Алая буква
A Flood of Sunshine
Hersex,heryouth,andthewholerichnessofherbeauty,camebackfromwhatmencalltheirrevocablepast,andclusteredthemselveswithhermaidenhope,andahappinessbeforeunknown,withinthemagiccircleofthishour.And,asifthegloomoftheearthandskyhadbeenbuttheeffluenceofthesetwomortalhearts,itvanishedwiththeirsorrow.Allatonce,aswithasuddensmileofheaven,forthburstthesunshine,pouringaveryfloodintotheobscureforest,gladdeningeachgreenleaf,transmutingtheyellowfallenonestogold,andgleamingadownthegraytrunksofthesolemntrees.Theobjectsthathadmadeashadowhitherto,embodiedthebrightnessnow.Thecourseofthelittlebrookmightbetracedbyitsmerrygleamafarintothewood’sheartofmystery,whichhadbecomeamysteryofjoy.
SuchwasthesympathyofNature—thatwild,heathenNatureoftheforest,neversubjugatedbyhumanlaw,norilluminedbyhighertruth—withtheblissofthesetwospirits!Love,whethernewly-born,orarousedfromadeath-likeslumber,mustalwayscreateasunshine,fillingtheheartsofullofradiance,thatitoverflowsupontheoutwardworld.Hadtheforeststillkeptitsgloom,itwouldhavebeenbrightinHester’seyes,andbrightinArthurDimmesdale’s!
Hesterlookedathimwithathrillofanotherjoy.
"ThoumustknowPearl!"saidshe."OurlittlePearl!Thouhastseenher—yes,Iknowit!—butthouwiltseehernowwithothereyes.
