波波小说

第17部分（第1页）

ly　mixed　up　with　the　deliberations　of　legislatorsand　acts　of　state。　The　period　was　hardly；　if　at　all；　earlier　than　thatof　our　story；　when　a　dispute　concerning　the　right　of　property　in　apig；　not　only　caused　a　fierce　and　bitter　contest　in　the　legislativebody　of　the　colony；　but　resulted　in　an　important　modification　of　theframework　itself　of　the　legislature。　　Full　of　concern；　therefore…　but　so　conscious　of　her　own　right　thatit　seemed　scarcely　an　unequal　match　between　the　public；　on　the　oneside；　and　a　lonely　woman；　backed　by　the　sympathies　of　nature；　on　theother…　Hester　Prynne　set　forth　from　her　solitary　cottage。　LittlePearl；　of　course；　was　her　panion。　She　was　now　of　an　age　to　runlightly　along　by　her　mothers　side；　and；　constantly　in　motion；　frommorn　till　sunset；　could　have　acplished　a　much　longer　journey　thanthat　before　her。　Often；　nevertheless；　more　from　caprice　thannecessity；　she　demanded　to　be　taken　up　in　arms；　but　was　soon　asimperious　to　be　set　down　again；　and　frisked　onward　before　Hester　onthe　grassy　pathway；　with　many　a　harmless　trip　and　tumble。　We　havespoken　of　Pearls　rich　and　luxuriant　beauty；　a　beauty　that　shonewith　deep　and　vivid　tints；　a　bright　plexion；　eyes　possessingintensity　both　of　depth　and　glow；　and　hair　already　of　a　deep；　glossybrown；　and　which；　in　after　years；　would　be　nearly　akin　to　black。　Therewas　fire　in　her　and　throughout　her；　she　seemed　the　unpremeditatedoffshoot　of　a　passionate　moment。　Her　mother；　in　contriving　the　childsgarb；　had　allowed　the　gorgeous　tendencies　of　her　imagination　theirfull　play；　arraying　her　in　a　crimson　velvet　tunic；　of　a　peculiarcut；　abundantly　embroidered　with　fantasies　and　flourishes　of　goldthread。　So　much　strength　of　colouring；　which　must　have　given　a　wan　andpallid　aspect　to　cheeks　of　a　fainter　bloom；　was　admirably　adapted　toPearls　beauty；　and　made　her　the　very　brightest　little　jet　of　flamethat　ever　danced　upon　the　earth。　　But　it　was　a　remarkable　attribute　of　this　garb；　and；　indeed；　ofthe　childs　whole　appearance；　that　it　irresistibly　and　inevitablyreminded　the　beholder　of　the　token　which　Hester　Prynne　was　doomed　towear　upon　her　bosom。　It　was　the　scarlet　letter　in　another　form；　thescarlet　letter　endowed　with　life！　The　mother　herself…　as　if　the　redignominy　were　so　deeply　scorched　into　her　brain　that　all　herconceptions　assumed　its　form…　had　carefully　wrought　out　thesimilitude；　lavishing　many　hours　of　morbid　ingenuity；　to　create　ananalogy　between　the　object　of　her　affection　and　the　emblem　of　herguilt　and　torture。　But；　in　truth；　Pearl　was　the　one；　as　well　as　theother；　and　only　in　consequence　of　that　identity　had　Hester　contrivedso　perfectly　to　represent　the　scarlet　letter　in　her　appearance。　　As　the　two　wayfarers　came　within　the　precincts　of　the　town；　thechildren　of　the　Puritans　looked　up　from　their　play…　or　what　passed　forplay　with　those　sombre　little　urchins…　and　spake　gravely　one　toanother…　　〃Behold；　verily；　there　is　the　woman　of　the　scarlet　letter；　and；　of　atruth；　moreover；　there　is　the　likeness　of　the　scarlet　letter　runningalong　by　her　side！　e；　therefore；　and　let　us　fling　mud　at　them！〃　　But　Pearl；　who　was　a　dauntless　child；　after　frowning；　stamping　herfoot；　and　shaking　her　little　hand　with　a　variety　of　threateninggestures；　suddenly　made　a　rush　at　the　knot　of　her　enemies；　and　putthem　all　to　flight。　She　resembled；　in　her　fierce　pursuit　of　them；　aninfant　pestilence…　the　scarlet　fever；　or　some　such　half…fledgedangel　of　judgment…　whose　mission　was　to　punish　the　sins　of　therising　generation。　She　screamed　and　shouted；　too；　with　a　terrificvolume　of　sound；　which；　doubtless；　caused　the　hearts　of　thefugitives　to　quake　within　them。　The　victory　acplished；　Pearlreturned　quietly　to　her　mother；　and　looked　up；　smiling；　into　her　face。　　Without　further　adventure；　they　reached　the　dwelling　of　GovernorBellingham。　This　was　a　large　wooden　house；　built　in　a　fashion　of　whichthere　are　specimens　still　extant　in　the　streets　of　our　elder　towns；now　moss…grown；　crumbling　to　decay；　and　melancholy　at　heart　with　themany　sorrowful　or　joyful　occurrences；　remembered　or　forgotten；　thathave　happened；　and　passed　away；　within　their　dusky　chambers。　Then；however；　there　was　the　freshness　of　the　passing　year　on　itsexterior；　and　the　cheerfulness；　gleaming　forth　from　the　sunny　windows；of　a　human　habitation；　into　which　death　had　never　entered。　It　had；indeed；　a　very　cheery　aspect；　the　walls　being　overspread　with　a　kindof　stucco；　in　which　fragments　of　broken　glass　were　intermixed；　sothat；　when　the　sunshine　fell　aslant…wise　over　the　front　of　theedifice；　it　glittered　and　sparkled　as　if　diamonds　had　been　flungagainst　it　by　the　double　handful。　The　brilliancy　might　have　befittedAladdins　palace；　rather　than　the　mansion　of　a　grave　old　Puritanruler。　It　was　further　decorated　with　strange　and　seeminglycabalistic　figures　and　diagrams；　suitable　to　the　quaint　taste　of　theage；　which　had　been　drawn　in　the　stucco　when　newly　laid　on；　and　hadnow　grown　hard　and　durable；　for　the　admiration　of　after　times。　　Pearl；　looking　at　this　bright　wonder　of　a　house；　began　to　caperand　dance；　and　imperatively　required　that　the　whole　breadth　ofsunshine　should　be　stripped　off　its　front；　and　given　her　to　play　with。　　〃No；　my　little　Pearl！〃　said　her　mother。　〃Thou　must　gather　thineown　sunshine。　I　have　none　to　give　thee！〃　　They　approached　the　door；　which　was　of　an　arched　form；　and　flankedon　each　side　by　a　narrow　tower　or　projection　of　the　edifice；　in　bothof　which　were　lattice…windows；　with　wooden　shutters　to　close　over　themat　need。　Lifting　the　iron　hammer　that　hung　at　the　portal；　HesterPrynne　gave　a　summons；　which　was　answered　by　one　of　the　Governorsbond…servants；　a　free…born　Englishman；　but　now　a　seven　years　slave。During　that　term　he　was　to　be　the　property　of　his　master；　and　asmuch　a　modity　of　bargain　and　sale　as　an　ox；　or　a　joint…stool。　Theserf　wore　the　blue　coat；　which　was　the　customary　garb　of　serving…menat　that　period；　and　long　before；　in　the　old　hereditary　halls　ofEngland。　　〃Is　the　worshipful　Governor　Bellingham　within？〃　inquired　Hester。　　〃Yea；　forsooth；〃　replied　the　bond…servant；　staring　with　wide…openeyes　at　the　scarlet　letter；　which；　being　a　new…er　in　the　country；he　had　never　before　seen。　〃Yea；　his　honourable　worship　is　within。But　he　hath　a　godly　minister　or　two　with　him；　and　likewise　a　leech。　Yemay　not　see　his　worship　now。〃　　〃Nevertheless；　I　will　enter；〃　answered　Hester　Prynne；　and　thebond…servant；　perhaps　judging　from　the　decision　of　her　air；　and　theglittering　symbol　in　her　bosom；　that　she　was　a　great　lady　in　the　land；offered　no　opposition。　　So　the　mother　and　little　Pearl　were　admitted　into　the　hall　ofentrance。　With　many　variations；　suggested　by　the　nature　of　hisbuilding…materials；　diversity　of　climate；　and　a　different　mode　ofsocial　life；　Governor　Bellingham　had　planned　his　new　habitationafter　the　residences　of　gentlemen　of　fair　estate　in　his　native　land。Here；　then；　was　a　wide　and　reasonably　lofty　hall；　extending　throughthe　whole　depth　of　the　house　and　forming　a　medium　of　generalmunication；　more　or　less　directly；　with　all　the　other　apartments。At　one　extremity；　this　spacious　room　was　lighted　by　the　windows　of　thetwo　towers；　which　formed　a　small　recess　on　either　side　of　theportal。　At　the　other　end；　though　partly　muffled　by　a　curtain；　it　wasmore　powerfully　illuminated　by　one　of　those　embowed　hall…windows　whichwe　read　of　in　old　books；　and　which　was　provided　with　a　keep　andcushioned　seat。　Here；　on　the　cushion；　lay　a　folio　tome；　probably　ofthe　Chronicles　of　England；　or　other　such　substantial　literature；even　as；　in　our　own　days；　we　scatter　gilded　volumes　on　thecentre…table；　to　be　turned　over　by　the　casual　guest。　The　furnitureof　the　hall　consisted　of　some　ponderous　chairs；　the　backs　of　whichwere　elaborately　carved　with　wreaths　of　oaken　flowers；　and　likewisea　table　in　the　same　taste；　the　whole　being　of　the　Elizabethan　age；or　perhaps　earlier；　and　heirlooms；　transferred　hither　from　theGovernors　paternal　home。　On　the　table…　in　token　that　the　sentiment　ofold　English　hospitality　had　not　been　left　behind…　stood　a　large　pewtertankard；　at　the　bottom　of　which；　had　Hester　or　Pearl　peeped　into　it；they　might　have　seen　the　frothy　remnant　of　a　recent　draught　of　ale。　　On　the　wall　hung　a　row　of　portraits；　representing　the　forefathers　ofthe　Bellingham　lineage；　some　with　armour　on　their　breasts；　andothers　with　stately　ruffs　and　robes　of　peace。　All　were　characterisedby　the　sternness　and　severity　which　old　portraits　so　invariably　puton；　as　if　they　were　the　ghosts；　rather　than　the　pictures；　ofdeparted　worthies；　and　were　gazing　with　harsh　and　intolerant　criticismat　the　pursuits　and　enjoyments　of　living　men。　　At　about　the　centre　of　the　oaken　panels；　that　lined　the　hall；　wassuspended　a　suit　of　mail；　not；　like　the　pictures；　an　ancestralrelic；　but　of　the　most　modern　date；　for　it　had　been　manufactured　bya　skilful　armourer　in　London；　the　same　year　in　which　GovernorBellingham　came　over　to　New　England。　There　was　a　steel　headpiece；　acuirass；　a　gorget；　and　greaves；　with　a　pair　of　gauntlets　and　a　swordhanging　beneath；　all；　and　especially　the　helmet　and　breastplate；　sohighly　burnished　as　to　glow　with　white　radiance；　and　scatter　anillumination　everywhere　about　upon　the　floor。　This　bright　panoplywas　not　meant　for　mere　idle　show；　but　had　been　worn　by　the　Governor　onmany　a　solemn　muster　and　training　field；　and　had　glittered；moreover；　at　the　head　of　a　regiment　in　the　Pequod　war。　For；　thoughbred　a　lawyer；　and　accustomed　to　speak　of　Bacon；　Coke；　Noye；　andFinch；　as　his　professional　associates；　the　exigencies　of　this　newcountry　had　transformed　Governor　Bellingham　into　a　soldier；　as　well　asa　statesman　and　ruler。　　Little　Pearl…　who　was　as　greatly　pleased　with　the　gleaming　armour　asshe　had　been　with　the　glittering　frontispiece　of　the　house…　spent　sometime　looking　into　the　polished　mirror　of　the　breastplate。　　〃Mother；〃　cried　she；　〃I　see　you　here。　Look！　Look！〃　　Hester　looked；　by　way　of　humouring　the　child；　and　she　saw　that；owing　to　the　peculiar　effect　of　this　convex　mirror；　the　scarlet　letterwas　represented　in　exaggerated　and　gigantic　proportions；　so　as　to　begreatly　the　most　prominent　feature　of　her　appearance。　In　truth；　sheseemed　absolutely　hidden　behind　it。　Pearl　pointed　upward；　also；　at　asimilar　picture　in　the　head…piece；　smiling　at　her　mother；　with　theelfish　intelligence　that　was　so　familiar　an　expression　on　her　smallphysiognomy。　That　look　of　naughty　merriment　was　likewise　reflectedin　the　mirror；　with　so　much　breadth　and　intensity　of　effect；　that　itmade　Hester　Prynne　feel　as　if　it　could　not　be　the　image　of　her　ownchild；　but　of　an　imp　who　was　seeking　to　mould　itself　into　Pearlsshape。　　〃e　along；　Pearl；〃　said　she；　drawing　her　away。　〃e　and　look　intothis　fair　garden。　It　may　be；　we　shall　see　flowers　there；　morebeautiful　ones　than　we　find　in　the　woods。〃　　Pearl；　accordingly；　ran　to　the　bow…window；　at　the　farther　end　of　thehall；　and　looked　along　the　vista　of　a　garden…walk；　carpeted　withclosely　shaven　grass；　and　bordered　with　some　rude　and　immature　attemptat　shrubbery。　But　the　proprietor　appeared　already　to　haverelinquished；　as　hopeless；　the　effort　to　perpetuate　on　this　side　ofthe　Atlantic；　in　a　hard　soil　and　amid　the　close　struggle　forsubsistence；　the　native　English　taste　for　ornamental　gardening。Cabbages　grew　in　plain　sight；　and　a　pumpkin　vine；　rooted　at　somedistance；　had　run　across　the　intervening　space；　and　deposited　one　ofits　giga

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