紅字-the scarlet letter(英文版)

第33部分 (第2/7頁)

ardon　me！〃 〃Thou　wilt　go！〃　said　Hester　calmly；　as　he　met　her　glance。 The　decision　once　made；　a　glow　of　strange　enjoyment　threw　itsflickering　brightness　over　the　trouble　of　his　breast。　It　was　theexhilarating　effect…　upon　a　prisoner　just　escaped　from　the　dungeonof　his　own　heart…　of　breathing　the　wild；　free　atmosphere　of　anunredeemed；　unchristianised；　lawless　region。　His　spirit　rose；　as　itwere；　with　a　bound；　and　attained　a　nearer　prospect　of　the　sky；　thanthroughout　all　the　misery　which　had　kept　him　grovelling　on　theearth。　Of　a　deeply　religious　temperament；　there　was　inevitably　a　tingeof　the　devotional　in　his　mind。 〃Do　I　feel　joy　again？〃　cried　he；　wondering　at　himself。　〃Methoughtthe　germ　of　it　was　dead　in　me！　O　Hester；　thou　art　my　better　angel！　Iseem　to　have　flung　myself…　sick；　sin…stained；　and　sorrow…blackened…down　upon　these　forest…leaves；　and　to　have　risen　up　all　made　anew；　andwith　new　powers　to　glorify　Him　that　hath　been　merciful！　This　isalready　the　better　life！　Why　did　we　not　find　it　sooner？〃 〃Let　us　not　look　back；〃　answered　Hester　Prynne。　〃the　past　is　gone！Wherefore　should　we　linger　upon　it　now？　See！　With　this　symbol；　Iundo　it　all；　and　make　it　as　it　had　never　been！〃 So　speaking；　she　undid　the　clasp　that　fastened　the　scarlet　letter；and；　taking　it　from　her　bosom；　threw　it　to　a　distance　among　thewithered　leaves。　The　mystic　token　alighted　on　the　hither　verge　ofthe　stream。　With　a　hand's　breadth　farther　flight　it　would　havefallen　into　the　water；　and　have　given　the　little　brook　another　woeto　carry　onward；　besides　the　unintelligible　tale　which　it　still　keptmurmuring　about。　But　there　lay　the　embroidered　letter；　glittering　likea　lost　jewel；　which　some　ill…fated　wanderer　might　pick　up；　andthenceforth　be　haunted　by　strange　phantoms　of　guilt；　sinkings　of　theheart；　and　unaccou