| THE PROCESSION Before Hester Prynne could call together her thoughts, and consider what was practicable to be done in this new and startling aspect of affairs, the sound of military music was heard approaching along a contiguous street. It denoted the advance of the procession of magistrates and citizens on its way towards the meeting-house: where, in compliance with a custom thus early established, and ever since observed, the Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale was to deliver an Election Sermon.
Soon the head of the procession showed itself, with a slow and stately march, turning a corner, and making its way across the market-place. First came the music. It comprised a variety of instruments, perhaps imperfectly adapted to one another, and played with no great skill; but yet attaining the great object for which the harmony of drum and clarion addresses itself to the multitude—that of imparting a higher and more heroic air to the scene of life that es before the eye. Little Pearl at first clapped her hands, but then lost for an instant the restless agitation that had kept her in a continual effervescence throughout the morning; she gazed silently, and seemed to be borne upward like a floating sea-bird on the long heaves and swells of sound. But she was brought back to her former mood by the shimmer of the sunshine on the weapons and bright armour of the military company, which followed after the music, and formed the honorary escort of the procession. This body of soldiery—which still sustains a corporate existence, and marches down from past ages with an ancient and honourable fame—was composed of no mercenary materials. Its ranks were filled with gentlemen who felt the stirrings of martial impulse, and sought to establish a kind of College of Arms, where, as in an association of Knights Templars, they might learn the science, and, so far as peaceful exercise would teach them, the practices of war. The high estimation then placed upon the military character might be seen in the lofty port of each individual member of the company. Some of them, indeed, by their services in the Low Countries and on other fields of European warfare, had fairly won their title to assume the name and pomp of soldiership. The entire array, moreover, clad in burnished steel, and with plumage nodding over their bright morions, had a brilliancy of effect which no modern display can aspire to equal. And yet the men of civil eminence, who came immediately behind the military escort, were better worth a thoughtful observer's eye. Even in outward demeanour they showed a stamp of majesty that made the warrior's haughty stride look vulgar, if not absurd. It was an age when what we call talent had far less consideration than now, but the massive materials which produce stability and dignity of character a great deal more. The people possessed by hereditary right the quality of reverence, which, in their descendants, if it survive at all, exists in smaller proportion, and with a vastly diminished force in the selection and estimate of public men. The change may be for good or ill, and is partly, perhaps, for both. In that old day the English settler on these rude shores—having left king, nobles, and all degrees of awful rank behind, while still the faculty and necessity of reverence was strong in him—bestowed it on the white hair and venerable brow of age—on long-tried integrity—on solid wisdom and sad-coloured experience—on endowments of that grave and weighty order which gave the idea of permanence, and comes under the general definition of respectability. These primitive statesmen, therefore—Bradstreet, Endicott, Dudley, Bellingham, and their compeers—who were elevated to power by the early choice of the people, seem to have been not often brilliant, but distinguished by a ponderous sobriety, rather than activity of intellect. They had fortitude and self-reliance, and in time of difficulty or peril stood up for the welfare of the state like a line of cliffs against a tempestuous tide. The traits of character here indicated were well represented in the square cast of countenance and large physical development of the new colonial magistrates. So far as a demeanour of natural authority was concerned, the mother country need not have been ashamed to see these foremost men of an actual democracy adopted into the House of Peers, or make the Privy Council of the Sovereign.
Next in order to the magistrates came the young and eminently distinguished divine, from whose lips the religious discourse of the anniversary was expected. His was the profession at that era in which intellectual ability displayed itself far more than in political life; for—leaving a higher motive out of the question it offered inducements powerful enough in the almost worshipping respect of the community, to win the most aspiring ambition into its service. Even political power—as in the case of Increase Mather—was within the grasp of a successful priest.
It was the observation of those who beheld him now, that never, since Mr. Dimmesdale first set his foot on the New England shore, had he exhibited such energy as was seen in the gait and air with which he kept his pace in the procession. There was no feebleness of step as at other times; his frame was not bent, nor did his hand rest ominously upon his heart. Yet, if the clergyman were rightly viewed, his strength seemed not of the body. It might be spiritual and imparted to him by angelical ministrations. It might be the exhilaration of that potent cordial which is distilled only in the furnace-glow of earnest and long-continued thought. Or perchance his sensitive temperament was invigorated by the loud and piercing music that swelled heaven-ward, and uplifted him on its ascending wave. Nevertheless, so abstracted was his look, it might be questioned whether Mr. Dimmesdale even heard the music. There was his body, moving onward, and with an unaccustomed force. But where was his mind? Far and deep in its own region, busying itself, with preternatural activity, to marshal a procession of stately thoughts that were soon to issue thence; and so he saw nothing, heard nothing, knew nothing of what was around him; but the spiritual element took up the feeble frame and carried it along, unconscious of the burden, and converting it to spirit like itself. Men of uncommon intellect, who have grown morbid, possess this occasional power of mighty effort, into which they throw the life of many days and then are lifeless for as many more.
Hester Prynne, gazing steadfastly at the clergyman, felt a dreary influence come over her, but wherefore or whence she knew not, unless that he seemed so remote from her own sphere, and utterly beyond her reach. One glance of recognition she had imagined must needs between them. She thought of the dim forest, with its little dell of solitude, and love, and anguish, and the mossy tree-trunk, where, sitting hand-in-hand, they had mingled their sad and ionate talk with the melancholy murmur of the brook. How deeply had they known each other then! And was this the man? She hardly knew him now! He, moving proudly past, enveloped as it were, in the rich music, with the procession of majestic and venerable fathers; he, so unattainable in his worldly position, and still more so in that far vista of his unsympathizing thoughts, through which she now beheld him! Her spirit sank with the idea that all must have been a delusion, and that, vividly as she had dreamed it, there could be no real bond betwixt the clergyman and herself. And thus much of woman was there in Hester, that she could scarcely forgive him—least of all now, when the heavy footstep of their approaching Fate might be heard, nearer, nearer, nearer!—for being able so completely to withdraw himself from their mutual world—while she groped darkly, and stretched forth her cold hands, and found him not.
Pearl either saw and responded to her mother's feelings, or herself felt the remoteness and intangibility that had fallen around the minister. While the procession ed, the child was uneasy, fluttering up and down, like a bird on the point of taking flight. When the whole had gone by, she looked up into Hester's face—
"Mother," said she, "was that the same minister that kissed me by the brook?"
"Hold thy peace, dear little Pearl!" whispered her mother. "We must not always talk in the marketplace of what happens to us in the forest."
"I could not be sure that it was he—so strange he looked," continued the child. "Else I would have run to him, and bid him kiss me now, before all the people, even as he did yonder among the dark old trees. What would the minister have said, mother? Would he have clapped his hand over his heart, and scowled on me, and bid me begone?"
"What should he say, Pearl," answered Hester, "save that it was no time to kiss, and that kisses are not to be given in the market-place? Well for thee, foolish child, that thou didst not speak to him!"
Another shade of the same sentiment, in reference to Mr. Dimmesdale, was expressed by a person whose eccentricities—insanity, as we should term it—led her to do what few of the townspeople would have ventured on—to begin a conversation with the wearer of the scarlet letter in public. It was Mistress Hibbins, who, arrayed in great magnificence, with a triple ruff, a broidered stomacher, a gown of rich velvet, and a gold-headed cane, had come forth to see the procession. As this ancient lady had the renown (which subsequently cost her no less a price than her life) of being a principal actor in all the works of necromancy that were continually going forward, the crowd gave way before her, and seemed to fear the touch of her garment, as if it carried the plague among its gorgeous folds. Seen in conjunction with Hester Prynne—kindly as so many now felt towards the latter—the dread inspired by Mistress Hibbins had doubled, and caused a general movement from that part of the market-place in which the two women stood. "Now, what mortal imagination could conceive it?" whispered the old lady confidentially to Hester. "Yonder divine man! That saint on earth, as the people uphold him to be, and as—I must needs say—he really looks! Who, now, that saw him in the procession, would think how little while it is since he went forth out of his study—chewing a Hebrew text of Scripture in his mouth, I warrant—to take an airing in the forest! Aha! we know what that means, Hester Prynne! But truly, forsooth, I find it hard to believe him the same man. Many a church member saw I, walking behind the music, that has danced in the same measure with me, when Somebody was fiddler, and, it might be, an Indian powwow or a Lapland wizard changing hands with us! That is but a trifle, when a woman knows the world. But this minister. Couldst thou surely tell, Hester, whether he was the same man that encountered thee on the forest path?" |
|
|
|
LA PROCESIN ANTES de que Ester hubiera podido darse cuenta de lo que pasaba, y considerar lo que poda hacerse en vista de este nuevo e inesperado aspecto del asunto, se oyeron los sones de una msica militar que se acercaba por una de las calles contiguas, indicando la marcha de la procesin de los magistrados y ciudadanos en direccin de la iglesia, donde, de acuerdo con una antigua costumbre adoptada en los primeros tiempos de la colonia, el Reverendo Seor Dimmesdale deba predicar el sermn de la eleccin.
Pronto se dej ver la cabeza de la procesin que, procediendo lenta y majestuosamente, doblaba una esquina y se abra paso al travs de la muchedumbre que llenaba la plaza del mercado. Primeramente vena la banda de msica, compuesta de variedad de instrumentos, quizs imperfectamente adaptados unos a otros, y tocados sin mucho arte; sin embargo, se alcanzaba el gran objeto que la armona de los tambores y del clarn debe producir en la multitud; esto es, revestir de un aspecto ms heroico y elevado la escena que se desarrollaba ante la vista. Perla, al principio, empez a palmotear, pero luego, por un instante, perdi la agitacin febril que la haba mantenido en un estado de continua efervescencia toda la maana: contempl silenciosamente lo que pasaba, y pareca como si los sonidos de la msica, arrebatando su espritu, la hicieran, a manera de ave acutil, cernerse sobre aquellas oleadas de armona. Pero volvi a su antigua agitacin al ver fulgurar a los rayos del sol las armas y brillantes arreos de los soldados que venan inmediatamente despus de la banda de msica, y formaban la escolta de honor de la procesin. Este cuerpo militar,—que aun subsiste como institucin, y contina su vieja existencia con antigua y honrosa fama,—no se compona de hombres asalariados, sino de caballeros que, animados de ardor marcial, deseaban establecer una especie de Colegio de Armas donde, como en una Asociacin de Caballeros Templarios, pudieran aprender la ciencia de la guerra y las prcticas de la misma, hasta donde lo permitieran sus ocupaciones pacficas habituales. La alta estimacin en que se tena a los militares en aquella poca, poda verse en el porte majestuoso de cada uno de los individuos que formaban la compaa. Algunos, en realidad de verdad, por sus servicios en los Pases Bajos y en otros campos de batalla, haban conquistado perfectamente el derecho de usar el nombre de soldado con toda la pompa y prosopopeya del oficio. Toda aquella columna vestida con petos de luciente acero y brillantes morriones coronados de penachos de plumas, presentaba un golpe de vista cuyo esplendor ningn despliegue de tropas modernas puede igualar.
Y sin embargo, los hombres de eminencia en lo civil, que marchaban inmediatamente en seguida de la escolta militar, eran aun ms dignos de la observacin de una persona pensadora. Su aspecto exterior tena cierto sello de majestad que haca parecer vulgar, y hasta absurdo a su lado, el altivo continente del guerrero. Era aquel un siglo en que el talento mereca menos estimacin que ahora, reservndose sta en mayor grado para las cualidades slidas que denotaban firmeza y dignidad de carcter. El pueblo, por herencia, era respetuoso y deferente; y los colonos ingleses que haban fijado sus moradas en estas speras costas, dejando tras s, rey, nobles, y toda la escala de la jerarqua social, aunque con la idea de respeto y obediencia todava muy arraigada en ellos, la reservaban para las canas y las cabezas que los aos hacan venerables; para la integridad a toda prueba; para la slida sabidura y amarga experiencia de la vida; en fin, para todas aquellas cualidades que indican peso, madurez, y se comprenden bajo el calificativo general de respetabilidad. Por lo tanto, aquellos primitivos hombres de Estado, tales como Bradstreet, Endicott, Dudley, Bellingham y sus compaeros, que fueron elevados al poder por la eleccin popular, no parece que pertenecieron a esa clase de hombres que hoy se llaman brillantes, sino que se distinguan como personas de madurez y de peso, ms bien que de inteligencias vivas y extraordinarias. Tenan fortaleza de nimo y confianza en sus propias fuerzas, y en tiempos difciles o peligrosos, cuando se trataba del bienestar de la cosa pblica, eran como muralla de rocas contra los embates de las tempestuosas olas. Los rasgos de carcter aqu indicados se manifestaban perfectamente en sus rostros casi cuadrados y en el gran desarrollo fsico de los nuevos magistrados coloniales; y en lo que concierne a porte y autoridad natural, la madre patria no se habra avergonzado de itir a estos hombres en la Cmara de los Pares o en el Consejo del Soberano.
Despus de los magistrados vena el joven y eminente eclesistico cuyos labios haban de pronunciar el discurso religioso en celebracin del acto solemne. En la poca de que hablamos, la profesin que l ejerca se prestaba mucho ms que la poltica al despliegue de las facultades intelectuales. Los que vean ahora al Sr. Dimmesdale, observaron que jams mostr tanta energa en su aspecto y hasta en su modo de andar, como la que desplegaba en la procesin. Su pisada no era vacilante, como en otras ocasiones, sino firme; no iba con el cuerpo casi doblado, ni se llevaba como de costumbre la mano al corazn. Sin embargo, bien considerado, su vigor no pareca corporal sino espiritual, como si se debiera a favor especial de los ngeles; o quizs era la animacin procedente de una inteligencia absorbida por serios y profundos pensamientos; o acaso su temperamento sensible se vea vigorizado por los sonidos penetrantes de la msica que, ascendiendo al cielo, le arrastraban y hacan mover con inusitada vivacidad. Sin embargo, tal era la abstraccin de sus miradas, que poda pensarse que el Sr. Dimmesdale ni aun siquiera oa la msica. All estaba su cuerpo marchando adelante con vigor no acostumbrado. Pero dnde estaba su espritu? All en las profundidades de su ser, ocupado con actividad extraordinaria en coordinar la legin de pensamientos majestuosos que pronto haban de verter sus labios; y de consiguiente ni vea, ni oa, ni tena idea de nada de lo que le rodeaba; pero la parte espiritual se apoder de aquella dbil fbrica y la arrastr consigo adelante, inconscientemente, y convertida tambin en espritu. Los hombres de inteligencia poco comn, que han llegado a adquirir cierta condicin mrbida, poseen a veces esta facultad de hacer un esfuerzo poderoso en el cual invierten la fuerza vital de muchos das, para permanecer despus como agotados durante mucho tiempo.
Ester, con los ojos fijos en el ministro, se senta dominada por tristes ideas, sin saber por qu ni de qu provenan. Se haba imaginado que una mirada, siquiera rpida, tena que cambiarse entre los dos. Recordaba la obscura selva con su pradillo solitario, y el amor y la angustia de que haba sido testigo; y el tronco mohoso del rbol donde, sentados, asidos de las manos, mezclaron sus tristes y apasionadas palabras al murmullo melanclico del arroyuelo. Cun profundo conocimiento adquirieron entonces de lo que eran en realidad uno y otro! Y era ste el mismo hombre? Apenas lo conoca ahora. Era acaso l, ese hombre que pasaba altivo al comps de la hermosa msica, en compaa de los venerables y majestuosos magistrados, l, tan inaccesible en su posicin social, y an mucho ms como ahora le vea all, entregado a los poco simpticos pensamientos que le preocupaban? El corazn de Ester se entristeci a la idea de que todo haba sido una ilusin, y que por vvido que hubiera sido su sueo, no poda existir un verdadero lazo de unin entre ella y el ministro. Y haba en Ester tal suma de sentimiento femenino, que apenas poda perdonarle,—y menos que nunca ahora cuando casi se oan, cada vez ms prximas, las pisadas del Destino que se acercaba a toda prisa,—no, no poda perdonarle que de tal modo le fuera dado abstraerse del mundo que a los dos les era comn, mientras ella, perdida en las tinieblas, extenda las manos congeladas buscndole, sin poder hallarle.
Perla, o vio y respondi a los pensamientos ntimos de su madre, o sinti por s misma tambin el alejamiento del ministro y crey notar la especie de barrera inaccesible que los separaba. Mientras pasaba la procesin, la nia estuvo inquieta, movindose y balancendose como un ave a punto de emprender el vuelo; pero cuando todo hubo terminado, mir a Ester en el rostro, y le dijo:
—Madre, es ese el mismo ministro que me bes junto al arroyo?
—Calla ahora, mi querida Perla,—le contest su madre en voz baja,—no debemos hablar siempre en la plaza del mercado de lo que nos acontece en la selva.
—No puedo estar segura de que sea l, tan diferente me parece!—continu la nia;—de otro modo habra corrido hacia l y le hubiera pedido que me besara ahora, delante de todo el mundo, como lo hizo all, bajo aquellos rboles sombros. Qu habra dicho el ministro, madre? Se habra llevado la mano al corazn, rindome y ordenndome que me alejara?
—Qu otra cosa podra haber dicho, Perla,—respondi su madre,—sino que no era esta la ocasin de besar a nadie, y que los besos no deben darse en la plaza del mercado? Perfectamente hiciste, locuela, en no hablarle.
Hubo otra persona que expres igualmente sus ideas acerca del Sr. Dimmesdale. Esta persona era la Sra. Hibbins, cuyas excentricidades, o mejor dicho, locura, la llevaban a hacer lo que pocos de la poblacin se hubieran atrevido a realizar, esto es: sostener una conversacin, delante del pblico, con la portadora de la letra escarlata. Vestida con gran magnificencia, con un triple cuello alechugado, talle bordado, bata de rico terciopelo y apoyada en un bastn de puo de oro, haba salido a ver la procesin cvica. Como esta anciana seora tena la fama (que despus le cost la vida) de ser parte principal en todos los trabajos de nigromancia que continuamente se estaban ejecutando, la multitud le abri paso franco y se apart de ella, pareciendo temer el o de sus vestidos, como si llevaran la peste oculta entre sus primorosos pliegues. Vista en unin de Ester Prynne,— pesar del sentimiento de benevolencia con que muchos miraban a esta ltima,—el terror que de suyo inspiraba la Sra. Hibbins se aument y dio lugar a un alejamiento general de aquel sitio en que se encontraban las dos mujeres.
—Qu imaginacin mortal podra concebirlo?—dijo la anciana en voz baja, confidencialmente, a Ester.—Ese hombre religioso, ese santo en la tierra como el pueblo lo crea, y como realmente lo parece! Quin que le vio ahora en la procesin podra pensar que no hace mucho que sali de su estudio,—apostara que murmurando algunas frases de la Biblia en hebreo,— dar una vuelta por la selva? Ah! Nosotras, Ester Prynne, sabemos lo que eso significa. Pero, en realidad de verdad, no puedo resolverme a creer que ese sea el mismo hombre. He visto marchando detrs de la msica a ms de un eclesistico que ha bailado conmigo cuando Alguien, que no quiero nombrar aqu, tocaba el violn, y que tal vez sea un hechicero indio o un brujo laplanz que nos saluda y estrecha las manos en otras ocasiones. Pero eso es una bicoca, para quien sabe lo que es el mundo, Pero este ministro? Podrs decirme con seguridad, Ester, si es el mismo hombre a quien encontraste en el sendero de la selva? |
English version
Versin en espaol
