Conclusion

           Aftermanydays,whentimesufficedforthepeopletoarrangetheirthoughtsinreferencetotheforegoingscene,therewasmorethanoneaccountofwhathadbeenwitnessedonthescaffold.

           Mostofthespectatorstestifiedtohavingseen,onthebreastoftheunhappyminister,aSCARLETLETTER—theverysemblanceofthatwornbyHesterPrynne—imprintedintheflesh.Asregardeditsorigintherewerevariousexplanations,allofwhichmustnecessarilyhavebeenconjectural.SomeaffirmedthattheReverendMr.Dimmesdale,ontheverydaywhenHesterPrynnefirstworeherignominiousbadge,hadbegunacourseofpenance—whichheafterwards,insomanyfutilemethods,followedout—byinflictingahideoustortureonhimself.Otherscontendedthatthestigmahadnotbeenproduceduntilalongtimesubsequent,whenoldRogerChillingworth,beingapotentnecromancer,hadcausedittoappear,throughtheagencyofmagicandpoisonousdrugs.Others,againandthosebestabletoappreciatetheminister’speculiarsensibility,andthewonderfuloperationofhisspirituponthebody—whisperedtheirbelief,thattheawfulsymbolwastheeffectoftheever-activetoothofremorse,gnawingfromtheinmostheartoutwardly,andatlastmanifestingHeaven’sdreadfuljudgmentbythevisiblepresenceoftheletter.Thereadermaychooseamongthesetheories.