第15部分(第4/7 頁)

nce　of　a　young　child'sdisposition；　but；　later　in　the　day　of　earthly　existence；　might　beprolific　of　the　storm　and　whirlwind。 The　discipline　of　the　family；　in　those　days；　was　of　a　far　more　rigidkind　than　now。　The　frown；　the　harsh　rebuke；　the　frequent　applicationof　the　rod；　enjoined　by　Scriptural　authority；　were　used；　not　merely　inthe　way　of　punishment　for　actual　offences；　but　as　a　wholesomeregimen　for　the　growth　and　promotion　of　all　childish　virtues。　HesterPrynne；　nevertheless；　the　lonely　mother　of　this　one　child；　ranlittle　risk　of　erring　on　the　side　of　undue　severity。　Mindful；　however；of　her　own　errors　and　misfortunes；　she　early　sought　to　impose　atender；　but　strict　control　over　the　infant　immortality　that　wasmitted　to　her　charge。　But　the　task　was　beyond　her　skill。　Aftertesting　both　smiles　and　frowns；　and　proving　that　neither　mode　oftreatment　possessed　any　calculable　influence；　Hester　was　ultimatelypelled　to　stand　aside；　and　permit　the　child　to　be　swayed　by　her　ownimpulses。　Physical　pulsion　or　restraint　was　effectual；　of　course；while　it　lasted。　As　to　any　other　kind　of　discipline；　whether　addressedto　her　mind　or　heart；　little　Pearl　might　or　might　not　be　within　itsreach；　in　accordance　with　the　caprice　that　ruled　the　moment。　Hermother；　while　Pearl　was　yet　an　infant；　grew　acquainted　with　acertain　peculiar　look；　that　warned　her　when　it　would　be　labourthrown　away　to　insist；　persuade；　or　plead。　It　was　a　look　sointelligent；　yet　inexplicable；　so　perverse；　sometimes　so　malicious；but　generally　acpanied　by　a　wild　flow　of　spirits；　that　Hester　couldnot　help　questioning；　at　such　moments；　whether　Pearl　was　a　humanchild。　She　seemed　rather　an　airy　sprite；　which；　after　playing　itsfantastic　sports　for　a　little　while　upon　the　cottage…floor；　would　flitaway　with　a　mocking　smile。　Whenever　that