Chapter 17 THE PASTOR AND HIS PARISHIONER
第十七章 教长和教民
He started at a thought that suddenly occurred to him.
他为突然闪现的一个念头而惊跳起来。
"Hester," cried he, "here is a new horror! Roger Chillingworth knows your purpose to reveal his true character. Will he continue, then, to keep our secret? What will now be the course of his revenge?"
“海丝特，”他叫道，“如今又有了一种新的可怕之处！罗杰·齐灵渥斯既然知道了你有意要揭示他的真实身份，那么，他还肯继续保持我们的秘密吗？今后他将采取什么途径来复仇呢？”
"There is a strange secrecy in his nature," replied Hester thoughtfully; "and it has grown upon him by the hidden practices of his revenge. I deem it not likely that he will betray the secret. He will doubtless seek other means of satiating his dark passion."
“他生性喜欢诡秘从事，”海丝特沉思着回答说；“而且这一秉性已经随着他悄悄行使他的复仇计划而益发牢固了。我认为他大概不会泄露这个秘密。他肯定会谋求另外的手段来满足他那不可告人的感情。”
"And I!- how am I to live longer, breathing the same air with this deadly enemy?" exclaimed Arthur Dimmesdale, shrinking within himself, and pressing his hand nervously against his heart- a gesture that had grown involuntary with him. "Think for me, Hester! Thou art strong. Resolve for me!"
“可是我啊！——同这样一个死对头呼吸同一处的空气，我又怎么能够活得长久呢？”阿瑟·丁梅斯代尔惊呼着，心里一沉，神经质地用手去捂住心口——他的这种姿势已经变得不由自主了。“为我想一想吧，海丝特！你是坚强的。替我想个办法吧！”
"Thou must dwell no longer with this man," said Hester, slowly and firmly. "Thy heart must be no longer under his evil eye!"
“你不能继续跟他住在一起了，”海丝特说，语气徐缓而坚定。“你的心再也不能处于他那双邪恶的眼睛的监视之下了！
"It were far worse than death!" replied the minister. "But how to avoid it? What choice remains to me? Shall I lie down again on these withered leaves, where I cast myself when thou didst tell me what he was? Must I sink down there, and die at once?"
“这可比死还要糟糕得多！”牧师应道。“但是怎么来避免呢？我还有什么选择呢？你刚才告诉我他是什么人时，我就一屁股坐在了这些枯叶上，可是我还要倒在这里吗？我应该沉沦于此，并且马上死掉吗？”
"Alas, what a ruin has befallen thee!" said Hester, with the tears, gushing into her eyes. "Wilt thou die for very weakness? There is no other cause!"
“天啊！你已经给毁成什么样子啦！”海丝特说着，泪水涌进了她的眼睛。“你难道就因为软弱而要死吗？此外再没有别的原因了！”
"The judgment of God is on me," answered the conscience-stricken priest. "It is too mighty for me to struggle with!"
“上帝的裁判正落在我身上，”那位受到良心震撼的牧师回答说。“那力量太强大，我挣扎不动了！”