Chapter 07 THE GOVERNOR'S HALL
第七章　總督的大廳

They approached the door; which was of an arched form, and flanked on each side by a narrow tower or projection of the edifice, in both of which were lattice-windows, with wooden shutters to close over them at need. Lifting the iron hammer that hung at the portal, Hester Prynne gave a summons, which was answered by one of the Governor's bond-servants; a free-born Englishman, but now a seven years' slave. During that term he was to be the property of his master, and as much a commodity of bargain and sale as an ox, or a joint-stool. The serf wore the blue coat, which was the customary garb of serving-men at that period, and long before, in the old hereditary halls of England.
她們走近了大門；那建筑物有一座拱形門洞，兩側(cè)各有一座細(xì)高的塔樓或者說(shuō)是突出的前臉，上面鑲著格子窗，里面還有木制的百葉窗，必要時(shí)可以關(guān)上。海絲特·白蘭舉起吊在門口的腿于，敲了一下門；總督的一個(gè)家奴應(yīng)聲而至，他本是一個(gè)英國(guó)的自由民，但已當(dāng)了七年奴仆了。這期間，他只是主人的財(cái)產(chǎn)，無(wú)非是和一頭公?；蛞话颜垡我粯涌梢越灰缀统鍪鄣囊患唐贰Ｄ桥桶凑债?dāng)時(shí)和早先英國(guó)世襲擊宅中仆人的習(xí)慣裝束，穿著一件藍(lán)色號(hào)衣。

"Is the worshipful Governor Bellingham within?" inquired Hester.
“貝靈漢總督大人在嗎？”海絲特問(wèn)。

"Yea, forsooth," replied the bond-servant, staring with wide-open eyes at the scarlet letter, which, being a new-comer in the country, he had never before seen. "Yea, his honourable worship is within. But he hath a godly minister or two with him, and likewise a leech. Ye may not see his worship now."
“是的，在家，”那家奴一邊回答，一邊睜大眼睛瞪著那紅字，他來(lái)到這地方只有幾年，以前還從未見(jiàn)過(guò)那標(biāo)記?！笆堑模笕嗽?。只是他有—兩位牧師陪著，還有一個(gè)醫(yī)生。你此刻恐怕不能見(jiàn)大人?！?/div>

"Nevertheless, I will enter," answered Hester Prynne; and the bond-servant, perhaps judging from the decision of her air, and the glittering symbol in her bosom, that she was a great lady in the land, offered no opposition.
“不過(guò)，我還是要進(jìn)去，”海絲特·白蘭回答說(shuō)，那家奴大概是從她那不容置辯的神氣和胸前閃光的標(biāo)志判斷，把她當(dāng)作了本地的一位貴婦，沒(méi)有表示反對(duì)。

So the mother and little Pearl were admitted into the hall of entrance. With many variations, suggested by the nature of his building-materials, diversity of climate, and a different mode of social life, Governor Bellingham had planned his new habitation after the residences of gentlemen of fair estate in his native land. Here, then, was a wide and reasonably lofty hall, extending through the whole depth of the house and forming a medium of general communication, more or less directly, with all the other apartments. At one extremity, this spacious room was lighted by the windows of the two towers, which formed a small recess on either side of the portal. At the other end, though partly muffled by a curtain, it was more powerfully illuminated by one of those embowed hall-windows which we read of in old books, and which was provided with a keep and cushioned seat. Here, on the cushion, lay a folio tome, probably of the Chronicles of England, or other such substantial literature; even as, in our own days, we scatter gilded volumes on the centre-table, to be turned over by the casual guest. The furniture of the hall consisted of some ponderous chairs, the backs of which were elaborately carved with wreaths of oaken flowers; and likewise a table in the same taste; the whole being of the Elizabethan age, or perhaps earlier, and heirlooms, transferred hither from the Governor's paternal home. On the table- in token that the sentiment of old English hospitality had not been left behind- stood a large pewter tankard, at the bottom of which, had Hester or Pearl peeped into it, they might have seen the frothy remnant of a recent draught of ale.
于是，母親和小珠兒被引進(jìn)了入門的大廳。貝靈漢總督是按照故鄉(xiāng)廣有土地的鄉(xiāng)紳的住宅樣式來(lái)設(shè)計(jì)他在殖民地的新居的，但又因他所使用的建筑樹(shù)料的性質(zhì)、此地氣候的差異以及社交生活的不同模式，作了不少變動(dòng)。于是，這座宅邸中就有了—座寬敞而高度恰到好處的大廳，前后貫穿整個(gè)住宅，形成一個(gè)公共活動(dòng)的中心，與宅中所有的房間都直接或伺接地連通著。這座敞亮的大廳的一頭，由兩座塔樓的窗戶透進(jìn)陽(yáng)光，在門的兩側(cè)各形成一個(gè)小小的方框。另一頭，卻由一扇讓窗簾遮著一部分的凸肚窗照得十分明亮。這種凸肚窗——我們?cè)诠艜凶x到過(guò)，深深凹進(jìn)墻中，而且還有鋪了墊子的座位。在這扇窗子的座墊上放著一部對(duì)開(kāi)本的厚書，可能是《英格蘭編年史》這一類的大部頭著作；正如同時(shí)至今，我們還會(huì)將一些燙金的書卷散放在室中的桌上，供來(lái)客翻閱消遣。大廳中的家具，包括幾把笨重的椅子，椅背上精雕著團(tuán)團(tuán)簇簇的橡樹(shù)花，還有一張與椅子配套的桌子，以及一整套伊麗莎白時(shí)代的全部設(shè)備，說(shuō)不定還是從更早的年代祖?zhèn)飨聛?lái)的，由總督從故土運(yùn)到了這里。桌子上面，為表明英格蘭好客的遺風(fēng)猶存，擺著一個(gè)碩大的錫制單柄酒杯，如果海絲特或珠兒往杯里張望的話，還可看見(jiàn)杯底上殘存著剛喝光的啤酒的泡沫。