After parting from the physician, the commander of the Bristol ship strolled idly through the market-place; until, happening to approach the spot where Hester Prynne was standing, he appeared to recognise, and did not hesitate to address her. As was usually the case wherever Hester stood, a small vacant area- a sort of magic circle- had formed itself about her, into which, though the people were elbowing one another at a little distance, none ventured, or felt disposed to intrude. It was a forcible type of the moral solitude in which the scarlet letter enveloped its fated wearer; partly by her own reserve, and partly by the instinctive, though no longer so unkindly, withdrawal of her fellow-creatures. Now, if never before, it answered a good purpose, by enabling Hester and the seaman to speak together without the risk of being overheard; and so changed was Hester Prynne's repute before the public, that the matron in town most eminent for rigid morality could not have held such intercourse with less result of scandal than herself.
准备开往布利斯托尔的那艘船的船长,和医生分手后,就悠闲地踱过市场;后来他刚好走近海丝特·白兰站立的地方,他好象认识她,径直上前去打招呼。和通常一样,凡是海丝特所站之处,周围就会形成一小块空地,似乎有一种魔圈围着,圈外的人尽管在附近摩肩擦背地挤作一团,也没人甘冒风险或乐于闯进那块空地。这正是红字在注定要佩戴它的人四周所形成的一种强制性的精神上的孤立;这固然是由于她自己的回避,但也是由于她的同胞们的本能的退缩,尽管这种退缩早已不那么不友好了。如果说这种隔离圈以前毫无裨益的话,此时倒是大有好处,因为海丝特能够同那位船长交谈而不致冒被人听到的风险j何况海丝特·白兰在众人间的声名已经大有改变,即使是镇上以恪守妇道最为著称的妇人进行这种谈话,都不会比她少受风言风语的指责。
【英文名著精选阅读:《红字》第二十一章(下)】相关文章:
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