书虫四级《红字》：3.没有父亲的孩子

3．A fatherless child

3．没有父亲的孩子

Hester Prynne's time in prison now came to an end, but she did not move away from the town. The father of her child lived here, and here she would stay; although she kept this thought hidden guiltily in her heart. The reason she gave herself for staying was this: 'I sinned here, and I will suffer my earthly punishment here.'

赫斯特·普林的监禁期满了，但是她并没有离开这座城镇。孩子的父亲住在这里，所以她要留下来；虽然她充满罪恶感地把这个念头隐藏在心里。她让自己相信留下来的理由是：“我在这里犯下了罪孽，也应该在这里接受尘世间的惩罚。”

There was a small cottage just outside the town, looking out across the sea towards the forest-covered hills of the west, and Hester and her child went to live in this lonely little house. They had no friends, but Hester soon found that she could earn enough money to buy food and clothes for herself and her daughter.

镇外有一间小茅屋，与西边一片森林覆盖的小山隔海相望。赫斯特就带着孩子住进了这间孤零零的小茅屋。她们没有朋友，但是赫斯特不久就发现，她可以挣到足够的钱供自己和孩子吃穿之用。

She was clever with a needle, and the scarlet letter which she wore on her bosom was a perfect example of her work that everyone could see. Soon, Hester's beautiful sewing, with its patterns in gold and silver thread, became the fashion with the rich and important people of the town. Her needlework was seen on the shirts of the Governor, on the fine dresses of the ladies, on the babies' little coats and hats, and on the burial-clothes of the dead. Hester had employment for as many hours as she wanted to work.

她的针线活儿做得很好，她胸前佩戴的红字就是她好手艺的一个最佳样品，大家有目共睹。没过多久，赫斯特用金银线绣出来的漂亮图案就开始成了镇里达官贵人们追崇的时尚。她的针线活儿出现在总督的衬衫上、贵妇的精致衣裙上、婴儿的小外衣和小帽子上，还用在寿衣上。赫斯特想做多少活儿就有多少活儿干。

She used whatever time she had left to make clothes for the poor people of the town, although she got no thanks for it. And indeed, she found no kindness anywhere. The Puritans of that time were hard judges, and a woman who had sinned as Hester had sinned was always an outsider. Every word, every look, every cold, accusing silence reminded her of the shame and the lonely misery of her life. Even the children ran after her in the street, shouting terrible names.

她用全部的闲暇时间来给镇上的穷人做衣服，尽管从来没有人感谢过她。实际上，她到哪儿都感受不到友好的气息。当时的清教徒都是严苛的审判者，像赫斯特这种犯下罪过的女人永远都只能被人排斥。每句话、每个眼神、每次冰冷而充满谴责意味的沉默都在提醒她，她的生活里充满了耻辱、孤独与凄凉。甚至小孩子们都在街上追着骂她。

She lived very simply. Her own dresses were made from dark, sad-coloured cloth, with the scarlet letter bright on the bosom. Her child's clothes were the opposite—in materials of deep, rich colours, with beautiful patterns sewn in gold thread.

她过着一种十分简朴的生活，自己的衣服都用阴郁、灰暗的布料缝制，只有胸前的那个红字光鲜亮丽。她孩子的衣服却截然相反——布料的颜色鲜艳夺目，上面用金线绣着美丽的图案。

Her daughter's name was Pearl. She was a pretty child, but a child of many moods—one minute bright and happy and loving, the next minute dark and angry. A child of sin, she had no right to play with the children of godly families and, like her mother, she was an outsider. In a strange way Pearl seemed to understand this, and often screamed and threw stones at the other children. Hester worried about her daughter's wildness and tried hard to correct her, but without much success. Sometimes, her only hours of peace and quietness were when Pearl was sleeping.

她的女儿名叫珍珠，是个漂亮的孩子，可是情绪多变——前一分钟还开朗、快乐、活泼可爱，接下来就变得阴沉、愤怒。她是罪孽的产物，没有权利和那些崇敬上帝的人家的孩子玩耍。和她的母亲一样，她也四处遭人排斥。珍珠似乎以奇异的方式理解了这一切，她经常尖叫着抄起石子向其他孩子扔去。赫斯特为女儿身上流露出来的野性担心，她努力去纠正，但是没有任何作用。有时，只有珍珠睡着以后她才能得到片刻的安宁。

One day, when Pearl was about three years old, Hester went to the house of Governor Bellingham. She was taking a fine shirt she had sewn, but she also wanted to speak to the Governor in person. She had heard that many Puritans in the town wanted to take Pearl away from her. They said it would be better for the child to grow up in a more godly home than Hester Prynne's.

珍珠大约三岁时，有一天，赫斯特去了贝林厄姆总督的宅邸。她去送一件缝制好的上等衬衣，此外她还想和总督当面谈谈。她听说镇上有很多清教徒打算将珍珠从她身边夺走。他们认为把孩子移交给比赫斯特·普林更崇敬上帝的家庭更有利于她的成长。

So it was a worried Hester who walked to the Governor's house that morning. She had dressed her daughter in a beautiful red dress, adding to the child's natural beauty, and as Pearl danced along beside her mother, it had a strange effect. The child in her red dress seemed like the scarlet letter in another shape; the scarlet letter given life and movement.

所以那天早上赫斯特是忧心忡忡地走向总督宅邸的。她给女儿穿了一件漂亮的红色外衣，这让本来就漂亮的孩子又增色不少。珍珠蹦蹦跳跳地跟在母亲身旁，给人一种奇怪的感觉。穿着红色外套的孩子像是另一种形式的红字，被赋予了生命和活动能力的红字。

At the Governor's house the door was opened by a servant.

到了总督家门前，一个仆人为她们开了门。

Is the Governor in?' asked Hester.

“总督大人在吗？”赫斯特问。

Yes,' replied the servant. 'But there are people with him at the moment. You can't see him now.'

“是的，”那仆人回答，“但是他现在有客人。此刻你不能见大人。”

I'll wait,' said Hester, and stepped into the entrance hall.

“我可以等。”赫斯特说着走进门厅。

The hall was wide with a high ceiling, and there were heavy chairs along one side and a long table in the centre. At the far end of the hall was a big glass door, which opened out into a garden. Hester could see rose bushes and apple trees, and Pearl immediately began to cry for a red rose.

厅里很开阔，天花板高高的，一边摆了几把沉重的椅子，厅中间放了一张长条桌。门厅尽头是一扇大玻璃门，通向花园。赫斯特可以看到花园里的玫瑰花丛和苹果树，珍珠立刻叫嚷着要一朵红玫瑰。

Shh! Bequiet, child!' said her mother. 'Look, the Governor is coming down the garden path, with three more gentlemen.'

“嘘，安静点儿，孩子！”她母亲说，“看，总督顺着花园的小路走过来了，还有三位先生跟他在一起呢。”

Governor Bellingham, with his grey beard, walked in front. Behind him came John Wilson, the old priest, whose beard was as white as snow; and behind him was Arthur Dimmesdale, with Roger Chillingworth. The young priest's health had been poor for some time, and Roger Chillingworth, well known in the town for his knowledge of medicines, was now both friend and doctor to him.

留着灰胡子的贝林厄姆总督走在前面。约翰·威尔逊牧师跟在他身后，这位年长的牧师胡须像雪一样白；在他身后的是阿瑟·丁梅斯代尔牧师和罗杰·奇林沃思。年轻的牧师最近一段时间身体不好，而罗杰·奇林沃思对医药的丰富知识在城镇中无人不晓，此时已经成了牧师的医生兼朋友。

The Governor pushed open the door—and found himself looking at Pearl, while Hester stood in the shadow of a curtain, half-hidden.

总督推开门——发现了眼前的珍珠，但窗帘的阴影罩住了赫斯特·普林的部分身形。

What have we here?' said Governor Bellingham, surprised to see the little scarlet figure in front of him.

“这是谁呀？”贝林厄姆总督吃惊地望着眼前这个鲜红的小人儿。

Yes, what little bird is this?' said old Mr Wilson. 'Who are you, child?'

“是啊，这个小丫头是谁呢？”威尔逊老先生说道，“孩子，你是谁啊？”

My name is Pearl,' answered the little girl.

“我叫珍珠。”小姑娘回答道。

Pearl?' replied the old priest. 'But where is your mother? Ah! I see her now.' He turned to the Governor and whispered, 'This is the child we were talking about, and look, here is the unhappy woman, Hester Prynne, her mother!'

“珍珠？”老牧师答道，“可你妈妈在哪儿呢？啊！我现在看到她了。”他转向总督耳语道：“这就是我们刚才谈论的那个孩子，看，这就是那个不幸的女人，赫斯特·普林，就是她母亲！”

Is that right?' cried the Governor. 'She comes at a good time. We will discuss the matter now.' He stepped through the door into the hall, followed by his three guests. 'Hester Prynne, we have been asking many questions about you recently. Are you the right person to teach this child the ways of God, and so make sure of a place in heaven for her soul? You, a woman who has sinned! Will it not be better for her if we take her away from you, and teach her the truths of heaven and earth? What can you do for her, woman?'

“是吗？”总督大声道，“她来得正好。我们现在就来谈谈这件事吧。”他进门走到大厅里，三位客人紧随其后。“赫斯特·普林，最近我们讨论了很多关于你的事。你能够按上帝的法则教育这个孩子，并确保她的灵魂可以上天堂吗？你，一个犯了罪的女人！我们把她带走，教导她天堂和尘世的真理，不是更好吗？你又能为这孩子做些什么呢，女人？”

I can teach my little Pearl what I have learned from this!' answered Hester Prynne, putting her finger on the scarlet letter. 'Every day, it teaches me lessons that I pass on to my child. She will be a better and wiser person than I ever was.'

“我能教我的小珍珠从这里学到的东西！”赫斯特·普林把手指放到那个红色字母上回答，“这个字每天都会给我教训，我再把这些道理教给孩子。她会成为一个比过去的我更好、更明智的人。”

Bellingham turned to the old priest. 'Mr Wilson, see what this child knows,' he 'said.

贝林厄姆转过身对着老牧师。“威尔逊先生，请来检查一下这个孩子都知道些什么。”他说。

The old priest sat down in one of the heavy chairs and tried to bring Pearl across to him, but she escaped through the open door and stood on the step outside, looking like a richly coloured bird ready to fly away.

老牧师在一把沉重的椅子上坐下来，想把珍珠拉到面前，但是她穿过敞开的门逃了出去，站在外面的台阶上，像一只色彩斑斓的鸟儿似的，随时准备飞走。

Pearl,' said Mr Wilson, with a serious look on his face. 'Listen to me, child. Can you tell me who made you?'

“珍珠，”威尔逊先生一脸严肃地说，“听我说，孩子，你能告诉我是谁创造出你的吗？”

Now Pearl knew the answer very well, because Hester had told her about God many times, and had explained those things which every child should know. But Pearl put her fingers in her mouth and would not speak.

珍珠很清楚答案是什么，因为赫斯特跟她多次谈过上帝，也对她解释过每个孩子都应该知道的事情。但是珍珠把手指放到嘴里并不回答。

You must answer good Mr Wilson's question,' said her mother. 'Please, Pearl! Tell him what you know.'

“你必须回答威尔逊先生的问题。”她的母亲说，“求你了，珍珠！把你知道的事情告诉他。”

My mother picked me from the wild rose bush that grows outside the prison door!' said Pearl.

“妈妈从长在监狱门边的野玫瑰丛里把我捡回来的。”

Roger Chillingworth smiled and whispered something in the young priest's ear.

罗杰·奇林沃思微笑着对年轻的牧师耳语了几句。

This is terrible!' cried the Governor. 'The child is three years old, and she does not know who made her! I do not think, gentlemen, that we need to ask any more!'

“这太可怕了！”总督叫道，“这孩子都三岁了，还根本不知道是谁创造了她！依我看，先生们，我们无需再问下去了。”

Hester pulled Pearl towards her and held her hand. 'God gave me the child,' she cried. 'She is my happiness, my pain! You shall not take her! I will die first!'

赫斯特把珍珠拉到自己身边，握住她的手。“上帝给了我这个孩子！”她大声说道，“她是我的幸福，也是我的痛苦！你们不能带走她！否则我就先死给你们看！”

My poor woman,' said the old priest, kindly, 'we will find someone who will take care of the child far better than you can.'

“可怜的女人，”那老牧师怜悯地说，“我们会找到一个比你更合适的人照顾这孩子的。”

God gave her to me!' repeated Hester, her voice high and afraid. 'I will not let her go!' She turned to Mr Dimmesdale. 'Speak for me!' she cried. 'You were my priest, and you know me better than these men. You know what is in my heart, and how strongly a mother feels when she has nothing except her child and the scarlet letter!'

“上帝把这孩子给了我！”赫斯特高声重复说，声音里充满了恐惧。“我绝不会让她离开我！”她转向了丁梅斯代尔先生。“替我说句话吧！”她说，“你曾是我的牧师，你比这些人更了解我。你了解我心里的想法，也了解一个母亲，一个除了孩子和红字一无所有的母亲，这种感受有多么强烈！”

The young priest stepped forward, his face white and nervous, and with pain in his large dark eyes.

年轻的牧师走上前来，他的面色苍白、紧张，黑色的大眼睛里满是痛苦。

There is truth in what she says,' he began. His voice was sweet and gentle, but it seemed to ring through the hall like a bell. 'God gave her the child, and is that not part of God's plan for this poor, sinful woman? With the child by her side, every day she will be reminded of her great sin, her shame; and the pain and sadness of it will always be with her. But God has given her a job to do, which will keep her soul alive and save her from further sin. She must love and care for the child, and teach it the ways of God, to know good from evil, right from wrong. And, with God's great mercy, if she brings the child to heaven, then the child also will bring its mother there! No, no, we should leave the mother and child together, and let God's gift do its work saving the mother's soul!'

“她所说的有道理，”年轻的牧师开口说。他的声音优美柔和，但却像钟声一样在大厅中回荡。“上帝赐给她这个孩子，这难道不是上帝给这个有罪的可怜女人的旨意吗？让孩子跟在她身边，这样每天她都会记着自己的巨大罪恶和耻辱；痛苦和悲伤将永远跟随她。因为这是上帝给她的使命，这样可以保持她灵魂的活力，防止她陷入更深的罪孽。她必须按上帝的准则爱护和照顾这个孩子，教给她上帝之道，教她学会分辨善恶、判断正误。因上帝的慈悲，如果她能把孩子送上天国，那么孩子也就能把她带到天国！不，我们还是让这个孩子和她的母亲在一起吧，让上帝赐予的这个孩子去拯救母亲的灵魂！”

You speak, my friend, with a strange passion,' said old Roger Chillingworth, smiling at him.

“我的朋友，你讲这番话真是激动得出奇啊。”老罗杰·奇林沃思笑着对他说。

And my young friend speaks wisely,' said Mr Wilson. 'What do you think, Governor? Does he speak well for the poor woman?'

“而且，我这年轻朋友的话满有道理。”威尔逊先生说，“你怎么看，总督先生？他为这可怜的女人所做的请求很有道理吧？”

Indeed he does,' replied Governor Bellingham. 'He argues sensibly, and so we will leave things as they are. Master Dimmesdale, you shall be responsible for making sure that the girl receives the right teaching, and that she goes to school when she is old enough to do so.'

“确实如此，”贝林厄姆总督回答，“他说得很有道理。我们只好让事情一切照旧喽。丁梅斯代尔先生，你要负责监督这个孩子接受正确的教育，再有，等她到了适当的年龄，要送她上学。”

The young priest now stood at the side of the group, his face half-hidden by the heavy window curtain. Pearl, that wild and playful little thing, moved softly towards him, took his hand, and put it gently against her cheek. Her mother watched, surprised. 'Is that my Pearl?' she thought, although she knew there was love in the child's heart. And Mr Dimmesdale looked round, put a hand on Pearl's head, hesitated for a moment, then kissed her forehead. Little Pearl laughed and half-ran, half-danced down the hall.

年轻的牧师此时站在其他人的一边，厚重的窗帘挡住了他的部分面孔。珍珠，那野性子的小顽皮鬼，轻手轻脚地溜到他身旁，握住他的手，还把小脸贴在上面。她的母亲惊讶地看着。“那是我的珍珠吗？”她想，尽管她明白，这孩子的心中是有爱的。丁梅斯代尔环顾四周，将一只手放在孩子的头上，迟疑了一会儿，然后吻了她的额头。珍珠笑起来，蹦蹦跳跳地朝大厅另一头跑去。

A strange child!' said old Roger Chillingworth. 'It is easy to see that she is her mother's daughter. But could a clever man guess, from the child's nature and from the way she behaves, the name of her father?'

“一个奇特的孩子！”老罗杰·奇林沃思说道，“一眼就能看出，有其母必有其女。不过聪明的人能通过这孩子的天性和举止猜出谁是她的父亲吗？”

It is better to pray for an answer to that question, than to try to guess,' said Mr Wilson. 'Better still to leave it a mystery, so that every good and godly man can show a father's kindness towards the poor fatherless child.'

“要知道这个问题的答案，还是靠祈祷吧，比猜测要好。”威尔逊先生说，“而最好就是留着这个秘密不去管它。这样，每一个信奉上帝的好男人便都能对这没有父亲的可怜孩子表示父爱了。”

Hester Prynne and her daughter then left the house. As they went down the steps, a window was thrown open and a head appeared. It was Governor Bellingham's sister, Mistress Hibbins, calling down to invite Hester to a party with the Devil in the forest that night. Some people said that Mistress Hibbins was more than a little mad; others said she was truly a friend of the Devil. Mad, evil, a friend of the Devil, or all three, no one knows, but a few years later she was judged to be a witch and was killed on the scaffold.

赫斯特·普林带着女儿离开了总督府。在她们走下台阶的时候，有人打开了一扇窗子，探出头来，那是总督的姐姐希宾斯太太。她向赫斯特喊话，邀请她去参加当天晚上在树林中和魔鬼的聚会。有些人说希宾斯太太神经不正常；还有些人说她是魔鬼的好朋友。她要么是神经不正常，要么就是个邪恶的人，要么就是魔鬼的朋友，或者三者都是，没人能确定。但在若干年之后，她被认定为女巫，在绞架上被处决了。

No, thank you!' Hester called back to her, with a smile. 'If they ever took Pearl away from me, I would go with you and sign my name in the Devil's book, even in blood! But little Pearl is still with me, and so I must stay at home and keep watch over her.'

“不了，谢谢！”赫斯特笑着回答说，“要是他们把珍珠从我身边夺走，我也许会跟你去，在魔鬼的名册上也签上我的名字，哪怕是要用血来签呢！但是小珍珠还和我在一起，所以我必须留在家里照顾她。”