This idea was countenanced by the strong interest which the physician ever manifested in the young clergyman; he attached himself to him as a parishioner, and sought to win a friendly regard and confidence from his naturally reserved sensibility. He expressed great alarm at his pastor's state of health, but was anxious to attempt the cure, and, if early undertaken, seemed not despondent of a favourable result. The elders, the deacons, the motherly dames, and the young and fair maidens, of Mr. Dimmesdale's flock, were alike importunate that he should make trial of the physician's frankly offered skill. Mr. Dimmesdale gently repelled their entreaties.
由于醫(yī)生對(duì)年輕的牧師從一開(kāi)始就顯示出強(qiáng)烈的興趣，上述想法就得到了鼓勵(lì)；醫(yī)生以一個(gè)教民隨身份與他形影相隨，并且想戰(zhàn)勝他天性中的含蓄和敏感，來(lái)贏得他的友誼和信任。他對(duì)他的牧師的健康深為震驚，還急切地給予治療，他認(rèn)為，如果及早診治的話，總不會(huì)不見(jiàn)療效的。丁梅斯代爾先生教團(tuán)中的長(zhǎng)老、執(zhí)事、修女，以及年輕貌美的少女們都眾口一詞地再三要求他對(duì)醫(yī)生自告奮勇的治療不妨一試。但丁梅斯代爾先生卻委婉地拒絕了這些懇求。?

"I need no medicine," said he.
“我不需要醫(yī)藥，”他說(shuō)。

But how could the young minister say so, when, with every successive Sabbath, his cheek was paler and thinner, and his voice more tremulous than before- when it had now become a constant habit, rather than a casual gesture, to press his hand over his heart? Was he weary of his labours? Did he wish to die? These questions were solemnly propounded to Mr. Dimmesdale by the elder ministers of Boston and the deacons of his church, who, to use their own phrase, "dealt with him" on the sin of rejecting the aid which Providence so manifestly held out. He listened in silence, and finally promised to confer with the physician.
但這位年輕牧師怎么能這樣講呢？一個(gè)接一個(gè)安息日，他的面頰越來(lái)越蒼白消瘦，他的聲音也比先前更加顫抖，而且他用手捂心口的動(dòng)作，已經(jīng)從漫不經(jīng)心的姿態(tài)變成時(shí)時(shí)都有的習(xí)慣了。是他厭倦了他的工作嗎？是他想死嗎？丁梅斯代爾先生一路受到波土頓的長(zhǎng)老們?nèi)绱说谋P詰和他教堂中的執(zhí)事們的——用他們自己的話說(shuō)——“規(guī)勸”：上天如此明顯地伸出救援之手，拒絕是有罪的。他默默不語(yǔ)地聽(tīng)著，終于答應(yīng)和醫(yī)生談?wù)効础?/div>

"Were it God's will," said the Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale, when, in fulfilment of this pledge, he requested old Roger Chillingworth's professional advice, "I could be well content, that my labours and my sorrows, and my sins and my pains, should shortly end with me, and what is earthly of them be buried in my grave, and the spiritual go with me to my eternal state, rather than that you should put your skill to the proof in my behalf."
“如果這是上帝的意旨，”丁梅斯代爾牧師先生為了實(shí)現(xiàn)自己的諾言，向老羅杰·齊靈渥斯醫(yī)生討教時(shí)說(shuō)，“我寧愿不要你為我的緣故來(lái)證明你醫(yī)道精熟，我要滿意地讓我的辛勞、我的悲哀、我的罪孽和我的痛苦都盡快與我同歸于盡，令其世俗部分埋在我的墓中，而將其精神部分隨我同去永恒的境界。

"Ah," replied Roger Chillingworth, with that quietness which, whether imposed or natural, marked all his deportment, "it is thus that a young clergyman is apt to speak. Youthful men, not having taken a deep root, give up their hold of life so easily! And saintly men, who walk with God on earth, would fain be away, to walk with Him on the golden pavements of the New Jerusalem."
“啊，”羅杰·齊靈渥斯說(shuō)，不管是做作的還是天生的，他的舉止總是安詳?shù)昧钊瞬毮?，“一個(gè)年輕的牧師確實(shí)喜歡這么講話。年輕人啊，都還沒(méi)有扎下深根呢，就這么輕易地放棄生命嗎？在人世間和上帝同行的圣人們，都會(huì)欣然隨他而去，定在新耶路撤冷的黃金鋪路上的。

?"Nay," rejoined the young minister, putting his hand to his heart, with a flush of pain flitting over his brow, "were I worthier to walk there, I could be better content to toil here."
“不是的，”年輕的牧師插話說(shuō)，他把手放在心口上，額上揀過(guò)一抹痛苦的紅潮，“如果我還有資格到那里去走動(dòng)的話，我倒寧愿留在這里來(lái)吃苦。

"Good men ever interpret themselves too meanly," said the physician.
“好心的人從來(lái)都是把自己說(shuō)得十分卑微的，”醫(yī)生說(shuō)。

①狄戈比爵士(1603一1685)，英國(guó)作家、航海家和外交家，皇家學(xué)會(huì)理事。他還發(fā)現(xiàn)了植物對(duì)氧的需要。