第40部分(第1/7 页)

hich　to…day　was　doubly　indefatigable　in　its　tiptoe　dance；because　it　was　played　upon　and　vibrated　with　her　mother's　disquietude。Whenever　Pearl　saw　anything　to　excite　her　ever　active　and　wanderingcuriosity；　she　flew　thitherward；　and；　as　we　might　say；　seized　uponthat　man　or　thing　as　her　own　property；　so　far　as　she　desired　it；　butwithout　yielding　the　minutest　degree　of　control　over　her　motions　inrequital。　The　Puritans　looked　on；　and；　if　they　smiled；　were　none　theless　inclined　to　pronounce　the　child　a　demon　offspring；　from　theindescribable　charm　of　beauty　and　eccentricity　that　shone　throughher　little　figure；　and　sparkled　with　its　activity。　She　ran　andlooked　the　wild　Indian　in　the　face；　and　he　grew　conscious　of　anature　wilder　than　his　own。　Thence；　with　native　audacity；　but　stillwith　a　reserve　as　characteristic；　she　flew　into　the　midst　of　a　groupof　mariners；　the　swarthy…cheeked　wild　men　of　the　ocean；　as　the　Indianswere　of　the　land；　and　they　gazed　wonderingly　and　admiringly　atPearl；　as　if　a　flake　of　the　sea…foam　had　taken　the　shape　of　a　littlemaid；　and　were　gifted　with　a　soul　of　the　sea…fire；　that　flashesbeneath　the　prow　in　the　night…time。 One　of　these　seafaring　men…　the　shipmaster；　indeed；　who　had　spokento　Hester　Prynne…　was　so　smitten　with　Pearl's　aspect；　that　heattempted　to　lay　hands　upon　her；　with　purpose　to　snatch　a　kiss。Finding　it　as　impossible　to　touch　her　as　to　catch　a　humming…bird　inthe　air；　he　took　from　his　hat　the　gold　chain　that　was　twisted　aboutit；　and　threw　it　to　the　child。　Pearl　immediately　twined　it　aroundher　neck　and　waist；　with　such　happy　skill；　that；　once　seen　there；　itbecame　a　part　of　her；　and　it　was　difficult　to　imagine　her　without　it。 〃Thy　mother　is　yonder　woman　with　the　scarlet　letter；〃　said　theseaman。　〃Wilt　thou　carry　her　a　message　from　me？〃 〃If　t