Алая буква
Conclusion
AtoldRogerChillingworth’sdecease,(whichtookplacewithintheyear),andbyhislastwillandtestament,ofwhichGovernorBellinghamandtheReverendMr.Wilsonwereexecutors,hebequeathedaveryconsiderableamountofproperty,bothhereandinEnglandtolittlePearl,thedaughterofHesterPrynne.
SoPearl—theelfchild—thedemonoffspring,assomepeopleuptothatepochpersistedinconsideringher—becametherichestheiressofherdayintheNewWorld.Notimprobablythiscircumstancewroughtaverymaterialchangeinthepublicestimation;andhadthemotherandchildremainedhere,littlePearlatamarriageableperiodoflifemighthavemingledherwildbloodwiththelineageofthedevoutestPuritanamongthemall.But,innolongtimeafterthephysician’sdeath,thewearerofthescarletletterdisappeared,andPearlalongwithher.Formanyyears,thoughavaguereportwouldnowandthenfinditswayacrossthesea—likeashapelesspieceofdriftwoodtossedashorewiththeinitialsofanameuponit—yetnotidingsofthemunquestionablyauthenticwerereceived.Thestoryofthescarletlettergrewintoalegend.Itsspell,however,wasstillpotent,andkeptthescaffoldawfulwherethepoorministerhaddied,andlikewisethecottagebythesea-shorewhereHesterPrynnehaddwelt.Nearthislatterspot,oneafternoonsomechildrenwereatplay,whentheybeheldatallwomaninagrayrobeapproachthecottage-door.
