英文名著精选阅读：《红字》第十七章(下)

　　Chapter 17 THE PASTOR AND HIS PARISHIONER

　　第十七章　教长和教民

　　He started at a thought that suddenly occurred to him.

　　他为突然闪现的一个念头而惊跳起来。

　　"Hester," cried he, "here is a new horror! Roger Chillingworth knows your purpose to reveal his true character. Will he continue, then, to keep our secret? What will now be the course of his revenge?"

　　“海丝特，”他叫道，“如今又有了一种新的可怕之处!罗杰·齐灵渥斯既然知道了你有意要揭示他的真实身份，那么，他还肯继续保持我们的秘密吗?今后他将采取什么途径来复仇呢?”

　　"There is a strange secrecy in his nature," replied Hester thoughtfully"and it has grown upon him by the hidden practices of his revenge. I deemit not likely that he will betraythe secret. He will doubtless seek other means of satiatinghis dark passion."

　　“他生性喜欢诡秘从事，”海丝特沉思着回答说;“而且这一秉性已经随着他悄悄行使他的复仇计划而益发牢固了。我认为他大概不会泄露这个秘密。他肯定会谋求另外的手段来满足他那不可告人的感情。”

　　"And I!- how am I to live longer, breathing the same air with this deadly enemy?" exclaimed Arthur Dimmesdale, shrinkingwithin himself, and pressing his hand nervouslyagainst his heart- a gesture that had grown involuntarywith him. "Think for me, Hester! Thou art strong. Resolve for me!"

　　“可是我啊!——同这样一个死对头呼吸同一处的空气，我又怎么能够活得长久呢?”阿瑟·丁梅斯代尔惊呼着，心里一沉，神经质地用手去捂住心口——他的这种姿势已经变得不由自主了。“为我想一想吧，海丝特!你是坚强的。替我想个办法吧!”

　　"Thou must dwellno longer with this man," said Hester, slowly and firmly. "Thy heart must be no longer under his evil eye!"

　　“你不能继续跟他住在一起了，”海丝特说，语气徐缓而坚定。“你的心再也不能处于他那双邪恶的眼睛的监视之下了!

　　"It were far worse than death!" replied the minister. "But how to avoid it? What choice remains to me? Shall I lie down again on these witheredleaves, where I castmyself when thou didst tell me what he was? Must I sink down there, and die at once?"

　　“这可比死还要糟糕得多!”牧师应道。“但是怎么来避免呢?我还有什么选择呢?你刚才告诉我他是什么人时，我就一屁股坐在了这些枯叶上，可是我还要倒在这里吗?我应该沉沦于此，并且马上死掉吗?”

　　"Alas, what a ruin has befallenthee!" said Hester, with the tears, gushinginto her eyes. "Wilt thou die for very weakness? There is no other cause!"

　　“天啊!你已经给毁成什么样子啦!”海丝特说着，泪水涌进了她的眼睛。“你难道就因为软弱而要死吗?此外再没有别的原因了!”

　　"The judgment of God is on me," answered the conscience-strickenpriest. "It is too mighty for me to struggle with!"

　　“上帝的裁判正落在我身上，”那位受到良心震撼的牧师回答说。“那力量太强大，我挣扎不动了!”