【经典名著阅读】《红字》第十二章（下）

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        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 psychological state 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 miraculous letter. To his features, as to all other objects, the meteoric light imparted a new expression; or it might well be that the physician was not careful then, as at all other times, to hide the malevolence with which he looked upon his victim. Certainly, if the meteor kindled up the sky, and disclosed the earth, with an awfulness that admonished Hester 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 perception of 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 shiver at 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。”

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        Pearl mumbled something into his ear, that sounded, indeed, like human language, but was only such gibberish as children may be heard amusing themselves with, by the hour together. At all events, if it involved any secret information in regard to old Roger Chillingworth, it was in a tongue unknown to the erudite clergyman, and did but increase the bewilderment of his mind. The elvish child then laughed aloud.珠儿在他耳边嘀咕了几句，听着倒真象说话，其实只是儿童们在一起玩的时候所发的莫名其妙的音符。无论如何，即使其中包含着有关老罗杰·齐灵握斯的秘密信息，也是博学的牧师所不懂的，只能徒增他的困惑面已。接着那小精灵似的孩子笑出了声。
        "Dost thou mock me now?" said the minister.“你在拿我开心吗？”牧师说。
        "Thou wast not bold!- thou wast not true!" answered the child. "Thou wouldst not promise to take my hand, and mother's hand, to-morrow noontide!"“你胆小！——你不老实！”那孩子回答说。“你不愿意答应明天中午拉着我和妈妈的手！”
        "Worthy sir," answered the physician, who had now advanced to the foot of the platform. "Pious Master Dimmesdale! can this be you? Well, well, indeed! We men of study, whose heads are in our books, have need to be straitly looked after! We dream in our waking moments, and walk in our sleep. Come, good sir, and my dear friend, I pray you, let me lead you home!"“尊贵的先生，”医生一边应声说，一边走到平台脚下。“虔诚的丁梅斯代尔牧师，难道当真是你吗？哎哟哟，果然是的！我们这些作学问的人，就知埋头书本，确实需要好好照看！我们会醒着作梦，睡着走路的。来吧，好先生，我的亲爱的朋友，我请求你啦，让我带你回家吧！”
        "How knewest thou that I was here?" asked the minister fearfully.“你怎么会知道我在这儿呢？”牧师惊惧地问。
        "Verily, and in good faith," answered Roger Chillingworth, "I knew nothing of the matter. I had spent the better part of the night at the bedside of the worshipful Governor Winthrop, doing what my poor skill might to give him ease. He going home to a better world, I, likewise, was on my way homeward, when this strange light shone out. Come with me, I beseech you, reverend sir; else you will be poorly able to do Sabbath duty to-morrow. Aha! see now, how they trouble the brain- these books!- these books! You should study less, good sir, and take a little pastime; or these night-whimseys will grow upon you."“说真的，我讲的是实话，”罗杰·齐灵渥斯回答，“我对此一无所知。’我在那令人崇敬的温斯洛普总督的床边呆了大半夜，尽拙技之能为他减轻痛苦。他现正返回他美好世界的家，我呢，也在回家的路上，就在这时闪出了那道奇怪的光。跟我走吧，我求求你，可敬的先生；不然的话，明天安息日你就没法尽好责任了。啊哈！瞧啊，这些书本多么烦人啊——这些书本！——这些书本！你要少读点书，好先生，想法散散心；否则，这夜游症在你身上会越来越重的。”
        "I will go home with you," said Mr. Dimmesdale.“我就跟你一起回家吧，”丁梅斯代尔先生说。