Unit24Seciety【导读】《红字》讲述了发生在北美殖民时期的恋爱悲剧。女主人公海丝特·白兰嫁给了医生奇灵渥斯，他们之间却没有爱情。在孤独中白兰与牧师丁梅斯代尔相恋并生下女儿珠儿。白兰被当众惩罚，戴上标志“通奸”的红色A字示众。然而白兰坚贞不屈，拒不说出孩子的父亲。小说惯用象征手法，人物、情节和语言都颇具主观想象色彩，在描写中又常把人的心理活动和直觉放在首位。【节选】Inthismanner,themysteriousoldRogerChillingworthbecamethemedicaladviseroftheReverendMr.Dimmesdale.Asnotonlythediseaseinterestedthephysician,buthewasstronglymovedtolookintothecharacterandqualitiesofthepatient,thesetwomen,sodifferentinage,camegraduallytospendmuchtimetogether.Forthesakeoftheminister'shealth,andtoenabletheleechtogatherplantswithhealingbalminthem,theytooklongwalksontheseashore,orintheforest;minglingvarioustalkwiththeplashandmurmurofthewaves,andthesolemnwindanthemamongthetreetops.Often,likewise,onewastheguestoftheother,inhisplaceofstudyandretirement.Therewasafascinationfortheministerinthecompanyofthemanofscience,inwhomherecognisedanintellectualcultivationofnomoderatedepthorscope;togetherwitharangeandfreedomofideas,thathewouldhavevainlylookedforamongthemembersofhisownprofession.Intruth,hewasstartled,ifnotshocked,tofindthisattributeinthephysician.Mr.Dimmesdalewasatruepriest,atruereligionist,withthereverentialsentimentlargelydeveloped,andanorderofmindthatimpelleditselfpowerfullyalongthetrackofacreed,andworeitspassagecontinuallydeeperwiththelapseoftime.Innostateofsocietywouldhehavebeenwhatiscalledamanofliberalviews;itwouldalwaysbeessentialtohispeacetofeelthepressureofafaithabouthim,supporting,whileitconfinedhimwithinitsironframework.Nottheless,however,thoughwithatremulousenjoyment,didhefeeltheoccasionalreliefoflookingattheuniversethroughthemediumofanotherkindofintellectthanthosewithwhichhehabituallyheldconverse.Itwasasifawindowwerethrownopen,admittingafreeratmosphereintothecloseandstifledstudy,wherehislifewaswastingitselfaway,amidlamplight,orobstructeddaybeams,andthemustyfragrance,beitsensualormoral,thatexhalesfrombooks.Buttheairwastoofreshandchilltobelongbreathedwithcomfort.Sotheminister,andthephysicianwithhim,withdrewagainwithinthelimitsofwhattheirchurchdefinedasorthodox.ThusRogerChillingworthscrutinisedhispatientcarefully,bothashesawhiminhisordinarylife,keepinganaccustomedpathwayintherangeofthoughtsfamiliartohim,andasheappearedwhenthrownamidstothermoralscenery,thenoveltyofwhichmightcalloutsomethingnewtothesurfaceofhischaracter.Hedeemeditessential,itwouldseem,toknowtheman,beforeattemptingtodohimgood.Whereverthereisaheartandanintellect,thediseasesofthephysicalframearetingedwiththepeculiaritiesofthese.InArthurDimmesdale,thoughtandimaginationweresoactive,andsensibilitysointense,thatthebodilyinfirmitywouldbelikelytohaveitsgroundworkthere.SoRogerChillingworththemanofskill,thekindandfriendlyphysicianstrovetogodeepintohispatient'sbosom,delvingamonghisprinciples,pryingintohisrecollections,andprobingeverythingwithacautioustouch,likeatreasureseekerinadarkcavern.Fewsecretscanescapeaninvestigator,whohasopportunityandlicensetoundertakesuchaquest,andskilltofollowitup.Amanburdenedwithasecretshouldespeciallyavoidtheintimacyofhisphysician.Ifthelatterpossessnativesagacity,andanamelesssomethingmoreletuscallitintuition;ifheshownointrusiveegotism,nordisagreeablyprominentcharacteristicsofhisown;ifhehavethepower,whichmustbebornwi...
