第37部分

請關閉瀏覽器的閱讀/暢讀/小說模式並且關閉廣告遮蔽過濾功能，避免出現內容無法顯示或者段落錯亂。

etletter　and　its　wearer！〃…　the　people's　victim　and　life…long　bond…slave；as　they　fancied　her；　might　say　to　them。　〃Yet　a　little　while；　and　shewill　be　beyond　your　reach！　A　few　hours　longer；　and　the　deep；mysterious　ocean　will　quench　and　hide　for　ever　the　symbol　which　yehave　caused　to　burn　upon　her　bosom！〃　Nor　were　it　an　inconsistencytoo　improbable　to　be　assigned　to　human　nature；　should　we　suppose　afeeling　of　regret　in　Hester's　mind；　at　the　moment　when　she　was　aboutto　win　her　freedom　from　the　pain　which　had　been　thus　deeplyincorporated　with　her　being。　Might　there　not　be　an　irresistible　desireto　quaff　a　last；　long；　breathless　draught　of　the　cup　of　wormwood　andaloes；　with　which　nearly　all　her　years　of　womanhood　had　beenperpetually　flavoured？　The　wine　of　life；　henceforth　to　be　presented　toher　lips；　must　be　indeed　rich；　delicious；　and　exhilarating；　in　itschased　and　golden　beaker；　or　else　leave　an　inevitable　and　wearylanguor；　after　the　lees　of　bitterness　wherewith　she　had　beendrugged；　as　with　a　cordial　of　intensest　potency。 Pearl　was　decked　out　with　airy　gaiety。　It　would　have　been　impossibleto　guess　that　this　bright　and　sunny　apparition　owed　its　existence　tothe　shape　of　gloomy　grey；　or　that　a　fancy；　at　once　so　gorgeous　andso　delicate　as　must　have　been　requisite　to　contrive　the　child'sapparel；　was　the　same　that　had　achieved　a　task　perhaps　more　difficult；in　imparting　so　distinct　a　peculiarity　to　Hester's　simple　robe。　Thedress；　so　proper　was　it　to　little　Pearl；　seemed　an　effluence；　orinevitable　development　and　outward　manifestation　of　her　character；no　more　to　be　separated　from　her　than　the　many…hued　brilliancy　froma　butterfly's　wing；　or　the　painted　glory　from　the　leaf　of　a　brightflower。　As　with　these；　so　with　the　child；　her　garb　was　all　of　one　ideawith　her　nature。　On　this　eventful