English
BetimesinthemorningofthedayonwhichthenewGovernorwastoreceivehisofficeatthehandsofthepeople,HesterPrynneandlittlePearlcameintothemarket–place.
Itwasalreadythrongedwiththecraftsmenandotherplebeianinhabitantsofthetown,inconsiderablenumbers,amongwhom,likewise,weremanyroughfigures,whoseattireofdeer–skinsmarkedthemasbelongingtosomeoftheforestsettlements,whichsurroundedthelittlemetropolisofthecolony.
Onthispublicholiday,asonallotheroccasionsforsevenyearspast,Hesterwascladinagarmentofcoarsegraycloth.
Notmorebyitshuethanbysomeindescribablepeculiarityinitsfashion,ithadtheeffectofmakingherfadepersonallyoutofsightandoutline;whileagainthescarletletterbroughtherbackfromthistwilightindistinctness,andrevealedherunderthemoralaspectofitsownillumination.
Herface,solongfamiliartothetownspeople,showedthemarblequietudewhichtheywereaccustomedtobeholdthere.
Itwaslikeamask;or,ratherlikethefrozencalmnessofadeadwoman’sfeatures;owingthisdrearyresemblancetothefactthatHesterwasactuallydead,inrespecttoanyclaimofsympathy,andhaddepartedoutoftheworldwithwhichshestillseemedtomingle.
Itmightbe,onthisoneday,thattherewasanexpressionunseenbefore,nor,indeed,vividenoughtobedetectednow;unlesssomepreternaturallygiftedobservershouldhavefirstreadtheheart,andhaveafterwardssoughtacorrespondingdevelopmentinthecountenanceandmien.
Suchaspiritualsneermighthaveconceived,that,aftersustainingthegazeofthemultitudethroughseveralmiserableyearsasanecessity,apenance,andsomethingwhichitwasasternreligiontoendure,shenow,foronelasttimemore,encountereditfreelyandvoluntarily,inordertoconvertwhathadsolongbeenagonyintoakindoftriumph.
“Lookyourlastonthescarletletteranditswearer!”
—thepeople’svictimandlifelongbond–slave,astheyfanciedher,mightsaytothem.
“Yetalittlewhile,andshewillbebeyondyourreach!
Afewhourslongerandthedeep,mysteriousoceanwillquenchandhideforeverthesymbolwhichyehavecausedtoburnonherbosom!”
Norwereitaninconsistencytooimprobabletobeassignedtohumannature,shouldwesupposeafeelingofregretinHester’smind,atthemomentwhenshewasabouttowinherfreedomfromthepainwhichhadbeenthusdeeplyincorporatedwithherbeing.
Mighttherenotbeanirresistibledesiretoquaffalast,long,breathlessdraughtofthecupofwormwoodandaloes,withwhichnearlyallheryearsofwomanhoodhadbeenperpetuallyflavoured.
Thewineoflife,henceforthtobepresentedtoherlips,mustbeindeedrich,delicious,andexhilarating,initschasedandgoldenbeaker,orelseleaveaninevitableandwearylanguor,aftertheleesofbitternesswherewithshehadbeendrugged,aswithacordialofintensestpotency.
Pearlwasdeckedoutwithairygaiety.Itwouldhavebeenimpossibletoguessthatthisbrightandsunnyapparitionoweditsexistencetotheshapeofgloomygray;orthatafancy,atoncesogorgeousandsodelicateasmusthavebeenrequisitetocontrivethechild’sapparel,wasthesamethathadachievedataskperhapsmoredifficult,inimpartingsodistinctapeculiaritytoHester’ssimplerobe.
Thedress,soproperwasittolittlePearl,seemedaneffluence,orinevitabledevelopmentandoutwardmanifestationofhercharacter,nomoretobeseparatedfromherthanthemany–huedbrilliancyfromabutterfly’swing,orthepaintedgloryfromtheleafofabrightflower.
Aswiththese,sowiththechild;hergarbwasallofoneideawithhernature.
Onthiseventfulday,moreover,therewasacertainsingularinquietudeandexcitementinhermood,resemblingnothingsomuchastheshimmerofadiamond,thatsparklesandflasheswiththevariedthrobbingsofthebreastonwhichitisdisplayed.
Childrenhavealwaysasympathyintheagitationsofthoseconnectedwiththem:always,especially,asenseofanytroubleorimpendingrevolution,ofwhateverkind,indomesticcircumstances;andthereforePearl,whowasthegemonhermother’sunquietbosom,betrayed,bytheverydanceofherspirits,theemotionswhichnonecoulddetectinthemarblepassivenessofHester’sbrow.
Thiseffervescencemadeherflitwithabird–likemovement,ratherthanwalkbyhermother’sside.
Shebrokecontinuallyintoshoutsofawild,inarticulate,andsometimespiercingmusic.
Whentheyreachedthemarket–place,shebecamestillmorerestless,onperceivingthestirandbustlethatenlivenedthespot;foritwasusuallymorelikethebroadandlonesomegreenbeforeavillagemeeting–house,thanthecentreofatown’sbusiness
“Why,whatisthis,mother?”criedshe.
“Whereforehaveallthepeoplelefttheirworkto–day?Isitaplay–dayforthewholeworld?See,thereistheblacksmith!
Hehaswashedhissootyface,andputonhisSabbath–dayclothes,andlooksasifhewouldgladlybemerry,ifanykindbodywouldonlyteachhimhow!
AndthereisMasterBrackett,theoldjailer,noddingandsmilingatme.Whydoeshedoso,mother?”
“Herememberstheealittlebabe,mychild,”answeredHester.
“Heshouldnotnodandsmileatme,forallthat—theblack,grim,ugly–eyedoldman!”saidPearl.
“Hemaynodatthee,ifhewill;forthouartcladingray,andwearestthescarletletter.
Butsee,mother,howmanyfacesofstrangepeople,andIndiansamongthem,andsailors!
Whathavetheyallcometodo,hereinthemarket–place?”
“Theywaittoseetheprocessionpass,”saidHester.
“FortheGovernorandthemagistratesaretogoby,andtheministers,andallthegreatpeopleandgoodpeople,withthemusicandthesoldiersmarchingbeforethem.”
“Andwilltheministerbethere?”askedPearl.“Andwillheholdoutbothhishandstome,aswhenthouled’stmetohimfromthebrook–side?”
“Hewillbethere,child,”answeredhermother,“buthewillnotgreettheeto–day,normustthougreethim.”
“Whatastrange,sadmanishe!”saidthechild,asifspeakingpartlytoherself.
“Inthedarknighttimehecallsustohim,andholdsthyhandandmine,aswhenwestoodwithhimonthescaffoldyonder!
Andinthedeepforest,whereonlytheoldtreescanhear,andthestripofskyseeit,hetalkswiththee,sittingonaheapofmoss!
Andhekissesmyforehead,too,sothatthelittlebrookwouldhardlywashitoff!
But,here,inthesunnyday,andamongallthepeople,heknowsusnot;normustweknowhim!
Astrange,sadmanishe,withhishandalwaysoverhisheart!”
“Bequiet,Pearl—thouunderstandestnotthesethings,”saidhermother.
“Thinknotnowoftheminister,butlookaboutthee,andseehowcheeryiseverybody’sfaceto–day.
Thechildrenhavecomefromtheirschools,andthegrownpeoplefromtheirworkshopsandtheirfields,onpurposetobehappy,for,to–day,anewmanisbeginningtoruleoverthem;andso—ashasbeenthecustomofmankindeversinceanationwasfirstgathered—theymakemerryandrejoice:asifagoodandgoldenyearwereatlengthtopassoverthepooroldworld!”
ItwasasHestersaid,inregardtotheunwontedjollitythatbrightenedthefacesofthepeople.
Intothisfestalseasonoftheyear—asitalreadywas,andcontinuedtobeduringthegreaterpartoftwocenturies—thePuritanscompressedwhatevermirthandpublicjoytheydeemedallowabletohumaninfirmity;therebysofardispellingthecustomarycloud,that,forthespaceofasingleholiday,theyappearedscarcelymoregravethanmostothercommunitiesataperiodofgeneralaffliction.
Butweperhapsexaggeratethegrayorsabletinge,whichundoubtedlycharacterizedthemoodandmannersoftheage.
Thepersonsnowinthemarket–placeofBostonhadnotbeenborntoaninheritanceofPuritanicgloom.
TheywerenativeEnglishmen,whosefathershadlivedinthesunnyrichnessoftheElizabethanepoch;atimewhenthelifeofEngland,viewedasonegreatmass,wouldappeartohavebeenasstately,magnificent,andjoyous,astheworldhaseverwitnessed.
Hadtheyfollowedtheirhereditarytaste,theNewEnglandsettlerswouldhaveillustratedalleventsofpublicimportancebybonfires,banquets,pageantries,andprocessions.
Norwouldithavebeenimpracticable,intheobservanceofmajesticceremonies,tocombinemirthfulrecreationwithsolemnity,andgive,asitwere,agrotesqueandbrilliantembroiderytothegreatrobeofstate,whichanation,atsuchfestivals,putson.
Therewassomeshadowofanattemptofthiskindinthemodeofcelebratingthedayonwhichthepoliticalyearofthecolonycommenced.
Thedimreflectionofarememberedsplendour,acolourlessandmanifolddilutedrepetitionofwhattheyhadbeheldinproudoldLondon—wewillnotsayataroyalcoronation,butataLordMayor’sshow—mightbetracedinthecustomswhichourforefathersinstituted,withreferencetotheannualinstallationofmagistrates.
Thefathersandfoundersofthecommonwealth—thestatesman,thepriest,andthesoldier—deemeditadutythentoassumetheoutwardstateandmajesty,which,inaccordancewithantiquestyle,waslookeduponasthepropergarbofpublicandsocialeminence.
Allcameforthtomoveinprocessionbeforethepeople’seye,andthusimpartaneededdignitytothesimpleframeworkofagovernmentsonewlyconstructed.
Then,too,thepeoplewerecountenanced,ifnotencouraged,inrelaxingthesevereandcloseapplicationtotheirvariousmodesofruggedindustry,whichatallothertimes,seemedofthesamepieceandmaterialwiththeirreligion.
Here,itistrue,werenoneoftheapplianceswhichpopularmerrimentwouldsoreadilyhavefoundintheEnglandofElizabeth’stime,orthatofJames—norudeshowsofatheatricalkind;nominstrel,withhisharpandlegendaryballad,norgleemanwithanapedancingtohismusic;nojuggler,withhistricksofmimicwitchcraft;noMerryAndrew,tostirupthemultitudewithjests,perhapsahundredyearsold,butstilleffective,bytheirappealstotheverybroadestsourcesofmirthfulsympathy.
Allsuchprofessorsoftheseveralbranchesofjocularitywouldhavebeensternlyrepressed,notonlybytherigiddisciplineoflaw,butbythegeneralsentimentwhichgivelawitsvitality.
Nottheless,however,thegreat,honestfaceofthepeoplesmiled—grimly,perhaps,butwidelytoo.
Norweresportswanting,suchasthecolonistshadwitnessed,andsharedin,longago,atthecountryfairsandonthevillage–greensofEngland;andwhichitwasthoughtwelltokeepaliveonthisnewsoil,forthesakeofthecourageandmanlinessthatwereessentialinthem.
Wrestlingmatches,inthedifferentfashionsofCornwallandDevonshire,wereseenhereandthereaboutthemarket–place;inonecorner,therewasafriendlyboutatquarterstaff;and—whatattractedmostinterestofall—ontheplatformofthepillory,alreadysonotedinourpages,twomastersofdefencewerecommencinganexhibitionwiththebucklerandbroadsword.
But,muchtothedisappointmentofthecrowd,thislatterbusinesswasbrokenoffbytheinterpositionofthetownbeadle,whohadnoideaofpermittingthemajestyofthelawtobeviolatedbysuchanabuseofoneofitsconsecratedplaces.
Itmaynotbetoomuchtoaffirm,onthewhole,(thepeoplebeingtheninthefirststagesofjoylessdeportment,andtheoffspringofsireswhohadknownhowtobemerry,intheirday),thattheywouldcomparefavourably,inpointofholidaykeeping,withtheirdescendants,evenatsolonganintervalasourselves.
Theirimmediateposterity,thegenerationnexttotheearlyemigrants,woretheblackestshadeofPuritanism,andsodarkenedthenationalvisagewithit,thatallthesubsequentyearshavenotsufficedtoclearitup.
Wehaveyettolearnagaintheforgottenartofgaiety.
Thepictureofhumanlifeinthemarket–place,thoughitsgeneraltintwasthesadgray,brown,orblackoftheEnglishemigrants,wasyetenlivenedbysomediversityofhue.
ApartyofIndians—intheirsavagefineryofcuriouslyembroidereddeerskinrobes,wampum–belts,redandyellowochre,andfeathers,andarmedwiththebowandarrowandstone–headedspear—stoodapartwithcountenancesofinflexiblegravity,beyondwhateventhePuritanaspectcouldattain.
Nor,wildaswerethesepaintedbarbarians,weretheythewildestfeatureofthescene.
Thisdistinctioncouldmorejustlybeclaimedbysomemariners—apartofthecrewofthevesselfromtheSpanishMain—whohadcomeashoretoseethehumoursofElectionDay.
Theywererough–lookingdesperadoes,withsun–blackenedfaces,andanimmensityofbeard;theirwideshorttrouserswereconfinedaboutthewaistbybelts,oftenclaspedwitharoughplateofgold,andsustainingalwaysalongknife,andinsomeinstances,asword.
Frombeneaththeirbroad–brimmedhatsofpalm–leaf,gleamedeyeswhich,eveningood–natureandmerriment,hadakindofanimalferocity.
Theytransgressedwithoutfearorscruple,therulesofbehaviourthatwerebindingonallothers:smokingtobaccounderthebeadle’sverynose,althougheachwhiffwouldhavecostatownsmanashilling;andquaffingattheirpleasure,draughtsofwineoraqua–vitaefrompocketflasks,whichtheyfreelytenderedtothegapingcrowdaroundthem.
Itremarkablycharacterizedtheincompletemoralityoftheage,rigidaswecallit,thatalicencewasallowedtheseafaringclass,notmerelyfortheirfreaksonshore,butforfarmoredesperatedeedsontheirproperelement.
Thesailorofthatdaywouldgoneartobearraignedasapirateinourown.
Therecouldbelittledoubt,forinstance,thatthisveryship’screw,thoughnounfavourablespecimensofthenauticalbrotherhood,hadbeenguilty,asweshouldphraseit,ofdepredationsontheSpanishcommerce,suchaswouldhaveperilledalltheirnecksinamoderncourtofjustice.
Buttheseainthoseoldtimesheaved,swelled,andfoamedverymuchatitsownwill,orsubjectonlytothetempestuouswind,withhardlyanyattemptsatregulationbyhumanlaw.
Thebuccaneeronthewavemightrelinquishhiscallingandbecomeatonceifhechose,amanofprobityandpietyonland;nor,eveninthefullcareerofhisrecklesslife,washeregardedasapersonagewithwhomitwasdisreputabletotrafficorcasuallyassociate.
ThusthePuritaneldersintheirblackcloaks,starchedbands,andsteeple–crownedhats,smilednotunbenignantlyattheclamourandrudedeportmentofthesejollyseafaringmen;anditexcitedneithersurprisenoranimadversionwhensoreputableacitizenasoldRogerChillingworth,thephysician,wasseentoenterthemarket–placeincloseandfamiliartalkwiththecommanderofthequestionablevessel.
Thelatterwasbyfarthemostshowyandgallantfigure,sofarasapparelwent,anywheretobeseenamongthemultitude.
Heworeaprofusionofribbonsonhisgarment,andgoldlaceonhishat,whichwasalsoencircledbyagoldchain,andsurmountedwithafeather.
Therewasaswordathissideandasword–cutonhisforehead,which,bythearrangementofhishair,heseemedanxiousrathertodisplaythanhide.
Alandsmancouldhardlyhavewornthisgarbandshownthisface,andwornandshownthembothwithsuchagalliardair,withoutundergoingsternquestionbeforeamagistrate,andprobablyincurringafineorimprisonment,orperhapsanexhibitioninthestocks.
Asregardedtheshipmaster,however,allwaslookeduponaspertainingtothecharacter,astoafishhisglisteningscales.
Afterpartingfromthephysician,thecommanderoftheBristolshipstrolledidlythroughthemarket–place;untilhappeningtoapproachthespotwhereHesterPrynnewasstanding,heappearedtorecognize,anddidnothesitatetoaddressher.
AswasusuallythecasewhereverHesterstood,asmallvacantarea—asortofmagiccircle—hadformeditselfabouther,intowhich,thoughthepeoplewereelbowingoneanotheratalittledistance,noneventuredorfeltdisposedtointrude.
Itwasaforcibletypeofthemoralsolitudeinwhichthescarletletterenvelopeditsfatedwearer;partlybyherownreserve,andpartlybytheinstinctive,thoughnolongersounkindly,withdrawalofherfellow–creatures.
Now,ifneverbefore,itansweredagoodpurposebyenablingHesterandtheseamantospeaktogetherwithoutriskofbeingoverheard;andsochangedwasHesterPrynne’sreputebeforethepublic,thatthematronintown,mosteminentforrigidmorality,couldnothaveheldsuchintercoursewithlessresultofscandalthanherself.
“So,mistress,”saidthemariner,“Imustbidthestewardmakereadyonemoreberththanyoubargainedfor!
Nofearofscurvyorshipfeverthisvoyage.
Whatwiththeship’ssurgeonandthisotherdoctor,ouronlydangerwillbefromdrugorpill;morebytoken,asthereisalotofapothecary’sstuffaboard,whichItradedforwithaSpanishvessel.”
“Whatmeanyou?”inquiredHester,startledmorethanshepermittedtoappear.“Haveyouanotherpassenger?”
“Why,knowyounot,”criedtheshipmaster,“thatthisphysicianhere—Chillingworthhecallshimself—ismindedtotrymycabin–farewithyou?
Ay,ay,youmusthaveknownit;forhetellsmeheisofyourparty,andaclosefriendtothegentlemanyouspokeof—hethatisinperilfromthesesouroldPuritanrulers.”
“Theyknoweachotherwell,indeed,”repliedHester,withamienofcalmness,thoughintheutmostconsternation.“Theyhavelongdwelttogether.”
NothingfurtherpassedbetweenthemarinerandHesterPrynne.
ButatthatinstantshebeheldoldRogerChillingworthhimself,standingintheremotestcomerofthemarket–placeandsmilingonher;asmilewhich—acrossthewideandbustlingsquare,andthroughallthetalkandlaughter,andvariousthoughts,moods,andinterestsofthecrowd—conveyedsecretandfearfulmeaning.
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