The Scarlet Letter

whenever a new change of custom should be essential to my good, change would come
It is a good lesson--though it may often be a hard one--for a man who has dreamed of literary fame, and of making for himself a rank among the world's dignitaries顯貴, 要人 by such means

stencil用模板印刷; 用蠟紙印

an encumbrance 妨礙; 障礙; 拖累on earth

a dearth缺乏, 不足[S][(+of)] of records
Protectorate攝政政體; 攝政職位(或時期), 受保護國; 受保護領地[C]

stiff and formal chirography書體; 筆法; 筆跡

There was something about it that quickened an instinctive curiosity
my respected predecessor前任; 前輩

venerable (因高齡、德行)令人肅然起敬的; 可尊敬的

being little molested妨礙; 干擾; 騷擾

pertaining to關於his office

a mind that would otherwise have been eaten up with rust


impel激勵; 驅使; 迫使[(+to)][O2] me to so pious a task

sacrilegious褻瀆神明的; 該受天譴的

evanescent逐漸消失的

cogitating仔細考慮; 謀劃

There were several foolscap【印】大裁, 大頁紙sheets
a very old, but not decrepit衰老的; 東倒西歪的; 破舊的woman

person of such propensities (性格上的)傾向, 習性[S1][
torpor不活潑; 遲鈍; 懶散

anthracite無煙煤[U]

susceptibilities易受影響（或傷害等）的特性；敏感性；過敏性

the best I had--was gone from me

It was a folly, with the materiality of this daily life pressing so intrusively upon me, to attempt to fling myself back into another age

conversant通曉的；熟悉的

have been a pleasure once was now a hopeless toil

it is anything but agreeable to be haunted by a suspicion that one's intellect is dwindling away, or exhaling, without your consciousness

residuum殘留物;殘渣;剩餘

a Custom-House officer of long continuance can hardly be a very praiseworthy or respectable personage

he for ever afterwards looks wistfully沈思地;憂愁地 about him

detriment

I endeavoured to calculate how much longer I could stay in the Custom-House

I was likely to grow grey and decrepit衰老的；老朽的；破舊的in the Surveyorship

Might it not, in the tedious lapse of official life that lay before me

Providence had meditated better things for me than I could possibly imagine for myself.

predicament尷尬的處境；困境；窘境

predilections喜愛；偏愛；鍾愛

In view of my previous weariness of office, and vague thoughts of resignation, my fortune somewhat resembled that of a person who should entertain an idea of committing suicide

It may be true that, to a sensitive observer, there was some thing exquisitely painful in it.

the attitude of her spirit, the desperate recklessness of her mood

beadle (法庭的)差役

an hour past meridian子午線；經線

she perchance也許；可能underwent an agony from every footstep

thronged群集,蜂擁而至to see her

chiefly by the pang that rankles (if something such as an event or a remark rankles, it makes you feel angry or upset for a long time 使人耿耿於懷（或怨恨不已、痛苦不已）) after it

With almost a serene平靜的；寧靜的；安詳的deportment風度；儀態

scaffold腳手架；建築架； 鷹架, 斷頭台；絞刑架

eaves屋簷

the platform of the pillory (to criticize somebody strongly in public 公開批評；抨擊); (a wooden frame, with holes for the head and hands, which people were locked into in the past as a punishment （古刑具）木枷，頸手枷)

There can be no outrage, methinks我想；我以為；據我看來, against our common nature

no outrage more flagrant (of an action 行動 shocking because it is done in a very obvious way and shows no respect for people, laws, etc. 駭人聽聞的；公然的；罪惡昭彰的) than to forbid the culprit to hide his face for shame

the proneness俯伏to which

vied激烈競爭；爭奪with one another

physiognomies面容,面相

augured預言

betokened表示;證明;指示

there was some thing exquisitely painful in it

as if she must needs必須需要shriek out with the full power of her lungs…

Yes these were her realities—all else had vanished!

an Indian in his native garb（尤指某類人穿的特定）服裝，衣服；制服
disarray混亂；紊亂of civilized and savage costume.
He was small in stature身高；個子, with a furrowed使起皺紋visage, which as yet could hardly be termed aged. There was a remarkable intelligence in his features, as of a person who had so cultivated his mental part that it could not fail to mould the physical to itself and become manifest by unmistakable tokens. Although, by a seemingly careless arrangement of his heterogeneous garb, he had endeavoured to conceal or abate（使）減弱，減退，減輕，減少the peculiarity, it was sufficiently evident to Hester Prynne that one of this man's shoulders rose higher than the other.

external matters are of little value and import重要性, unless they bear relation to something within his mind.

writhing極度的痛苦horror twisted itself across his features

the convulsion grew almost imperceptible（小得）無法覺察的，感覺不到的
iniquity很不公正，十分錯誤，很不正當（的事）
expound詳解；詳述；闡述

she will be a living sermon against sin

It irks 使煩惱；激怒me

halberds戟

the somber (sad and serious 陰鬱的；沮喪的) sagacity睿智,聰慧 of age

sage睿智的，賢明的（尤指因經驗豐富）

a great scholar, and withal而且,加之,同樣a man of kind and genial spirit

This last attribute屬性；性質；特徵, however, had been less carefully developed than his intellectual gifts.

which we see prefixed【文】有前綴的to old volumes of sermons


I have striven努力；奮鬥；力爭；力求

the commission做出（錯事）；犯下（罪行）of the sin

It behoves (it is right or necessary for somebody to do something 對（某人）來說理應，應當，有必要) you; therefore, to exhort規勸；敦促；告誡 her to repentance and to confession
Notwithstanding his high native gifts and scholar-like attainments, there was an air about this young minister—an apprehensive, a startled, a half-frightened look—as of a being who felt himself quite astray, and at a loss in the pathway of human existence, and could only be at ease in some seclusion of his own.

momentous關鍵的；重要的；重大的to thine own

the accountability負有責任;應作解釋;可說明性under which I labour

brought the listeners into one accord of sympathy

"Woman, transgress not beyond the limits of Heaven's mercy!"

Discerning（依稀）看出，分辨出，聽出 the impracticable state of the poor culprit's mind, …

multitude人群

remorselessly冷酷地;無悔意地

heretofore【書】直到此時, 迄今為止, 在這以前

peremptory斷然的, 不容置辯的necessity

administered給予, 提供[(+to)] the draught

redeemed the leech's【古】醫生 pledge

"I know not Lethe【希神】遺忘河 nor Nepenthe傳說中的忘憂藥," remarked he; "but I have learned many new secrets in the wilderness…

in requital報酬; 報復of some lessons of my own

Paracelsus

"Live, therefore, and bear about thy doom with thee…."

expostulation勸告; 告誡

the man whom she had most deeply and irreparably injured

having given my best years to feed the hungry dream of knowledge

how could I delude欺騙; 哄騙; 迷惑myself with the idea that...

with a look of confidence, as if destiny were at one with him

paramour情夫; 情婦

"Wherefore (疑問副詞)為什麼dost thou desire it?" inquired Hester

cast me off捨棄, 遺棄

besmirches糟蹋the husband of a faithless woman

enticed誘使; 慫恿me into ….

Hester Prynne's term of confinement was now at an end.

She could no longer borrow from the future to help her through the present grief.

a feeling so irresistible and inevitable that it has the force of doom

galling擦傷; 使惱怒 to her inmost soul

would at length purge使潔淨, 使淨化; 清除; 清洗[(+of... ) her soul

behold her plying不斷做her needle at the cottage-window

sable【動】紫貂, 黑貂; 美洲貂[C]

progenitors (人、動植物的)祖先

Public ceremonies, such as ordinations聖職之任命, the installation of magistrates

plebeian (古羅馬的)平民, 庶民; 百姓, 普通人

there was a frequent and characteristic demand for such labour as Hester Prynne could supply

from commiseration憐憫; 同情for a woman of so miserable a destiny

to be mildewed發霉

relentless殘酷的, 無情的
the plainest and most ascetic禁慾主義的; 苦行的
Her own dress was of the coarsest materials and the most sombre hue

superfluous過剩的; 多餘的, 不必要的[Z]

She had in her nature a rich, voluptuous滿足感官的; 給人以快感的 , Oriental characteristic--a taste for the gorgeously beautiful

penitence懺悔; 贖罪

In all her intercourse with society, however, there was nothing that made her feel as if she belonged to it.

repugnance厭惡; 反感;矛盾; 抵觸

reviled辱罵, 謾罵; 痛斥the hand that was stretched forth to succour救濟, 援助[U] them

concoct調製; 調合 a subtle poison from

like a rough blow upon an ulcerated得潰瘍的; 潰爛的wound

Hester had schooled訓練herself long and well; and she never responded to these attacks, save by a flush of crimson that rose irrepressibly over her pale cheek

address words of exhortation規勸; 告誡

the Sabbath安息日, 主日smile of the Universal Father

they had imbibed吸收, 接受(思想, 知識等) from their parents a vague idea of something horrible …

callous無感覺的; 麻木不仁的, 冷酷無情的

endowed賦予[H][(+with)] her with a new sense

terror- stricken by the revelations出乎意料的事[S][(+to)]; 被揭露的真相


the irreverent不敬的inopportuneness不湊巧 of the occasions

contumaciously頑抗地; 不順從地

matron (尤指有身分的)已婚女子; 遺孀

averred宣告為確實; 斷言; 堅稱

it seared燒烤; 打烙印Hester's bosom so deeply, that…

the inscrutable不可理解的; 不可思議的; 不可測知的decree天意, 天命; 注定 of Providence (the inscrutable ways of fate 難測的命運變化)

russet黃褐色; 赤褐色[U]

pomp炫耀; 浮華[U][P1]

Her nature appeared to possess depth, too, as well as variety; but--or else Hester's fears deceived her--it lacked reference關係, 關聯 and adaptation to the world into which she was born.

intervening介於中間的; 發生於其間的substance

was perpetuated使永久存在; 使不朽in

the storm and whirlwind旋風; 旋流

permit the child to be swayed統治, 支配 by her own impulses

caprice多變的傾向, 任性[U]

inexplicable無法說明的; 難以理解的, 莫名其妙的

Heart-smitten重擊, 猛打; 使極度不安; 折磨; 使神魂顛倒

unravelled解開, 拆散her own darling's tones

holding a forefinger食指with her whole grasp

disporting炫耀; 娛樂; 嬉戲 themselves in such grim【口】討厭的; 糟糕的 fashions

scourging鞭打, 鞭笞 Quakers

puny微小的; 弱小的; 次要的wrath

a witch's anathemas【宗】(天主教的)革出教門; 詛咒in some unknown tongue.

requited報答; 回報it with the bitterest hatred that can be supposed to rankle in a childish bosom

He gave her in requital報酬;報復 of all things else which ye had taken from me.

whether it were his failing health, or whatever the cause might be, his large dark eyes had a world of pain in their troubled and melancholy depth.
the distinction between unhallowed不神聖的;褻瀆的; 罪孽的,邪惡的lust and holy love

a pang, a sting, an ever-recurring agony, in the midst of a troubled joy

which sears使驟然感到劇痛 her bosom?"

to make a mountebank江湖騙子of her child

boon (something that is very helpful and makes life easier for you 非常有用的東西；益處)

to remind her, at every moment, of her fall

adduced引用;舉例such arguments

the tithing什一稅之徵收;什一稅;十戶區 -men

was tremulous with the vehemence激烈;憤怒of his appeal

withal so unobtrusive (not attracting unnecessary attention 不張揚的；不招搖的)

unwonted不平常的；異常的；罕見的；沒想到的mood of sentiment

airily無憂無慮地；無所謂地

averred宣告為確實;斷言;堅稱

tarry逗留；耽擱at home

anon不久；很快

authentic, and not a parable（尤指《聖經》中的）寓言故事

sundering分開;隔開;切斷;割裂the relation of a fallen mother to the offspring of her frailty

saved her from Satan's snare陷阱；圈套；騙局

embodied具體表現，體現，代表（思想或品質）the warmth and cheerfulness of home

kindred親屬關係；血緣關係

there remained nothing but the contagion of her dishonor

vindicate澄清（責難或嫌疑）；辯解his claim

pilloried公開批評；抨擊beside her on her pedestal（柱子或雕塑等的）底座，基座 of shame

whither哪裏；何處；到何處rumour had long ago consigned him

partook分享

deacon助祭and apothecary（舊時製藥兼售藥的）藥劑師，藥商

deportment風度；儀態

manifested表明,顯示,表露

ponderous慢條斯理的；遲重的；沉悶乏味的

Elixir (a magic liquid that is believed to cure illnesses or to make people live for ever 聖水；靈丹妙藥；長生不老藥) of Life

Pharmacopoeia藥典

a heavenly ordained任命...為牧師(或神父等),授...以聖職apostle使徒（耶穌十二門徒之一）

his scrupulous仔細的；細緻的；一絲不苟的fulfilment of parochial教區的；堂區的duty

to put his hand over his heart with first a flush and then a paleness, indicative of pain.

dropping down as it were out of the sky or starting from the nether較低的；下方的earth,

interposition介入;干涉

This idea was countenanced贊同;支持,鼓勵

the track of a creed信念；原則；綱領；宗教信仰

where his life was wasting itself away

revelations被暴露的真相；被曝光的秘聞

inarticulate不善於表達的；不善於說話的

possessed all, or most, of the attributes屬性;特性,特質above enumerated

priestly celibacy獨身生活

who seeks to warm himself only at another's fireside

The walls were hung round with tapestry, said to be from the Gobelin (The Manufacture des Gobelins is a tapestry factory located in Paris, France, at 42 avenue des Gobelins, near the Les Gobelins métro station in the XIIIe arrondissement. It is best known as a royal factory supplying the court of Louis XIV and later monarchs) looms織布機

representing the Scriptural story of David and Bathsheba (adultery story), and Nathan the Prophet (Nathan the Prophet (fl. c. 1000 BC) was a court prophet who lived in the time of King David and Queen Bathsheba. He came to David to reprimand him over his committing adultery with Bathsheba while she was the wife of Uriah the Hittite whose death the King had also arranged to hide his previous transgression.)

woe-denouncing指責,譴責

vilified污蔑；誹謗；詆毀；中傷

besought懇求in so many public and domestic and secret prayers--of restoring the young minister to health

refutation反駁

incantations符咒；咒語；唸咒語 of the savage priests

haunted either by Satan himself or Satan's emissary特使；密使