书虫四级《红字》：2.罗杰·奇林沃思的秘密
2．Roger Chillingworth's secret
2．罗杰·奇林沃思的秘密
Back inside the prison, Hester Prynne became strangely fearful and excited. The prison officer, Master Brackett, watched her carefully, afraid that she would do something violent, either to herself or to the child. By night-time, unable to quieten her, and worried about the child who screamed without stopping, Brackett decided to bring a doctor to her.
赫斯特·普林回到监狱之后，便陷入一阵莫名的恐惧和激动之中。监狱看守布拉克特长官小心翼翼地观察着她的一举一动，担心她会做出什么过激的事情来，伤害她自己或孩子。到了夜里，布拉克特长官依然无法使她平静下来，同时也很担心那一直哭个不停的孩子，于是决定请个医生来看看。
He described him to Hester as someone who had learned much about natural medicines from the Indians. But the man who followed Brackett into the prison was the man Hester had seen on the edge of the crowd earlier, the man she had watched in fear. His name, she was told, was Roger Chillingworth.
布拉克特长官向赫斯特介绍说，那位医生从印第安人那里学过不少天然药物的知识。但是跟在布拉克特身后走进牢房的那个男人正是赫斯特早些时候在人群边上看到的人——当时她充满恐惧地看着他。布拉克特向她介绍说，此人名叫罗杰·奇林沃思。
Brackett brought the man in, and stood watching in surprise as Hester became as still as death. The child, however, continued to cry.
布拉克特把那人领进牢房，吃惊地发现赫斯特突然像死人一样僵住了，但那个孩子还继续哭着。
Please leave us alone,' Chillingworth said to the prison officer, 'and you will soon have peace in your house.'
“请让我们单独呆一会儿，”奇林沃思对监狱看守说道，“这间牢房很快就会安静下来的。”
He had entered the room calmly, carrying a small bag, and he remained calm after Brackett had left them. First he went to the child and looked carefully at her. Then he opened his bag, took out some powder, and put it into a cup of water.
他走进牢房时很平静，携带着一个小包。布拉克特离开以后，他也依然镇定自若。他先走到孩子身边仔细看了看，接着打开小包，取出一些粉末，倒进一杯水中。
Here, woman!' he said. 'The child is yours, not mine. Give this to her.'
“听我说，女人！”他说，“这个孩子是你的，不是我的。你把这个给她喝下去吧。”
Hester did not move, and when she spoke, her voice was a whisper. 'Don't take your revenge on an innocent child.'
赫斯特没有动。当她开口的时候，声音小的近乎耳语：“不要拿一个无辜的孩子来报复吧。”
Silly woman!' he replied, half coldly, half kindly. 'If this poor, miserable baby was my own—mine, as well as yours! —I would give her the same medicine.'
“你这个蠢女人！”那医生不冷不热地应道，“即使这个可怜的孩子是我自己的——我的，也是你的！——我也会给她同样的药。”
Hester still hesitated, so he took the child and gave her the medicine himself. Almost at once she became quiet, and after a moment fell peacefully asleep.
赫斯特仍然迟疑不决，他便抱起孩子，亲自给她喂了药。她几乎立即平静了下来，过了一会儿，就乖乖地进入了梦乡。
Chillingworth prepared another drink of medicine and held out the cup to Hester. 'Drink it!' he said. 'It cannot quieten your troubled soul, but it will calm you.'
奇林沃思调了另一杯药水递给赫斯特。“把它喝了！”他说，“它不能平息你躁动的灵魂，但是可以使你镇静下来。”
She took it from him slowly, but her eyes were full of doubt about his reasons for helping her. Then she looked at her sleeping child.
她慢慢地接过杯子，但目光中充满了怀疑，不知道他帮忙的目的何在。她接着又看了看那熟睡的孩子。
I have thought of death,' she said. 'I have wished for it, and even prayed for it, but if death is in this cup, then I ask you to think again before I drink it.'
“我想到过死，”她说，“我希望去死，甚至还为此祈祷过，不过，要是这杯药可以致我于死地，在我喝下去之前，我请求你再想一想。”
You need not be afraid,' he replied calmly. 'If I wanted revenge, then what more could I ask for than to let you live—and suffer, under the shadow of this shame?'
“你不用害怕，”他平静地回答，“如果我想复仇，我最大的愿望就是让你活着——让你在这种耻辱的阴影下受尽折磨。”
As he spoke, he put his finger on the scarlet letter, which suddenly seemed to burn red-hot on Hester's bosom.
他一边说着，一边把手指放到那红字上，那字立刻像是在赫斯特的胸膛上灼烧起来。
She drank the medicine quickly, then sat down on the bed where the child was sleeping. She watched, trembling as the man she had wronged pulled up a chair and sat beside her.
赫斯特将药一饮而尽，然后坐到孩子睡的床上。看着这个她曾经辜负的人拉过一把椅子坐在身边，她不由得全身颤栗起来。
Hester,' he said, 'you've been weak, but I've been stupid. Look at me! I'm old and ugly. I was ugly from the moment that I was born. But you? You were young and beautiful, and full of life. How could I have imagined, the day that I married you, that you would ever love me? How could a man of books and learning be so stupid?'
“赫斯特，”他说，“你一直那么软弱，可是我却一直那么愚蠢。看看我！我又老又丑。我从生下来的那一刻就是丑的。但是你呢？你那时年轻漂亮，充满活力。我娶你的时候怎么会以为你会爱上我呢？像我这样一个饱读诗书的男人为什么会如此愚蠢？”
I never felt or pretended any love for you,' said Hester.
“我对你从没有任何爱意，也没假装有过。”赫斯特说。
True,' he replied. 'But I hoped to make you love me.'
“这倒是真的，”他答道，“但是我曾经希望能使你爱上我。”
I have greatly wronged you,' Hester whispered.
“我太委屈你了。”赫斯特喃喃地说。
We have wronged each other,' he said. 'I'm not looking for revenge, Hester. I wish you no harm. But there is a man living who has wronged us both! Who is he?'
“我们彼此都让对方受了委屈。”他回答说，“我不想报复你，赫斯特，我对你没有恶意。可那个让我们都受了委屈的人还活着，他是谁？”
Do not ask me!' she cried, looking straight at him. 'You will never know his name!'
“不要问我！”她叫道，直视着他。“你永远也不会知道他的名字！”
His smile was both dark and confident. 'Believe me, Hester,' he said, 'I shall know him! Although he does not wear a letter of shame on his clothes, as you do, I shall read it on his heart. I shall see it in his eyes. I shall watch him tremble, and I will feel myself tremble with him. But don't be afraid. I won't hurt him, or harm his position in the town if he is an important man here. Nor shall I inform the law. No, let him live! Let him pretend to be an honest man! Heaven will punish him for me. But I will know him!'
他脸上露出阴沉和自信的笑意。“相信我，赫斯特，”他说，“我会把他找出来的！尽管他并没有像你这样，在衣服上绣着个耻辱的字母，但是我会在他的心里看到的，会在他眼睛里看到的。我要看着他浑身颤抖，我都能感到自己会和他一起颤栗了。不过不要害怕，我不会伤害他，如果他在这里是一个显赫人物的话，我也不会对他的地位造成什么损害。我不会告发他的。不，我要让他活着！让他假装是一个诚实的人！上天会代我惩罚他。但是我肯定能找出他是谁！”
You say you will not harm him,' said Hester, confused and afraid, 'but your words frighten me.'
“你说你不会伤害他，”赫斯特困惑而惊恐地说，“但是你的话让我害怕。”
One thing I ask you—you, who were my wife,' he said. 'You have kept your lover's secret, now keep mine! Tell nobody that you ever called me husband. No one in this land knows me. But here, on this wild edge of the earth, I shall stay, because you and yours, Hester Prynne, belong to me. Love or hate, right or wrong, my home is where you are and where he is. But keep my secret!'
“我只要求你——我曾经的妻子——做一件事。”他说，“既然你一直都为情人保密，那就也为我保密吧！不要告诉任何人，你曾称我为丈夫。这片土地上没有人认识我。可就在这里，这世界的荒芜边缘，我要留下来，因为赫斯特·普林，你和你的一切都属于我。爱也好恨也好，对也罢错也罢！你和他在哪儿，我的家就安在哪儿。但你要为我保守这个秘密！”
Why do you want this?' said Hester, suddenly afraid of this secret agreement, although she did not know why. 'Why not say openly who you are, and send me away at once?'
“你为什么要这样做？”赫斯特问，她突然为这个秘密约定而感到莫名的恐惧。“你为什么不公开你的身份，把我立刻赶走呢？”
Perhaps because I do not want to hear what people say about a husband who loses his wife to another man,' he said. 'Let them think your husband is already dead. Pretend not to know me. Do not tell our secret to anyone, and most of all, not to your lover. Do not fail in this, Hester! Remember, his good name, his position, his life will be in my hands!'
“可能因为我不愿意听见别人议论我戴了绿帽子。”他说，“让大家都以为你丈夫已经死了吧。装作不认识我！不要把我们的秘密告诉任何人，尤其是你的情人。不要违背诺言，赫斯特！记住，他的名声、地位和性命全都握在我的手心里！”
I will keep your secret, as I have kept his,' said Hester.
“我为你保密，就像为他保密一样。”赫斯特说。
And now, Mistress Prynne,' said the man called Roger Chillingworth, 'I will leave you alone with your child and the scarlet letter!' He smiled, slowly.
“现在，普林太太，”这个自称罗杰·奇林沃思的男人说，“我要走了，留下你守着孩子和那个红字吧！”他慢慢地笑了。
Hester stared at him, afraid of the expression in his eyes.
赫斯特瞪着他，被他的眼神吓坏了。
Why do you smile at me?' she asked. 'Have you tied me into an agreement that will destroy my soul?'
“你冲我笑什么？”她问道，“你是不是把我绑在一个会毁掉我的灵魂的协议上了？”
Not your soul,' he answered, with another smile. 'No, not yours!'
“不是你的灵魂。”他说着，又露出一丝笑容。“不，不是你的！”
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