英文名著精选阅读：《红字》第十九章(下)

　　Chapter 19 THE CHILD AT THE BROOK-SIDE

　　第十九章　溪边的孩子

　　"Hasten, Pearl; or I shall be angry with thee!" cried Hester Prynne, who, however inuredto such behaviour on the elf-child's part at other seasons, was naturally anxious for a more seemly deportmentnow. "Leap across the brook, naughty child, and run hither! Else I must come to thee!"

　　“快点，珠儿;要不我可要跟你生气了!”海丝特·白兰嚷道，她平时尽管已经熟习了这小精灵似的孩子的这种举止，但此时自然巴不得她能表现得更懂规矩些。“跳过小溪来，顽皮的孩子，跑过来!要不我就过去了!”

　　But Pearl, not a whit startled at her mother's threats, any more than mollified by her entreaties, now suddenly burst into a fit of passion, gesticulatingviolently, and throwing her small figure into the most extravagantcontortions. She accompanied this wild outbreak with piercing shrieks, which the woods reverberatedon all sides; so that, alone as she was in her childish and unreasonable wrath, it seemed as if a hidden multitude were lending her their sympathy and encouragement. Seen in the brook, once more, was the shadowy wraith of Pearl's image, crowned and girdledwith flowers, but stamping its foot, wildly gesticulating, and, in the midst of all, still pointing its small forefinger at Hester's bosom!

　　珠儿刚才对她母亲的请求无动于衷，此时对母亲的吓唬也毫不惊惶;却突然大发脾气，做出激烈的姿态，把她小小的身躯弄得七扭八歪。她一边这样狂暴地扭动着，一边厉声尖叫，震得四下的树木一起回响;因此，虽说她只是独自一人毫无道理地大发小孩脾气，却象是有一群不露面的人在同情地绘她助威。此时在小溪中又一次看到殊儿温怒的身影：头戴花冠，腰缠花带，脚下使劲地跺着，身子狂暴地扭着，同时那小小的食指也始终指着海丝特的胸口!

　　"I see what ailsthe child," whispered Hester to the clergyman, and turning pale in spite of a strong effort to conceal her trouble and annoyance. "Children will not abideany, the slightest, change in the accustomed aspect of things that are daily before their eyes. Pearl misses something which she has always seen me wear!"

　　“我明白这孩子是怎么回事了，”海丝特对牧师低声说着，由于强按心中的忧烦而变得面色苍白。“孩子们对于每日在眼前司空见惯的东西容不得有丝毫改变。珠儿是看不见我不离身地佩戴的东西了!”

　　"I pray you," answered the minister, "if thou hast any means of pacifyingthe child, do it forthwith! Save it were the cankeredwrath of an old witch, like Mistress Hibbins," added he, attempting to smile, "I know nothing that I would not sooner encounter than this passion in a child. In Pearl's young beauty, as in the wrinkled witch, it has a preternaturaleffect. Pacify her, if thou lovest me!"

　　“我恳求你了，”牧师回答说，“如果你有什么办法能让这孩子安静下来，赶紧拿出来吧!除去象西宾斯太太那样的老妖婆发疯式的愤怒，”他强笑着补充说，“再没有比看到这孩子发脾气更让人不情愿的了。在年幼、美丽的珠儿身上，和那满脸皱纹的老妖婆一样，准有一种超自然的力量。要是你爱我，就让她安静下来吧!”

　　Hester turned again towards Pearl, with a crimsonblushupon her cheek, a conscious glance aside at the clergyman, and then a heavy sigh; while, even before she had time to speak, the blush yielded to a deadly pallor.

　　海丝特又转向珠儿，这时她脸上泛起红潮，故意斜睨了牧师一眼，然后重重地叹了口气;但她还没来得及开口，红潮就褪成死一般的苍白了。

　　"Pearl," said she sadly, "look down at thy feet! There- before thee!- the hither side of the brook!"

　　“珠儿，”她伤心地说，“往你脚下瞧!就在那儿!——在你跟前!——在小溪的这边岸上!”