Herprison–doorwasthrownopen,andshecameforthintothesunshine,which,fallingonallalike,seemed,tohersickandmorbidheart,asifmeantfornootherpurposethantorevealthescarletletteronherbreast.
Perhapstherewasamorerealtortureinherfirstunattendedfootstepsfromthethresholdoftheprisonthanevenintheprocessionandspectaclethathavebeendescribed,whereshewasmadethecommoninfamy,atwhichallmankindwassummonedtopointitsfinger.
Then,shewassupportedbyanunnaturaltensionofthenerves,andbyallthecombativeenergyofhercharacter,whichenabledhertoconvertthesceneintoakindofluridtriumph.
Itwas,moreover,aseparateandinsulatedevent,tooccurbutonceinherlifetime,andtomeetwhich,therefore,recklessofeconomy,shemightcallupthevitalstrengththatwouldhavesufficedformanyquietyears.
Theverylawthatcondemnedher—agiantofstemfeaturedbutwithvigourtosupport,aswellastoannihilate,inhisironarm—hadheldherupthroughtheterribleordealofherignominy.
Butnow,withthisunattendedwalkfromherprisondoor,beganthedailycustom;andshemusteithersustainandcarryitforwardbytheordinaryresourcesofhernature,orsinkbeneathit.
Tomorrowwouldbringitsowntrialwithit;sowouldthenextday,andsowouldthenext:eachitsowntrial,andyettheverysamethatwasnowsounutterablygrievoustobeborne.
Thedaysofthefar–offfuturewouldtoilonward,stillwiththesameburdenforhertotakeup,andbearalongwithher,butnevertoflingdown;fortheaccumulatingdaysandaddedyearswouldpileuptheirmiseryupontheheapofshame.
Throughoutthemall,givingupherindividuality,shewouldbecomethegeneralsymbolatwhichthepreacherandmoralistmightpoint,andinwhichtheymightvivifyandembodytheirimagesofwoman’sfrailtyandsinfulpassion.
Thustheyoungandpurewouldbetaughttolookather,withthescarletletterflamingonherbreast—ather,thechildofhonourableparents—ather,themotherofababethatwouldhereafterbeawoman—ather,whohadoncebeeninnocent—asthefigure,thebody,therealityofsin.
Itmayseemmarvellousthat,withtheworldbeforeher—keptbynorestrictiveclauseofhercondemnationwithinthelimitsofthePuritansettlement,soremoteandsoobscure—freetoreturntoherbirth–place,ortoanyotherEuropeanland,andtherehidehercharacterandidentityunderanewexterior,ascompletelyasifemergingintoanotherstateofbeing—andhavingalsothepassesofthedark,inscrutableforestopentoher,wherethewildnessofhernaturemightassimilateitselfwithapeoplewhosecustomsandlifewerealienfromthelawthathadcondemnedher—itmayseemmarvellousthatthiswomanshouldstillcallthatplaceherhome,where,andwhereonly,shemustneedsbethetypeofshame.
Butthereisafatality,afeelingsoirresistibleandinevitablethatithastheforceofdoom,whichalmostinvariablycompelshumanbeingstolingeraroundandhaunt,ghost–like,thespotwheresomegreatandmarkedeventhasgiventhecolourtotheirlifetime;and,stillthemoreirresistibly,thedarkerthetingethatsaddensit.
Itwasasifanewbirth,withstrongerassimilationsthanthefirst,hadconvertedtheforest–land,stillsouncongenialtoeveryotherpilgrimandwanderer,intoHesterPrynne’swildanddreary,butlife–longhome.
Allotherscenesofearth—eventhatvillageofruralEngland,wherehappyinfancyandstainlessmaidenhoodseemedyettobeinhermother’skeeping,likegarmentsputofflongago—wereforeigntoher,incomparison.
Itmightbe,too—doubtlessitwasso,althoughshehidthesecretfromherself,andgrewpalewheneveritstruggledoutofherheart,likeaserpentfromitshole—itmightbethatanotherfeelingkeptherwithinthesceneandpathwaythathadbeensofatal.
Theredwelt,theretrode,thefeetofonewithwhomshedeemedherselfconnectedinaunionthat,unrecognizedonearth,wouldbringthemtogetherbeforethebaroffinaljudgment,andmakethattheirmarriage–altar,forajointfuturityofendlessretribution.
Overandoveragain,thetempterofsoulshadthrustthisideauponHester’scontemplation,andlaughedatthepassionateandesperatejoywithwhichsheseized,andthenstrovetocastitfromher.
Whatshecompelledherselftobelieve—what,finally,shereasoneduponashermotiveforcontinuingaresidentofNewEngland—washalfatruth,andhalfaself–delusion.
Here,shesaidtoherselfhadbeenthesceneofherguilt,andhereshouldbethesceneofherearthlypunishment;andso,perchance,thetortureofherdailyshamewouldatlengthpurgehersoul,andworkoutanotherpuritythanthatwhichshehadlost:moresaint–like,becausetheresultofmartyrdom.
HesterPrynne,therefore,didnotflee.Ontheoutskirtsofthetown,withinthevergeofthepeninsula,butnotinclosevicinitytoanyotherhabitation,therewasasmallthatchedcottage.
Ithadbeenbuiltbyanearliersettler,andabandoned,becausethesoilaboutitwastoosterileforcultivation,whileitscomparativeremotenessputitoutofthesphereofthatsocialactivitywhichalreadymarkedthehabitsoftheemigrants.
Aclumpofscrubbytrees,suchasalonegrewonthepeninsula,didnotsomuchconcealthecottagefromview,asseemtodenotethatherewassomeobjectwhichwouldfainhavebeen,oratleastoughttobe,concealed.
Inthislittlelonesomedwelling,withsomeslendermeansthatshepossessed,andbythelicenceofthemagistrates,whostillkeptaninquisitorialwatchoverher,Hesterestablishedherself,withherinfantchild.
Children,tooyoungtocomprehendwhereforethiswomanshouldbeshutoutfromthesphereofhumancharities,wouldcreepnighenoughtobeholdherplyingherneedleatthecottage–window,orstandinginthedoorway,orlabouringinherlittlegarden,orcomingforthalongthepathwaythatledtownward,and,discerningthescarletletteronherbreast,wouldscamperoffwithastrangecontagiousfear.
LonelyaswasHester’ssituation,andwithoutafriendonearthwhodaredtoshowhimself,she,however,incurrednoriskofwant.
Shepossessedanartthatsufficed,eveninalandthataffordedcomparativelylittlescopeforitsexercise,tosupplyfoodforherthrivinginfantandherself.
Sheboreonherbreast,inthecuriouslyembroideredletter,aspecimenofherdelicateandimaginativeskill,ofwhichthedamesofacourtmightgladlyhaveavailedthemselves,toaddthericherandmorespiritualadornmentofhumaningenuitytotheirfabricsofsilkandgold.
Here,indeed,inthesablesimplicitythatgenerallycharacterisedthePuritanicmodesofdress,theremightbeaninfrequentcallforthefinerproductionsofherhandiwork.
Yetthetasteoftheage,demandingwhateverwaselaborateincompositionsofthiskind,didnotfailtoextenditsinfluenceoveroursternprogenitors,whohadcastbehindthemsomanyfashionswhichitmightseemhardertodispensewith.
Publicceremonies,suchasordinations,theinstallationofmagistrates,andallthatcouldgivemajestytotheformsinwhichanewgovernmentmanifesteditselftothepeople,were,asamatterofpolicy,markedbyastatelyandwell–conductedceremonial,andasombre,butyetastudiedmagnificence.
Deepruffs,painfullywroughtbands,andgorgeouslyembroideredgloves,werealldeemednecessarytotheofficialstateofmenassumingthereinsofpower,andwerereadilyallowedtoindividualsdignifiedbyrankorwealth,evenwhilesumptuarylawsforbadetheseandsimilarextravagancestotheplebeianorder.
Inthearrayoffunerals,too—whetherfortheapparelofthedeadbody,ortotypify,bymanifoldemblematicdevicesofsableclothandsnowylawn,thesorrowofthesurvivors—therewasafrequentandcharacteristicdemandforsuchlabourasHesterPrynnecouldsupply.
Whetherfromcommiserationforawomanofsomiserableadestiny;orfromthemorbidcuriositythatgivesafictitiousvalueeventocommonorworthlessthings;orbywhateverotherintangiblecircumstancewasthen,asnow,sufficienttobestow,onsomepersons,whatothersmightseekinvain;orbecauseHesterreallyfilledagapwhichmustotherwisehaveremainedvacant;itiscertainthatshehadreadyandfairlyequitedemploymentforasmanyhoursasshesawfittooccupywithherneedle.
Vanity,itmaybe,chosetomortifyitself,byputtingon,forceremonialsofpompandstate,thegarmentsthathadbeenwroughtbyhersinfulhands.
Herneedle–workwasseenontheruffoftheGovernor;militarymenworeitontheirscarfs,andtheministeronhisband;itdeckedthebaby’slittlecap;itwasshutup,tobemildewedandmoulderaway,inthecoffinsofthedead.
Butitisnotrecordedthat,inasingleinstance,herskillwascalledintoembroiderthewhiteveilwhichwastocoverthepureblushesofabride.
Hestersoughtnottoacquireanythingbeyondasubsistence,oftheplainestandmostasceticdescription,forherself,andasimpleabundanceforherchild.
Herowndresswasofthecoarsestmaterialsandthemostsombrehue,withonlythatoneornament—thescarletletter—whichitwasherdoomtowear.
Thechild’sattire,ontheotherhand,wasdistinguishedbyafanciful,or,wemayrathersay,afantasticingenuity,whichserved,indeed,toheightentheairycharmthatearlybegantodevelopitselfinthelittlegirl,butwhichappearedtohavealsoadeepermeaning.Wemayspeakfurtherofithereafter.
Exceptforthatsmallexpenditureinthedecorationofherinfant,Hesterbestowedallhersuperfluousmeansincharity,onwretcheslessmiserablethanherself,andwhonotunfrequentlyinsultedthehandthatfedthem.
Muchofthetime,whichshemightreadilyhaveappliedtothebettereffortsofherart,sheemployedinmakingcoarsegarmentsforthepoor.
Itisprobablethattherewasanideaofpenanceinthismodeofoccupation,andthatsheoffereduparealsacrificeofenjoymentindevotingsomanyhourstosuchrudehandiwork.
Shehadinhernaturearich,voluptuous,Orientalcharacteristic—atasteforthegorgeouslybeautiful,which,saveintheexquisiteproductionsofherneedle,foundnothingelse,inallthepossibilitiesofherlife,toexerciseitselfupon.
Thismorbidmeddlingofconsciencewithanimmaterialmatterbetokened,itistobefeared,nogenuineandsteadfastpenitence,butsomethingdoubtful,somethingthatmightbedeeplywrongbeneath.
Withhernativeenergyofcharacterandrarecapacity,itcouldnotentirelycastheroff,althoughithadsetamarkuponher,moreintolerabletoawoman’sheartthanthatwhichbrandedthebrowofCain.
Everygesture,everyword,andeventhesilenceofthosewithwhomshecameincontact,implied,andoftenexpressed,thatshewasbanished,andasmuchaloneasifsheinhabitedanothersphere,orcommunicatedwiththecommonnaturebyotherorgansandsensesthantherestofhumankind.
Shestoodapartfrommoralinterests,yetclosebesidethem,likeaghostthatrevisitsthefamiliarfireside,andcannolongermakeitselfseenorfelt;nomoresmilewiththehouseholdjoy,normournwiththekindredsorrow;or,shoulditsucceedinmanifestingitsforbiddensympathy,awakeningonlyterrorandhorriblerepugnance.
Theseemotions,infact,anditsbitterestscornbesides,seemedtobethesoleportionthatsheretainedintheuniversalheart.
Itwasnotanageofdelicacy;andherposition,althoughsheunderstooditwell,andwasinlittledangerofforgettingit,wasoftenbroughtbeforehervividself–perception,likeanewanguish,bytherudesttouchuponthetenderestspot.
Thepoor,aswehavealreadysaid,whomshesoughtouttobetheobjectsofherbounty,oftenreviledthehandthatwasstretchedforthtosuccourthem.
Damesofelevatedrank,likewise,whosedoorssheenteredinthewayofheroccupation,wereaccustomedtodistildropsofbitternessintoherheart;sometimesthroughthatalchemyofquietmalice,bywhichwomencanconcoctasubtlepoisonfromordinarytrifles;andsometimes,also,byacoarserexpression,thatfelluponthesufferer’sdefencelessbreastlikearoughblowuponanulceratedwound.
Hesterhadschooledherselflongandwell;andsheneverrespondedtotheseattacks,savebyaflushofcrimsonthatroseirrepressiblyoverherpalecheek,andagainsubsidedintothedepthsofherbosom.
Shewaspatient—amartyr,indeedbutsheforeboretoprayforenemies,lest,inspiteofherforgivingaspirations,thewordsoftheblessingshouldstubbornlytwistthemselvesintoacurse.
Continually,andinathousandotherways,didshefeeltheinnumerablethrobsofanguishthathadbeensocunninglycontrivedforherbytheundying,theever–activesentenceofthePuritantribunal.
Clergymenpausedinthestreets,toaddresswordsofexhortation,thatbroughtacrowd,withitsmingledgrinandfrown,aroundthepoor,sinfulwoman.
Ifsheenteredachurch,trustingtosharetheSabbathsmileoftheUniversalFather,itwasoftenhermishaptofindherselfthetextofthediscourse.
Shegrewtohaveadreadofchildren;fortheyhadimbibedfromtheirparentsavagueideaofsomethinghorribleinthisdrearywomanglidingsilentlythroughthetown,withneveranycompanionbutoneonlychild.
Therefore,firstallowinghertopass,theypursuedheratadistancewithshrillcries,andtheutterancesofawordthathadnodistinctpurporttotheirownminds,butwasnonethelessterribletoher,asproceedingfromlipsthatbabbleditunconsciously.
Itseemedtoarguesowideadiffusionofhershame,thatallnatureknewofit;itcouldhavecausedhernodeeperpanghadtheleavesofthetreeswhisperedthedarkstoryamongthemselves—hadthesummerbreezemurmuredaboutit—hadthewintryblastshriekeditaloud!
Whenstrangerslookedcuriouslyatthescarletletterandnoneeverfailedtodoso—theybrandeditafreshinHester’ssoul;sothat,oftentimes,shecouldscarcelyrefrain,yetalwaysdidrefrain,fromcoveringthesymbolwithherhand.
Fromfirsttolast,inshort,HesterPrynnehadalwaysthisdreadfulagonyinfeelingahumaneyeuponthetoken;thespotnevergrewcallous;itseemed,onthecontrary,togrowmoresensitivewithdailytorture.
Butsometimes,onceinmanydays,orperchanceinmanymonths,shefeltaneye—ahumaneye—upontheignominiousbrand,thatseemedtogiveamomentaryrelief,asifhalfofheragonywereshared.
Thenextinstant,backitallrushedagain,withstilladeeperthrobofpain;for,inthatbriefinterval,shehadsinnedanew.(HadHestersinnedalone?)
Herimaginationwassomewhataffected,and,hadshebeenofasoftermoralandintellectualfibrewouldhavebeenstillmoreso,bythestrangeandsolitaryanguishofherlife.
Walkingtoandfro,withthoselonelyfootsteps,inthelittleworldwithwhichshewasoutwardlyconnected,itnowandthenappearedtoHester—ifaltogetherfancy,itwasneverthelesstoopotenttoberesisted—shefeltorfancied,then,thatthescarletletterhadendowedherwithanewsense.
Sheshudderedtobelieve,yetcouldnothelpbelieving,thatitgaveherasympatheticknowledgeofthehiddensininotherhearts.
Couldtheybeotherthantheinsidiouswhispersofthebadangel,whowouldfainhavepersuadedthestrugglingwoman,asyetonlyhalfhisvictim,thattheoutwardguiseofpuritywasbutalie,andthat,iftruthwereeverywheretobeshown,ascarletletterwouldblazeforthonmanyabosombesidesHesterPrynne’s?
Itperplexed,aswellasshockedher,bytheirreverentinopportunenessoftheoccasionsthatbroughtitintovividaction.
Sometimestheredinfamyuponherbreastwouldgiveasympatheticthrob,asshepassednearavenerableministerormagistrate,themodelofpietyandjustice,towhomthatageofantiquereverencelookedup,astoamortalmaninfellowshipwithangels.“Whatevilthingisathand?”wouldHestersaytoherself.
Againamysticsisterhoodwouldcontumaciouslyassertitself,asshemetthesanctifiedfrownofsomematron,who,accordingtotherumourofalltongues,hadkeptcoldsnowwithinherbosomthroughoutlife.
and,lookingup,shewoulddetecttheeyesofayoungmaidenglancingatthescarletletter,shylyandaside,andquicklyaverted,withafaint,chillcrimsoninhercheeksasifherpurityweresomewhatsulliedbythatmomentaryglance.
OFiend,whosetalismanwasthatfatalsymbol,wouldstthouleavenothing,whetherinyouthorage,forthispoorsinnertorevere?
Beitacceptedasaproofthatallwasnotcorruptinthispoorvictimofherownfrailty,andman’shardlaw,thatHesterPrynneyetstruggledtobelievethatnofellow–mortalwasguiltylikeherself.
Thevulgar,who,inthosedrearyoldtimes,werealwayscontributingagrotesquehorrortowhatinterestedtheirimaginations,hadastoryaboutthescarletletterwhichwemightreadilyworkupintoaterrificlegend.
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