英文名著精选阅读：《红字》第十二章(下)

　　Chapter 12 THE MINISTER'S VIGIL

　　第十二章　牧师的夜游

　　There was a singular circumstance that characterised Mr. Dimmesdale's psychologicalstate at this moment. All the time that he gazed upward to the zenith, he was, nevertheless, perfectly aware that little Pearl was pointing her finger towards old Roger Chillingworth, who stood at no great distance from the scaffold. The minister appeared to see him, with the same glance that discerned the miraculousletter. To his features, as to all other objects, the meteoriclight imparted a new expression; or it might well be that the physician was not careful then, as at all other times, to hide the malevolencewith which he looked upon his victim. Certainly, if the meteorkindled up the sky, and disclosed the earth, with an awfulness that admonishedHester Prynne and the clergyman of the day of judgment, then might Roger Chillingworth have passed with them for the arch-fiend, standing there with a smile and scowl, to claim his own. So vivid was the expression, or so intense the minister's perceptionof it, that it seemed still to remain painted on the darkness, after the meteor had vanished, with an effect as if the street and all things else were at once annihilated.

　　当时还有一个特殊的细节可以说明了梅斯代尔先生的心理状态。在仰望天顶的整个过程中，他始终非常清楚，小珠儿在指着站得离刑台不远的老罗杰·齐灵渥斯。牧师似乎用辨出那神奇字母的同样目光，也看见了他。流星的亮光，如同对一切其它物体一样，也给予他的容貌一种崭新的表情;也可能是，医生当时没有象乎素那样小心地掩饰他看着自己的牺牲品时的那种恶毒样子。诚然，如果那流星照亮了天空，显现了大地，并以末日审判来威胁海丝特·白兰和牧师的话，那么，罗杰·齐灵渥斯就可以看作是魔王，他怒目狞笑地站在那里，等候着来认领他们。他的表情如此真切，或者说，牧师对其感觉是那么强烈，直到那流星殒落、街道及一切其它东西都立即湮灭之后，依然如画般地保持在黑暗中。

　　"Who is that man, Hester?" gasped Mr. Dimmesdale, overcome with terror. "I shiverat him! Dost thou know the man? I hate him, Hester!"

　　“那人是谁，海丝特?”丁梅斯代尔先生心惊胆战地喘着气说。“我一见他就发抖!你认识那人吗?我恨他，海丝特!”

　　She remembered her oath, and was silent.

　　她记起了她的誓言，便默不作声。

　　"I tell thee, my soul shivers at him!" muttered the minister again. "Who is he? Who is he? Canst thou do nothing for me? I have a nameless horror of the man!"

　　“我告诉你，一见到他，我的灵魂就发抖!”牧师又嗫嚅着说。“他是谁?他是谁?你不能帮我一下吗?我对那人有一种无名的恐惧!”

　　"Minister," said little Pearl, "I can tell thee who he is!"

　　“牧师，”小珠儿说，“我能告诉你他是谁!”

　　"Quickly, then, child!" said the minister, bending his ear close to her lips. "Quickly!- and as low as thou canst whisper."

　　“那就快说吧，孩子!”牧师说着，弯腰把耳朵凑近她的嘴唇。“快说吧!——悄悄地，尽量小声点。”