Алая буква
The New England Holiday
"Whatastrange,sadmanishe!"saidthechild,asifspeakingpartlytoherself."Inthedarknighttimehecallsustohim,andholdsthyhandandmine,aswhenwestoodwithhimonthescaffoldyonder!Andinthedeepforest,whereonlytheoldtreescanhear,andthestripofskyseeit,hetalkswiththee,sittingonaheapofmoss!Andhekissesmyforehead,too,sothatthelittlebrookwouldhardlywashitoff!But,here,inthesunnyday,andamongallthepeople,heknowsusnot;normustweknowhim!Astrange,sadmanishe,withhishandalwaysoverhisheart!"
"Bequiet,Pearl—thouunderstandestnotthesethings,"saidhermother."Thinknotnowoftheminister,butlookaboutthee,andseehowcheeryiseverybody’sfaceto-day.Thechildrenhavecomefromtheirschools,andthegrownpeoplefromtheirworkshopsandtheirfields,onpurposetobehappy,for,to-day,anewmanisbeginningtoruleoverthem;andso—ashasbeenthecustomofmankindeversinceanationwasfirstgathered—theymakemerryandrejoice:asifagoodandgoldenyearwereatlengthtopassoverthepooroldworld!"
ItwasasHestersaid,inregardtotheunwontedjollitythatbrightenedthefacesofthepeople.
