英文名著精选阅读：《红字》第三章（下）

英文名著精选阅读：《红字》第三章(下)

Chapter 03 THE RECOGNITION

第三章 相认

The voice which had called her attention was that of the reverendand famous John Wilson, the eldest clergymanof Boston, a great scholar, like most of his contemporaries in the profession, and withala man of kind and genial spirit. This last attribute, however, had been less carefully developed than his intellectual gifts, and was, in truth, rather a matter of shame than self-congratulation with him. There he stood, with a border of grizzledlocks beneath his skull-cap; while his grey eyes, accustomed to the shaded light of his study, were winking, like those of Hester's infant, in the unadulteratedsunshine. He looked like the darkly engraved portraits which we see prefixed to old volumes of sermons; and had no more right than one of those portraits would have, to step forth, as he now did, and meddlewith a question of human guilt, passion, and anguish.

刚才呼喊她注意的声音发自德高望重的约翰·威尔逊牧师，他是波士顿神职人员中年事最高的一位，如同当年从事这一职业的他的同辈人一样，他也是一位大学者，此外，他还是个亲切和蔼的人。不过，他的这种待人亲切和蔼的心肠，并没有象他那聪明才智的头脑一样得到仔细认真的栽培，老实讲，于他来说，这种好心肠与其值得自我庆幸，不如视作一种耻辱。他站在那里，便帽下面露出一绺灰白的假发;他那双习惯于他的书斋中朦胧光线的灰色眼睛，在这纤变不染的阳光中，也象海丝特的婴儿的眼睛一样眨着。他那副样子就象我们在古旧的经书扉页上看到的黑色木刻肖像;而当他此时迈步向前，干与人类的罪孽、情欲和苦恼时，他的权力也并不比那些肖像为多。

"Hester Prynne," said the clergyman, "I have striven with my young brother here, under whose preachingof the Word you have been privileged to sit"- here Mr. Wilson laid his hand on the shoulder of a pale young man beside him- "I have sought, I say, to persuade this godly youth, that he should deal with you, here in the face of Heaven, and before these wise and upright rulers, and in hearing of all the people, as touching the vilenessand blackness of your sin. Knowing your natural temper better than I, he could the better judge what arguments to use, whether of tenderness or terror, such as might prevail over your hardness and obstinacyinsomuchthat you should no longer hide the name of him who tempted you to this grievousfall. But he opposes to me (with a young man's over-softness, albeit wise beyond his years) that it were wronging the very nature of woman to force her to lay open her heart's secrets in such broad daylight, and in presence of so great a multitude. Truly, as I sought to convince him, the shame lay in the commissionof the sin, and not in the showing of it forth. What say you to it, once again, brother Dimmesdale! Must it be thou, or I, that shall deal with this poor sinner's soul?"

“海丝特·白兰，那牧师说道，“我已经同我这里这位年轻的兄弟争论过，而你正是有幸坐听他布道的，——此时威尔逊先生把手放在身边一个脸色苍白的年轻人的肩头——“我说，我曾经试图说服这位虔诚的青年，要由他面对苍天，在这些英明而正直的长官面前，在全体人民的旁听之下，来处理你的问题，触及你罪孽中邪恶而阴暗的一面。由于他比我更了解你的秉性，他应该是个更合格的法官，他更清楚应该选用什么样的刚柔相济的辞令，来克服你的桀骜不驯;以使你不再隐瞒那个诱惑你如此堕落的人的姓名。然而，尽管他的才华超出了他的年龄，却仍有年轻人的优柔，他同我争辩说，强制一个妇女在光天化日之下和大庭广众之中，敞开自己内心的隐私，是和妇女的本性格格不入的。确实，我试图说服他，耻辱在于苟且罪孽的当时，面不在于袒露罪孽的事后。你再说一遍吧，丁梅斯代尔兄弟，你对此看法如何?到底该由你呢还是由我，来探究这可怜的罪人的灵魂呢?

There was a murmur among the dignifiedand reverend occupantsof the balcony; and Governor Bellingham gave expression to its purport, speaking in an authoritativevoice, although tempered with respect towards the youthful clergyman whom he addressed.

阳台上那些道貌岸然、可尊可敬的先生们彼此一阵交头接耳，贝灵汉总督表达了这阵窃窃私语的主旨，他说话时语气庄重威严，不过仍含有对他招呼着的那年轻牧师的尊敬。

"Good Master Dimmesdale," said he, "the responsibility of this woman's soul lies greatly with you. It behoovesyou, therefore, to exhorther to repentance, and to confession, as a proof and consequence thereof."

“善心的丁梅斯代尔牧师先生，他说，“你对这女人的灵魂负有极大的责任。因此，应该由你来规劝她悔过和招供，以证明你尽职尽责并非枉然。

The directnessof this appeal drew the eyes of the whole crowd upon the Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale; a young clergyman, who had come from one of the great English universities, bringing all the learning of the age into our wild forest-land. His eloquenceand religious fervour had already given the earnest of high eminencein his profession. He was a person of very striking aspect, with a white, lofty, and impendingbrow, large, brown, melancholyeyes, and a mouth which, unless when he forcibly compressed it, was apt to be tremulous, expressing both nervous sensibility and a vast power of self-restraint. Notwithstandinghis high native gifts and scholar-like attainments, there was an air about this young minister- an apprehensive, a startled, a half-frightened look- as of a being who felt himself quite astrayand at a loss in the pathway of human existence, and could only be at ease in some seclusionof his own. Therefore, so far as his duties would permit, he trod in the shadowybypaths, and thus kept himself simple and childlike; coming forth, when occasion was, with a freshness, and fragrance, and dewypurity of thought, which, as many people said, affected them like the speech of an angel.

这番直截了当的要求把整个人群的目光都吸引到了丁彻斯代尔牧师的身上;他是毕业于英国—所名牌大学的年轻牧师，把当时的全部学识都梢到我们这片荒野密林曲地带来了。他那雄辩的口才和宗教的热情早已预示了他在自己的职业中将要飞黄腾达。他的外貌颇员舱力，有着高箕、白哲的额头和一双忧郁的褐色大眼，至于他的嘴唇，如果不是紧紧闭着，就会易于颤抖，表明了他既有神经质的敏感又有极大的自制力。尽管他有极高的天赋和学者般的造诣，这位年轻的牧师身上却流露出一种忧心仲仲和惊慌失措的神色，恰似一个人在人生道路上偏离了方向，颇有迷惘之感，只有把自己封闭起来才觉得安然。因此，只要他的职责允许，他就在浓荫密布的小径上漫步，借以保持他自己的纯真和稚气;必要时，便会带着清新馥郁和露水般晶莹纯洁的思想迈步走出来，正如许多人所说，使他们感受到天使般的言辞。

Such was the young man whom the Reverend Mr. Wilson and the Governor had introduced so openly to the public notice, biddinghim speak, in the hearing of all men, to that mystery of a woman's soul, so sacred even in its pollution. The trying nature of his position drove the blood from his cheek, and made his lips tremulous.

威尔逊牧师先生和总督大人作了公开介绍并引起大家注意的，正是这样一个年轻人。他们要他在众人当场路听的情况下，来盘诘那个女人灵魂中的秘密——而她的灵魂虽然受到玷污，依然神圣不可侵犯。他被置于随她的境地，直通得他面颊上失去血色，双唇不停地颤抖。

"Speak to the woman, my brother," said Mr. Wilson. "It is of moment to her soul, and therefore, as the worshipfulGovernor says, momentousto thine own, in whose charge hers is. Exhorther to confess the truth!"

“跟这个女人谈谈吧，我的兄弟，威尔逊先生说。“这是她灵魂的关键时刻，而正如令人崇敬的总督大人所说，由于你对她的灵魂负有职责，因此，这对你自己的灵魂也同样是关键时刻。劝诫她招认真情吧!

The Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale bent his head, in silent prayer, as it seemed, and then came forward.

丁梅斯代尔牧师先生低下头去，象是在默默祈祷，然后便迈步向前。

"Hester Prynne," said he, leaning over the balcony, and looking down steadfastlyinto her eyes, "thou hearest what this good man says, and seest the accountabilityunder which I labour. If thou feelest it to be for thy soul's peace, and that thy earthly punishment will thereby be made more effectual to salvation, I charge thee to speak out the name of thy fellow-sinner and fellow-sufferer! Be not silent from any mistaken pity and tenderness for him; for believe me, Hester, though he were to step down from a high place, and stand there beside thee, on thy pedestalof shame, yet better were it so, than to hide a guilty heart through life. What can thy silence do for him, except it tempt him- yea, compel him, as it were- to add hypocrisyto sin? Heaven hath granted thee an open ignominy, that thereby thou mayest work out an open triumph over the evil within thee, and the sorrow without. Take heed how thou deniest to him-who, perchance, hath not the courage to grasp it for himself- the bitter, but wholesome, cup that is now presented to thy lips!"

“海丝特·白兰，他俯身探出阳台，坚定地朝下凝视着她的眼睛说着，“你已经听到了这位好心的先生所讲的话，也已经看到了我所肩负的重任。如果你感到这样做了可以使你的灵魂得以平静，使你现世所受的惩罚可以更有效地拯救你的灵魂，那么我就责令你说出同你一起犯罪的同伙和同你一起遭罪的难友!不要由于对他抱有错误的怜悯和温情而保持沉默吧;因为，请你相信我的话，海丝特，虽然那样一来，他就要从高位上走下来，站到你的身边，和你同受示众之辱，但总比终生埋藏着一颗罪恶的心灵要好受得多。你的沉默对他能有何用?无非是诱引他——事实上是迫使他——在罪孽上再蒙以虚伪!上天已经赐给你一个当众受辱的机会，你就该借以光明磊落地战胜你内心的邪恶和外表的悲伤。现在呈献到你唇边的那杯辛辣而有益的苦酒，那人或许缺乏勇气去接过来端给自己，可我要提请你注意，不要阻止他去接受吧!

The young pastor's voice was tremulouslysweet, rich, deep, and broken. The feeling that it so evidently manifested, rather than the direct purportof the words, caused it to vibratewithin all hearts, and brought the listeners into one accord of sympathy. Even the poor baby, at Hester's bosom, was affected by the same influence; for it directed its hithertovacant gaze towards Mr. Dimmesdale, and held up its little arms, with a half-pleased, half-plaintivemurmur. So powerful seemed the minister's appeal, that the people could not believe but that Hester Prynne would speak out the guilty name; or else that the guilty one himself, in whatever high or lowly place he stood, would be drawn forth by an inward and inevitablenecessity, and compelled to ascendthe scaffold.

青年牧师的话音时断时续，听起来甜美、丰润而深沉，实在撼人心肺。那明显表达出来的感情，要比言词的直接涵义更能拨动每个人的心弦，因此博得了听众一致的同情。甚至海丝特怀中那可怜的婴儿都受到了同样的感染：因为她此时正转动始终还是空泛的视线，盯向丁梅斯代尔先生，还举起两条小胳膊，发出一阵似忧似喜的声音。牧师的规劝实在具有说服力，以致在场的所有的人都相信，海丝特·白兰就要说出那罪人的姓名了;否则，那个犯罪的男人自己，不知此时站在高处或低位，也会在内心必然的推动之下，走上前来，被迫登上刑台。

Hester shook her head.

海丝特摇了摇头。

"Woman, transgressnot beyond the limits of Heaven's mercy!" cried the Reverend Mr. Wilson, more harshlythan before. "That little babe hath been gifted with a voice, to second and confirm the counselwhich thou hast heard. Speak out the name! That, and thy repentance, may avail to take the scarlet letter off thy breast."

“女人，你违背上天的仁慈，可不要超过限度!威尔逊牧师先生更加严厉地嚷道。“你那小小的婴儿都用她那天赐的声音，来附和并肯定你所听到的规劝了。把那人的姓名说出来吧!那样，再加上你的悔改，将有助于从你胸前取下那红字。

"Never!" replied Hester Prynne, looking, not at Mr. Wilson, but into the deep and troubled eyes of the younger clergyman. "It is too deeply branded. Ye cannot take it off. And would that I might endure his agony, as well as mine!"

“我永远不会说的!海丝特·白兰回答说，她的眼睛没有去看威尔逊先生，而是凝视着那年轻牧师的深沉而忧郁的眼睛。“这红字烙得太深了。你是取不下来的。但愿我能在忍受我的痛苦的同时，也忍受住他的痛苦!

"Speak, woman!" said another voice, coldly and sternly, proceeding from the crowd about the scaffold. "Speak; and give your child a father!"

“说吧，女人!从刑台附近的人群中发出的另一个冷酪的声音说。“说出来吧：让你的孩子有一个父亲!

"I will not speak!" answered Hester, turning pale as death, but responding to this voice, which she too surely recognized. "And my child must seek a heavenly Father; she shall never know an earthly one!"

“我不说!海丝特回答着，她的脸色虽然变得象死人一样惨白，但还是对那个她确认无疑的声音作出了答复。“我的孩子应该寻求一个上天的父亲!她将永远不会知道有一个世俗的父亲的!

"She will not speak!" murmured Mr. Dimmesdale, who, leaningover the balcony, with his hand upon his heart, had awaited the result of his appeal. He now drew back, with a long respiration. "Wondrousstrength and generosityof a woman's heart! She will not speak!"

“她不肯说!丁梅斯代尔先生嗫嘘着。他一直俯身探出阳台，一只手捂住心口，特候着听他呼吁的结果，这时他长长吐了一口气，缩回了身体。“一个女人的心胸是多么坚强和宽阔啊!她不肯说!

Discerningthe impractiblestate of the poorculprit's mind, the elder clergyman, who had carefully prepared himself for the occasion, addressed to the multitude a discourse on sin, in all its branches, but with continual reference to the ignominiousletter. So forcibly did he dwell upon this symbol, for the hour or more during which his periods were rolling over the people's heads, that it assumed new terrors in their imagination, and seemed to deriveits scarlet huefrom the flames of the infernalpit. Hester Prynne, meanwhile, kept her place upon the pedestalof shame, with glazed eyes, and an air of weary indifference. She had borne, that morning, all that nature could endure; and as her temperamentwas not of the order that escapes from too intense suffering by a swoon, her spirit could only shelter itself beneath a stonycrustof insensibility, while the faculties of animal life remained entire. In this state, the voice of the preacherthundered remorselessly, but unavailingly, upon her ears. The infant, during the latter portion of her ordeal, piercedthe air with its wailingsand screams; she strove to hush it, mechanically, but seemed scarcely to sympathise with its trouble. With the same hard demeanour, she was led back to prison, and vanished from the public gaze within its iron-clamped portal. It was whispered, by those who peered after her, that the scarlet letter threw a luridgleam along the dark passage-way of the interior.

那年长的牧师看出来这可怜的罪人一意孤行，他对此早已成竹在胸，便对人群发表了一通论述罪恶的演讲，他列举了形形色色的罪过，并且时时涉及那不光彩的字母。他在长达一个多小时的演讲中，详尽地叙述着这个标记，他那强有力的言辞在人们的耳际反复轰鸣，在他们的心头引起了新的恐惧，似乎把这个标记用炼狱之火染得通红。与此同时，海丝特·白兰始终带着一种疲惫的淡然神情，在她的耻辱台上凝眸端立。那天早晨，她忍受了人性所能承担的一切;由于她的气质决定了她不会以昏厥来逃避过于强烈的苦难，她的精神只能躲藏在麻木的石质硬壳下，而令动物生命助机能依然无损。因此，那位布道者的声音虽在她耳畔残酷无情地响如雷鸣，但却无济于事。在她备受折磨的这后一段时间，那婴儿的尖声哭号直贯云霄;她虽下意识地想哄着孩子安静下来，但似乎对婴儿的不安无动于衷。她就这样木雕泥塑般地又给带回监狱，从众人眼前捎失在钉满铁钉的牢门后面。那些目光随着她身影窥视的人耳语着说，她胸前的红字在中内黑漆漆的通路上投下了一道血红的闪光。

（编辑：薛琳）