第29部分(第4/7 頁)

er　Prynne；dancing；　laughing；　and　pointing　her　finger　to　the　ornament　upon　herbosom。 〃My　little　Pearl；〃　said　Hester；　after　a　moment's　silence；　〃the　greenletter；　and　on　thy　childish　bosom；　has　no　purport。　But　dost　thou　know；my　child；　what　this　letter　means　which　thy　mother　is　doomed　to　wear？〃 〃Yes；　mother；〃　said　the　child。　〃It　is　the　great　letter　A。　Thouhast　taught　me　in　the　horn…book。〃 Hester　looked　steadily　into　her　little　face；　but；　though　there　wasthat　singular　expression　which　she　had　so　often　remarked　in　herblack　eyes；　she　could　not　satisfy　herself　whether　Pearl　reallyattached　any　meaning　to　the　symbol。　She　felt　a　morbid　desire　toascertain　the　point。 〃Dost　thou　know；　child；　wherefore　thy　mother　wears　this　letter？〃 〃Truly　do　I！〃　answered　Pearl；　looking　brightly　into　her　mother'sface。　〃It　is　for　the　same　reason　that　the　minister　keeps　his　hand　overhis　heart！〃 〃And　what　reason　is　that？〃　asked　Hester；　half　smiling　at　theabsurd　incongruity　of　the　child's　observation；　but；　on　secondthoughts；　turning　pale。　〃What　has　the　letter　to　do　with　any　heart；save　mine？〃 〃Nay；　mother；　I　have　told　all　I　know；〃　said　Pearl；　more　seriouslythan　she　was　wont　to　speak。　〃Ask　yonder　old　man　whom　thou　hast　beentalking　with！　It　may　be　he　can　tell。　But　in　good　earnest　now；　motherdear；　what　does　this　scarlet　letter　mean？…　and　why　dost　thou　wear　iton　thy　bosom？…　and　why　does　the　minister　keep　his　hand　over　hisheart？〃 She　took　her　mother's　hand　in　both　her　own；　and　gazed　into　hereyes　with　an　earnestness　that　was　seldom　seen　in　her　wild　andcapricious　character。　The　thought　occurred　to　Hester；　that　the　childmight　really　be　seeking　to　approach　her　with　childlike　confidence；　anddoing　what　she　could；　and　as　intelligently　as　she　knew　how；　toestablish　a　meeting…point　of　sympathy。　It　showed　Pearl　in