None of these visions ever quite deluded him. At any moment, by an effort of his will, he could discern substances through their misty lack of substance, and convince himself that they were not solid in their nature, like yonder table of carved oak, or that big, square, leathern-bound and brazen-clasped volume of divinity. But, for all that, they were, in one sense, the truest and most substantial things which the poor minister now dealt with. It is the unspeakable misery of a life so false as his, that it steals the pith and substance out of whatever realities there are around us, and which were meant by Heaven to be the spirit's joy and nutriment. To the untrue man, the whole universe is false- it is impalpable- it shrinks to nothing within his grasp. And he himself, in so far as he shows himself in a false light, becomes a shadow, or, indeed, ceases to exist. The only truth that continued to give Mr. Dimmesdale a real existence on this earth, was the anguish in his inmost soul, and the undissembled expression of it in his aspect. Had he once found power to smile, and wear a face of gaiety, there would have been no such man!
這些幻象從來(lái)沒(méi)有一個(gè)令他產(chǎn)生過(guò)什么錯(cuò)覺(jué)。無(wú)論任何時(shí)候，他依靠自己的意志力，都能在層層迷霧般的虛幻中辨別出其實(shí)質(zhì)，使自己堅(jiān)信：它們?cè)诒举|(zhì)上都不象一旁那張雕刻著花紋的橡木桌或是那本皮面銅扣的方型大卷神學(xué)著作那樣，并非堅(jiān)實(shí)的實(shí)體。然而，盡管如此，在一種意義上，它們又都是這可憐的牧師所應(yīng)付的最真實(shí)又最具體的東西。象他過(guò)的這種虛假的生活，實(shí)在有難言的痛苦，因?yàn)槲覀冎車臒o(wú)論什么現(xiàn)實(shí)，原是由上天注定賜給我們的精神上的喜悅和營(yíng)養(yǎng)，但對(duì)他來(lái)說(shuō)，其精髓和實(shí)質(zhì)卻被竊取一空。對(duì)那個(gè)不真實(shí)的人來(lái)說(shuō)，整個(gè)宇宙都是虛偽的——都是難以觸摸的，在他的把握之中化為子虛烏有。至于他本人，迄今為止在虛偽的光線中所顯示出的自身，已經(jīng)變成一個(gè)陰影，或者更確切地說(shuō)，已不復(fù)存在了。繼續(xù)賦予丁梅斯代爾先生在地球上一種真實(shí)存在感的唯一事實(shí)，就是他靈魂最深處的痛苦，以及由此在他外貌上造成的毫不掩飾的表情。假如他一度找到了微笑的能力，并在臉上堆滿歡快的笑意，也就不曾有過(guò)他這樣一個(gè)人了！

On one of those ugly nights, which we have faintly hinted at, but forborne to picture forth, the minister started from his chair. A new thought had struck him. There might be a moment's peace in it. Attiring himself with as much care as if it had been for public worship, and precisely in the same manner, he stole softly down the staircase, undid the door, and issued forth.
在我們微有暗示卻避免進(jìn)一步描繪的這樣一個(gè)丑惡的夜晚，牧師從他的椅子上驚跳而起。一個(gè)新的念頭在他心中油然而生，他或許在其中可以獲得瞬間的安寧。此時(shí)他象赴公眾禮拜一樣，著意將自己，打扮一番，然后以相應(yīng)的一絲不茍的姿態(tài)，躡手躡腳地走下樓梯，打開(kāi)房門，向前走去。

③以諾，在《舊約·創(chuàng)世記》第五章第24節(jié)中是愛(ài)國(guó)者瑪土撤拉的父親，上帝的同行者；而在第四章第17節(jié)中則是該隱之一子。此處當(dāng)為前者。