For several days, Hester Prynne waited for a chance to speak privately with Mr Dimmesdale. She would not go to his house because she was afraid of meeting Roger Chillingworth. Then she heard that the priest had gone to visit a family a little distance away and would be returning the next afternoon, through the forest. ’Come, Pearl,’ she said the next day. ’We are going for a walk in the forest.’
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树木高而浓密,林中小径在灰色的天空下显得阴暗、狭窄。
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The trees were tall and close together, and the path through them was dark and narrow under a grey sky.
Mother,’ said little Pearl, ’the sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself because it is afraid of something on your bosom. But it will not run away from me, because I do not wear anything on my bosom yet.’
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“但愿你一辈子也别戴吧,我的孩子。”赫斯特说,“现在,快跑吧,去抓住阳光!”
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And never will, my child, I hope,’ said Hester. ’Now, run away and catch the sunshine.’
Pearl ran off, and Hester smiled when she saw that her child had found a circle of sunshine between the trees. But when Hester came near to it, Pearl said, ’It will go now.’
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赫斯特微笑着:“看,我可以伸出手来,抓住一些阳光,”可她刚把手伸进光圈,阳光就消失了。
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Hester smiled. ’Look, I can put out my hand and hold some of it.’ But when she put her hand into the circle, the sunshine disappeared.
He touched her hand, and his touch was as cold as death. They moved back into the shadows of the trees and sat down on a fallen branch. At first they spoke of the weather, the grey sky, the coming storm, but then the priest looked into Hester’s eyes.
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“你得到平静了吗?”他问。
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Have you found peace?’ he said.
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她伤感地笑了,低头望着自己的胸口。“你呢?”她问。
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She smiled sadly, and looked down at her bosom. ’Have you?’ she asked.
None! Nothing but misery!’ he answered. ’But what else could I expect? You wear your scarlet letter openly, on your bosom, Hester. Mine burns in secret! It is good, after these seven years, to talk to someone who knows the truth. If I had one friend—or even an enemy—whom I could talk to openly each day, then perhaps it would save me. But now it is all lies, all emptiness, all death!’
Hester Prynne looked into his face. ’You have the friend that you wish for; someone to cry with you over your sin. You have me, your partner in sin.’ She hesitated, then went on, ’And you have an enemy, and you live with him in the same house.’
Oh, Arthur!’ she cried. ’Forgive me! In all things except one, I have been true to you. But I agreed to keep a secret. I did it to save your position, Arthur, your work as a priest, here in the town. But I cannot keep the secret any more. I must tell you. The doctor—the old man they call Roger Chillingworth—he was my husband!’
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牧师看了她一会儿——露出一种阴郁凄厉的表情。他一下子跪在地上,用双手捂住了脸。
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The priest stared at her for a moment—a black, violent look on his face. Then he dropped down on to his knees and buried his face in his hands.
Why didn’t I guess it?’ he said quietly. ’Or perhaps I did! The horror in my heart when I first saw him, and when I see him now... Why didn’t I understand? Oh, Hester Prynne, you don’t know the horror and shame this news brings me! He has been secretly laughing at my sick and guilty heart. Woman, I cannot forgive you for this!’
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“你应当原谅我!”赫斯特叫道,“让上帝来惩罚我吧!你得原谅我!”
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You will forgive me!’ cried Hester. ’Let God punish me! You shall forgive me!’
She fell to her knees beside him, put her arms around him, and pulled his head against her bosom, not caring that his face rested on the scarlet letter. She could not allow him to hate her. ’For seven long years, all the world has blamed and hated me,’ she thought. ’But I shall die if this weak, sinful, unhappy man hates me too.’
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“你会原谅我吗?阿瑟?”她一遍一遍地问道,“别恨我!请原谅我!”
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Will you forgive me, Arthur?’ she repeated, again and again. ’Don’t hate me! Forgive me, please!’
I forgive you, Hester,’ the priest replied at last. His voice was sad, but not angry. ’May God forgive us both! We are not the worst sinners in the world. That old man’s revenge has been blacker than our sin, Hester!’
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“是的!”她低声说,“我们彼此相爱,彼此倾诉过。你忘记了吗?”
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Yes!’ she whispered. ’We loved one another, we told each other. Have you forgotten it?’
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“嘘!赫斯特。”阿瑟·丁梅斯代尔说,他从地上站起来。“不,我没有忘记!”
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Shh! Hester,’ said Arthur Dimmesdale, getting up from the ground. ’No, I have not forgotten!’
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他们一起坐在树干上,互相拉着手。周围的树木朦胧一片,枝桠在风中摇曳作响。
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They sat down on the tree branch, holding each other’s hands. Around them, the trees were dark, and the branches moved noisily in the wind.
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“罗杰·奇林沃思现在会做什么呢?”牧师问道,“他还肯继续保守我们的秘密吗?”
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What will Roger Chillingworth do now?’ asked the priest. ’Will he continue to keep our secret?’
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“他天性行事诡秘,我猜他会保密的。”赫斯特说,“但是他肯定会寻找其他方式进行报复。”
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He has a secret nature, and I think he will,’ said Hester. ’But he will doubtless find other ways to take his revenge.’
And me! How can I live in the same house, breathing the same air with this deadly enemy?’ said Mr Dimmesdale, his hand over his heart again. ’Think for me, Hester! You are strong! Tell me what to do!’
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“你一定要离开这个邪恶的人。”赫斯特说。
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You must not stay with this evil man,’ said Hester.
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“但是我能去哪里呢?我不能逃避上帝的监督。”他说。
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But where can I go? I cannot hide from God,’ he said.
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“上帝会怜悯你的,”赫斯特接口说,“只要你足够坚强,能好好利用这个机会。”
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God will show mercy,’ replied Hester, ’if you are strong enough to take advantage of it.’
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“为我坚强起来吧!”他回答说,“告诉我该怎么办。”
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Be strong for me!’ he answered. ’Advise me what to do.’
Is the world so small, then?’ said Hester, looking into his eyes. ’Is there nothing beyond this little town? Walk a few miles from here, and the yellow leaves will show no sign of a white man’s feet. There you can be free! A short journey will take you from a world where you have been miserable, to one where you may still be happy! Then there is the sea. It brought you here, and if you choose, it can take you back again. Perhaps to London, or to Germany, or France, or pleasant Italy. You’ll be beyond Roger Chillingworth there.’
I can’t do it!’ answered the priest. ’I cannot walk away and leave my work. Although my own soul is lost, I must do what I can for the other human souls in my care.’
After seven years of misery, you must leave it all behind you!’ said Hester, with passion in her voice. ’Begin again. There is happiness to be enjoyed, there is good to be done. Change this false life for a true one! Teach, write! Work among the Indians! Do anything, except lie down and die! Why wait another day in this place? Go now!’