書蟲四級《紅字》：8.希望

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8．Hope for the future

8．希望

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.

阿瑟·丁梅斯代爾凝視著赫斯特，臉上閃爍著希望和欣喜，但也夾雜著畏縮。他心里也有過這種想法，但是只有赫斯特有勇氣將它說出來。突然之間，他意識到他是想去過她描述的那種美好生活的；也同樣明白了自己不能沒有她?！吧系郯。隳軐捤∥覇?？”他暗想。

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

“你就走吧！”赫斯特說，安詳?shù)孛鎸χ淖⒁暋?

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

事情就這么決定了。剎那間，一種異常的幸福感籠罩了他，他曾以為這種情感早與他絕緣了。

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

“哦，赫斯特，上帝已經(jīng)很仁慈了！”他喊道，“這已經(jīng)是一種更好的生活了。為什么我們沒有早一點想到呢？”

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.

“我們不要回頭看了。”她回答道，“過去的都過去了！看！”她把紅字從胸前扯下來，拋到了樹叢中。

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!

她深深吸一口氣?！爸钡綌[脫它我才明白它有多沉重！”她想。接著她摘下了帽子，滿頭烏黑濃密的秀發(fā)披散到了肩膀上，使她的容貌又像過去一樣柔和了。她笑了，眼睛放著光彩。突然之間，她恢復(fù)了年輕和美麗，全身洋溢著幸福！

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.'

她想到另外一件事，看著牧師笑了。“你應(yīng)該認(rèn)識認(rèn)識珍珠！”她說，“我們的小珍珠！你已經(jīng)見過她了——是啊，我知道的——但現(xiàn)在你要用全新的眼光來看她。她有點兒古怪，不太好理解，但你會愛她的，還要給我出出主意怎么對付她?！?

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.'

“你覺得孩子會高興認(rèn)識我嗎？”牧師有點兒不安地問，“小孩子常常都不太喜歡我，我甚至一直害怕小珍珠。”

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

“那可不太好?！焙账固鼗卮鹫f，“但是她會愛你的。我把她叫來。珍珠！珍珠！”

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.

孩子聽到了母親的呼喚。她一直在采花，把花插在頭發(fā)上和衣服上，她慢慢地穿過樹林向小河的另一邊走來。她走得很慢——因為看到了牧師。

They watched her coming.

他們看著她走過來。

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!'

“她頭上戴著那些花，真是漂亮得出奇。”赫斯特說，“她是一個奇妙的孩子！但我知道她的額頭像誰！”

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.'

“說這個真可怕，我常常擔(dān)心人們會認(rèn)出來她長得像我，然后猜出什么來?！倍∶匪勾鸂栂壬f，“不過她還是更像你！”

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.'

“別讓她看出什么不同尋常的地方?！焙账固卣f，“既不要太激動，也不要太熱情。她不會理解的，但是她會愛你的！”

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

這時珍珠已經(jīng)停在小河對岸，瞅著赫斯特和牧師。

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!'

“過來，寶貝兒！”赫斯特呼喚著，“你走得真慢！這是我的一個朋友，他很快也會是你的朋友了。從今以后，你要得到雙倍的愛了！快到我們這兒來！”

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.

珍珠仍然沒動。她那對野性、明亮的眼睛先看看母親，然后又看看牧師。接著她伸出手，指著母親的胸口。

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

“你這個怪孩子！”赫斯特說道，“為什么不到我身邊來呢？快點兒，否則我要生氣了?！?

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

孩子尖叫起來，手指仍然責(zé)備般地指向母親的胸前。

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

“我知道哪里不對勁了?！焙账固貙δ翈煹吐曊f，“她還想著那個我一直戴著的東西?！?

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

“如果你能讓她安靜下來的話，請快點兒吧！”丁梅斯代爾先生說。

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.'

赫斯特的臉又變得蒼白了，她轉(zhuǎn)身對著孩子?！罢渲椋彼齻牡卣f，“往你腳下瞧。就在那兒！在河這邊的岸上。”

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

那孩子四下環(huán)顧，看到紅字就在那里，緊挨水邊。

Bring it to me,' said Hester.

“把它揀回來！”赫斯特說。

Come and fetch it!' answered Pearl.

“你過來拾吧！”珍珠回答道。

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.'

“她對這標(biāo)記的看法是沒錯的?！焙账固貙δ翈熣f道，“我還得再戴些日子，直到我們離開這塊地方。這片森林還藏不住它，但大海可以把它吞沒。”

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.

她上前把紅字揀起來，重新別在胸前，接下來重新挽起了頭發(fā)，戴上帽子。當(dāng)她做這些事情時，似乎有一道灰色的陰影籠罩了她。她向珍珠伸出手去。

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

“現(xiàn)在你認(rèn)得媽媽了嗎，孩子？”她問，“現(xiàn)在你愿意到我這兒來嗎？”

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.

“是啊，現(xiàn)在我愿意了！”孩子回答，她跳過小溪。“這樣你才是我媽媽了！我也是你的小珍珠了！”她溫柔地扳過母親的額頭親了一下，接著又把那紅字吻了一下。

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

“這可不好！”赫斯特說，“你剛對我表示出一點點愛，然后卻要嘲弄我！”

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

“牧師干嘛坐在那兒？”珍珠問。

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?'

“他等著歡迎你呢?！焙账固鼗卮?，“他愛你，我的小珍珠，而且也愛媽媽。來??！你會愛他嗎？”

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?'

“他愛我們嗎？”珍珠說著，抬起眼睛瞅著母親的面孔。“他會跟我們手拉著手，三個人一起回鎮(zhèn)上去嗎？”

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?'

“這會兒還不成，我的乖孩子?！焙账固鼗卮鹫f，“但是很快他就會跟我們手拉著手一起走的。我們會有一個自己的家，你會坐在他的膝頭；而他會教給你許多事情，深深地愛你。你也會愛他的，不是嗎？”

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

“他還會一直用手捂著心口嗎？”珍珠問道。

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

“傻孩子！這算什么問題？”赫斯特說，“過來對他表示一下友好吧！”

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.

但珍珠做了個怪臉，極力想從母親的手里掙脫開。牧師在她的額頭上溫柔地親了一下。可珍珠立刻跑到小河邊上，一遍又一遍地洗起臉來，直到把那個不受歡迎的吻給完全洗凈。然后她便默默地望著赫斯特和牧師小聲交談，他們正為新生活做出種種安排。

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.

計劃很快就定好了。他們一致認(rèn)為舊大陸人煙稠密、城市林立，能為他們隱秘安靜的生活提供更好的機(jī)會。幸運的是，赫斯特剛好知道最近有一艘船從西班牙開來，不久就會駛往英國的布里斯托爾。

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

“我認(rèn)識這個船長?！彼f，“我可以秘密地安排你、我和小珍珠一起坐船去英格蘭。”

When does the ship leave?' asked Mr Dimmesdale.

“船什么時候離開？”丁梅斯代爾先生問。

Probably four days from today,' replied Hester.

“可能在四天后?！焙账固鼗卮?。

*　*　*

*　*　*

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!'

丁梅斯代爾先生匆忙地趕回城里，赫斯特和珍珠則返回她們的小茅屋。他一路考慮著這個計劃?！八奶鞎r間剛剛好。因為在三天后，我要在慶祝選舉的布道會上宣教，這也是我結(jié)束牧師生涯的最好方式。至少，他們不能說我沒有恪盡職守到最后一刻！”

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!'

在返回城鎮(zhèn)的路上，他變得越來越激動。在這種新奇的幸福感中，他看到的每樣?xùn)|西、甚至在街上遇到或擦肩而過的人都和原來不一樣了。他想對他們說：“我不是你們想象的那個人！我已經(jīng)把那個人留在樹林中了。”

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

接著他遇到了總督的姐姐希賓斯太太。她一反常態(tài)地攔住他說話。

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.

“啊，丁梅斯代爾先生，”她說，“您去樹林里散步了！您下次去的時候，請務(wù)必跟我打個招呼，我陪您去。我們會見到主人！”她說著就走過去了，留給牧師一個詭異的笑容。

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

“她為什么這樣對我說話？”他緊張地想?！半y道她看見了魔鬼在我靈魂上留下的黑暗印記？”

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.

回到住所，他松了一口氣，趕忙上樓躲進(jìn)書房。這兒有他的書籍、窗子、壁爐。他曾在這里寫作、研讀和祈禱。在桌上他的筆旁，擺著那篇尚未完成的布道詞，那是兩天前留下的。現(xiàn)在他看到的這一切都不同了，因為那是來自另外一個人的眼光——一個剛從樹林中返回的更明智的人。

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.

就在這個時候，傳來一記敲門聲。牧師大聲道：“請進(jìn)！”思忖著是不是來了惡魔。進(jìn)來的正是老羅杰·奇林沃思。牧師站在那里說不出話來，一只手捂住了心口。

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?'

“歡迎你回來，先生?！贬t(yī)生笑著說，“這次穿越樹林的旅行怎么樣？你看上去臉色蒼白！一兩天后就要舉行選舉的布道呢，我覺得你需要我?guī)兔?。你不這樣想嗎？”

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.'

“不，完全不必了。”丁梅斯代爾先生接口說，“我在書房里悶了太久，在新鮮空氣中多走走對我大有好處，謝謝，可我想我已經(jīng)不需要你的藥了，好心的醫(yī)生?！?

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.

牧師思忖著羅杰·奇林沃思是否知道自己同赫斯特·普林已經(jīng)見面談過了。他知道在牧師的心目中他已經(jīng)成了惡毒的敵人了嗎？也許現(xiàn)在醫(yī)生對這個病人所說的友好的話都有雙重含義。

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.'

“但是，我親愛的先生，我們必須竭盡所能使你身強(qiáng)力壯?！逼媪治炙颊f，“人們對你的期望很大呢，擔(dān)心明年一到，他們的牧師就會不在了。”

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.'

“是啊，到另一個世界去?！蹦翈煄е瘋卮鹫f，“但愿上帝保佑，那是個更好的世界，因為，我覺得我沒法跟教眾們一起度過下一年了！不過，謝謝你，先生，我現(xiàn)在不需要你的藥?！?

I am glad to hear it,' said Chillingworth.

“很高興聽你這么說?！逼媪治炙颊f。

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

“我由衷地感激你，我最盡心的朋友?！蹦翈熣f，“我只有用祈禱來報答你的善意?！?

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

“好人的祈禱如同黃金！”羅杰·奇林沃思一邊說著，一邊退出了房間。

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.

當(dāng)他走后，牧師就把尚未完成的選舉布道詞扔到一邊，坐下又重新寫了起來。他徹夜直書——有如神助。