Алая буква
The New England Holiday
Suchaspiritualsneermighthaveconceived,that,aftersustainingthegazeofthemultitudethroughseveralmiserableyearsasanecessity,apenance,andsomethingwhichitwasasternreligiontoendure,shenow,foronelasttimemore,encountereditfreelyandvoluntarily,inordertoconvertwhathadsolongbeenagonyintoakindoftriumph."Lookyourlastonthescarletletteranditswearer!"—thepeople’svictimandlifelongbond-slave,astheyfanciedher,mightsaytothem."Yetalittlewhile,andshewillbebeyondyourreach!Afewhourslongerandthedeep,mysteriousoceanwillquenchandhideforeverthesymbolwhichyehavecausedtoburnonherbosom!"Norwereitaninconsistencytooimprobabletobeassignedtohumannature,shouldwesupposeafeelingofregretinHester’smind,atthemomentwhenshewasabouttowinherfreedomfromthepainwhichhadbeenthusdeeplyincorporatedwithherbeing.Mighttherenotbeanirresistibledesiretoquaffalast,long,breathlessdraughtofthecupofwormwoodandaloes,withwhichnearlyallheryearsofwomanhoodhadbeenperpetuallyflavoured.Thewineoflife,henceforthtobepresentedtoherlips,mustbeindeedrich,delicious,andexhilarating,initschasedandgoldenbeaker,orelseleaveaninevitableandwearylanguor,aftertheleesofbitternesswherewithshehadbeendrugged,aswithacordialofintensestpotency.
Pearlwasdeckedoutwithairygaiety.
