The authority which we have chiefly followed--a manuscript of old date, drawn up from the verbal testimony of individuals, some of whom had known Hester Prynne, while others had heard the tale from contemporary witnesses--fully confirms the view taken in the foregoing pages. Among many morals which press upon us from the poor minister's miserable experience, we put only this into a sentence:--"Be true! Be true! Be true! Show freely to the world, if not your worst, yet some trait whereby the worst may be inferred!"
我们这篇故事所依据的权威性素材,是记载了许多人口述的一部古旧书稿,其中有些人曾经认识海丝特·白兰,另一些人则从当时的目击者口中听说了这个故事,该书稿完全证实了前面诸页所取的观点。从那可怜的牧师的悲惨经历中,我们可以汲取许多教训,但我们只归结为一句话:“要真诚!要真诚!一定要真诚!即使不把你的最坏之处无所顾忌地显示绘世人,至少也要流露某些迹象,让别人借以推断出你的最坏之处!”

Nothing was more remarkable than the change which took place, almost immediately after Mr. Dimmesdale's death, in the appearance and demeanour of the old man known as Roger Chillingworth. All his strength and energy--all his vital and intellectual force--seemed at once to desert him; insomuch that he positively withered up, shrivelled away, and almost vanished from mortal sight, like an uprooted weed that lies wilting in the sun. This unhappy man had made the very principle of his life to consist in the pursuit and systematic exercise of revenge; and when, by its completest triumph and consummation, that evil principle was left with no further material to support it,--when, in short, there was no more devil's work on earth for him to do, it only remained for the unhumanized mortal to betake himself whither his Master would find him tasks enough, and pay him his wages duly. But, to all these shadowy beings, so long our near acquaintances,--as well Roger Chillingworth as his companions,--we would fain be merciful. It is a curious subject of observation and inquiry, whether hatred and love be not the same thing at bottom. Each, in its utmost development, supposes a high degree of intimacy and heart-knowledge; each renders one individual dependent for the food of his affections and spiritual life upon another; each leaves the passionate lover, or the no less passionate hater, forlorn and desolate by the withdrawal of his object. Philosophically considered, therefore, the two passions seem essentially the same, except that one happens to be seen in a celestial radiance, and the other in a dusky and lurid glow. In the spiritual world, the old physician and the minister--mutual victims as they have been--may, unawares, have found their earthly stock of hatred and antipathy transmuted into golden love.
最引人注目的是,丁梅斯代尔先生死后不久,在被叫作罗杰·齐灵渥斯的那老人容貌和举止上所发生的变化。他的全部体力和精力——他的全部活力和智力,象是立即抛弃了他;以致他明显地凋谢了,枝萎了,几乎如同拔出地面、绘太阳晒蔫的野草一般从人们眼界中消失了。这个不快的人给自己的生活确立的准则是不断地按部就班地执行他的复仇计划;但是,当他取得了彻底的胜利和完满的结果,那一邪恶的准则再也没有物质来支撑的时候,简言之,当他在世上再也没有魔鬼给的任务可进行的时候,这个没有人性曲人只有到他的主中那里去谋职并领取相应的报酬了。然而,对于所有这些阴影式的人物,只要是我们的熟人——不管是罗杰·齐灵渥斯,抑或是他的伙伴,我们还不得不显示点仁慈。一个值得探讨的、引人人胜的课题是:恨和爱,归根结底是不是同一的东西。二者在发展到极端时,都必须是高度的密不可分和息患相通;二者都可以使一个人向对方谋求爱慕和精神生活的食粮;二者在完成其课题之后,都能够将自己热爱的人或痛恨的人同样置于孤寂凄凉的境地。因此,从哲学上看,这两种感情在本质上似乎是相同的,只不过一种刚好显现于神圣的天光中,而另一种则隐蔽在晦暗的幽光里。老医生和牧师这两个事实上相互成为牺牲品的人,在神灵的世界中,或许会.不知不觉地发现他俩在尘世所贮藏的怨恨和厌恶变成了黄金般的热爱。

Leaving this discussion apart, we have a matter of business to communicate to the reader. At old Roger Chillingworth's decease (which took place within the year), and by his last will and testament, of which Governor Bellingham and the Reverend Mr. Wilson were executors, he bequeathed a very considerable amount of property, both here and in England, to little Pearl, the daughter of Hester Prynne.
我们先把这一讨论撇在一旁,把一件正事通报给读者。不出一年,老罗杰·齐灵渥斯便死了;根据他的最后意愿和遗嘱——贝灵汉总督和威尔逊牧师先生是其执行人——,他把一笔数目可观的遗产,包括在此地和在英国的,都留给了海丝特·白兰的女儿,小珠儿。