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书虫4级《红字》8.希望

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2022年09月29日

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8.Hope for the future

Arthur Dimmesdale stared at Hester, with hope, joy and fear in his face. In his heart, he had thought of this too, but only Hester had been brave enough to put it into words. Suddenly, he knew that he wanted this better life that she described; and knew also that he could not live without her. 'God, will you forgive me?' he thought.

You will go,' said Hester, calmly, as he looked at her.

And so it was decided. At once, a strange feeling of happiness came over him; something which he had thought was dead in him.

Oh, Hester, God has been merciful!' he cried. 'This is already a better life. Why did we not find it sooner?'

Let us not look back,' she answered. 'The past is gone! Look!' And she pulled the scarlet letter from her bosom and threw it in among the trees.

She breathed deeply. 'I did not realize how heavy it was until I was free of it!' she thought. Next, she pulled off her hat, and her hair fell down upon her shoulders, dark and rich, softening her face as it did so. She smiled, and her eyes were bright. Suddenly, she was young and beautiful again, and filled with happiness!

Another thought came into her head and she looked at him and smiled. 'You must learn to know Pearl!' she said. 'Our little Pearl. You have seen her—yes, I know you have—but you will see her now with fresh eyes. She is strange, and difficult to understand, but you will love her, and advise me what to do with her.'

Do you think the child will be glad to know me?' asked the priest, looking worried. 'Children do not usually like me, and I have even been afraid of little Pearl.'

That is sad,' said Hester. 'But she will love you. Let me call her. Pearl! Pearl!'

The child heard her mother's voice. She had been picking flowers and had put them in her hair and her clothes, but now she came slowly through the trees, to the other side of the little river. Very slowly—because she saw the priest.

They watched her coming.

How strangely beautiful she looks with those flowers in her hair,' said Hester. 'She is a wonderful child! But I know whose forehead she has!'

It is a terrible thing to say, but I have often been afraid that others would see a likeness to me in her face, and guess,' said Mr Dimmesdale. 'But she looks much more like you.'

Do not let her see anything strange,' said Hester. 'Do not be too excited, or too loving. She will not understand. But she will love you in time.'

Pearl had stopped on the other side of the water and was looking at Hester and the priest.

Come, dear child!' called Hester. 'How slow you are! Here is a friend of mine, who will soon be a friend of yours also. You will have twice as much love, from today. Now, hurry up!'

Pearl did not move. She looked first at her mother, with wild bright eyes, then at the priest. Then she put out a hand and pointed at her mother's bosom.

You strange child!' said Hester. 'Why don't you come to me? Hurry, or I shall be angry with you.'

The child began to scream, still pointing her finger accusingly at her mother's bosom.

I know what is wrong,' Hester whispered to the priest. 'She is missing something that she has always seen me wearing.'

If you can quieten her, please do!' said Mr Dimmesdale.

Hester, her face pale again, turned to the child. 'Pearl,' she said sadly, 'look down beside your feet. There! The other side of the river.'

The child looked round and saw the scarlet letter lying at the edge of the water.

Bring it to me,' said Hester.

Come and fetch it!' answered Pearl.

The child is right about the letter, of course,' Hester said to the priest. 'I must wear it for a few more days, until we have left. The forest cannot hide it, but the sea will drown it.'

She stepped forward and, picking up the scarlet letter, fastened it to her bosom again. Next, she put up her hair again, underneath her hat. A grey shadow seemed to fall across her as she did these things. She put out a hand to Pearl.

Do you recognize your mother now, child?' she said. 'Will you come to me now?'

Yes, now I will,' answered the child, and jumped across the water. 'Now you are my mother, and I am your little Pearl!' Gently, she pulled down her mother's head and kissed her. Then she kissed the scarlet letter, too.

That was not kind!' said Hester. 'You show me a little love, but then you make a joke of it!'

Why is the priest sitting over there?' asked Pearl.

He is waiting to welcome you,' said Hester. 'He loves you, my little Pearl, and he loves your mother, too. Come! Will you not love him?'

Does he love us?' said Pearl, looking closely at her mother's face. 'Will he go back with us, hand in hand, the three of us together, into the town?'

Not now, dear child,' said Hester. 'But soon he will walk hand in hand with us. We will have a home of our own, and you will sit on his knee and he will teach you many things, and love you dearly. You will love him—won't you?'

And will he always keep his hand over his heart?' asked Pearl.

Silly child! What kind of question is that?' said Hester. 'Come, and be nice to him.'

But Pearl made an ugly face and tried to pull away from her mother. And when Mr Dimmesdale kissed her gently on the forehead, she ran down to the river and washed her face, again and again, until the unwelcome kiss was washed away. Then she watched silently as her mother and the priest talked quietly, making arrangements for their new life together.

The plan was soon made. It was decided between them that the Old World, with its crowds and cities, would offer them a better chance of living quietly and privately. And luckily, Hester knew of a ship which had recently arrived from Spain and would soon leave again to sail to Bristol, in England.

I know the captain,' she said, 'and I can secretly arrange for you, me and little Pearl to sail with him to England.'

When does the ship leave?' asked Mr Dimmesdale.

Probably four days from today,' replied Hester.

* * *

As he hurried back to the town, leaving Hester and Pearl to return to their cottage, Mr Dimmesdale thought about the plan. 'Four days' time is just right. Three days from today I have to give my Election Sermon, and it will be a most suitable way to end my time here as a priest. At least they will not be able to say that I left without doing my job until the very end!'

He became more and more excited as he made his way back into the town. In this new, happier mood, everything looked and seemed different, even the people he met or passed in the street. He wanted to say to them, 'I am not the man you think I am! I left him behind in the forest!'

Then he passed Mistress Hibbins, the Governor's sister, who, unusually, stopped to speak to him.

So, Mr Dimmesdale,' she said, 'you have been walking in the forest! You must tell me next time you plan to go. I will come with you, and we can meet our Master.' And she passed on by, giving the priest a secret little smile.

Why does she talk to me like this?' he thought nervously. 'Does she see the black mark of the Devil in my soul?'

He was glad to reach his house, and hurried upstairs to his study. Here were his books, the window, the fireplace. Here, he had written and studied and prayed. There on the table, with his pen beside it, was the half-finished Election Sermon, which he had left behind two days ago. Now, he saw all these things differently, through the eyes of another man—a wiser man, who had returned out of the forest.

At that moment, there was a knock at his door. 'Come in!' cried Mr Dimmesdale, wondering if a devil would enter. Then old Roger Chillingworth came in, and the priest stood, unable to speak, with his hand over his heart.

Welcome home, sir,' said the doctor, smiling. 'How was your journey through the forest? You look pale! I think you will need my help if you are going to be able to give your Election Sermon in a day or two. Don't you think so?'

No—not at all,' replied Mr Dimmesdale. 'The long walk in the fresh air has been good for me, after spending so much time in my study. Thank you, but I do not think I need any more of your medicine, my kind doctor.'

Did Roger Chillingworth know, the priest wondered, that he had met and talked with Hester Prynne? Did he know that in the priest's eyes he was now a hated enemy? Perhaps the friendly words from the doctor to his patient now had double meanings.

But, my dear sir, we must do whatever we can to make you strong and well,' said Chillingworth. 'The people expect great things from you, and are afraid that in another year you may be gone.'

Yes, gone to another world,' replied the priest, sadly. 'And may God make it a better one, because I don't expect to be with my people for another year. But, thank you, sir, I do not need your medicine at the moment.'

I am glad to hear it,' said Chillingworth.

I thank you from my heart, most watchful friend,' said the priest. 'I can only repay your kindness with my prayers.'

A good man's prayers are like gold!' answered Roger Chillingworth, as he went out of the room.

After he had gone, Mr Dimmesdale threw away his half-written Election Sermon and sat down to begin it again. All through that night he wrote—and the words seemed to come from God.

* * *

realize v. to start to know something that you had not noticed before 发现;意识到

in time sooner or later 迟早

fetch v. bring back 拿来

drown v. to sink under water 淹没

sermon n. a religious talk given as part of a Christian church service, usually based on a part of the Bible (基督教的)布道;讲道

double adj. combining two different qualities 双重的

8.希望

阿瑟·丁梅斯代尔凝视着赫斯特,脸上闪烁着希望和欣喜,但也夹杂着畏缩。他心里也有过这种想法,但是只有赫斯特有勇气将它说出来。突然之间,他意识到他是想去过她描述的那种美好生活的;也同样明白了自己不能没有她。“上帝啊,你能宽恕我吗?”他暗想。

“你就走吧!”赫斯特说,安详地面对着他的注视。

事情就这么决定了。刹那间,一种异常的幸福感笼罩了他,他曾以为这种情感早与他绝缘了。

“哦,赫斯特,上帝已经很仁慈了!”他喊道,“这已经是一种更好的生活了。为什么我们没有早一点想到呢?”

“我们不要回头看了。”她回答道,“过去的都过去了!看!”她把红字从胸前扯下来,抛到了树丛中。

她深深吸一口气。“直到摆脱它我才明白它有多沉重!”她想。接着她摘下了帽子,满头乌黑浓密的秀发披散到了肩膀上,使她的容貌又像过去一样柔和了。她笑了,眼睛放着光彩。突然之间,她恢复了年轻和美丽,全身洋溢着幸福!

她想到另外一件事,看着牧师笑了。“你应该认识认识珍珠!”她说,“我们的小珍珠!你已经见过她了——是啊,我知道的——但现在你要用全新的眼光来看她。她有点儿古怪,不太好理解,但你会爱她的,还要给我出出主意怎么对付她。”

“你觉得孩子会高兴认识我吗?”牧师有点儿不安地问,“小孩子常常都不太喜欢我,我甚至一直害怕小珍珠。”

“那可不太好。”赫斯特回答说,“但是她会爱你的。我把她叫来。珍珠!珍珠!”

孩子听到了母亲的呼唤。她一直在采花,把花插在头发上和衣服上,她慢慢地穿过树林向小河的另一边走来。她走得很慢——因为看到了牧师。

他们看着她走过来。

“她头上戴着那些花,真是漂亮得出奇。”赫斯特说,“她是一个奇妙的孩子!但我知道她的额头像谁!”

“说这个真可怕,我常常担心人们会认出来她长得像我,然后猜出什么来。”丁梅斯代尔先生说,“不过她还是更像你!”

“别让她看出什么不同寻常的地方。”赫斯特说,“既不要太激动,也不要太热情。她不会理解的,但是她会爱你的!”

这时珍珠已经停在小河对岸,瞅着赫斯特和牧师。

“过来,宝贝儿!”赫斯特呼唤着,“你走得真慢!这是我的一个朋友,他很快也会是你的朋友了。从今以后,你要得到双倍的爱了!快到我们这儿来!”

珍珠仍然没动。她那对野性、明亮的眼睛先看看母亲,然后又看看牧师。接着她伸出手,指着母亲的胸口。

“你这个怪孩子!”赫斯特说道,“为什么不到我身边来呢?快点儿,否则我要生气了。”

孩子尖叫起来,手指仍然责备般地指向母亲的胸前。

“我知道哪里不对劲了。”赫斯特对牧师低声说,“她还想着那个我一直戴着的东西。”

“如果你能让她安静下来的话,请快点儿吧!”丁梅斯代尔先生说。

赫斯特的脸又变得苍白了,她转身对着孩子。“珍珠,”她伤心地说,“往你脚下瞧。就在那儿!在河这边的岸上。”

那孩子四下环顾,看到红字就在那里,紧挨水边。

“把它拣回来!”赫斯特说。

“你过来拾吧!”珍珠回答道。

“她对这标记的看法是没错的。”赫斯特对牧师说道,“我还得再戴些日子,直到我们离开这块地方。这片森林还藏不住它,但大海可以把它吞没。”

她上前把红字拣起来,重新别在胸前,接下来重新挽起了头发,戴上帽子。当她做这些事情时,似乎有一道灰色的阴影笼罩了她。她向珍珠伸出手去。

“现在你认得妈妈了吗,孩子?”她问,“现在你愿意到我这儿来吗?”

“是啊,现在我愿意了!”孩子回答,她跳过小溪。“这样你才是我妈妈了!我也是你的小珍珠了!”她温柔地扳过母亲的额头亲了一下,接着又把那红字吻了一下。

“这可不好!”赫斯特说,“你刚对我表示出一点点爱,然后却要嘲弄我!”

“牧师干嘛坐在那儿?”珍珠问。

“他等着欢迎你呢。”赫斯特回答,“他爱你,我的小珍珠,而且也爱妈妈。来啊!你会爱他吗?”

“他爱我们吗?”珍珠说着,抬起眼睛瞅着母亲的面孔。“他会跟我们手拉着手,三个人一起回镇上去吗?”

“这会儿还不成,我的乖孩子。”赫斯特回答说,“但是很快他就会跟我们手拉着手一起走的。我们会有一个自己的家,你会坐在他的膝头;而他会教给你许多事情,深深地爱你。你也会爱他的,不是吗?”

“他还会一直用手捂着心口吗?”珍珠问道。

“傻孩子!这算什么问题?”赫斯特说,“过来对他表示一下友好吧!”

但珍珠做了个怪脸,极力想从母亲的手里挣脱开。牧师在她的额头上温柔地亲了一下。可珍珠立刻跑到小河边上,一遍又一遍地洗起脸来,直到把那个不受欢迎的吻给完全洗净。然后她便默默地望着赫斯特和牧师小声交谈,他们正为新生活做出种种安排。

计划很快就定好了。他们一致认为旧大陆人烟稠密、城市林立,能为他们隐秘安静的生活提供更好的机会。幸运的是,赫斯特刚好知道最近有一艘船从西班牙开来,不久就会驶往英国的布里斯托尔。

“我认识这个船长。”她说,“我可以秘密地安排你、我和小珍珠一起坐船去英格兰。”

“船什么时候离开?”丁梅斯代尔先生问。

“可能在四天后。”赫斯特回答。

* * *

丁梅斯代尔先生匆忙地赶回城里,赫斯特和珍珠则返回她们的小茅屋。他一路考虑着这个计划。“四天时间刚刚好。因为在三天后,我要在庆祝选举的布道会上宣教,这也是我结束牧师生涯的最好方式。至少,他们不能说我没有恪尽职守到最后一刻!”

在返回城镇的路上,他变得越来越激动。在这种新奇的幸福感中,他看到的每样东西、甚至在街上遇到或擦肩而过的人都和原来不一样了。他想对他们说:“我不是你们想象的那个人!我已经把那个人留在树林中了。”

接着他遇到了总督的姐姐希宾斯太太。她一反常态地拦住他说话。

“啊,丁梅斯代尔先生,”她说,“您去树林里散步了!您下次去的时候,请务必跟我打个招呼,我陪您去。我们会见到主人!”她说着就走过去了,留给牧师一个诡异的笑容。

“她为什么这样对我说话?”他紧张地想。“难道她看见了魔鬼在我灵魂上留下的黑暗印记?”

回到住所,他松了一口气,赶忙上楼躲进书房。这儿有他的书籍、窗子、壁炉。他曾在这里写作、研读和祈祷。在桌上他的笔旁,摆着那篇尚未完成的布道词,那是两天前留下的。现在他看到的这一切都不同了,因为那是来自另外一个人的眼光——一个刚从树林中返回的更明智的人。

就在这个时候,传来一记敲门声。牧师大声道:“请进!”思忖着是不是来了恶魔。进来的正是老罗杰·奇林沃思。牧师站在那里说不出话来,一只手捂住了心口。

“欢迎你回来,先生。”医生笑着说,“这次穿越树林的旅行怎么样?你看上去脸色苍白!一两天后就要举行选举的布道呢,我觉得你需要我帮忙。你不这样想吗?”

“不,完全不必了。”丁梅斯代尔先生接口说,“我在书房里闷了太久,在新鲜空气中多走走对我大有好处,谢谢,可我想我已经不需要你的药了,好心的医生。”

牧师思忖着罗杰·奇林沃思是否知道自己同赫斯特·普林已经见面谈过了。他知道在牧师的心目中他已经成了恶毒的敌人了吗?也许现在医生对这个病人所说的友好的话都有双重含义。

“但是,我亲爱的先生,我们必须竭尽所能使你身强力壮。”奇林沃思说,“人们对你的期望很大呢,担心明年一到,他们的牧师就会不在了。”

“是啊,到另一个世界去。”牧师带着悲伤回答说,“但愿上帝保佑,那是个更好的世界,因为,我觉得我没法跟教众们一起度过下一年了!不过,谢谢你,先生,我现在不需要你的药。”

“很高兴听你这么说。”奇林沃思说。

“我由衷地感激你,我最尽心的朋友。”牧师说,“我只有用祈祷来报答你的善意。”

“好人的祈祷如同黄金!”罗杰·奇林沃思一边说着,一边退出了房间。

当他走后,牧师就把尚未完成的选举布道词扔到一边,坐下又重新写了起来。他彻夜直书——有如神助。

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