紅字-the scarlet letter(英文版)

第40部分 (第6/7頁)

easuredtramp　of　the　military　escort；　issuing　from　the　church…door。　Theprocession　was　to　be　marshalled　thence　to　the　town…hall；　plete　the　ceremonies　of　the　day。 Once　more；　therefore；　the　train　of　venerable　and　majestic　fatherswas　seen　moving　through　a　broad　pathway　of　the　people；　who　drew　backreverently；　on　either　side；　as　the　Governor　and　magistrates；　the　oldand　wise　men；　the　holy　ministers；　and　all　that　were　eminent　andrenowned；　advanced　into　the　midst　of　them。　When　they　were　fairly　inthe　market…place；　their　presence　was　greeted　by　a　shout。　This…though　doubtless　it　might　acquire　additional　force　and　volume　from　thechild…　like　loyalty　which　the　age　awarded　to　its　rulers…　was　felt　tobe　an　irrepressible　outburst　of　enthusiasm　kindled　in　the　auditorsby　that　high　strain　of　eloquence　which　was　yet　reverberating　intheir　ears。　Each　felt　the　impulse　in　himself；　and；　in　the　same　breath；caught　it　from　his　neighbour。　Within　the　church；　it　had　hardly　beenkept　down；　beneath　the　sky；　it　pealed　upward　to　the　zenith。　There　werehuman　beings　enough；　and　enough　of　highly　wrought　and　symphoniousfeeling；　to　produce　that　more　impressive　sound　than　the　organ　tones　ofthe　blast；　or　the　thunder；　or　the　roar　of　the　sea；　even　that　mightyswell　of　many　voices；　blended　into　one　great　voice　by　the　universalimpulse　which　makes　likewise　one　vast　heart　out　of　the　many。　Never；from　the　soil　of　New　England；　had　gone　up　such　a　shout！　Never；　onNew　England　soil；　had　stood　the　man　so　honoured　by　his　mortal　brethrenas　the　preacher！ How　fared　it　with　him　then？　Were　there　not　the　brilliant　particlesof　a　halo　in　the　air　about　his　head！　So　etherealised　by　spirit　as　hewas；　and　so　apotheosised　by　worshipping　admirers；　did　his　footsteps；in　the　procession；　really　tread　upon　the　dust　of　earth？ As　the　ranks　of　military