It was only the darkened house that could contain her. When sunshine came again, she was not there. Her shadow had faded across the threshold. The helpful inmate had departed, without one backward glance to gather up the meed of gratitude, if any were in the hearts of those whom she had served so zealously. Meeting them in the street, she never raised her head to receive their greeting. If they were resolute to accosther, she laid her finger on the scarlet letter and passed on. This might be pride, but was so like humility, that it produced all the softening influence of the latter quality on the public mind. The public is despoticin its temper; it is capable of denying common justice, when too strenuouslydemanded as a right; but quite as frequently it awards more than justice when the appeal is made, as despots love to have it made, entirely to its generosity. Interpreting Hester Prynne's deportment as an appeal of this nature, society was inclined to show its former victim a more benign countenancethan she cared to be favoured with, or, perchance, than she deserved.
只有阴暗的住房才能容纳她。当太阳再次升起的时候,她已经不在了。她的身影跨过门槛消逝了;这个大有助益的亲人离去了,根本没有回过头来看一眼应得的感谢——如果她刚刚如此热心地尽过力的那些人的心中肯于感激她的话。有时在街上遇到他们,她从来不抬头接受他们的致意。如果他们执意要和她搭汕,她就用一个手指按任那红宇,侧身而过。这或许是骄傲,但极似谦卑,反正在众人的心目中产生了谦卑品格的全部软化人心的影响。公众的情绪是蛮不讲理的:当常理上的公道作为一种权利加以过分要求时,可能遭到拒绝;但是一旦完全投其所好、吁请暴虐的人们慷慨大度时,倒常常会得到超出公道的奖赏。由于社会把海丝特·白兰的举止解释成这类性质的吁请,因此反倒宁可对其原先的牺牲品,显示出一种比她所乐于接受的、或者说比她实际应得的更加宽厚的态度。
【英文名著精选阅读:《红字》第十三章(上)】相关文章:
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