1、1YOUNG GOODMAN BROWNNathaniel HawthorneYOUNG GOODMAN BROWN came forth at sunset, into the street of Salem village, but put his head back, after crossing the threshold, to exchange a parting kiss with his young wife. And Faith, as the wife was aptly named, thrust 推 her own pretty head into the street
2、, letting the wind play with the pink ribbons of her cap, while she called to Goodman Brown.“Dearest heart,“ whispered she, softly and rather sadly, when her lips were close to his ear, “prythee, put off your journey until sunrise, and sleep in your own bed tonight. A lone 单身的 woman is troubled with
3、 such dreams and such thoughts, that shes afeard 恐惧 of herself, sometimes. Pray, tarry 等待 逗留 with me this night, dear husband, of all nights in the year!“My love and my Faith,“ replied young Goodman Brown, “of all nights in the year, this one night must I tarry away from thee. My journey, as thou ca
4、llest it, forth and back again, must needs be done twixt now and sunrise. What, my sweet, pretty wife, dost thou doubt me already, and we but three months married!“Then God bless you!“ said Faith, with the pink ribbons, “and may you find all well, when you come back.“Amen!“ cried Goodman Brown. “Say
5、 thy prayers, dear Faith, and go to bed at dusk, and no harm will come to thee.“So they parted; and the young man pursued his way, until, being about to turn the corner by the meeting-house, he looked back and saw the head of Faith still peeping after him, with a melancholy air, in spite of her pink
6、 ribbons.“Poor little Faith!“ thought he, for his heart smote 重击 him. “What a wretch 可怜的人 am I, to leave her on such an errand 差事! She talks of dreams, too. Methought, as she spoke, there was trouble in her face, as if a dream had warned her what work is to be done tonight. But, no, no! twould kill
7、her to think it. Well; shes a blessed angel on earth; and after this one night, Ill cling to her skirts and follow her to Heaven.“With this excellent resolve 坚决 for the future, Goodman Brown felt himself justified in making more haste on his present evil purpose. He had taken a dreary road, darkened
8、 by all the gloomiest trees of the forest, which barely stood aside to let the narrow path creep through, and closed immediately behind. It was all as lonely as 2could be; and there is this peculiarity 特性 in such a solitude 孤独, that the traveller knows not who may be concealed by the innumerable tru
9、nks and the thick boughs 大树枝 overhead; so that, with lonely footsteps, he may yet be passing through an unseen multitude.“There may be a devilish 邪恶的 Indian behind every tree,“ said Goodman Brown to himself; and he glanced fearfully behind him, as he added, “What if the devil himself should be at my
10、 very elbow!“His head being turned back, he passed a crook 弯曲部分 of the road, and looking forward again, beheld the figure of a man, in grave and decent attire 打扮, seated at the foot of an old tree. He arose, at Goodman Browns approach, and walked onward, side by side with him.“You are late, Goodman
11、Brown,“ said he. “The clock of the Old South was striking, as I came through Boston; and that is full fifteen minutes ago.“Faith kept me back awhile,“ replied the young man, with a tremor 颤动 in his voice, caused by the sudden appearance of his companion, though not wholly unexpected.It was now deep
12、dusk in the forest, and deepest in that part of it where these two were journeying. As nearly as could be discerned 辨别, the second traveller was about fifty years old, apparently in the same rank of life as Goodman Brown, and bearing a considerable resemblance 相似之处 to him, though perhaps more in exp
13、ression than features.Still, they might have been taken for father and son. And yet, though the elder person was as simply clad 穿衣 as the younger, and as simple in manner too, he had an indescribable air of one who knew the world, and would not have felt abashed 不安的 at the governors dinner-table, or
14、 in King Williams court, were it possible that his affairs should call him thither. But the only thing about him, that could be fixed upon as remarkable, was his staff, which bore the likeness of a great black snake, so curiously wrought, that it might almost be seen to twist and wriggle itself like
15、 a living serpent.This, of course, must have been an ocular 视觉的 deception 欺骗, assisted by the uncertain light.“Come, Goodman Brown!“ cried his fellow-traveller, “this is a dull pace for the beginning of a journey. Take my staff, if you are so soon weary.“Friend,“ said the other, exchanging his slow
16、pace for a full stop, “having kept covenant 契约 by meeting thee here, it is my purpose now to return whence 由此 I came. I have scruples 顾虑, touching the matter thou wotst of.“3“Sayest thou so?“ replied he of the serpent, smiling apart. “Let us walk on, nevertheless, reasoning as we go, and if I convin
17、ce thee not, thou shalt turn back. We are but a little way in the forest, yet.“Too far, too far!“ exclaimed the goodman, unconsciously resuming his walk. “My father never went into the woods on such an errand, nor his father before him. We have been a race of honest men and good Christians, since th
18、e days of the martyrs烈士. And shall I be the first of the name of Brown, that ever took this path and kept“-“Such company, thou wouldst say,“ observed the elder person, interrupting his pause. “Well said, Goodman Brown! I have been as well acquainted with your family as with ever a one among the Puri
19、tans; and thats no trifle 玩笑 to say. I helped your grandfather, the constable 巡警, when he lashed the Quaker woman so smartly through the streets of Salem. And it was I that brought your father a pitch-pine knot, kindled at my own hearth 灶台, to set fire to an Indian village, in King Philips War. They
20、 were my good friends, both; and many a pleasant walk have we had along this path, and returned merrily after midnight. I would fain be friends with you, for their sake.“If it be as thou sayest,“ replied Goodman Brown, “I marvel they never spoke of these matters. Or, verily, I marvel not, seeing tha
21、t the least rumor of the sort would have driven them from New England. We are a people of prayer, and good works to boot, and abide no such wickedness.“Wickedness or not,“ said the traveller with the twisted staff, have a very general acquaintance here in New England. The deacons of many a church ha
22、ve drunk the communion wine with me; the selectmen, of divers towns, make me their chairman; and a majority of the Great and General Court are firm supporters of my interest. The governor and I, too- but these are state-secrets.“Can this be so!“ cried Goodman Brown, with a stare of amazement at his
23、undisturbed companion. “Howbeit, I have nothing to do with the governor and council; they have their own ways, and are no rule for a simple husbandman like me. But, were I to go on with thee, how should I meet the eye of that good old man, our minister, at Salem village? Oh, his voice would make me
24、tremble, both Sabbath-day and lecture-day!“Thus far, the elder traveller had listened with due gravity, but now burst into a fit of irrepressible mirth, shaking himself so violently that his snake-like staff actually seemed to wriggle in sympathy.“Ha! ha! ha!“ shouted he, again and again; then compo
25、sing himself, “Well, go on, Goodman Brown, go on; but, prithee, dont kill me with laughing!“4“Well, then, to end the matter at once,“ said Goodman Brown, considerably nettled, “there is my wife, Faith. It would break her dear little heart; and Id rather break my own!“Nay, if that be the case,“ answe
26、red the other, “een go thy ways, Goodman Brown. I would not, for twenty old women like the one hobbling before us, that Faith should come to any harm.“As he spoke, he pointed his staff at a female figure on the path, in whom Goodman Brown recognized a very pious and exemplary dame, who had taught hi
27、m his catechism in youth, and was still his moral and spiritual adviser, jointly with the minister and Deacon Gookin.“A marvel, truly, that Goody Cloyse should be so far in the wilderness, at night-fall!“ said he. “But, with your leave, friend, I shall take a cut through the woods, until we have lef
28、t this Christian woman behind. Being a stranger to you, she might ask whom I was consorting 结交 with, and whither I was going.“Be it so,“ said his fellow-traveller. “Betake you to the woods, and let me keep the path.“Accordingly, the young man turned aside, but took care to watch his companion, who a
29、dvanced softly along the road, until he had come within a staffs length of the old dame. She, meanwhile, was making the best of her way, with singular speed for so aged a woman, and mumbling some indistinct words, a prayer, doubtless, as she went.The traveller put forth his staff, and touched her wi
30、thered neck with what seemed the serpents tail.“The devil!“ screamed the pious old lady.“Then Goody Cloyse knows her old friend?“ observed the traveller, confronting her, and leaning on his writhing stick.“Ah, forsooth, and is it your worship, indeed?“ cried the good dame. “Yea, truly is it, and in
31、the very image of my old gossip, Goodman Brown, the grandfather of the silly fellow that now is. But, would your worship believe it? my broomstick hath strangely disappeared, stolen, as I suspect, by that unhanged witch, Goody Cory, and that, too, when I was all anointed with the juice of smallage a
32、nd cinque-foil and wolfs-bane“-“Mingled with fine wheat and the fat of a new-born babe,“ said the shape of old Goodman Brown.5“Ah, your worship knows the recipe,“ cried the old lady, cackling aloud. “So, as I was saying, being all ready for the meeting, and no horse to ride on, I made up my mind to
33、foot it; for they tell me, there is a nice young man to be taken into communion tonight. But now your good worship will lend me your arm, and we shall be there in a twinkling.“That can hardly be,“ answered her friend. “I may not spare you my arm, Goody Cloyse, but here is my staff, if you will.“So s
34、aying, he threw it down at her feet, where, perhaps, it assumed life, being one of the rods which its owner had formerly lent to Egyptian Magi. Of this fact, however, Goodman Brown could not take cognizance. He had cast up his eyes in astonishment, and looking down again, beheld neither Goody Cloyse
35、 nor the serpentine staff, but his fellow-traveller alone, who waited for him as calmly as if nothing had happened.“That old woman taught me my catechism!“ said the young man; and there was a world of meaning in this simple comment.They continued to walk onward, while the elder traveller exhorted hi
36、s companion to make good speed and persevere in the path, discoursing so aptly, that his arguments seemed rather to spring up in the bosom of his auditor, than to be suggested by himself. As they went, he plucked 摘 a branch of maple, to serve for a walking-stick, and began to strip it of the twigs a
37、nd little boughs, which were wet with evening dew露水. The moment his fingers touched them, they became strangely withered and dried up, as with a weeks sunshine. Thus the pair proceeded, at a good free pace, until suddenly, in a gloomy hollow of the road, Goodman Brown sat himself down on the stump o
38、f a tree, and refused to go any farther.“Friend,“ said he, stubbornly, “my mind is made up. Not another step will I budge on this errand. What if a wretched old woman do choose to go to the devil, when I thought she was going to Heaven! Is that any reason why I should quit my dear Faith, and go afte
39、r her?“You will think better of this by-and-by,“ said his acquaintance, composedly. “Sit here and rest yourself awhile; and when you feel like moving again, there is my staff to help you along.“Without more words, he threw his companion the maple stick, and was as speedily out of sight as if he had
40、vanished into the deepening gloom. The young man sat a few moments by the road-side, applauding himself greatly, and thinking with how clear a conscience he should meet the minister, in his morning-walk, nor shrink from the eye of good old Deacon Gookin. And what calm sleep would be his, that very n
41、ight, which was to have been spent so wickedly, but purely and sweetly now, in the arms of Faith! Amidst these pleasant and praiseworthy meditations, Goodman Brown heard 6the tramp 踩 of horses along the road, and deemed it advisable to conceal himself within the verge of the forest, conscious of the
42、 guilty purpose that had brought him thither, though now so happily turned from it.On came the hoof-tramps and the voices of the riders, two grave old voices, conversing soberly as they drew near. These mingled sounds appeared to pass along the road, within a few yards of the young mans hiding-place
43、; but owing, doubtless, to the depth of the gloom, at that particular spot, neither the travellers nor their steeds 马 were visible. Though their figures brushed the small boughs by the way-side, it could not be seen that they intercepted 拦截, even for a moment, the faint gleam from the strip of brigh
44、t sky, athwart which they must have passed. Goodman Brown alternately crouched and stood on tip-toe, pulling aside the branches, and thrusting forth his head as far as he durst, without discerning so much as a shadow. It vexed him the more, because he could have sworn, were such a thing possible, th
45、at he recognized the voices of the minister and Deacon Gookin, jogging along quietly, as they were wont to do, when bound to some ordination or ecclesiastical council. While yet within hearing, one of the riders stopped to pluck a switch.“Of the two, reverend Sir,“ said the voice like the deacons, I
46、 had rather miss an ordination-dinner than tonights meeting. They tell me that some of our community are to be here from Falmouth and beyond, and others from Connecticut and Rhode Island; besides several of the Indian powows, who, after their fashion, know almost as much deviltry as the best of us.
47、Moreover, there is a goodly young woman to be taken into communion.“Mighty well, Deacon Gookin!“ replied the solemn old tones of the minister. “Spur up, or we shall be late. Nothing can be done, you know, until I get on the ground.“The hoofs clattered again, and the voices, talking so strangely in t
48、he empty air, passed on through the forest, where no church had ever been gathered, nor solitary 孤独地 Christian prayed. Whither, then, could these holy men be journeying, so deep into the heathen wilderness? Young Goodman Brown caught hold of a tree, for support, being ready to sink down on the groun
49、d, faint and overburthened with the heavy sickness of his heart. He looked up to the sky, doubting whether there really was a Heaven above him. Yet, there was the blue arch, and the stars brightening in it.“With Heaven above, and Faith below, I will yet stand firm against the devil!“ cried Goodman Brown.While he still gazed upward, into the deep arch of the firmament 天空, and had lifted his hands to pray, a cloud, though no wind was stirring, hurried across the zenith顶点, and hid the brightening stars. The blue sky was still visible, except directly overhe
