英文名著精选阅读：《红字》第二十二章（上）_英美文化

英文名著精选阅读：《红字》第二十二章（上）

Next in order to the magistrates came the young and eminentlydistinguished divine, from whose lips the religious discourse of the anniversary was expected. His was the profession, at that era, in which intellectual ability displayed itself far more than in political life; for- leaving a higher motive out of the question- it offered inducementspowerful enough, in the almost worshipping respect of the community, to win the most aspiring ambition into its service. Even political power- as in the case of Increase Mather- was within the grasp of a successful priest.

跟在官员们后面依次而来的，是那位声名显赫的青年牧师，人们正期待着从他嘴里听到庆祝日的宗教演说。在那个时代，他从事的职业所显示出的智能要远比从政生涯为多，撇开更高尚的动机不谈，这种职业在引起居民们近乎崇拜的这一点上，就具有极强的诱惑力，足以吸引最有抱负的人侧身其间。甚至连政权都会落在一个成功牧师的掌握之中，英克利斯·马瑟②就是一例。

It was the observation of those who beheld him now, that never, since Mr. Dimmesdale first set his foot on the New England shore, had he exhibited such energy as was seen in the gait and air with which he kept his pace in the procession. There was no feeblenessof step, as at other times; his frame was not bent; nor did his hand rest ominously upon his heart. Yet, if the clergyman were rightly viewed, his strength seemed not of the body. It might be spiritual, and imparted to him by angelic ministrations. It might be the exhilarationof that potent cordial, which is distilled only in the furnace-glow of earnest and long-continued thought. Or, perchance, his sensitive temperament was invigorated by the loud and piercing music, that swelled heavenward, and uplifted him on its ascending wave.Nevertheless, so abstracted was his look, it might be questioned whether Mr. Dimmesdale even heard the music. There was his body, moving onward, and with an unaccustomed force. But where was his mind? Far and deep in its own region, busying itself, with preternaturalactivity, to marshal a procession of stately thoughts that were soon to issue thence; and so he saw nothing, heard nothing, knew nothing, of what was around him; but the spiritual element took up the feeble frame, and carried it along, unconscious of the burden, and converting it to spirit like himself. Men of uncommon intellect, who have grown morbid, possess this occasional power of mighty effort, into which they throw the life of many days, and then are lifeless for as many more.