Алая буква
A Flood of Sunshine
Theminister,ontheotherhand,hadnevergonethroughanexperiencecalculatedtoleadhimbeyondthescopeofgenerallyreceivedlaws;although,inasingleinstance,hehadsofearfullytransgressedoneofthemostsacredofthem.Butthishadbeenasinofpassion,notofprinciple,norevenpurpose.Sincethatwretchedepoch,hehadwatchedwithmorbidzealandminuteness,nothisacts—forthoseitwaseasytoarrange—buteachbreathofemotion,andhiseverythought.Attheheadofthesocialsystem,astheclergymenofthatdaystood,hewasonlythemoretrammelledbyitsregulations,itsprinciples,andevenitsprejudices.Asapriest,theframeworkofhisorderinevitablyhemmedhimin.Asamanwhohadoncesinned,butwhokepthisconscienceallaliveandpainfullysensitivebythefrettingofanunhealedwound,hemighthavebeensupposedsaferwithinthelineofvirtuethanifhehadneversinnedatall.
Thusweseemtoseethat,asregardedHesterPrynne,thewholesevenyearsofoutlawandignominyhadbeenlittleotherthanapreparationforthisveryhour.
