第34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。

　isright　as　regards　this　hateful　token。　I　must　bear　its　torture　yet　alittle　longer…　only　a　few　days　longer…　until　we　shall　have　left　thisregion；　and　look　back　hither　as　to　a　land　which　we　have　dreamed　of。The　forest　cannot　hide　it！　The　mid…ocean　shall　take　it　from　my　hand；and　swallow　it　up　for　ever！〃 With　these　words；　she　advanced　to　the　margin　of　the　brook；　took　upthe　scarlet　letter；　and　fastened　it　again　into　her　bosom。　Hopefully；but　a　moment　ago；　as　Hester　had　spoken　of　drowning　it　in　the　deep　sea；there　was　a　sense　of　inevitable　doom　upon　her；　as　she　thus　receivedback　this　deadly　symbol　from　the　hand　of　fate。　She　had　flung　it　intoinfinite　space！…　she　had　drawn　an　hour's　free　breath！…　and　hereagain　was　the　scarlet　misery；　glittering　on　the　old　spot！　So　it　everis；　whether　thus　typified　or　no；　that　an　evil　deed　invests　itself　withthe　character　of　doom。　Hester　next　gathered　up　the　heavy　tresses　ofher　hair；　and　confined　them　beneath　her　cap。　As　if　there　were　awithering　spell　in　the　sad　letter；　her　beauty；　the　warmth　and　richnessof　her　womanhood；　departed；　like　fading　sunshine；　and　a　grey　shadowseemed　to　fall　across　her。 When　the　dreary　change　was　wrought；　she　extended　her　hand　to　Pearl。 〃Dost　thou　know　thy　mother　now；　child？〃　asked　she　reproachfully；　butwith　a　subdued　tone。　〃Wilt　thou　e　across　the　brook；　and　own　thymother；　now　that　she　has　her　shame　upon　her…　now　that　she　is　sad？〃 〃Yes；　now　I　will！〃　answered　the　child；　bounding　across　the　brook；and　clasping　Hester　in　her　arms。　〃Now　thou　art　my　mother　indeed！　And　Iam　thy　little　Pearl！〃 In　a　mood　of　tenderness　that　was　not　usual　with　her；　she　drew　downher　mother's　head；　and　kissed　her　brow　and　both　her　cheeks。　Butthen…　by　a　kind　of　necessity　that　always　impelled　this　child　toalloy　whatever　fort　she　might　chance　to　give