Chapter 23 THE REVELATION OF THE SCARLET LETTER
第二十三章　紅字的顯露

Bellingham, for the last few moments, had kept an anxious eye upon him. He now left his own place in the procession, and advanced to give assistance; judging, from Mr. Dimmesdale's aspect, that he must otherwise inevitably fall. But there was something in the latter's expression that warned back the magistrate, although a man not readily obeying the vague intimations that pass from one spirit to another. The crowd, meanwhile, looked on with awe and wonder. This earthly faintness was, in their view, only another phase of the ministers' celestial strength; nor would it have seemed a miracle too high to be wrought for one so holy, had he ascended before their eyes, waxing dimmer and brighter, and fading at last into the light of heaven!
貝靈漢在這幾分鐘里始終焦慮地注視著他。此時貝靈漢離開了隊伍中自己的位置，走上前來幫助他，因為從丁梅斯代爾先生的面容來判斷，不去扶他一把就一定會摔倒的。但是，牧師的表情中有一種推拒之意，令這位達官不敢上前，盡管他并不是那種樂于聽命于人與人之間心息相通的隱約暗示的人。與此同時，人群則懷著諒懼參半的心情觀望著。在他們看來，這種肉體的衰竭只不過是牧師的神力的另一種表現(xiàn)；設(shè)若象他這樣神圣的人，就在眾人眼前飛升，漸黯又漸明，最終消失在天國的光輝中，也不會被視為難以企及的奇跡。

He turned towards the scaffold, and stretched forth his arms.
他轉(zhuǎn)向刑臺，向前伸出雙臂。

"Hester," said he, "come hither! Come, my little Pearl!"
“海絲特，”他說，“過來呀！來，我的小珠兒！”

It was a ghastly look with which he regarded them; but there was something at once tender and strangely triumphant in it. The child, with the bird-like motion which was one of her characteristics, flew to him, and clasped her arms about his knees. Hester Prynne- slowly, as if impelled by inevitable fate, and against her strongest will- likewise drew near, but paused before she reached him. At this instant, old Roger Chillingworth thrust himself through the crowd- or, perhaps, so dark, disturbed, and evil was his look, he rose up out of some nether region- to snatch back his victim from what he sought to do! Be that as it might, the old man rushed forward, and caught the minister by the arm.
他盯著她們的眼神十分可怖；但其中馬上就映出溫柔和奇異的勝利的成分。那孩子，以她特有的鳥兒一般的動作，朝他飛去，還摟住了他的雙膝。海絲特·白蘭似乎被必然的命運所推動，但又違背她的堅強意志，也緩緩向前，只是在她夠不到他的地方就站住了。就在此刻，老羅杰·齊靈渥斯從人群中脫穎而出——由于他的臉色十分陰暗、十分慌亂、十分邪惡，或許可以說他是從地獄的什么地方鉆出來的——想要抓住他的犧牲品，以免他會做出什么舉動！無論如何吧，反正那老人沖到前面，一把抓住了牧師的胳臂。

"Madman, hold! what is your purpose?" whispered he. "Wave back that woman! Cast off this child! All shall be well! Do not blacken your fame, and perish in dishonour. I can yet save you! Would you bring infamy on your sacred profession?"
“瘋子，穩(wěn)住！你要干什么？”他小聲說?！皳]開那女人！甩開這孩子！一切都會好的！不要玷污你的名聲，不光彩地毀掉自己！我還能拯救你！你愿意給你神圣的職業(yè)蒙受恥辱嗎？”

"Ha, tempter! Methinks thou art too late!" answered the minister, encountering his eye, fearfully, but firmly. "Thy power is not what it was! With God's help, I shall escape thee now!"He again extended his hand to the woman of the scarlet letter.
“哈，誘惑者??！我認(rèn)為你來得太遲了！”牧師畏懼而堅定地對著他的目光，回答說?！澳愕臋?quán)力如今已不象以前了！有了上帝的幫助，我現(xiàn)在要逃脫你的羈絆了！”他又一次向戴紅字的女人伸出了手。