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HesterbadelittlePearlrundowntothemarginofthewater,andplaywiththeshellsandtangledsea–weed,untilsheshouldhavetalkedawhilewithyondergathererofherbs.
Sothechildflewawaylikeabird,and,makingbarehersmallwhitefeetwentpatteringalongthemoistmarginofthesea.
Hereandthereshecametoafullstop,adpeepedcuriouslyintoapool,leftbytheretiringtideasamirrorforPearltoseeherfacein.
Forthpeepedather,outofthepool,withdark,glisteningcurlsaroundherhead,andanelf–smileinhereyes,theimageofalittlemaidwhomPearl,havingnootherplaymate,invitedtotakeherhandandrunaracewithher.
Butthevisionarylittlemaidonherpart,beckonedlikewise,asiftosay—“Thisisabetterplace;comethouintothepool.”
AndPearl,steppinginmid–legdeep,beheldherownwhitefeetatthebottom;while,outofastilllowerdepth,camethegleamofakindoffragmentarysmile,floatingtoandfrointheagitatedwater.
Meanwhilehermotherhadaccostedthephysician.“Iwouldspeakawordwithyou,”saidshe—“awordthatconcernsusmuch.”
“Aha!AndisitMistressHesterthathasawordforoldRogerChillingworth?”
answeredhe,raisinghimselffromhisstoopingposture.“Withallmyheart!
Why,mistress,Iheargoodtidingsofyouonallhands!
Nolongeragothanyester–eve,amagistrate,awiseandgodlyman,wasdiscoursingofyouraffairs,MistressHester,andwhisperedmethattherehadbeenquestionconcerningyouinthecouncil.
Itwasdebatedwhetherorno,withsafetytothecommonweal,yonderscarletlettermightbetakenoffyourbosom.
Onmylife,Hester,Imademyintreatytotheworshipfulmagistratethatitmightbedoneforthwith.”
“Itliesnotinthepleasureofthemagistratestotakeoffthebadge,”calmlyrepliedHester.
“WereIworthytobequitofit,itwouldfallawayofitsownnature,orbetransformedintosomethingthatshouldspeakadifferentpurport.”
“Nay,then,wearit,ifitsuityoubetter,”rejoinedhe,“Awomanmustneedsfollowherownfancytouchingtheadornmentofherperson.
Theletterisgailyembroidered,andshowsrightbravelyonyourbosom!”
AllthiswhileHesterhadbeenlookingsteadilyattheoldman,andwasshocked,aswellaswonder–smitten,todiscernwhatachangehadbeenwroughtuponhimwithinthepastsevenyears.
Itwasnotsomuchthathehadgrownolder;forthoughthetracesofadvancinglifewerevisibleheborehisagewell,andseemedtoretainawiryvigourandalertness.
Buttheformeraspectofanintellectualandstudiousman,calmandquiet,whichwaswhatshebestrememberedinhim,hadaltogethervanished,andbeensucceededbyaeager,searching,almostfierce,yetcarefullyguardedlook.
Itseemedtobehiswishandpurposetomaskthisexpressionwithasmile,butthelatterplayedhimfalse,andflickeredoverhisvisagesoderisivelythatthespectatorcouldseehisblacknessallthebetterforit.
Everandanon,too,therecameaglareofredlightoutofhiseyes,asiftheoldman’ssoulwereonfireandkeptonsmoulderingduskilywithinhisbreast,untilbysomecasualpuffofpassionitwasblownintoamomentaryflame.
Thisherepressedasspeedilyaspossible,andstrovetolookasifnothingofthekindhadhappened.
Inaword,oldRogerChillingworthwasastrikingevidenceofman’sfacultyoftransforminghimselfintoadevil,ifhewillonly,forareasonablespaceoftime,undertakeadevil’soffice.
Thisunhappypersonhadeffectedsuchatransformationbydevotinghimselfforsevenyearstotheconstantanalysisofaheartfulloftorture,andderivinghisenjoymentthence,andaddingfueltothosefierytortureswhichheanalysedandgloatedover.
ThescarletletterburnedonHesterPrynne’sbosom.Herewasanotherruin,theresponsibilityofwhichcamepartlyhometoher.
“Whatseeyouinmyface,”askedthephysician,“thatyoulookatitsoearnestly?”
“Somethingthatwouldmakemeweep,iftherewereanytearsbitterenoughforit,”answeredshe.“Butletitpass!ItisofyondermiserablemanthatIwouldspeak.”
“Andwhatofhim?”criedRogerChillingworth,eagerly,asifhelovedthetopic,andweregladofanopportunitytodiscussitwiththeonlypersonofwhomhecouldmakeaconfidant.
“Nottohidethetruth,MistressHester,mythoughtshappenjustnowtobebusywiththegentleman.
SospeakfreelyandIwillmakeanswer.”
“Whenwelastspaketogether,”saidHester,“nowsevenyearsago,itwasyourpleasuretoextortapromiseofsecrecyastouchingtheformerrelationbetwixtyourselfandme.
Asthelifeandgoodfameofyondermanwereinyourhandsthereseemednochoicetome,savetobesilentinaccordancewithyourbehest.
YetitwasnotwithoutheavymisgivingsthatIthusboundmyself,for,havingcastoffalldutytowardsotherhumanbeings,thereremainedadutytowardshim,andsomethingwhisperedmethatIwasbetrayingitinpledgingmyselftokeepyourcounsel.
Sincethatdaynomanissoneartohimasyou.Youtreadbehindhiseveryfootstep.
Youarebesidehim,sleepingandwaking.Yousearchhisthoughts.Youburrowandrankleinhisheart!
Yourclutchisonhislife,andyoucausehimtodiedailyalivingdeath,andstillheknowsyounot.
InpermittingthisIhavesurelyactedafalsepartbytheonlymantowhomthepowerwasleftmetobetrue!”
“Whatchoicehadyou?”askedRogerChillingworth.“Myfinger,pointedatthisman,wouldhavehurledhimfromhispulpitintoadungeon—thence,peradventure,tothegallows!”
“Ithadbeenbetterso!”saidHesterPrynne.
“WhatevilhaveIdonetheman?”askedRogerChillingworthagain.
“Itellthee,HesterPrynne,therichestfeethateverphysicianearnedfrommonarchcouldnothaveboughtsuchcareasIhavewastedonthismiserablepriest!
Butformyaidhislifewouldhaveburnedawayintormentswithinthefirsttwoyearsaftertheperpetrationofhiscrimeandthine.
For,Hester,hisspiritlackedthestrengththatcouldhaveborneup,asthinehas,beneathaburdenlikethyscarletletter.Oh,Icouldrevealagoodlysecret!Butenough.
Whatartcando,Ihaveexhaustedonhim.
Thathenowbreathesandcreepsaboutonearthisowingalltome!”
“Betterhehaddiedatonce!”saidHesterPrynne.
“Yea,woman,thousayesttruly!”criedoldRogerChillingworth,lettingtheluridfireofhisheartblazeoutbeforehereyes.“Betterhadhediedatonce!
Neverdidmortalsufferwhatthismanhassuffered.
Andall,all,inthesightofhisworstenemy!Hehasbeenconsciousofme.
Hehasfeltaninfluencedwellingalwaysuponhimlikeacurse.
Heknew,bysomespiritualsense—fortheCreatornevermadeanotherbeingsosensitiveasthis—heknewthatnofriendlyhandwaspullingathisheartstrings,andthataneyewaslookingcuriouslyintohim,whichsoughtonlyevil,andfoundit.
Butheknewnotthattheeyeandhandweremine!
Withthesuperstitioncommontohisbrotherhood,hefanciedhimselfgivenovertoafiend,tobetorturedwithfrightfuldreamsanddesperatethoughts,thestingofremorseanddespairofpardon,asaforetasteofwhatawaitshimbeyondthegrave.
Butitwastheconstantshadowofmypresence!
—theclosestpropinquityofthemanwhomhehadmostvilelywronged!
—andwhohadgrowntoexistonlybythisperpetualpoisonofthedirestrevenge!Yea,indeed!
—Hedidnoterr—Therewasafiendathiselbow!
Amortalman,withonceahumanheart,hasbecomeafiendforhisespecialtorment.”
Theunfortunatephysician,whileutteringthesewords,liftedhishandswithalookofhorror,asifhehadbeheldsomefrightfulshape,whichhecouldnotrecognize,usurpingtheplaceofhisownimageinaglass.
Itwasoneofthosemoments—whichsometimesoccuronlyattheintervalofyears—whenaman’smoralaspectisfaithfullyrevealedtohismind’seye.
Notimprobablyhehadneverbeforeviewedhimselfashedidnow.
“Hastthounottorturedhimenough?”saidHester,noticingtheoldman’slook.“Hashenotpaidtheeall?”
“No!—No!Hehasbutincreasedthedebt!”
answeredthephysician,andasheproceeded,hismannerlostitsfiercercharacteristics,andsubsidedintogloom.
“Dostthourememberme,Hester,asIwasnineyearsagone?
EventhenIwasintheautumnofmydays,norwasittheearlyautumn.
Butallmylifehadbeenmadeupofearnest,studious,thoughtful,quietyears,bestowedfaithfullyfortheincreaseofmineownknowledge,andfaithfully,too,thoughthislatterobjectwasbutcasualtotheother—faithfullyfortheadvancementofhumanwelfare.
Nolifehadbeenmorepeacefulandinnocentthanmine;fewlivessorichwithbenefitsconferred.Dostthourememberme?
WasInot,thoughyoumightdeemmecold,neverthelessamanthoughtfulforothers,cravinglittleforhimself—kind,true,justandofconstant,ifnotwarmaffections?WasInotallthis?”
“Allthis,andmore,”saidHester.
“AndwhatamInow?”demandedhe,lookingintoherface,andpermittingthewholeevilwithinhimtobewrittenonhisfeatures.“IhavealreadytoldtheewhatIam—afiend!Whomademeso?”
“Itwasmyself,”criedHester,shuddering.“ItwasI,notlessthanhe.Whyhastthounotavengedthyselfonme?”
“Ihavelefttheetothescarletletter,”repliedRogerChillingworth.“Ifthathasnotavengedme,Icandonomore!”
Helaidhisfingeronitwithasmile.
“Ithasavengedthee,”answeredHesterPrynne.
“Ijudgednoless,”saidthephysician.“Andnowwhatwouldstthouwithmetouchingthisman?”
“Imustrevealthesecret,”answeredHester,firmly.
“Hemustdiscerntheeinthytruecharacter.WhatmaybetheresultIknownot.
Butthislongdebtofconfidence,duefrommetohim,whosebaneandruinIhavebeen,shallatlengthbepaid.
Sofarasconcernstheoverthroworpreservationofhisfairfameandhisearthlystate,andperchancehislife,heisinmyhands.
NordoI—whomthescarletletterhasdisciplinedtotruth,thoughitbethetruthofred–hotironenteringintothesoul—nordoIperceivesuchadvantageinhislivinganylongeralifeofghastlyemptiness,thatIshallstooptoimplorethymercy.Dowithhimasthouwilt!
Thereisnogoodforhim—nogoodforme—nogoodforthee!ThereisnogoodforlittlePearl.
Thereisnopathtoguideusoutofthisdismalmaze.”
“Woman,Icouldwell–nighpitythee,”saidRogerChillingworth,unabletorestrainathrillofadmirationtoo,fortherewasaqualityalmostmajesticinthedespairwhichsheexpressed.“Thouhadstgreatelements.
Peradventure,hadstthoumetearlierwithabetterlovethanmine,thisevilhadnotbeen.
Ipitythee,forthegoodthathasbeenwastedinthynature.”
“AndIthee,”answeredHesterPrynne,“forthehatredthathastransformedawiseandjustmantoafiend!
Wiltthouyetpurgeitoutofthee,andbeoncemorehuman?
Ifnotforhissake,thendoublyforthineown!
Forgive,andleavehisfurtherretributiontothePowerthatclaimsit!
Isaid,butnow,thattherecouldbenogoodeventforhim,orthee,orme,whoareherewanderingtogetherinthisgloomymazeofevil,andstumblingateverystepovertheguiltwherewithwehavestrewnourpath.Itisnotso!
Theremightbegoodforthee,andtheealone,sincethouhastbeendeeplywrongedandhastitatthywilltopardon.Wiltthougiveupthatonlyprivilege?
Wiltthourejectthatpricelessbenefit?”
“Peace,Hester—peace!”repliedtheoldman,withgloomysternness—“itisnotgrantedmetopardon.
Ihavenosuchpowerasthoutellestmeof.
Myoldfaith,longforgotten,comesbacktome,andexplainsallthatwedo,andallwesuffer.
Bythyfirststepawry,thoudidstplantthegermofevil;butsincethatmomentithasallbeenadarknecessity.
Yethathavewrongedmearenotsinful,saveinakindoftypicalillusion;neitheramIfiend–like,whohavesnatchedafiend’sofficefromhishands.Itisourfate.Lettheblackflowerblossomasitmay!
Now,gothyways,anddealasthouwiltwithyonderman.”
Hewavedhishand,andbetookhimselfagaintohisemploymentofgatheringherbs.
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