hescarleleer

描写女主人公海丝特·白兰跟丈夫从英国移

居美国波士顿。中途丈夫被印第安人俘虏。海丝特只

身到了美国，被一青年牧师诱骗怀孕。此事，被当地

虚伪的清教徒社会视为大逆不道。当局把海丝特抓起

来并关入监狱，游街示众，还要终身佩带象征耻辱的

红色的a字（adulery：通奸女犯）。海丝特宁愿一

人受辱，誓死也不招供。在远离社会，受尽屈辱的处

境中，海丝特孤苦顽强地生活着，若干年后，珠儿，

海丝特的女儿，长大成人，海丝特一人再回到波士顿，

仍带着那个红色的a字，用自己的“崇高的道德和

助人精神”，把耻辱的红字变成了道德与光荣的象征，

直到老死。

[美]纳撒尼尔·霍桑（nahanielhawhorne）

hegrassplobeforehejail，inprisonne，onacerain

summermorning，nolesshanwocenuriesago，wasoccupied

byapreyrgenumberofheinhabiansofboson；allwih

heireyesinenlyfasenedonheironcmpedoakendoor

amongsanyoherpopuion，oraaerperiodinhehisory

ofnewengnd，hegrimrigidiyhaperifiedhebearded

physiognomiesofhesegoodpeoplewouldhaveauguredsome

awfulbusinessinhandicouldhavebeokenednohingshor

ofheanicipaedexecuionofsomenoedculprionwhomhe

senenceofalegalribunalhadbuconfirmedheverdicofpublic

senimenbu，inhaearlyseveriyofhepuriancharacer，

aninferenceofhiskindcouldnosoindubiablybedrawnimigh

be，haasluggishbondservan，oranunduifulchild，whomhis

parenshadgivenoverohecivilauhoriy，wasobecorreceda

hewhippingposimighbe，haananinomian，aquaker，

oroherheerodoxreligionis，wasobescourgedouofhe

own，oranidleandvagranindian，whomhewhieman’sfirewaer

hadmaderioousabouhesrees，wasobedrivenwih

sripesinoheshadowofheforesimighbe，oo，haa

wich，likeoldmisresshibbins，hebieremperedwidowof

hemagisrae，wasodieuponhegallowsineihercase，here

wasverymuchhesamesolemniyofdemeanouronheparof

hespecaors；asbefiedapeopleamongswhomreligionand

wwerealmosidenical，andinwhosecharacerbohwereso

horoughlyinerfused，hahemildesandheseveresacsof

publicdisciplinewerealikemadevenerableandawfulmeagre，

indeed，andcold，washesympahyhaaransgressormigh

lookfor，fromsuchbysanders，ahescaffoldonheoher

hand，apenalywhich，inourdays，wouldinferadegreeof

mockinginfamyandridicule，mighhenbeinvesedwihalmos

assernadigniyashepunishmenofdeahiself

iwasacircumsanceobenoed，onhesummermorning

whenoursorybeginsiscourse，hahewomen，ofwhom

herewereseveralinhecrowd，appearedoakeapeculiar

ineresinwhaeverpenalinflicionmighbeexpecedo

ensueheagehadnosomuchrefinemen，haanysenseof

improprieyresrainedhewearersofpeicoaandfarhingale

fromseppingforhinohepublicways，andwedgingheir

nounsubsanialpersons，ifoccasionwere，inohehrong

nearesohescaffoldaanexecuionmorally，aswellas

maerially，herewasacoarserfibreinhosewivesandmaidens

ofoldenglishbirhandbreeding，haninheirfairdescendans

separaedfromhembyaseriesofsixorsevengeneraions；

for，hroughouhachainofancesryeverysuccessivemoher

hasransmiedoherchildafainerbloom，amoredelicaeand

brieferbeauy，andasligherphysicalframe，ifnoacharacer

oflessforceandsolidiy，hanherownhewomenwhowere

nowsandingabouheprisondoorsoodwihinlesshanhalfa

cenuryofheperiodwhenhemanlikeelizabehhadbeenhe

noalogeherunsuiablerepresenaiveofhesexheywereher

counrywomen；andhebeefandaleofheirnaivend，wih

amoraldienoawhimorerefined，eneredrgelyinoheir

composiionhebrighmorningsun，herefore，shoneonbroad

shouldersandwelldevelopedbuss，andonroundandruddy

cheeks，hahadripenedinhefaroffisnd，andhadhardlyye

grownpalerorhi

erinheamosphereofnewengndhere

was，moreover，aboldnessandroundiyofspeechamonghese