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　…　手机访问　m。
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¤╭⌒╮　╭⌒╮欢迎光临　　　　　　　
　╱◥██◣　╭╭　⌒　　　　　　　　　
︱田︱田田｜　╰……　　
　　　　　╬╬╬╬╬╬╬╬╬╬╬╬╬╬╬版　权　归　原　作　者
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　【冷泉泓薇】整理　
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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　SCARLET　LETTER　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Nathaniel　HawthorneINTRODUCTORY　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　CUSTOM…HOUSE。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　INTRODUCTORY　TO　〃THE　SCARLET　LETTER〃。　　IT　is　a　little　remarkable；　that…　though　disinclined　to　talk　overmuchof　myself　and　my　affairs　at　the　fireside；　and　to　my　personalfriends…　an　autobiographical　impulse　should　twice　in　my　life　havetaken　possession　of　me；　in　addressing　the　public。　The　first　time　wasthree　or　four　years　since；　when　I　favoured　the　reader…　inexcusably；and　for　no　earthly　reason；　that　either　the　indulgent　reader　or　theintrusive　author　could　imagine…　with　a　description　of　my　way　of　lifein　the　deep　quietude　of　an　Old　Manse。　And　now…　because；　beyond　mydeserts；　I　was　happy　enough　to　find　a　listener　or　two　on　the　formeroccasion…　I　again　seize　the　public　by　the　button；　and　talk　of　my　threeyears'　experience　in　a　Custom…House。　The　example　of　the　famous　〃P。　P。；Clerk　of　this　Parish；〃　was　never　more　faithfully　followed。　The　truthseems　to　be；　however；　that；　when　he　casts　his　leaves　forth　upon　thewind；　the　author　addresses；　not　the　many　who　will　fling　aside　hisvolume；　or　never　take　it　up；　but　the　few　who　will　understand　him；better　than　most　of　his　schoolmates　or　lifemates。　Some　authors；indeed；　do　far　more　than　this；　and　indulge　themselves　in　suchconfidential　depths　of　revelation　as　could　fittingly　be　addressed；only　and　exclusively；　to　the　one　heart　and　mind；　of　perfectsympathy；　as　if　the　printed　book；　thrown　at　large　on　the　wide　world；were　certain　to　find　out　the　divided　segment　of　the　writer's　ownnature；　and　plete　his　circle　of　existence　by　bringing　him　intomunion　with　it。　It　is　scarcely　decorous；　however；　to　speak　all；even　where　we　speak　impersonally。　But；　as　thoughts　are　frozen　andutterance　benumbed；　unless　the　speaker　stand　in　some　true　relationwith　his　audience；　it　may　be　pardonable　to　imagine　that　a　friend；　akind　and　apprehensive；　though　not　the　closest　friend；　is　listeningto　our　talk；　and　then；　a　native　reserve　being　thawed　by　this　genialconsciousness；　we　may　prate　of　the　circumstances　that　lie　around　us；and　even　of　ourself；　but　still　keep　the　inmost　Me　behind　its　veil。To　this　extent；　and　within　these　limits；　an　author；　methinks；　may　beautobiographical；　without　violating　either　the　reader's　rights　orhis　own。　　It　will　be　seen；　likewise；　that　this　Custom…House　sketch　has　acertain　propriety；　of　a　kind　always　recognised　in　literature；　asexplaining　how　a　large　portion　of　the　following　pages　came　into　mypossession；　and　as　offering　proofs　of　the　authenticity　of　anarrative　therein　contained。　This；　in　fact…　a　desire　to　put　myselfin　my　true　position　as　editor；　or　very　little　more；　of　the　most　prolixamong　the　tales　that　make　up　my　volume…　this；　and　no　other；　is　my　truereason　for　assuming　a　personal　relation　with　the　public。　Inacplishing　the　main　purpose；　it　has　appeared　allowable；　by　a　fewextra　touches；　to　give　a　faint　representation　of　a　mode　of　life　notheretofore　described；　together　with　some　of　the　characters　that　movein　it；　among　whom　the　author　happened　to　make　one。　　In　my　native　town　of　Salem；　at　the　head　of　what；　half　a　century　ago；in　the　days　of　old　King　Derby；　was　a　bustling　wharf…　but　which　isnow　burdened　with　decayed　wooden　warehouses；　and　exhibits　few　or　nosymptoms　of　mercial　life；　except；　perhaps；　a　bark　or　brig；　half…waydown　its　melancholy　length；　discharging　hides；　or；　nearer　at　hand；　aNova　Scotia　schooner；　pitching　out　her　cargo　of　firewood…　at　thehead；　I　say；　of　this　dilapidated　wharf；　which　the　tide　oftenoverflows；　and　along　which；　at　the　base　and　in　the　rear　of　the　rowof　buildings；　the　track　of　many　languid　years　is　seen　in　a　border　ofunthrifty　grass…　here；　with　a　view　from　its　front　windows　adown　thisnot　very　enlivening　prospect；　and　thence　across　the　harbour；　standsa　spacious　edifice　of　brick。　From　the　loftiest　point　of　its　roof；during　precisely　three　and　a　half　hours　of　each　forenoon；　floats　ordroops；　in　breeze　or　calm；　the　banner　of　the　republic；　but　with　thethirteen　stripes　turned　vertically；　instead　of　horizontally；　andthus　indicating　that　a　civil；　and　not　a　military　post　of　Uncle　Sam'sgovernment　is　here　established。　Its　front　is　ornamented　with　a　porticoof　half…a…dozen　wooden　pillars；　supporting　a　balcony；　beneath　whicha　flight　of　wide　granite　steps　descends　towards　the　street。　Over　theentrance　hovers　an　enormous　specimen　of　the　American　eagle；　withoutspread　wings；　a　shield　before　her　breast；　and；　if　I　recollectaright；　a　bunch　of　intermingled　thunderbolts　and　barbed　arrows　in　eachclaw。　With　the　customary　infirmity　of　temper　that　characterises　thisunhappy　fowl；　she　appears；　by　the　fierceness　of　her　beak　and　eye；and　the　general　truculency　of　her　attitude；　to　threaten　mischief　tothe　inoffensive　munity；　and　especially　to　warn　all　citizens；careful　of　their　safety；　against　intruding　on　the　premises　which　sheovershadows　with　her　wings。　Nevertheless；　vixenly　as　she　looks；　manypeople　are　seeking；　at　this　very　moment；　to　shelter　themselves　underthe　wing　of　the　federal　eagle；　imagining；　I　presume；　that　her　bosomhas　all　the　softness　and　snugness　of　an　eider…down　pillow。　But　she　hasno　great　tenderness；　even　in　her　best　of　moods；　and；　sooner　orlater…　oftener　soon　than　late…　is　apt　to　fling　off　her　nestlings；　witha　scratch　of　her　claw；　a　dab　of　her　beak；　or　a　rankling　wound　from　herbarbed　arrows。　　The　pavement　round　about　the　above…described　edifice…　which　we　mayas　well　name　at　once　as　the　Custom…House　of　the　port…　has　grass　enoughgrowing　in　its　chinks　to　show　that　it　has　not；　of　late　days；　been　wornby　any　multitudinous　resort　of　business。　In　some　months　of　the　year；however；　there　often　chances　a　forenoon　when　affairs　move　onwardwith　a　livelier　tread。　Such　occasions　might　remind　the　elderly　citizenof　that　period　before　the　last　war　with　England；　when　Salem　was　a　portby　itself；　not　scorned；　as　she　is　now；　by　her　own　merchants　andship…owners；　who　permit　her　wharves　to　crumble　to　ruin；　while　theirventures　go　to　swell；　needlessly　and　imperceptibly；　the　mighty　floodof　merce　at　New　York　or　Boston。　On　some　such　morning；　when　three　orfour　vessels　happen　to　have　arrived　at　once…　usually　from　Africa　orSouth　America…　or　to　be　on　the　verge　of　their　departure　thitherward；there　is　a　sound　of　frequent　feet；　passing　briskly　up　and　down　thegranite　steps。　Here；　before　his　own　wife　has　greeted　him；　you　maygreet　the　sea…flushed　shipmaster；　just　in　port；　with　his　vessel'spapers　under　his　arm；　in　a　tarnished　tin　box。　Here；　too；　es　hisowner；　cheerful　or　sombre；　gracious　or　in　the　sulks；　accordingly　ashis　scheme　of　the　now　acplished　voyage　has　been　realised　inmerchandise　that　will　readily　be　turned　to　gold；　or　has　buried　himunder　a　bulk　of　inmodities；　such　as　nobody　will　care　to　rid　him　of。Here；　likewise…　the　germ　of　the　wrinkle…browed；　grizzly…bearded；care…worn　merchant…　we　have　the　smart　young　clerk；　who　gets　thetaste　of　traffic　as　a　wolf…cub　does　of　blood；　and　already　sendsadventures　in　his　master's　ships；　when　he　had　better　be　sailingmimic…boats　upon　a　mill…pond。　Another　figure　in　the　scene　is　theoutward…bound　sailor；　in　quest　of　a　protection；　or　the　recentlyarrived　one；　pale　and　feeble；　seeking　a　passport　to　the　hospital。Nor　must　we　forget　the　captains　of　the　rusty　little　schooners　thatbring　firewood　from　the　British　provinces；　a　rough…looking　set　oftarpaulins；　without　the　alertness　of　the　Yankee　aspect；　butcontributing　an　item　of　no　slight　importance　to　our　decaying　trade。　　Cluster　all　these　individuals　together；　as　they　sometimes　were；　withother　miscellaneous　ones　to　diversify　the　group；　and；　for　the　timebeing；　it　made　the　Custom…House　a　stirring　scene。　More　frequently；however；　on　ascending　the　steps；　you　would　discern…　in　the　entry；　ifit　were　summer　time；　or　in　their　appropriate　rooms；　if　wintry　orinclement　weather…　a　row　of　venerable　figures；　sitting　inold…fashioned　chairs；　which　were　tipped　on　their　hind　legs　backagainst　the　wall。　Oftentimes　they　were　asleep；　but　occasionallymight　be　heard　talking　together；　in　voices　between　speech　and　a　snore；and　with　that　lack　of　energy　that　distinguishes　the　occupants　ofalms…houses；　and　all　other　human　beings　who　depend　for　subsistence　oncharity；　on　monopolised　labour；　or　anything　else　but　their　ownindependent　exertions。　These　old　gentlemen…　seated；　like　Matthew；　atthe　receipt　of　customs；　but　not　very　liable　to　be　summoned　thence；like　him；　for　apostolic　errands…　were　Custom…House　officers。　　Furthermore；　on　the　left　hand　as　you　enter　the　front　door；　is　acertain　room　or　office；　about　fifteen　feet　square；　and　of　a　loftyheight；　with　two　of　its　arched　windows　manding　a　view　of　theaforesaid　dilapidated　wharf；　and　the　third　looking　across　a　narrowlane；　and　along　a　portion　of　Derby　Street。　All　three　give　glimpsesof　the　shops　of　grocers；　block…makers；　slop…sellers；　andship…chandlers；　around　the　doors　of　which　are　generally　to　be　seen；laughing　and　gossiping；　clusters　of　old　salts；　and　such　otherwharf…rats　as　haunt　the　Wapping　of　a　seaport。　The　room　itself　iscobwebbed；　and　dingy　with　old　paint；　its　floor　is　strewn　with　greysand；　in　a　fashion　that　has　elsewhere　fallen　into　long　disuse；　andit　is　easy　to　conclude；　from　the　general　slovenliness　of　the　place；that　this　is　a　sanctuary　into　which　womankind；　with　her　tools　ofmagic；　the　broom　and　mop；　has　very　infrequent　access。　In　the　way　offurniture；　there　is　a　stove　with　a　voluminous　funnel；　an　old　pinedesk；　with　a　three…legged　stool　beside　it；　two　or　threewooden…bottom　chairs；　exceedingly　decrepit　and　infirm；　and…　not　toforget　the　library…　on　some　shelves；　a　score　or　two　of　volumes　ofthe　Acts　of　Congress；　and　a　bulky　Digest　of　the　Revenue　Laws。　A　tinpipe　ascends　through　the　ceiling；　and　forms　a　medium　of　vocalmunication　with　other　parts　of　the　edifice。　And　here；　some　sixmonths　ago…　pacing　from　corner　to　corner；　or　lounging　on　thelong…legged　stool；　with　his　elbow　on　the　desk；　and　his　eyeswandering　up　and　down　the　columns　of　the　morning　newspaper…　youmight　have　recognised；　honoured　reader；　the　same　individual　whoweled　you　into　his　cheery　little　study；　where　the　sunshineglimmered　so　pleasantly　through　the　willow　branches；　on　the　westernside　of　the　Old　Manse。　But　now；　should　you　go　thither　to　seek　him；　youwould　inquire　in　vain　for　the　Locofoco　Surveyor。　The　besom　of　reformhas　swept　him　out　of　office；　and　a　worthier　successor　wears　hisdignity；　and　pockets　his　emoluments。　　This　old　town　of　Salem…　my　native　place；　though　I　have　dwelt　muchaway　from　it；　both　in　boyhood　and　maturer　years…　possesses；　or　didpossess；　a　hold　on　my　affections；　the　force　of　which　I　have　neverrealised　during　my　seasons　of　actual　residence　here。　Indeed；　so　far　asits　physical　aspect　is　concerned；　with　its　flat；　unvaried　surface；covered　chiefly　with　wooden　houses；　few　or　none　of　which　pretend　toarchitectural　beauty…　its　irregularity；　which　is　neither　picturesquenor　quaint；　but　only　tame…　its　long　and　lazy　street；　loungingwearisomely　through　the　whole　extent　of　the　peninsula；　with　GallowsHill　and　New　Guinea　at　one　end；　and　a　view　of　the　alms…house　at　theother…　such　being　the　features　of　my　native　town；　it　would　be　quite　asreasonable　to　form　a　sentimental　attachment　to　a　disarrangedchecker…board。　And　yet；　though　invariably　happiest　elsewhere；　there　iswithin　me　a　feeling　for　old　Salem；　which；　in　lack　of　a　betterphrase；　I　must　be　content　to　call　affection。　The　sentiment　is　probablyassignable　to　the　deep　and　aged　roots　which　my　family　has　struckinto　the　soil。　It　is　now　nearly　two　centuries　and　a　quarter　sincethe　original　Briton；　the　earliest　emigrant　of　my　name；　made　hisappearance　in　the　wild　and　forest…bordered　settlement；　which　has　sincebee　a　city。　And　here　his　descendants　have　been　born　and　died；　andhave　mingled　their　earthy　substance　with　the　soil；　until　no　smallportion　of　it　must　necessarily　be　akin　to　the　mortal　framewherewith；　for　a　little　while；　I　walk　the　streets。　In　part；　therefore；the　attachment　which　I　speak　of　is　the　mere　sensuous　sympathy　ofdust　for　dust。　Few　of　my　countrymen　can　know　what　it　is；　nor；　asfrequent　transplantation　is　perhaps　better　for　the　stock；　need　theyconsider　it　desirable　to　know。　　But　the　sent