Алая буква
Another View of Hester
HesterPrynnedidnotnowoccupypreciselythesamepositioninwhichwebeheldherduringtheearlierperiodsofherignominy.Yearshadcomeandgone.Pearlwasnowsevenyearsold.Hermother,withthescarletletteronherbreast,glitteringinitsfantasticembroidery,hadlongbeenafamiliarobjecttothetownspeople.Asisapttobethecasewhenapersonstandsoutinanyprominencebeforethecommunity,and,atthesametime,interferesneitherwithpublicnorindividualinterestsandconvenience,aspeciesofgeneralregardhadultimatelygrownupinreferencetoHesterPrynne.Itistothecreditofhumannaturethat,exceptwhereitsselfishnessisbroughtintoplay,itlovesmorereadilythanithates.Hatred,byagradualandquietprocess,willevenbetransformedtolove,unlessthechangebeimpededbyacontinuallynewirritationoftheoriginalfeelingofhostility.InthismatterofHesterPrynnetherewasneitherirritationnorirksomeness.Sheneverbattledwiththepublic,butsubmitteduncomplaininglytoitsworstusage;shemadenoclaimuponitinrequitalforwhatshesuffered;shedidnotweighuponitssympathies.Then,also,theblamelesspurityofherlifeduringalltheseyearsinwhichshehadbeensetaparttoinfamywasreckonedlargelyinherfavour.Withnothingnowtolose,inthesightofmankind,andwithnohope,andseeminglynowish,ofgaininganything,itcouldonlybeagenuineregardforvirtuethathadbroughtbackthepoorwanderertoitspaths.
