Алая буква
The Market–Place
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.ThewitnessesofHesterPrynne’sdisgracehadnotyetpassedbeyondtheirsimplicity.Theyweresternenoughtolookuponherdeath,hadthatbeenthesentence,withoutamurmuratitsseverity,buthadnoneoftheheartlessnessofanothersocialstate,whichwouldfindonlyathemeforjestinanexhibitionlikethepresent.
