Алая буква
A Forest Walk
Butthelittlestreamwouldnotbecomforted,andstillkepttellingitsunintelligiblesecretofsomeverymournfulmysterythathadhappened—ormakingapropheticlamentationaboutsomethingthatwasyettohappen—withinthevergeofthedismalforest.SoPearl,whohadenoughofshadowinherownlittlelife,chosetobreakoffallacquaintancewiththisrepiningbrook.Shesetherself,therefore,togatheringvioletsandwood-anemones,andsomescarletcolumbinesthatshefoundgrowinginthecreviceofahighrock.
Whenherelf-childhaddeparted,HesterPrynnemadeasteportwotowardsthetrackthatledthroughtheforest,butstillremainedunderthedeepshadowofthetrees.Shebeheldtheministeradvancingalongthepathentirelyalone,andleaningonastaffwhichhehadcutbythewayside.Helookedhaggardandfeeble,andbetrayedanervelessdespondencyinhisair,whichhadneversoremarkablycharacterisedhiminhiswalksaboutthesettlement,norinanyothersituationwherehedeemedhimselfliabletonotice.Hereitwaswofullyvisible,inthisintenseseclusionoftheforest,whichofitselfwouldhavebeenaheavytrialtothespirits.Therewasalistlessnessinhisgait,asifhesawnoreasonfortakingonestepfurther,norfeltanydesiretodoso,butwouldhavebeenglad,couldhebegladofanything,toflinghimselfdownattherootofthenearesttree,andlietherepassiveforevermore
