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Conclusion
Women,moreespecially—inthecontinuallyrecurringtrialsofwounded,wasted,wronged,misplaced,orerringandsinfulpassion—orwiththedrearyburdenofaheartunyielded,becauseunvaluedandunsoughtcametoHester’scottage,demandingwhytheyweresowretched,andwhattheremedy!Hestercomfortedandcounselledthem,asbestshemight.Sheassuredthem,too,ofherfirmbeliefthat,atsomebrighterperiod,whentheworldshouldhavegrownripeforit,inHeaven’sowntime,anewtruthwouldberevealed,inordertoestablishthewholerelationbetweenmanandwomanonasurergroundofmutualhappiness.Earlierinlife,Hesterhadvainlyimaginedthatsheherselfmightbethedestinedprophetess,buthadlongsincerecognisedtheimpossibilitythatanymissionofdivineandmysterioustruthshouldbeconfidedtoawomanstainedwithsin,boweddownwithshame,orevenburdenedwithalife-longsorrow.Theangelandapostleofthecomingrevelationmustbeawoman,indeed,butlofty,pure,andbeautiful,andwise;moreover,notthroughduskygrief,buttheetherealmediumofjoy;andshowinghowsacredloveshouldmakeushappy,bythetruesttestofalifesuccessfultosuchanend.
SosaidHesterPrynne,andglancedhersadeyesdownwardatthescarletletter.And,aftermany,manyyears,anewgravewasdelved,nearanoldandsunkenone,inthatburial-groundbesidewhichKing’sChapelhassincebeenbuilt.Itwasnearthatoldandsunkengrave,yetwithaspacebetween,asifthedustofthetwosleepershadnorighttomingle
