Amongstanyotherpopulation,oratalaterperiodinthehistoryofNewEngland,thegrimrigiditythatpetrifiedthebeardedphysiognomiesofthesegoodpeoplewouldhaveauguredsomeawfulbusinessinhand.
Itcouldhavebetokenednothingshortoftheanticipatedexecutionofsomeriotedculprit,onwhomthesentenceofalegaltribunalhadbutconfirmedtheverdictofpublicsentiment.
Itmightbethatasluggishbond–servant,oranundutifulchild,whomhisparentshadgivenovertothecivilauthority,wastobecorrectedatthewhipping–post.
ItmightbethatanAntinomian,aQuaker,orotherheterodoxreligionist,wastobescourgedoutofthetown,oranidleorvagrantIndian,whomthewhiteman’sfirewaterhadmaderiotousaboutthestreets,wastobedrivenwithstripesintotheshadowoftheforest.
Itmightbe,too,thatawitch,likeoldMistressHibbins,thebitter–temperedwidowofthemagistrate,wastodieuponthegallows.
Ineithercase,therewasverymuchthesamesolemnityofdemeanouronthepartofthespectators,asbefittedapeopleamongwhomreligionandlawwerealmostidentical,andinwhosecharacterbothweresothoroughlyinterfused,thatthemildestandseverestactsofpublicdisciplinewerealikemadevenerableandawful.
Ontheotherhand,apenaltywhich,inourdays,wouldinferadegreeofmockinginfamyandridicule,mightthenbeinvestedwithalmostassternadignityasthepunishmentofdeathitself.
Itwasacircumstancetobenotedonthesummermorningwhenourstorybeginsitscourse,thatthewomen,ofwhomtherewereseveralinthecrowd,appearedtotakeapeculiarinterestinwhateverpenalinflictionmightbeexpectedtoensue.
Theagehadnotsomuchrefinement,thatanysenseofimproprietyrestrainedthewearersofpetticoatandfarthingalefromsteppingforthintothepublicways,andwedgingtheirnotunsubstantialpersons,ifoccasionwere,intothethrongnearesttothescaffoldatanexecution.
Morally,aswellasmaterially,therewasacoarserfibreinthosewivesandmaidensofoldEnglishbirthandbreedingthanintheirfairdescendants,separatedfromthembyaseriesofsixorsevengenerations;for,throughoutthatchainofancestry,everysuccessivemotherhadtransmittedtoherchildafainterbloom,amoredelicateandbrieferbeauty,andaslighterphysicalframe,ifnotcharacteroflessforceandsoliditythanherown.
Thewomenwhowerenowstandingabouttheprison–doorstoodwithinlessthanhalfacenturyoftheperiodwhentheman–likeElizabethhadbeenthenotaltogetherunsuitablerepresentativeofthesex.
Theywerehercountrywomen:andthebeefandaleoftheirnativeland,withamoraldietnotawhitmorerefined,enteredlargelyintotheircomposition.
Thebrightmorningsun,therefore,shoneonbroadshouldersandwell–developedbusts,andonroundandruddycheeks,thathadripenedinthefar–offisland,andhadhardlyyetgrownpalerorthinnerintheatmosphereofNewEngland.
Therewas,moreover,aboldnessandrotundityofspeechamongthesematrons,asmostofthemseemedtobe,thatwouldstartleusatthepresentday,whetherinrespecttoitspurportoritsvolumeoftone.
Itwouldbegreatlyforthepublicbehoofifwewomen,beingofmatureageandchurch–membersingoodrepute,shouldhavethehandlingofsuchmalefactressesasthisHesterPrynne.Whatthinkye,gossips?
Ifthehussystoodupforjudgmentbeforeusfive,thatarenowhereinaknottogether,wouldshecomeoffwithsuchasentenceastheworshipfulmagistrateshaveawarded?Marry,Itrownot”
“Peoplesay,”saidanother,“thattheReverendMasterDimmesdale,hergodlypastor,takesitverygrievouslytoheartthatsuchascandalshouldhavecomeuponhiscongregation.”
Butshe—thenaughtybaggage—littlewillshecarewhattheyputuponthebodiceofhergownWhy,lookyou,shemaycoveritwithabrooch,orsuchlike.
“Ah,but,”interposed,moresoftly,ayoungwife,holdingachildbythehand,“lethercoverthemarkasshewill,thepangofitwillbealwaysinherheart.”
“Mercyonus,goodwife”exclaimedamaninthecrowd,“istherenovirtueinwoman,savewhatspringsfromawholesomefearofthegallows?Thatisthehardestwordyet!
Thedoorofthejailbeingflungopenfromwithinthereappeared,inthefirstplace,likeablackshadowemergingintosunshine,thegrimandgristlypresenceofthetown–beadle,withaswordbyhisside,andhisstaffofofficeinhishand.
ThispersonageprefiguredandrepresentedinhisaspectthewholedismalseverityofthePuritaniccodeoflaw,whichitwashisbusinesstoadministerinitsfinalandclosestapplicationtotheoffender.
Stretchingforththeofficialstaffinhislefthand,helaidhisrightupontheshoulderofayoungwoman,whomhethusdrewforward,until,onthethresholdoftheprison–door,sherepelledhim,byanactionmarkedwithnaturaldignityandforceofcharacter,andsteppedintotheopenairasifbyherownfreewill.
Sheboreinherarmsachild,ababyofsomethreemonthsold,whowinkedandturnedasideitslittlefacefromthetoovividlightofday;becauseitsexistence,heretofore,hadbroughtitacquaintanceonlywiththegreytwilightofadungeon,orotherdarksomeapartmentoftheprison.
Whentheyoungwoman—themotherofthischild—stoodfullyrevealedbeforethecrowd,itseemedtobeherfirstimpulsetoclasptheinfantcloselytoherbosom;notsomuchbyanimpulseofmotherlyaffection,asthatshemighttherebyconcealacertaintoken,whichwaswroughtorfastenedintoherdress.
Inamoment,however,wiselyjudgingthatonetokenofhershamewouldbutpoorlyservetohideanother,shetookthebabyonherarm,andwithaburningblush,andyetahaughtysmile,andaglancethatwouldnotbeabashed,lookedaroundathertownspeopleandneighbours.
Onthebreastofhergown,infineredcloth,surroundedwithanelaborateembroideryandfantasticflourishesofgoldthread,appearedtheletterA.
Itwassoartisticallydone,andwithsomuchfertilityandgorgeousluxurianceoffancy,thatithadalltheeffectofalastandfittingdecorationtotheapparelwhichshewore,andwhichwasofasplendourinaccordancewiththetasteoftheage,butgreatlybeyondwhatwasallowedbythesumptuaryregulationsofthecolony.
Shehaddarkandabundanthair,soglossythatitthrewoffthesunshinewithagleam;andafacewhich,besidesbeingbeautifulfromregularityoffeatureandrichnessofcomplexion,hadtheimpressivenessbelongingtoamarkedbrowanddeepblackeyes.
Shewasladylike,too,afterthemannerofthefemininegentilityofthosedays;characterizedbyacertainstateanddignity,ratherthanbythedelicate,evanescent,andindescribablegracewhichisnowrecognizedasitsindication.
AndneverhadHesterPrynneappearedmoreladylike,intheantiqueinterpretationoftheterm,thanassheissuedfromtheprison.
Thosewhohadbeforeknownher,andhadexpectedtobeholdherdimmedandobscuredbyadisastrouscloud,wereastonished,andevenstartled,toperceivehowherbeautyshoneout,andmadeahaloofthemisfortuneandignominyinwhichshewasenveloped.
Herattire,whichindeed,shehadwroughtfortheoccasioninprison,andhadmodelledmuchafterherownfancy,seemedtoexpresstheattitudeofherspirit,thedesperaterecklessnessofhermood,byitswildandpicturesquepeculiarity.
Butthepointwhichdrewalleyes,and,asitwere,transfiguredthewearer—sothatbothmenandwomenwhohadbeenfamiliarlyacquaintedwithHesterPrynnewerenowimpressedasiftheybeheldherforthefirsttime—wasthatScarletLetter,sofantasticallyembroideredandilluminateduponherbosom.
Ithadtheeffectofaspell,takingheroutoftheordinaryrelationswithhumanity,andenclosingherinaspherebyherself.
“Shehathgoodskillatherneedle,that’scertain,”remarkedoneofherfemalespectators;“butdideverawoman,beforethisbrazenhussy,contrivesuchawayofshowingit?
Why,gossips,whatisitbuttolaughinthefacesofourgodlymagistrates,andmakeaprideoutofwhatthey,worthygentlemen,meantforapunishment?”
“Itwerewell,”mutteredthemostiron–visagedoftheolddames,“ifwestrippedMadameHester’srichgownoffherdaintyshoulders;andasfortheredletterwhichshehathstitchedsocuriously,I’llbestowaragofmineownrheumaticflanneltomakeafitterone!”
“Oh,peace,neighbours—peace!”whisperedtheiryoungestcompanion;“donotletherhearyou!Notastitchinthatembroideredletterbutshehasfeltitinherheart.”
“Openapassage;andIpromiseye,MistressPrynneshallbesetwhereman,woman,andchildmayhaveafairsightofherbraveapparelfromthistimetillanhourpastmeridian.
Precededbythebeadle,andattendedbyanirregularprocessionofstern–browedmenandunkindlyvisagedwomen,HesterPrynnesetforthtowardstheplaceappointedforherpunishment.
Acrowdofeagerandcuriousschoolboys,understandinglittleofthematterinhand,exceptthatitgavethemahalf–holiday,ranbeforeherprogress,turningtheirheadscontinuallytostareintoherfaceandatthewinkingbabyinherarms,andattheignominiousletteronherbreast.
Measuredbytheprisoner’sexperience,however,itmightbereckonedajourneyofsomelength;forhaughtyasherdemeanourwas,sheperchanceunderwentanagonyfromeveryfootstepofthosethatthrongedtoseeher,asifherhearthadbeenflungintothestreetforthemalltospurnandtrampleupon.
Inournature,however,thereisaprovision,alikemarvellousandmerciful,thatthesufferershouldneverknowtheintensityofwhatheenduresbyitspresenttorture,butchieflybythepangthatranklesafterit.
Withalmostaserenedeportment,therefore,HesterPrynnepassedthroughthisportionofherordeal,andcametoasortofscaffold,atthewesternextremityofthemarket–place.
Infact,thisscaffoldconstitutedaportionofapenalmachine,whichnow,fortwoorthreegenerationspast,hasbeenmerelyhistoricalandtraditionaryamongus,butwasheld,intheoldtime,tobeaseffectualanagent,inthepromotionofgoodcitizenship,aseverwastheguillotineamongtheterroristsofFrance.
Itwas,inshort,theplatformofthepillory;andaboveitrosetheframeworkofthatinstrumentofdiscipline,sofashionedastoconfinethehumanheadinitstightgrasp,andthusholdituptothepublicgaze.
Therecanbenooutrage,methinks,againstourcommonnature—whateverbethedelinquenciesoftheindividual—nooutragemoreflagrantthantoforbidtheculprittohidehisfaceforshame;asitwastheessenceofthispunishmenttodo.
InHesterPrynne’sinstance,however,asnotunfrequentlyinothercases,hersentenceborethatsheshouldstandacertaintimeupontheplatform,butwithoutundergoingthatgripeabouttheneckandconfinementofthehead,thepronenesstowhichwasthemostdevilishcharacteristicofthisuglyengine.
Knowingwellherpart,sheascendedaflightofwoodensteps,andwasthusdisplayedtothesurroundingmultitude,atabouttheheightofaman’sshouldersabovethestreet.
HadtherebeenaPapistamongthecrowdofPuritans,hemighthaveseeninthisbeautifulwoman,sopicturesqueinherattireandmien,andwiththeinfantatherbosom,anobjecttoremindhimoftheimageofDivineMaternity,whichsomanyillustriouspaintershaveviedwithoneanothertorepresent;somethingwhichshouldremindhim,indeed,butonlybycontrast,ofthatsacredimageofsinlessmotherhood,whoseinfantwastoredeemtheworld.
Here,therewasthetaintofdeepestsininthemostsacredqualityofhumanlife,workingsucheffect,thattheworldwasonlythedarkerforthiswoman’sbeauty,andthemorelostfortheinfantthatshehadborne.
Thescenewasnotwithoutamixtureofawe,suchasmustalwaysinvestthespectacleofguiltandshameinafellow–creature,beforesocietyshallhavegrowncorruptenoughtosmile,insteadofshudderingatit.
Theyweresternenoughtolookuponherdeath,hadthatbeenthesentence,withoutamurmuratitsseverity,buthadnoneoftheheartlessnessofanothersocialstate,whichwouldfindonlyathemeforjestinanexhibitionlikethepresent.
Evenhadtherebeenadispositiontoturnthematterintoridicule,itmusthavebeenrepressedandoverpoweredbythesolemnpresenceofmennolessdignifiedthanthegovernor,andseveralofhiscounsellors,ajudge,ageneral,andtheministersofthetown,allofwhomsatorstoodinabalconyofthemeeting–house,lookingdownupontheplatform.
Whensuchpersonagescouldconstituteapartofthespectacle,withoutriskingthemajesty,orreverenceofrankandoffice,itwassafelytobeinferredthattheinflictionofalegalsentencewouldhaveanearnestandeffectualmeaning.
Theunhappyculpritsustainedherselfasbestawomanmight,undertheheavyweightofathousandunrelentingeyes,allfasteneduponher,andconcentratedatherbosom.Itwasalmostintolerabletobeborne.
Ofanimpulsiveandpassionatenature,shehadfortifiedherselftoencounterthestingsandvenomousstabsofpubliccontumely,wreakingitselfineveryvarietyofinsult;buttherewasaqualitysomuchmoreterribleinthesolemnmoodofthepopularmind,thatshelongedrathertobeholdallthoserigidcountenancescontortedwithscornfulmerriment,andherselftheobject.
Hadaroaroflaughterburstfromthemultitude—eachman,eachwoman,eachlittleshrill–voicedchild,contributingtheirindividualparts—HesterPrynnemighthaverepaidthemallwithabitteranddisdainfulsmile.
But,undertheleadeninflictionwhichitwasherdoomtoendure,shefelt,atmoments,asifshemustneedsshriekoutwiththefullpowerofherlungs,andcastherselffromthescaffolddownupontheground,orelsegomadatonce.
Yettherewereintervalswhenthewholescene,inwhichshewasthemostconspicuousobject,seemedtovanishfromhereyes,or,atleast,glimmeredindistinctlybeforethem,likeamassofimperfectlyshapedandspectralimages.
Hermind,andespeciallyhermemory,waspreternaturallyactive,andkeptbringingupotherscenesthanthisroughlyhewnstreetofalittletown,ontheedgeofthewesternwilderness:otherfacesthanwereloweringuponherfrombeneaththebrimsofthosesteeple–crownedhats.
Reminiscences,themosttriflingandimmaterial,passagesofinfancyandschool–days,sports,childishquarrels,andthelittledomestictraitsofhermaidenyears,cameswarmingbackuponher,intermingledwithrecollectionsofwhateverwasgravestinhersubsequentlife;onepicturepreciselyasvividasanother;asifallwereofsimilarimportance,orallalikeaplay.
Possibly,itwasaninstinctivedeviceofherspirittorelieveitselfbytheexhibitionofthesephantasmagoricforms,fromthecruelweightandhardnessofthereality.
Bethatasitmight,thescaffoldofthepillorywasapointofviewthatrevealedtoHesterPrynnetheentiretrackalongwhichshehadbeentreading,sinceherhappyinfancy.
Standingonthatmiserableeminence,shesawagainhernativevillage,inOldEngland,andherpaternalhome:adecayedhouseofgreystone,withapoverty–strickenaspect,butretainingahalfobliteratedshieldofarmsovertheportal,intokenofantiquegentility.
Shesawherfather’sface,withitsboldbrow,andreverendwhitebeardthatflowedovertheold–fashionedElizabethanruff;hermother’s,too,withthelookofheedfulandanxiouslovewhichitalwaysworeinherremembrance,andwhich,evensinceherdeath,hadsooftenlaidtheimpedimentofagentleremonstranceinherdaughter’spathway.
Shesawherownface,glowingwithgirlishbeauty,andilluminatingalltheinterioroftheduskymirrorinwhichshehadbeenwonttogazeatit.
Thereshebeheldanothercountenance,ofamanwellstrickeninyears,apale,thin,scholar–likevisage,witheyesdimandblearedbythelamp–lightthathadservedthemtoporeovermanyponderousbooks.
Yetthosesameblearedopticshadastrange,penetratingpower,whenitwastheirowner’spurposetoreadthehumansoul.
Thisfigureofthestudyandthecloister,asHesterPrynne’swomanlyfancyfailednottorecall,wasslightlydeformed,withtheleftshoulderatriflehigherthantheright.
Nextrosebeforeherinmemory’spicture–gallery,theintricateandnarrowthoroughfares,thetall,greyhouses,thehugecathedrals,andthepublicedifices,ancientindateandquaintinarchitecture,ofacontinentalcity;wherenewlifehadawaitedher,stillinconnexionwiththemisshapenscholar:anewlife,butfeedingitselfontime–wornmaterials,likeatuftofgreenmossonacrumblingwall.
Lastly,inlieuoftheseshiftingscenes,camebacktherudemarket–placeofthePuritan,settlement,withallthetownspeopleassembled,andlevellingtheirsternregardsatHesterPrynne—yes,atherself—whostoodonthescaffoldofthepillory,aninfantonherarm,andtheletterA,inscarlet,fantasticallyembroideredwithgoldthread,uponherbosom.
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