl！　Thou　hastseen　her…　yes；　I　know　it！…　but　thou　wilt　see　her　now　with　othereyes。　She　is　a　strange　child！　I　hardly　prehend　her！　But　thou　wiltlove　her　dearly；　as　I　do；　and　wilt　advise　me　how　to　deal　with　her。〃　　〃Dost　thou　think　the　child　will　be　glad　to　know　me？〃　asked　theminister；　somewhat　uneasily。　〃I　have　long　shrunk　from　children；because　they　often　show　a　distrust…　a　backwardness　to　be　familiar　withme。　I　have　even　been　afraid　of　little　Pearl！〃　　〃Ah；　that　was　sad！〃　answered　the　mother。　〃But　she　will　love　theedearly；　and　thou　her。　She　is　not　far　off。　I　will　call　her！　Pearl！Pearl！〃　　〃I　see　the　child；〃　observed　the　minister。　〃Yonder　she　is；　standingin　a　streak　of　sunshine；　a　good　way　off；　on　the　other　side　of　thebrook；　So　thou　thinkest　the　child　will　love　me？〃　　Hester　smiled；　and　again　called　to　Pearl；　who　was　visible；　at　somedistance；　as　the　minister　had　described　her；　like　abright…apparelled　vision；　in　a　sunbeam；　which　fell　down　upon　herthrough　an　arch　of　boughs。　The　ray　quivered　to　and　fro；　making　herfigure　dim　or　distinct…　now　like　a　real　child；　now　like　a　child'sspirit…　as　the　splendour　went　and　came　again。　She　heard　her　mother'svoice；　and　approached　slowly　through　the　forest。　　Pearl　had　not　found　the　hour　pass　wearisomely；　while　her　mothersat　talking　with　the　clergyman。　The　great　black　forest…　stern　as　itshowed　itself　to　those　who　brought　the　guilt　and　troubles　of　the　worldinto　its　bosom…　became　the　playmate　of　the　lonely　infant；　as　well　asit　knew　how。　Sombre　as　it　was；　it　put　on　the　kindest　of　its　moods　towele　her。　It　offered　her　the　partridge…berries；　the　growth　of　thepreceding　autumn；　but　ripening　only　in　the　spring；　and　now　red　asdrops　of　blood　upon　the　withered　leaves。　These　Pearl　gathered；　and　waspleased　with　their　wild　flavour。　The　small　denizens　of　thewilderness　hardly　took　pains　to　move　out　of　her　path。　A　partridge；indeed；　with　a　brood　of　ten　behind　her；　ran　forward　threatingly；　butsoon　repented　of　her　fierceness；　and　clucked　to　her　young　ones　notto　be　afraid。　A　pigeon；　alone　on　a　low　branch；　allowed　Pearl　to　ebeneath；　and　uttered　a　sound　as　much　of　greeting　as　alarm。　A　squirrel；from　the　lofty　depths　of　his　domestic　tree；　chattered　either　inanger　or　merriment…　for　a　squirrel　is　such　a　choleric　and　humorouslittle　personage；　that　it　is　hard　to　distinguish　between　his　moods…　sohe　chattered　at　the　child；　and　flung　down　a　nut　upon　her　head。　Itwas　a　last　year's　nut；　and　already　gnawed　by　his　sharp　tooth。　A　fox；startled　from　his　sleep　by　her　light　footstep　on　the　leaves；　lookedinquisitively　at　Pearl；　as　doubting　whether　it　were　better　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　h