Алая буква
Another View of Hester
InterpretingHesterPrynne’sdeportmentasanappealofthisnature,societywasinclinedtoshowitsformervictimamorebenigncountenancethanshecaredtobefavouredwith,or,perchance,thanshedeserved.
Therulers,andthewiseandlearnedmenofthecommunity,werelongerinacknowledgingtheinfluenceofHester’sgoodqualitiesthanthepeople.Theprejudiceswhichtheysharedincommonwiththelatterwerefortifiedinthemselvesbyanironframe-workofreasoning,thatmadeitafartougherlabourtoexpelthem.Daybyday,nevertheless,theirsourandrigidwrinkleswererelaxingintosomethingwhich,intheduecourseofyears,mightgrowtobeanexpressionofalmostbenevolence.Thusitwaswiththemenofrank,onwhomtheireminentpositionimposedtheguardianshipofthepublicmorals.Individualsinprivatelife,meanwhile,hadquiteforgivenHesterPrynneforherfrailty;nay,more,theyhadbeguntolookuponthescarletletterasthetoken,notofthatonesinforwhichshehadbornesolonganddrearyapenance,butofhermanygooddeedssince."Doyouseethatwomanwiththeembroideredbadge?"theywouldsaytostrangers."ItisourHester—thetown’sownHester—whoissokindtothepoor,sohelpfultothesick,socomfortabletotheafflicted!"Then,itistrue,thepropensityofhumannaturetotelltheveryworstofitself,whenembodiedinthepersonofanother,wouldconstrainthemtowhispertheblackscandalofbygoneyears.
