红字-第03章 相认
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Chapter 03  THE RECOGNITION 

FROM this intense consciousness of being the object of severe and universal observation, the wearer of the scarlet1 letter was at length relieved, by discerning, on the outskirts2 of the crowd, a figure which irresistibly3 took possession of her thoughts. An Indian, in his native garb4, was standing5 there; but the red men were not so infrequent visitors of the English settlements, that one of them would have attracted any notice from Hester Prynne, at such a time; much less would he have excluded all other objects and ideas from her mind. By the Indian's side, and evidently sustaining a companionship with him, stood a white man, clad in a strange disarray6 of civilised and savage7 costume.

He was small in stature8, with a furrowed9 visage, which, as yet, could hardly be termed aged11. There was a remarkable12 intelligence in his features, as of a person who had so cultivated his mental part that it could not fail to mould the physical to itself, and become manifest by unmistakable tokens. Although, by a seemingly careless arrangement of his heterogeneous13 garb, he had endeavoured to conceal14 or abate15 the peculiarity16, it was sufficiently17 evident to Hester Prynne, that one of this man's shoulders rose higher than the other. Again, at the first instant of perceiving that thin visage, and the slight deformity of the figure, she pressed her infant to her bosom18 with so convulsive a force that the poor babe uttered another cry of pain. But the mother did not seem to hear it.

At his arrival in the market-place, and some time before she saw him, the stranger had bent19 his eyes on Hester Prynne. It was carelessly, at first, like a man chiefly accustomed to look inward, and to whom external matters are of little value and import, unless they bear relation to something within his mind. Very soon, however, his look became keen and penetrative. A writhing20 horror twisted itself across his features, like a snake gliding21 swiftly over them, and making one little pause, with all its wreathed intervolutions, in open sight. His face darkened with some powerful emotion, which, nevertheless, he so instantaneously controlled by an effort of his will, that, save at a single moment, its expression might have passed for calmness. After a brief space, the convulsion grew almost imperceptible, and finally subsided22 into the depths of his nature. When he found the eyes of Hester Prynne fastened on his own, and saw that she appeared to recognise him, he slowly and calmly raised his finger, made a gesture with it in the air, and laid it on his lips.

Then, touching23 the shoulder of a townsman who stood next to him, he addressed him, in a formal and courteous24 manner.

"I pray you, good sir," said he, "who is this woman?- and wherefore is she here set up to public shame?"

"You must needs be a stranger in this region, friend," answered the townsman, looking curiously25 at the questioner and his savage companion, "else you would surely have heard of Mistress Hester Prynne, and her evil doings. She hath raised a great scandal, I promise you, in godly Master Dimmesdale's church."

"You say truly," replied the other. "I am a stranger, and have been a wanderer, sorely against my will. I have met with grievous mishaps26 by sea and land, and have been long held in bonds among the heathen folk, to the southward; and am now brought hither by this Indian, to be redeemed27 out of my captivity28. Will it please you, therefore, to tell me of Hester Prynne's- have I her name rightly?- of this woman's offences, and what has brought her to yonder scaffold?"

"Truly, friend; and methinks it must gladden your heart, after your troubles and sojourn29 in the wilderness," said the townsman, "to find yourself, at length, in a land where iniquity30 is searched out, and punished in the sight of rulers and people; as here in our godly New England. Yonder woman, sir, you must know, was the wife of a certain learned man, English by birth, but who had long dwelt in Amsterdam, whence, some good time agone, he was minded to cross over and cast in his lot with us of the Massachusetts. To this purpose, he sent his wife before him, remaining himself to look after some necessary affairs. Marry, good sir, in some two years, or less, that the woman has been a dweller31 here in Boston, no tidings have come of this learned gentleman, Master Prynne; and his young wife, look you, being left to her own misguidance-"

"Ah!- aha!- I conceive you," said the stranger, with a bitter smile. "So learned a man as you speak of should have learned this, too, in his books. And who, by your favour, sir, may be the father of yonder babe- it is some three or four months old, I should judge- which Mistress Prynne is holding in her arms?"

"Of a truth, friend, that matter remaineth a riddle32; and the Daniel who shall expound33 it is yet a-wanting," answered the townsman. "Madam Hester absolutely refuseth to speak, and the magistrates34 have laid their heads together in vain. Peradventure the guilty one stands looking on at this sad spectacle, unknown of man, and forgetting that God sees him."

"The learned man," observed the stranger, with another smile, "should come himself, to look into the mystery."

"It behooves36 him well, if he be still in life," responded the townsman. "Now, good sir, our Massachusetts magistracy, bethinking themselves that this woman is youthful and fair, and doubtless was strongly tempted38 to her fall- and that, moreover, as is most likely, her husband may be at the bottom of the sea- they have not been bold to put in force the extremity39 of our righteous law against her. The penalty thereof is death. But in their great mercy and tenderness of heart, they have doomed40 Mistress Prynne to stand only a space of three hours on the platform of the pillory41, and then and thereafter, for the remainder of her natural life, to wear a mark of shame upon her bosom."

"A wise sentence!" remarked the stranger, gravely bowing his head. "Thus she will be a living sermon against sin, until the ignominious42 letter be engraved43 upon her tombstone. It irks me, nevertheless, that the partner of her iniquity should not, at least, stand on the scaffold by her side. But he will be known!- he will be known!- he will be known!"

He bowed courteously44 to the communicative townsman, and, whispering a few words to his Indian attendant, they both made their way through the crowd.

While this passed, Hester Prynne had been standing on her pedestal, still with a fixed45 gaze towards the stranger; so fixed a gaze that, at moments of intense absorption, all other objects in the visible world seemed to vanish, leaving only him and her. Such an interview, perhaps, would have been more terrible than even to meet him as she now did, with the hot, mid-day sun burning down upon her face, and lighting46 up its shame; with the scarlet token of infamy47 on her breast; with the sin-born infant in her arms; with a whole people, drawn48 forth49 as to a festival, staring at the features that should have been seen only in the quiet gleam of the fireside, in the happy shadow of a home, or beneath a matronly veil, at church. Dreadful as it was, she was conscious of a shelter in the presence of these thousand witnesses. It was better to stand thus, with so many betwixt him and her, than to greet him, face to face, they two alone. She fled for refuge, as it were, to the public exposure, and dreaded50 the moment when its protection should be withdrawn51 from her. Involved in these thoughts, she scarcely heard a voice behind her, until it had repeated her name more than once, in a loud and solemn tone, audible to the whole multitude.

"Hearken unto me, Hester Prynne!" said the voice.

It has already been noticed, that directly over the platform on which Hester Prynne stood was a kind of balcony, or open gallery, appended to the meeting-house. It was the place whence proclamations were wont52 to be made, amidst an assemblage of the magistracy, with all the ceremonial that attended such public observances in those days. Here, to witness the scene which we are describing, sat Governor Bellingham himself, with four sergeants53 about his chair, bearing halberds, as a guard of honour. He wore a dark feather in his hat, a border of embroidery54 on his cloak, and a black velvet55 tunic56 beneath; a gentleman advanced in years, with a hard experience written in his wrinkles. He was not ill fitted to be the head and representative of a community, which owed its origin and progress, and its present state of development, not to the impulses of youth, but to the stern and tempered energies of manhood, and the sombre sagacity of age; accomplishing so much, precisely57 because it imagined and hoped so little. The other eminent58 characters, by whom the chief ruler was surrounded, were distinguished59 by a dignity of mien60, belonging to a period when the forms of authority were felt to possess the sacredness of Divine institutions. They were, doubtless, good men, just, and sage10. But, out of the whole human family, it would not have been easy to select the same number of wise and virtuous61 persons, who should be less capable of sitting in judgment62 on an erring63 woman's heart, and disentangling its mesh64 of good and evil, than the sages65 of rigid66 aspect towards whom Hester Prynne now turned her face. She seemed conscious, indeed, that whatever sympathy she might expect, lay in the larger and warmer heart of the multitude; for, as she lifted her eyes towards the balcony, the unhappy woman grew pale and trembled.

The voice which had called her attention was that of the reverend and famous John Wilson, the eldest67 clergyman of Boston, a great scholar, like most of his contemporaries in the profession, and withal a man of kind and genial68 spirit. This last attribute, however, had been less carefully developed than his intellectual gifts, and was, in truth, rather a matter of shame than self-congratulation with him. There he stood, with a border of grizzled locks beneath his skull-cap; while his grey eyes, accustomed to the shaded light of his study, were winking69, like those of Hester's infant, in the unadulterated sunshine. He looked like the darkly engraved portraits which we see prefixed to old volumes of sermons; and had no more right than one of those portraits would have, to step forth, as he now did, and meddle70 with a question of human guilt35, passion, and anguish71.

"Hester Prynne," said the clergyman, "I have striven with my young brother here, under whose preaching of the Word you have been privileged to sit"- here Mr. Wilson laid his hand on the shoulder of a pale young man beside him- "I have sought, I say, to persuade this godly youth, that he should deal with you, here in the face of Heaven, and before these wise and upright rulers, and in hearing of all the people, as touching the vileness72 and blackness of your sin. Knowing your natural temper better than I, he could the better judge what arguments to use, whether of tenderness or terror, such as might prevail over your hardness and obstinacy73; insomuch that you should no longer hide the name of him who tempted you to this grievous fall. But he opposes to me (with a young man's over-softness, albeit74 wise beyond his years) that it were wronging the very nature of woman to force her to lay open her heart's secrets in such broad daylight, and in presence of so great a multitude. Truly, as I sought to convince him, the shame lay in the commission of the sin, and not in the showing of it forth. What say you to it, once again, brother Dimmesdale! Must it be thou, or I, that shall deal with this poor sinner's soul?"

There was a murmur75 among the dignified76 and reverend occupants of the balcony; and Governor Bellingham gave expression to its purport77, speaking in an authoritative78 voice, although tempered with respect towards the youthful clergyman whom he addressed.

"Good Master Dimmesdale," said he, "the responsibility of this woman's soul lies greatly with you. It behooves you, therefore, to exhort79 her to repentance80, and to confession81, as a proof and consequence thereof."

The directness of this appeal drew the eyes of the whole crowd upon the Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale; a young clergyman, who had come from one of the great English universities, bringing all the learning of the age into our wild forest-land. His eloquence82 and religious fervour had already given the earnest of high eminence83 in his profession. He was a person of very striking aspect, with a white, lofty, and impending84 brow, large, brown, melancholy85 eyes, and a mouth which, unless when he forcibly compressed it, was apt to be tremulous, expressing both nervous sensibility and a vast power of self-restraint. Notwithstanding his high native gifts and scholar-like attainments86, there was an air about this young minister- an apprehensive87, a startled, a half-frightened look- as of a being who felt himself quite astray and at a loss in the pathway of human existence, and could only be at ease in some seclusion88 of his own. Therefore, so far as his duties would permit, he trod in the shadowy bypaths, and thus kept himself simple and childlike; coming forth, when occasion was, with a freshness, and fragrance89, and dewy purity of thought, which, as many people said, affected90 them like the speech of an angel.

Such was the young man whom the Reverend Mr. Wilson and the Governor had introduced so openly to the public notice, bidding him speak, in the hearing of all men, to that mystery of a woman's soul, so sacred even in its pollution. The trying nature of his position drove the blood from his cheek, and made his lips tremulous.

"Speak to the woman, my brother," said Mr. Wilson. "It is of moment to her soul, and therefore, as the worshipful Governor says, momentous91 to thine own, in whose charge hers is. Exhort her to confess the truth!"

The Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale bent his head, in silent prayer, as it seemed, and then came forward.

"Hester Prynne," said he, leaning over the balcony, and looking down steadfastly92 into her eyes, "thou hearest what this good man says, and seest the accountability under which I labour. If thou feelest it to be for thy soul's peace, and that thy earthly punishment will thereby93 be made more effectual to salvation94, I charge thee to speak out the name of thy fellow-sinner and fellow-sufferer! Be not silent from any mistaken pity and tenderness for him; for believe me, Hester, though he were to step down from a high place, and stand there beside thee, on thy pedestal of shame, yet better were it so, than to hide a guilty heart through life. What can thy silence do for him, except it tempt37 him- yea, compel him, as it were- to add hypocrisy95 to sin? Heaven hath granted thee an open ignominy, that thereby thou mayest work out an open triumph over the evil within thee, and the sorrow without. Take heed96 how thou deniest to him-who, perchance, hath not the courage to grasp it for himself- the bitter, but wholesome97, cup that is now presented to thy lips!"

The young pastor's voice was tremulously sweet, rich, deep, and broken. The feeling that it so evidently manifested, rather than the direct purport of the words, caused it to vibrate within all hearts, and brought the listeners into one accord of sympathy. Even the poor baby, at Hester's bosom, was affected by the same influence; for it directed its hitherto vacant gaze towards Mr. Dimmesdale, and held up its little arms, with a half-pleased, half-plaintive murmur. So powerful seemed the minister's appeal, that the people could not believe but that Hester Prynne would speak out the guilty name; or else that the guilty one himself, in whatever high or lowly place he stood, would be drawn forth by an inward and inevitable98 necessity, and compelled to ascend99 the scaffold.

Hester shook her head.

"Woman, transgress100 not beyond the limits of Heaven's mercy!" cried the Reverend Mr. Wilson, more harshly than before. "That little babe hath been gifted with a voice, to second and confirm the counsel which thou hast heard. Speak out the name! That, and thy repentance, may avail to take the scarlet letter off thy breast."

"Never!" replied Hester Prynne, looking, not at Mr. Wilson, but into the deep and troubled eyes of the younger clergyman. "It is too deeply branded. Ye cannot take it off. And would that I might endure his agony, as well as mine!"

"Speak, woman!" said another voice, coldly and sternly, proceeding101 from the crowd about the scaffold. "Speak; and give your child a father!"

"I will not speak!" answered Hester, turning pale as death, but responding to this voice, which she too surely recognized. "And my child must seek a heavenly Father; she shall never know an earthly one!"

"She will not speak!" murmured Mr. Dimmesdale, who, leaning over the balcony, with his hand upon his heart, had awaited the result of his appeal. He now drew back, with a long respiration102. "Wondrous103 strength and generosity104 of a woman's heart! She will not speak!"

Discerning the impractible state of the poor culprit's mind, the elder clergyman, who had carefully prepared himself for the occasion, addressed to the multitude a discourse105 on sin, in all its branches, but with continual reference to the ignominious letter. So forcibly did he dwell upon this symbol, for the hour or more during which his periods were rolling over the people's heads, that it assumed new terrors in their imagination, and seemed to derive106 its scarlet hue107 from the flames of the infernal pit. Hester Prynne, meanwhile, kept her place upon the pedestal of shame, with glazed108 eyes, and an air of weary indifference109. She had borne, that morning, all that nature could endure; and as her temperament110 was not of the order that escapes from too intense suffering by a swoon, her spirit could only shelter itself beneath a stony111 crust of insensibility, while the faculties112 of animal life remained entire. In this state, the voice of the preacher thundered remorselessly, but unavailingly, upon her ears. The infant, during the latter portion of her rdeal, pierced the air with its wailings and screams; she strove to hush113 it, mechanically, but seemed scarcely to sympathise with its trouble. With the same hard demeanour, she was led back to prison, and vanished from the public gaze within its iron-clamped portal. It was whispered, by those who peered after her, that the scarlet letter threw a lurid114 gleam along the dark passage-way of the interior.

这个身佩红字的人终于从充当众目严历注视的对象的强烈意识中解脱出来,因为她此时注意到人群的外围站着一个身影,那个人立刻不可遏止地占据了她的头脑。一个身着土著装束的印第安人正站在那里,但在这块英国殖民地中,红种人并非鲜见,此时有这么一个人站在那儿,不会引起海丝特·白兰的任何注意,更不会把一切其它形象和思绪一概从她的头脑中排挤出去。在那个印第安人的身边,站着一个身上混穿着文明与野蛮服装的白种人,无疑是那印第安人的同伴。

他身材矮小,满脆皱纹,不过还很难说年事已高。他一望可知是个智慧出众的人,似乎智力上的高度发展不可能不引起形体上的变化,从而在外表上具备了显著的特征。尽管他似乎是漫不经心地随便穿了件土人的衣服,其实是要遮掩或减少身体的怪异之处,但海丝特·白兰仍一眼便看出那个人的两肩并不一般高。她一看到了那人瘦削、多皱的面孔和稍稍变形的躯体,便不由自主地再一次把婴儿紧楼在胸前,直弄得那可怜的孩子义疼得哭出了声。但作母亲的好象对此听而不闻。

在那个不速之客来到市场,海丝特·白兰还没看到他之前,他的目光早已直勾勾地盯上了她。起初,他的目光只是随随便便的,象是一个习惯于洞察他人内心的人,除非外表上的什么东西与内心有关,否则外观便既无价值又不重要。然而,他的目光很快就变得犀利而明察秋毫了。他的面孔上掠过一阵痛苦的恐怖,象是一条蛇在上面迅速蜿蜒,因稍停片刻,而使那盘踞的形体清晰可见。他的脸色由于某种强有力的内心冲动而变得阴暗,不过他人刻用一种意志力控制住,使这种脸色稍纵即逝,换上了一副可以说是平静的表情。仅仅过了瞬间,那种痉挛就几乎消逝得无影无踪,终于沉积在他天性的深渊。当他发现海丝特·白兰的目光与他的目光相遇,并且看来已经认出了他时,他便缓慢而乎落地举起一个手指,在空中做了一个姿势,然后把手指放在自己的嘴唇上。

随后,他碰了碰旁边站着的一个本镇居民的肩膀,礼数周到地开了腔。

“我请问您,好心的先生,”他说,“这位妇女是淮?——为什么要站在这里示众受辱?”

“你大概在这儿人生地不熟,朋友,”那个镇上人一边回答,一边好奇地打量这个发问的人和他的不开化的同伴,“不然的话,你一定会听到过海丝特·白兰太太,还有她干的丑事了。我可以向你保证,她在虔诚的丁梅斯代尔牧师的教堂里已经引起了公愤。”

“您算说对了,”那人接口说。“我是个外地人,一直迫不得已地到处流浪。我在海上和陆上屡遭险衅,在南方不信教的人当中给囚禁了很久;如今又给这个印第安人带到这里来找人赎身。因此,请问您肯不肯告诉我,海丝特·白兰——我把她的名字说对了吗?——这个女人犯了什么过错,给带到那座刑台上呢?”

“真的,朋友,我想,你在人迹罕到的地方历经劫难之后,”那个镇上人说,“终于来到我们这块敬仰上帝的新英格兰,心里一定挺高兴的;这里的一切罪恶都要当众揭发出来,在长官和百姓面前加以惩罚呢。那上边站着的女人嘛,先生,你应该知道,是一个有学问的人的妻子,男人生在英国,但已经长期在阿姆斯特丹定居,不知为了什么,他好久以前想起要飘洋过海,搬到我们马萨诸塞这地方来。为此,他先把他妻子送来,自己留在那边处理那些免不了的事。天啊,好心的光生,在差不多两年的时间里,也许还没那么久呢,这女人一直是我们波士顿这儿的居民,那位学者白兰先生却始终没有一点音讯;而他这位年轻的老婆,你看,就自个儿走上了邪道——”

“啊!——啊哈!——我明白了,”那陌生人苦笑着说。“照您说的,这位饱学之士本应在他的书本中也学到这一点的。那么,您能不能开个思告诉我,先生,谁可能是那婴儿的父亲呢?我看,那孩子——就是白兰太太怀里抱着的,也就有三四个月吧。”

“说实在的,朋友,那件事还是一个谜呢;象但以理①那样聪明的解谜人,我们这儿还没有哪,”那镇上人回答说。“海丝特太太守口如瓶,地方官挖空心思也白费劲。说不定那个犯下罪的人正站在这儿看这个让人伤心的场面呢,可别人还不知道正是他干的,他可忘了上帝正盯着他哪,”

“那个学者,”那陌生人又冷笑着评论说,“应该亲自来调查调查这桩奇案。”

“要是他还活着,是该由他来办的,”那镇上人附和着说。“唉,好心的先生,我们马萨诸塞的当局认为,这个女人年轻漂亮,准是受了极大的诱惑才堕落的——何况,很可能,她的丈夫已经葬身海底——那些当官的不敢大胆地用我们正义的法律强制判她极刑。论罪,她是该处死的。但是,由于他们心肠软,大慈大悲,只判了白兰太太在刑台上站三个小时,以后,在她的有生之年,胸前要永远佩戴一个耻辱的标记。”

“好聪明的判决!”那陌生人沉重地垂下头说。“这样她就成了告诫人们抵制罪恶的活训条了,直到那个耻辱的字母刻到她的墓碑上为止。不过,让我不痛快的是,那个和她通同犯罪的人居然没有在刑台上陪她站着,这本来是最起码的嘛。反正他会让人知道的!——会让人知道的!——他一定会让人知道的!”

他向和他谈话的那镇上人恭恭敬敬地鞠了一躬,又跟他的印第安随从耳语了几句,便双双穿过人群按到前边去了。

在这段时间里,海丝特·白兰一直站在高台上,牢牢盯视着那陌生人;她的注意力完全集中到他身上,那一阵子,她的视界内的一切目标全都从她眼前消失了,只剩下了他和她两个人。或许,在另外一种场合同他邂逅要益发可怕。如今呢,她那本来只该在壁炉旁恬静的柔光中b在家中幸福的暗处或在教堂的庄严气氛笼罩下才能看到的姿容,却在聚拢来的全镇人面前,被大家象看热闹似的死盯着:炎炎的午日烧灼着她的面孔,照亮了脸上的耻辱,她胸前佩着丑陋的鲜红标记,怀中抱着因罪孽而生下的婴儿。此情此景虽然可怕,但她却感到这数以千计的旁观者的存在倒是一种庇护。她这样站着,在她和他之间隔着这么多入,总比只有他们俩面面相溯要好受一些。她确实向这种示众场面寻求着避难之所,唯恐这项保护伞会从她身边撤掉。她的脑际充满了这种种念头,对于她身后传来的话语竟然充耳不闻y直到后来那严肃的话音越来越高地一再重复她的名字,使得在场的所有的人都听得一清二楚了。

“听我说,海丝特·白兰!”那声音喊道。

前面已经提及,就在海丝特·白兰站立的高台的正上方.有一处阳台,或者说是露天走廊,是从议事厅延伸出来的。当年,在地方陡官开会中间如果要发布什么公告,需要镇民都来出席聆听时,就在这里举行种种仪式。今天,为了目睹我们上面所描写的场面,贝灵汉总督亲自坐阵,椅子后面站着四个持朝的警卫充当仪仗。他帽子上插着一支黑羽毛,大氅上绣着花边,里面衬着的是黑丝绒紧身衣;他是一位中长的绅士,皱纹中印下了他的艰苦的经历。他出任这一地区的首脑和代表很适当,因为这一殖民地的起源和发展及其现状,并非取决于青春的冲动,而有赖于成年的严厉和老练,以及老中的权谋和手腕;他们所以能成就颇多,恰恰因为他们的幻想和希望有限。环绕着这位总督的其他显要,一个个都威风凛凛,因为他们所属的时代,官方机构被公认为具有神权制度的仲圣性。不消说,他们都是为人圣洁、主持正义的好人。然而,要从整个人类大家庭中遴选出同等数量的英明贤德之士绝非易举,假如让这种人坐下来审判一个犯了罪的女人的心灵,并分清善与恶的交错盘结,比起海丝特·白兰此时转过身来面对着的这伙表情倡滞的圣人们,不一定高明多少。确实,她似乎深知这一点,不管她期待着什么样的同情,只能到人群中的博大及温暖曲胸怀中去寻求,因此,当她始眼朝阳台上望去时,这个不幸的女人立时面色苍白,周身战栗了。

刚才呼喊她注意的声音发自德高望重的约翰·威尔逊牧师,他是波士顿神职人员中年事最高的一位,如同当年从事这一职业的他的同辈人一样,他也是一位大学者,此外,他还是个亲切和蔼的人。不过,他的这种待人亲切和蔼的心肠,并没有象他那聪明才智的头脑一样得到仔细认真的栽培,老实讲,于他来说,这种好心肠与其值得自我庆幸,不如视作一种耻辱。他站在那里,便帽下面露出一绺灰白的假发;他那双习惯于他的书斋中朦胧光线的灰色眼睛,在这纤变不染的阳光中,也象海丝特的婴儿的眼睛一样眨着。他那副样子就象我们在古旧的经书扉页上看到的黑色木刻肖像;而当他此时迈步向前,干与人类的罪孽、情欲和苦恼时,他的权力也并不比那些肖像为多。“海丝特·白兰,”那牧师说道,“我已经同我这里这位年轻的兄弟争论过,而你正是有幸坐听他布道的,”——此时威尔逊先生把手放在身边一个脸色苍白的年轻人的肩头——“我说,我曾经试图说服这位虔诚的青年,要由他面对苍天,在这些英明而正直的长官面前,在全体人民的旁听之下,来处理你的问题,触及你罪孽中邪恶而阴暗的一面。由于他比我更了解你的秉性,他应该是个更合格的法官,他更清楚应该选用什么样的刚柔相济的辞令,来克服你的桀骜不驯;以使你不再隐瞒那个诱惑你如此堕落的人的姓名。然而,尽管他的才华超出了他的年龄,却仍有年轻人的优柔,他同我争辩说,强制一个妇女在光天化日之下和大庭广众之中,敞开自己内心的隐私,是和妇女的本性格格不入的。确实,我试图说服他,耻辱在于苟且罪孽的当时,面不在于袒露罪孽的事后。你再说一遍吧,丁梅斯代尔兄弟,你对此看法如何?到底该由你呢还是由我,来探究这可怜的罪人的灵魂呢?”

阳台上那些道貌岸然、可尊可敬的先生们彼此一阵交头接耳,贝灵汉总督表达了这阵窃窃私语的主旨,他说话时语气庄重威严,不过仍含有对他招呼着的那年轻牧师的尊敬。

“善心的了梅斯代尔牧师先生,”他说,“你对这女人的灵魂负有极大的责任。因此,应该由你来规劝她悔过和招供,以证明你尽职尽责并非枉然。”

这番直截了当的要求把整个人群的目光都吸引到了丁彻斯代尔牧师的身上;他是毕业于英国—所名牌大学的年轻牧师,把当时的全部学识都梢到我们这片荒野密林曲地带来了。他那雄辩的口才和宗教的热情早已预示了他在自己的职业中将要飞黄腾达。他的外貌颇员舱力,有着高箕、白哲的额头和一双忧郁的褐色大眼,至于他的嘴唇,如果不是紧紧闭着,就会易于颤抖,表明了他既有神经质的敏感又有极大的自制力。尽管他有极高的天赋和学者般的造诣,这位年轻的牧师身上却流露出一种忧心仲仲和惊慌失措的神色,恰似一个人在人生道路上偏离了方向,颇有迷惘之感,只有把自己封闭起来才觉得安然。因此,只要他的职责允许,他就在浓荫密布的小径上漫步,借以保持他自己的纯真和稚气;必要时,便会带着清新馥郁和露水般晶莹纯洁的思想迈步走出来,正如许多人所说,使他们感受到天使般的言辞。

威尔逊牧师先生和总督大人作了公开介绍并引起大家注意的,正是这样一个年轻人。他们要他在众人当场路听的情况下,来盘诘那个女人灵魂中的秘密——而她的灵魂虽然受到玷污,依然神圣不可侵犯。他被置于随她的境地,直通得他面颊上失去血色,双唇不停地颤抖。

“跟这个女人谈谈吧,我的兄弟,”威尔逊先生说。“这是她灵魂的关键时刻,而正如令人崇敬的总督大人所说,由于你对她的灵魂负有职责,因此,这对你自己的灵魂也同样是关键时刻。劝诫她招认真情吧!”

丁梅斯代尔牧师先生低下头去,象是在默默祈祷,然后便迈步向前。

“海丝特·白兰,”他俯身探出阳台,坚定地朝下凝视着她的眼睛说着,“你已经听到了这位好心的先生所讲的话,也已经看到了我所肩负的重任。如果你感到这样做了可以使你的灵魂得以平静,使你现世所受的惩罚可以更有效地拯救你的灵魂,那么我就责令你说出同你一起犯罪的同伙和同你一起遭罪的难友!不要由于对他抱有错误的怜悯和温情而保持沉默吧;因为,请你相信我的话,海丝特,虽然那样一来,他就要从高位上走下来,站到你的身边,和你同受示众之辱,但总比终生埋藏着一颗罪恶的心灵要好受得多。你的沉默对他能有何用?无非是诱引他——明,事实上是迫使他——在罪孽上再蒙以虚伪!上天已经赐给你一个当众受辱的机会,你就该借以光明磊落地战胜你内心的邪恶和外表的悲伤。现在呈献到你唇边的那杯辛辣而有益的苦酒,那人或许缺乏勇气去接过来端给自己,可我要提请你注意,不要阻止他去接受吧!”

青年牧师的话音时断时续,听起来甜美、丰润而深沉,实在撼人心肺。那明显表达出来的感情,要比言词的直接涵义更能拨动每个人的心弦,因此博得了听众一致的同情。甚至海丝特怀中那可怜的婴儿都受到了同样的感染:因为她此时正转动始终还是空泛的视线,盯向丁梅斯代尔先生,还举起两条小胳膊,发出一阵似忧似喜的声音。牧师的规劝实在具有说服力,以致在场的所有的人都相信,海丝特·白兰就要说出那罪人的姓名了;否则,那个犯罪的男人自己,不资此时站在高处或低位,也会在内心必然的推动之下,走上前来,被迫登上刑台。

海丝特摇了摇头。

“女人,你违背上天的仁慈,可不要超过限度!”威尔逊牧师先生更加严厉地嚷道。“你那小小的婴儿都用她那天赐的声音,来附和并肯定你所听到的规劝了。把那人的姓名说出来吧!那样,再加上你的悔改,将有助于从你胸前取下那红字。”

“我永远不会说的!”海丝特·白兰回答说,她的眼睛没有去看威尔逊先生,而是凝视着那年轻牧师的深沉而忧郁的眼睛。“这红字烙得太深了。你是取不下来的。但愿我能在忍受我的痛苦的同时,也忍受住他的痛苦!”

“说吧,女人!”从刑台附近的人群中发出的另一个冷酪的声音说。“说出来吧:让你的孩子有一个父亲!”

“我不说!”海丝特回答着,她的脸色虽然变得象死人一样惨白,但还是对那个她确认无疑的声音作出了答复。“我的孩子应该寻求一个上天的父亲!她将永远不会知道有一个世俗的父亲的!”

“她不肯说!”丁梅斯代尔先生嗫嘘着。他一直俯身探出阳台,一只手捂住心口,特候着听他呼吁的结果,这时他长长吐了一口气,缩回了身体。“一个女人的心胸是多么坚强和宽阔啊!她不肯说!”

那年长的牧师看出来这可怜的罪人一意孤行,他对此早已成竹在胸,便对人群发表了一通论述罪恶的演讲,他列举了形形色色的罪过,并且时时涉及那不光彩的字母。他在长达一个多小时的演讲中,详尽地叙述着这个标记,他那强有力的言辞在人们的耳际反复轰鸣,在他们的心头引起了新的恐惧,似乎把这个标记用炼狱之火染得通红。与此同时,海丝特·白兰始终带着一种疲惫的淡然神情,在她的耻辱台上凝眸端立。那天早晨,她忍受了人性所能承担的一切;由于她的气质决定了她不会以昏厥来逃避过于强烈的苦难,她的精神只能躲藏在麻木的石质硬壳下,而令动物生命助机能依然无损。因此,那位布道者的声音虽在她耳畔残酷无情地响如雷鸣,但却无济于事。在她备受折磨的这后一段时间,那婴儿的尖声哭号直贯云霄;她虽下意识地想哄着孩子安静下来,但似乎对婴儿的不安无动于衷。她就这样木雕泥塑般地又给带回监狱,从众人眼前捎失在钉满铁钉的牢门后面。那些目光随着她身影窥视的人耳语着说,她胸前的红字在中内黑漆漆的通路上投下了一道血红的闪光。

①据传为《旧约·但以理书》的作者,被视为最贤明的裁判者。



点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 scarlet zD8zv     
n.深红色,绯红色,红衣;adj.绯红色的
参考例句:
  • The scarlet leaves of the maples contrast well with the dark green of the pines.深红的枫叶和暗绿的松树形成了明显的对比。
  • The glowing clouds are growing slowly pale,scarlet,bright red,and then light red.天空的霞光渐渐地淡下去了,深红的颜色变成了绯红,绯红又变为浅红。
2 outskirts gmDz7W     
n.郊外,郊区
参考例句:
  • Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
  • They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。
3 irresistibly 5946377e9ac116229107e1f27d141137     
adv.无法抵抗地,不能自持地;极为诱惑人地
参考例句:
  • Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside. 她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He was irresistibly attracted by her charm. 他不能自已地被她的魅力所吸引。 来自《简明英汉词典》
4 garb JhYxN     
n.服装,装束
参考例句:
  • He wore the garb of a general.他身着将军的制服。
  • Certain political,social,and legal forms reappear in seemingly different garb.一些政治、社会和法律的形式在表面不同的外衣下重复出现。
5 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
参考例句:
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
6 disarray 1ufx1     
n.混乱,紊乱,凌乱
参考例句:
  • His personal life fell into disarray when his wife left him.妻子离去后,他的个人生活一片混乱。
  • Our plans were thrown into disarray by the rail strike.铁路罢工打乱了我们的计划。
7 savage ECxzR     
adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人
参考例句:
  • The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
  • He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。
8 stature ruLw8     
n.(高度)水平,(高度)境界,身高,身材
参考例句:
  • He is five feet five inches in stature.他身高5英尺5英寸。
  • The dress models are tall of stature.时装模特儿的身材都较高。
9 furrowed furrowed     
v.犁田,开沟( furrow的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Overhead hung a summer sky furrowed with the rash of rockets. 头顶上的夏日夜空纵横着急疾而过的焰火。 来自辞典例句
  • The car furrowed the loose sand as it crossed the desert. 车子横过沙漠,在松软的沙土上犁出了一道车辙。 来自辞典例句
10 sage sCUz2     
n.圣人,哲人;adj.贤明的,明智的
参考例句:
  • I was grateful for the old man's sage advice.我很感激那位老人贤明的忠告。
  • The sage is the instructor of a hundred ages.这位哲人是百代之师。
11 aged 6zWzdI     
adj.年老的,陈年的
参考例句:
  • He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了,也老点了。
  • He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老,然而记忆力还好。
12 remarkable 8Vbx6     
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的
参考例句:
  • She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
  • These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。
13 heterogeneous rdixF     
adj.庞杂的;异类的
参考例句:
  • There is a heterogeneous mass of papers in the teacher's office.老师的办公室里堆满了大批不同的论文。
  • America has a very heterogeneous population.美国人口是由不同种族组成的。
14 conceal DpYzt     
v.隐藏,隐瞒,隐蔽
参考例句:
  • He had to conceal his identity to escape the police.为了躲避警方,他只好隐瞒身份。
  • He could hardly conceal his joy at his departure.他几乎掩饰不住临行时的喜悦。
15 abate SoAyj     
vi.(风势,疼痛等)减弱,减轻,减退
参考例句:
  • We must abate the noise pollution in our city.我们必须消除我们城里的噪音污染。
  • The doctor gave him some medicine to abate the powerful pain.医生给了他一些药,以减弱那剧烈的疼痛。
16 peculiarity GiWyp     
n.独特性,特色;特殊的东西;怪癖
参考例句:
  • Each country has its own peculiarity.每个国家都有自己的独特之处。
  • The peculiarity of this shop is its day and nigth service.这家商店的特点是昼夜服务。
17 sufficiently 0htzMB     
adv.足够地,充分地
参考例句:
  • It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。
  • The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。
18 bosom Lt9zW     
n.胸,胸部;胸怀;内心;adj.亲密的
参考例句:
  • She drew a little book from her bosom.她从怀里取出一本小册子。
  • A dark jealousy stirred in his bosom.他内心生出一阵恶毒的嫉妒。
19 bent QQ8yD     
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的
参考例句:
  • He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
  • We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。
20 writhing 8e4d2653b7af038722d3f7503ad7849c     
(因极度痛苦而)扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • She was writhing around on the floor in agony. 她痛得在地板上直打滚。
  • He was writhing on the ground in agony. 他痛苦地在地上打滚。
21 gliding gliding     
v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的
参考例句:
  • Swans went gliding past. 天鹅滑行而过。
  • The weather forecast has put a question mark against the chance of doing any gliding tomorrow. 天气预报对明天是否能举行滑翔表示怀疑。
22 subsided 1bda21cef31764468020a8c83598cc0d     
v.(土地)下陷(因在地下采矿)( subside的过去式和过去分词 );减弱;下降至较低或正常水平;一下子坐在椅子等上
参考例句:
  • After the heavy rains part of the road subsided. 大雨过后,部分公路塌陷了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • By evening the storm had subsided and all was quiet again. 傍晚, 暴风雨已经过去,四周开始沉寂下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
23 touching sg6zQ9     
adj.动人的,使人感伤的
参考例句:
  • It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
  • His letter was touching.他的信很感人。
24 courteous tooz2     
adj.彬彬有礼的,客气的
参考例句:
  • Although she often disagreed with me,she was always courteous.尽管她常常和我意见不一,但她总是很谦恭有礼。
  • He was a kind and courteous man.他为人友善,而且彬彬有礼。
25 curiously 3v0zIc     
adv.有求知欲地;好问地;奇特地
参考例句:
  • He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
  • He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。
26 mishaps 4cecebd66139cdbc2f0e50a83b5d60c5     
n.轻微的事故,小的意外( mishap的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • a series of mishaps 一连串的倒霉事
  • In spite of one or two minor mishaps everything was going swimmingly. 尽管遇到了一两件小小的不幸,一切都进行得很顺利。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
27 redeemed redeemed     
adj. 可赎回的,可救赎的 动词redeem的过去式和过去分词形式
参考例句:
  • She has redeemed her pawned jewellery. 她赎回了当掉的珠宝。
  • He redeemed his watch from the pawnbroker's. 他从当铺赎回手表。
28 captivity qrJzv     
n.囚禁;被俘;束缚
参考例句:
  • A zoo is a place where live animals are kept in captivity for the public to see.动物园是圈养动物以供公众观看的场所。
  • He was held in captivity for three years.他被囚禁叁年。
29 sojourn orDyb     
v./n.旅居,寄居;逗留
参考例句:
  • It would be cruel to begrudge your sojourn among flowers and fields.如果嫉妒你逗留在鲜花与田野之间,那将是太不近人情的。
  • I am already feeling better for my sojourn here.我在此逗留期间,觉得体力日渐恢复。
30 iniquity F48yK     
n.邪恶;不公正
参考例句:
  • Research has revealed that he is a monster of iniquity.调查结果显示他是一个不法之徒。
  • The iniquity of the transaction aroused general indignation.这笔交易的不公引起了普遍的愤怒。
31 dweller cuLzQz     
n.居住者,住客
参考例句:
  • Both city and town dweller should pay tax.城镇居民都需要纳税。
  • The city dweller never experiences anxieties of this sort.城市居民从未经历过这种担忧。
32 riddle WCfzw     
n.谜,谜语,粗筛;vt.解谜,给…出谜,筛,检查,鉴定,非难,充满于;vi.出谜
参考例句:
  • The riddle couldn't be solved by the child.这个谜语孩子猜不出来。
  • Her disappearance is a complete riddle.她的失踪完全是一个谜。
33 expound hhOz7     
v.详述;解释;阐述
参考例句:
  • Why not get a diviner to expound my dream?为什么不去叫一个占卜者来解释我的梦呢?
  • The speaker has an hour to expound his views to the public.讲演者有1小时时间向公众阐明他的观点。
34 magistrates bbe4eeb7cda0f8fbf52949bebe84eb3e     
地方法官,治安官( magistrate的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • to come up before the magistrates 在地方法院出庭
  • He was summoned to appear before the magistrates. 他被传唤在地方法院出庭。
35 guilt 9e6xr     
n.犯罪;内疚;过失,罪责
参考例句:
  • She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。
  • Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。
36 behooves de93a8bcc6cfe5740d29cfa717e42d33     
n.利益,好处( behoof的名词复数 )v.适宜( behoove的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • It behooves us to help the needy. 我们应当帮助贫困者。 来自辞典例句
  • It behooves a child to obey his parents. 子女应当服从父母。 来自辞典例句
37 tempt MpIwg     
vt.引诱,勾引,吸引,引起…的兴趣
参考例句:
  • Nothing could tempt him to such a course of action.什么都不能诱使他去那样做。
  • The fact that she had become wealthy did not tempt her to alter her frugal way of life.她有钱了,可这丝毫没能让她改变节俭的生活习惯。
38 tempted b0182e969d369add1b9ce2353d3c6ad6     
v.怂恿(某人)干不正当的事;冒…的险(tempt的过去分词)
参考例句:
  • I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚,但还是没开口。
  • I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。
39 extremity tlgxq     
n.末端,尽头;尽力;终极;极度
参考例句:
  • I hope you will help them in their extremity.我希望你能帮助在穷途末路的他们。
  • What shall we do in this extremity?在这种极其困难的情况下我们该怎么办呢?
40 doomed EuuzC1     
命定的
参考例句:
  • The court doomed the accused to a long term of imprisonment. 法庭判处被告长期监禁。
  • A country ruled by an iron hand is doomed to suffer. 被铁腕人物统治的国家定会遭受不幸的。
41 pillory J2xze     
n.嘲弄;v.使受公众嘲笑;将…示众
参考例句:
  • A man has been forced to resign as a result of being pilloried by some of the press.一人因为受到一些媒体的抨击已被迫辞职。
  • He was pilloried,but she escaped without blemish.他受到公众的批评,她却名声未损地得以逃脱。
42 ignominious qczza     
adj.可鄙的,不光彩的,耻辱的
参考例句:
  • The marriage was considered especially ignominious since she was of royal descent.由于她出身王族,这门婚事被认为是奇耻大辱。
  • Many thought that he was doomed to ignominious failure.许多人认为他注定会极不光彩地失败。
43 engraved be672d34fc347de7d97da3537d2c3c95     
v.在(硬物)上雕刻(字,画等)( engrave的过去式和过去分词 );将某事物深深印在(记忆或头脑中)
参考例句:
  • The silver cup was engraved with his name. 银杯上刻有他的名字。
  • It was prettily engraved with flowers on the back. 此件雕刻精美,背面有花饰图案。 来自《简明英汉词典》
44 courteously 4v2z8O     
adv.有礼貌地,亲切地
参考例句:
  • He courteously opened the door for me.他谦恭有礼地为我开门。
  • Presently he rose courteously and released her.过了一会,他就很客气地站起来,让她走开。
45 fixed JsKzzj     
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的
参考例句:
  • Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗?
  • Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定,我们就不应该随意改变。
46 lighting CpszPL     
n.照明,光线的明暗,舞台灯光
参考例句:
  • The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
  • The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。
47 infamy j71x2     
n.声名狼藉,出丑,恶行
参考例句:
  • They may grant you power,honour,and riches but afflict you with servitude,infamy,and poverty.他们可以给你权力、荣誉和财富,但却用奴役、耻辱和贫穷来折磨你。
  • Traitors are held in infamy.叛徒为人所不齿。
48 drawn MuXzIi     
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的
参考例句:
  • All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
  • Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。
49 forth Hzdz2     
adv.向前;向外,往外
参考例句:
  • The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
  • He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。
50 dreaded XuNzI3     
adj.令人畏惧的;害怕的v.害怕,恐惧,担心( dread的过去式和过去分词)
参考例句:
  • The dreaded moment had finally arrived. 可怕的时刻终于来到了。
  • He dreaded having to spend Christmas in hospital. 他害怕非得在医院过圣诞节不可。 来自《用法词典》
51 withdrawn eeczDJ     
vt.收回;使退出;vi.撤退,退出
参考例句:
  • Our force has been withdrawn from the danger area.我们的军队已从危险地区撤出。
  • All foreign troops should be withdrawn to their own countries.一切外国军队都应撤回本国去。
52 wont peXzFP     
adj.习惯于;v.习惯;n.习惯
参考例句:
  • He was wont to say that children are lazy.他常常说小孩子们懒惰。
  • It is his wont to get up early.早起是他的习惯。
53 sergeants c7d22f6a91d2c5f9f5a4fd4d5721dfa0     
警官( sergeant的名词复数 ); (美国警察)警佐; (英国警察)巡佐; 陆军(或空军)中士
参考例句:
  • Platoon sergeants fell their men in on the barrack square. 排长们在营房广场上整顿队伍。
  • The recruits were soon licked into shape by the drill sergeants. 新兵不久便被教育班长训练得象样了。
54 embroidery Wjkz7     
n.绣花,刺绣;绣制品
参考例句:
  • This exquisite embroidery won people's great admiration.这件精美的绣品,使人惊叹不已。
  • This is Jane's first attempt at embroidery.这是简第一次试着绣花。
55 velvet 5gqyO     
n.丝绒,天鹅绒;adj.丝绒制的,柔软的
参考例句:
  • This material feels like velvet.这料子摸起来像丝绒。
  • The new settlers wore the finest silk and velvet clothing.新来的移民穿着最华丽的丝绸和天鹅绒衣服。
56 tunic IGByZ     
n.束腰外衣
参考例句:
  • The light loose mantle was thrown over his tunic.一件轻质宽大的斗蓬披在上衣外面。
  • Your tunic and hose match ill with that jewel,young man.你的外套和裤子跟你那首饰可不相称呢,年轻人。
57 precisely zlWzUb     
adv.恰好,正好,精确地,细致地
参考例句:
  • It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
  • The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。
58 eminent dpRxn     
adj.显赫的,杰出的,有名的,优良的
参考例句:
  • We are expecting the arrival of an eminent scientist.我们正期待一位著名科学家的来访。
  • He is an eminent citizen of China.他是一个杰出的中国公民。
59 distinguished wu9z3v     
adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的
参考例句:
  • Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
  • A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。
60 mien oDOxl     
n.风采;态度
参考例句:
  • He was a Vietnam veteran with a haunted mien.他是个越战老兵,举止总有些惶然。
  • It was impossible to tell from his mien whether he was offended.从他的神态中难以看出他是否生气了。
61 virtuous upCyI     
adj.有品德的,善良的,贞洁的,有效力的
参考例句:
  • She was such a virtuous woman that everybody respected her.她是个有道德的女性,人人都尊敬她。
  • My uncle is always proud of having a virtuous wife.叔叔一直为娶到一位贤德的妻子而骄傲。
62 judgment e3xxC     
n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见
参考例句:
  • The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
  • He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。
63 erring a646ae681564dc63eb0b5a3cb51b588e     
做错事的,错误的
参考例句:
  • Instead of bludgeoning our erring comrades, we should help them with criticism. 对犯错误的同志, 要批评帮助,不能一棍子打死。
  • She had too little faith in mankind not to know that they were erring. 她对男人们没有信心,知道他们总要犯错误的。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
64 mesh cC1xJ     
n.网孔,网丝,陷阱;vt.以网捕捉,啮合,匹配;vi.适合; [计算机]网络
参考例句:
  • Their characters just don't mesh.他们的性格就是合不来。
  • This is the net having half inch mesh.这是有半英寸网眼的网。
65 sages 444b76bf883a9abfd531f5b0f7d0a981     
n.圣人( sage的名词复数 );智者;哲人;鼠尾草(可用作调料)
参考例句:
  • Homage was paid to the great sages buried in the city. 向安葬在此城市的圣哲们表示敬意。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Confucius is considered the greatest of the ancient Chinese sages. 孔子被认为是古代中国最伟大的圣人。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
66 rigid jDPyf     
adj.严格的,死板的;刚硬的,僵硬的
参考例句:
  • She became as rigid as adamant.她变得如顽石般的固执。
  • The examination was so rigid that nearly all aspirants were ruled out.考试很严,几乎所有的考生都被淘汰了。
67 eldest bqkx6     
adj.最年长的,最年老的
参考例句:
  • The King's eldest son is the heir to the throne.国王的长子是王位的继承人。
  • The castle and the land are entailed on the eldest son.城堡和土地限定由长子继承。
68 genial egaxm     
adj.亲切的,和蔼的,愉快的,脾气好的
参考例句:
  • Orlando is a genial man.奥兰多是一位和蔼可亲的人。
  • He was a warm-hearted friend and genial host.他是个热心的朋友,也是友善待客的主人。
69 winking b599b2f7a74d5974507152324c7b8979     
n.瞬眼,目语v.使眼色( wink的现在分词 );递眼色(表示友好或高兴等);(指光)闪烁;闪亮
参考例句:
  • Anyone can do it; it's as easy as winking. 这谁都办得到,简直易如反掌。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • The stars were winking in the clear sky. 星星在明亮的天空中闪烁。 来自《简明英汉词典》
70 meddle d7Xzb     
v.干预,干涉,插手
参考例句:
  • I hope he doesn't try to meddle in my affairs.我希望他不来干预我的事情。
  • Do not meddle in things that do not concern you.别参与和自己无关的事。
71 anguish awZz0     
n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦,烦恼
参考例句:
  • She cried out for anguish at parting.分手时,她由于痛苦而失声大哭。
  • The unspeakable anguish wrung his heart.难言的痛苦折磨着他的心。
72 vileness 152a16dbbe75db0c44b2a4fd4aac4f59     
n.讨厌,卑劣
参考例句:
  • Separating out the vileness is impossible. 分离其中不良的部分是不可能的。 来自互联网
  • The vileness of his language surprised us. 他言语的粗俗令我们吃惊。 来自互联网
73 obstinacy C0qy7     
n.顽固;(病痛等)难治
参考例句:
  • It is a very accountable obstinacy.这是一种完全可以理解的固执态度。
  • Cindy's anger usually made him stand firm to the point of obstinacy.辛迪一发怒,常常使他坚持自见,并达到执拗的地步。
74 albeit axiz0     
conj.即使;纵使;虽然
参考例句:
  • Albeit fictional,she seemed to have resolved the problem.虽然是虚构的,但是在她看来好象是解决了问题。
  • Albeit he has failed twice,he is not discouraged.虽然失败了两次,但他并没有气馁。
75 murmur EjtyD     
n.低语,低声的怨言;v.低语,低声而言
参考例句:
  • They paid the extra taxes without a murmur.他们毫无怨言地交了附加税。
  • There was a low murmur of conversation in the hall.大厅里有窃窃私语声。
76 dignified NuZzfb     
a.可敬的,高贵的
参考例句:
  • Throughout his trial he maintained a dignified silence. 在整个审讯过程中,他始终沉默以保持尊严。
  • He always strikes such a dignified pose before his girlfriend. 他总是在女友面前摆出这种庄严的姿态。
77 purport etRy4     
n.意义,要旨,大要;v.意味著,做为...要旨,要领是...
参考例句:
  • Many theories purport to explain growth in terms of a single cause.许多理论都标榜以单一的原因解释生长。
  • Her letter may purport her forthcoming arrival.她的来信可能意味着她快要到了。
78 authoritative 6O3yU     
adj.有权威的,可相信的;命令式的;官方的
参考例句:
  • David speaks in an authoritative tone.大卫以命令的口吻说话。
  • Her smile was warm but authoritative.她的笑容很和蔼,同时又透着威严。
79 exhort Nh5zl     
v.规劝,告诫
参考例句:
  • The opposition can only question and exhort.反对党只能提出质问和告诫。
  • This is why people exhort each other not to step into stock market.这就是为什么许多人互相告诫,不要涉足股市的原因。
80 repentance ZCnyS     
n.懊悔
参考例句:
  • He shows no repentance for what he has done.他对他的所作所为一点也不懊悔。
  • Christ is inviting sinners to repentance.基督正在敦请有罪的人悔悟。
81 confession 8Ygye     
n.自白,供认,承认
参考例句:
  • Her confession was simply tantamount to a casual explanation.她的自白简直等于一篇即席说明。
  • The police used torture to extort a confession from him.警察对他用刑逼供。
82 eloquence 6mVyM     
n.雄辩;口才,修辞
参考例句:
  • I am afraid my eloquence did not avail against the facts.恐怕我的雄辩也无补于事实了。
  • The people were charmed by his eloquence.人们被他的口才迷住了。
83 eminence VpLxo     
n.卓越,显赫;高地,高处;名家
参考例句:
  • He is a statesman of great eminence.他是个声名显赫的政治家。
  • Many of the pilots were to achieve eminence in the aeronautical world.这些飞行员中很多人将会在航空界声名显赫。
84 impending 3qHzdb     
a.imminent, about to come or happen
参考例句:
  • Against a background of impending famine, heavy fighting took place. 即将发生饥荒之时,严重的战乱爆发了。
  • The king convoke parliament to cope with the impending danger. 国王召开国会以应付迫近眉睫的危险。
85 melancholy t7rz8     
n.忧郁,愁思;adj.令人感伤(沮丧)的,忧郁的
参考例句:
  • All at once he fell into a state of profound melancholy.他立即陷入无尽的忧思之中。
  • He felt melancholy after he failed the exam.这次考试没通过,他感到很郁闷。
86 attainments 3f47ba9938f08311bdf016e1de15e082     
成就,造诣; 获得( attainment的名词复数 ); 达到; 造诣; 成就
参考例句:
  • a young woman of impressive educational attainments 一位学业成就斐然的年轻女子
  • He is a scholar of the highest attainments in this field. 他在这一领域是一位颇有造就的学者。
87 apprehensive WNkyw     
adj.担心的,恐惧的,善于领会的
参考例句:
  • She was deeply apprehensive about her future.她对未来感到非常担心。
  • He was rather apprehensive of failure.他相当害怕失败。
88 seclusion 5DIzE     
n.隐遁,隔离
参考例句:
  • She liked to sunbathe in the seclusion of her own garden.她喜欢在自己僻静的花园里晒日光浴。
  • I live very much in seclusion these days.这些天我过着几乎与世隔绝的生活。
89 fragrance 66ryn     
n.芬芳,香味,香气
参考例句:
  • The apple blossoms filled the air with their fragrance.苹果花使空气充满香味。
  • The fragrance of lavender filled the room.房间里充满了薰衣草的香味。
90 affected TzUzg0     
adj.不自然的,假装的
参考例句:
  • She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
  • His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。
91 momentous Zjay9     
adj.重要的,重大的
参考例句:
  • I am deeply honoured to be invited to this momentous occasion.能应邀出席如此重要的场合,我深感荣幸。
  • The momentous news was that war had begun.重大的新闻是战争已经开始。
92 steadfastly xhKzcv     
adv.踏实地,不变地;岿然;坚定不渝
参考例句:
  • So he sat, with a steadfastly vacant gaze, pausing in his work. 他就像这样坐着,停止了工作,直勾勾地瞪着眼。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
  • Defarge and his wife looked steadfastly at one another. 德伐日和他的妻子彼此凝视了一会儿。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
93 thereby Sokwv     
adv.因此,从而
参考例句:
  • I have never been to that city,,ereby I don't know much about it.我从未去过那座城市,因此对它不怎么熟悉。
  • He became a British citizen,thereby gaining the right to vote.他成了英国公民,因而得到了投票权。
94 salvation nC2zC     
n.(尤指基督)救世,超度,拯救,解困
参考例句:
  • Salvation lay in political reform.解救办法在于政治改革。
  • Christians hope and pray for salvation.基督教徒希望并祈祷灵魂得救。
95 hypocrisy g4qyt     
n.伪善,虚伪
参考例句:
  • He railed against hypocrisy and greed.他痛斥伪善和贪婪的行为。
  • He accused newspapers of hypocrisy in their treatment of the story.他指责了报纸在报道该新闻时的虚伪。
96 heed ldQzi     
v.注意,留意;n.注意,留心
参考例句:
  • You must take heed of what he has told.你要注意他所告诉的事。
  • For the first time he had to pay heed to his appearance.这是他第一次非得注意自己的外表不可了。
97 wholesome Uowyz     
adj.适合;卫生的;有益健康的;显示身心健康的
参考例句:
  • In actual fact the things I like doing are mostly wholesome.实际上我喜欢做的事大都是有助于增进身体健康的。
  • It is not wholesome to eat without washing your hands.不洗手吃饭是不卫生的。
98 inevitable 5xcyq     
adj.不可避免的,必然发生的
参考例句:
  • Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
  • The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。
99 ascend avnzD     
vi.渐渐上升,升高;vt.攀登,登上
参考例句:
  • We watched the airplane ascend higher and higher.我们看着飞机逐渐升高。
  • We ascend in the order of time and of development.我们按时间和发展顺序向上溯。
100 transgress vqWyY     
vt.违反,逾越
参考例句:
  • Your words must't transgress the local laws .你的言辞不能违反当地法律。
  • No one is permitted to have privileges to transgress the law. 不允许任何人有超越法律的特权。
101 proceeding Vktzvu     
n.行动,进行,(pl.)会议录,学报
参考例句:
  • This train is now proceeding from Paris to London.这次列车从巴黎开往伦敦。
  • The work is proceeding briskly.工作很有生气地进展着。
102 respiration us7yt     
n.呼吸作用;一次呼吸;植物光合作用
参考例句:
  • They tried artificial respiration but it was of no avail.他们试做人工呼吸,可是无效。
  • They made frequent checks on his respiration,pulse and blood.他们经常检查他的呼吸、脉搏和血液。
103 wondrous pfIyt     
adj.令人惊奇的,奇妙的;adv.惊人地;异乎寻常地;令人惊叹地
参考例句:
  • The internal structure of the Department is wondrous to behold.看一下国务院的内部结构是很有意思的。
  • We were driven across this wondrous vast land of lakes and forests.我们乘车穿越这片有着湖泊及森林的广袤而神奇的土地。
104 generosity Jf8zS     
n.大度,慷慨,慷慨的行为
参考例句:
  • We should match their generosity with our own.我们应该像他们一样慷慨大方。
  • We adore them for their generosity.我们钦佩他们的慷慨。
105 discourse 2lGz0     
n.论文,演说;谈话;话语;vi.讲述,著述
参考例句:
  • We'll discourse on the subject tonight.我们今晚要谈论这个问题。
  • He fell into discourse with the customers who were drinking at the counter.他和站在柜台旁的酒客谈了起来。
106 derive hmLzH     
v.取得;导出;引申;来自;源自;出自
参考例句:
  • We derive our sustenance from the land.我们从土地获取食物。
  • We shall derive much benefit from reading good novels.我们将从优秀小说中获得很大好处。
107 hue qdszS     
n.色度;色调;样子
参考例句:
  • The diamond shone with every hue under the sun.金刚石在阳光下放出五颜六色的光芒。
  • The same hue will look different in different light.同一颜色在不同的光线下看起来会有所不同。
108 glazed 3sLzT8     
adj.光滑的,像玻璃的;上过釉的;呆滞无神的v.装玻璃( glaze的过去式);上釉于,上光;(目光)变得呆滞无神
参考例句:
  • eyes glazed with boredom 厌倦无神的眼睛
  • His eyes glazed over at the sight of her. 看到她时,他的目光就变得呆滞。 来自《简明英汉词典》
109 indifference k8DxO     
n.不感兴趣,不关心,冷淡,不在乎
参考例句:
  • I was disappointed by his indifference more than somewhat.他的漠不关心使我很失望。
  • He feigned indifference to criticism of his work.他假装毫不在意别人批评他的作品。
110 temperament 7INzf     
n.气质,性格,性情
参考例句:
  • The analysis of what kind of temperament you possess is vital.分析一下你有什么样的气质是十分重要的。
  • Success often depends on temperament.成功常常取决于一个人的性格。
111 stony qu1wX     
adj.石头的,多石头的,冷酷的,无情的
参考例句:
  • The ground is too dry and stony.这块地太干,而且布满了石头。
  • He listened to her story with a stony expression.他带着冷漠的表情听她讲经历。
112 faculties 066198190456ba4e2b0a2bda2034dfc5     
n.能力( faculty的名词复数 );全体教职员;技巧;院
参考例句:
  • Although he's ninety, his mental faculties remain unimpaired. 他虽年届九旬,但头脑仍然清晰。
  • All your faculties have come into play in your work. 在你的工作中,你的全部才能已起到了作用。 来自《简明英汉词典》
113 hush ecMzv     
int.嘘,别出声;n.沉默,静寂;v.使安静
参考例句:
  • A hush fell over the onlookers.旁观者们突然静了下来。
  • Do hush up the scandal!不要把这丑事声张出去!
114 lurid 9Atxh     
adj.可怕的;血红的;苍白的
参考例句:
  • The paper gave all the lurid details of the murder.这份报纸对这起凶杀案耸人听闻的细节描写得淋漓尽致。
  • The lurid sunset puts a red light on their faces.血红一般的夕阳映红了他们的脸。
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