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The Revelation of the Scarlet Letter
"ThelawwebrokeI—thesinhereawfullyrevealed!—letthesealonebeinthythoughts!Ifear!Ifear!Itmaybe,that,whenweforgotourGod—whenweviolatedourreverenceeachfortheother’ssoul—itwasthenceforthvaintohopethatwecouldmeethereafter,inaneverlastingandpurereunion.Godknows;andHeismerciful!Hehathprovedhismercy,mostofall,inmyafflictions.Bygivingmethisburningtorturetobearuponmybreast!Bysendingyonderdarkandterribleoldman,tokeepthetorturealwaysatred-heat!Bybringingmehither,todiethisdeathoftriumphantignominybeforethepeople!Hadeitheroftheseagoniesbeenwanting,Ihadbeenlostforever!PraisedbeHisname!Hiswillbedone!Farewell!"
Thatfinalwordcameforthwiththeminister’sexpiringbreath.Themultitude,silenttillthen,brokeoutinastrange,deepvoiceofaweandwonder,whichcouldnotasyetfindutterance,saveinthismurmurthatrolledsoheavilyafterthedepartedspirit.
