Chapter 22 THE PROCESSION
第二十二章　游行

"Now, what mortal imagination could conceive it!" whispered the old lady, confidentially, to Hester. "Yonder divine man! That saint on earth, as the people uphold him to be, and as- I must needs say- he really looks! Who, now, that saw him pass in the procession, would think how little while it is since he went forth out of his study- chewing a Hebrew text of Scripture in his mouth, I warrant- to take an airing in the forest! Aha! we know what that means, Hester Prynne! But, truly, forsooth, I find it hard to believe him the same man. Many a church-member saw I, walking behind the music, that has danced in the same measure with me, when Somebody was fiddler, and, it might be, an Indian powwow or a Lapland wizard changing hands with us! That is but a trifle, when a woman knows the world. But this minister! Couldst thou surely tell, Hester, whether he was the same man that encountered thee on the forest-path?"
“瞧啊，這些凡夫俗子是絕對(duì)想象不出的！”那老太婆對(duì)海絲特耳語著悄悄話。“瞧那神圣的人！人們都把他看作世間的圣者，而且連我都得說，他的樣子真象極了！眼睜睜看著他在游行隊(duì)伍中走過的人們，誰會(huì)想得到，就在不久之前，他還走出他的書齋，——我擔(dān)保，他嘴里還念念有詞地誦著希伯來文的《圣經(jīng)》，——到森林中去逍遙呢！啊哈！我們清楚那意味著什么，海絲特·白蘭！不過，說老實(shí)話，我簡直不敢相信他就是那同一個(gè)人呢。我看見這么多教堂里的人跟在樂隊(duì)后面游行，他們都曾隨著我踏著同樣的舞步，由某個(gè)人物演奏著提琴，或許，還有一個(gè)印第安人的祭司或拉普蘭人③的法師同我們牽著手呢！只要一個(gè)女人看透了這個(gè)世界，這原本是小事一樁。但這個(gè)人可是牧師啊！海絲特，你說得準(zhǔn)他是不是在林間小路上和你相遇的那同一個(gè)人呢？”

"Madam, I know not of what you speak," answered Hester Prynne, feeling Mistress Hibbins to be of infirm mind; yet strangely startled and awe-stricken by the confidence with which she affirmed a personal connection between so many persons (herself among them) and the Evil One. "It is not for me to talk lightly of a learned and pious minister of the Word, like the Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale!"
“夫人，我實(shí)在不明白你講的話，”海絲特·白蘭覺得西賓斯太太有點(diǎn)老糊涂了，就這么回答說；然而，聽老太婆說這么多人(包括她本人在內(nèi))和那個(gè)邪惡的家伙發(fā)生了個(gè)人聯(lián)系，她異常吃驚并且嚇得要命。“我可沒資格隨便亂談象丁梅斯代爾牧師先生那樣有學(xué)問又虔信《圣經(jīng)》的牧師！”

"Fie, woman, fie!" cried the old lady, shaking her finger at Hester. "Dost thou think I have been to the forest so many times, and have yet no skill to judge who else has been there? Yea; though no leaf of the wild garlands, which they wore while they danced, be left in their hair! I know thee, Hester; for I behold the token. We may all see it in the sunshine; and it glows like a red flame in the dark. Thou wearest it openly; so there need be no question about that. But this minister! Let me tell thee, in thine ear! When the Black Man sees one of his own servants, signed and sealed, so shy of owning to the bond as is the Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale, he hath a way of ordering matters so that the mark shall be disclosed in open daylight to the eyes of all the world! What is it that the minister seeks to hide, with his hand always over his heart? Ha, Hester Prynne!"
“呸，女人，呸！”那老太婆向海絲特?fù)u著一個(gè)指頭喊道。“你以為我到過那樹林里那么多次，居然還沒本領(lǐng)判斷還有誰去過那兒嗎？我當(dāng)然有；雖說他們?cè)谔钑r(shí)戴的野花環(huán)沒有在他們的頭發(fā)上留下葉子！我可認(rèn)識(shí)你，海絲特，因?yàn)槲铱匆娏四莻€(gè)標(biāo)記。我們?cè)诠馓旎罩氯伎梢钥匆娝?，而在黑暗中，它象紅色火焰一樣閃光。你是公開戴著它的，因此絕不會(huì)弄錯(cuò)?？墒沁@位牧師！聽我在你耳根上告訴你吧！當(dāng)那個(gè)黑男人看見一個(gè)他的簽過名、蓋了章的仆人，象丁梅斯代爾先生那樣羞怯地不敢承認(rèn)有這么個(gè)盟約時(shí)，他便有一套辦法，把那標(biāo)記在大庭廣眾之中暴露在世人面前。牧師總用手捂著心口，他想掩藏什么呢？哈，海絲特·白蘭！”

"What is it, good Mistress Hibbins?" eagerly asked little Pearl."Hast thou seen it?"
“到底是什么啊，好西賓斯太太？”小珠兒急切地問著?！澳阋娺^嗎？”