Алая буква
The Interview
Andso,Hester,Idrewtheeintomyheart,intoitsinnermostchamber,andsoughttowarmtheebythewarmthwhichthypresencemadethere!"
"Ihavegreatlywrongedthee,"murmuredHester.
"Wehavewrongedeachother,"answeredhe."Minewasthefirstwrong,whenIbetrayedthybuddingyouthintoafalseandunnaturalrelationwithmydecay.Therefore,asamanwhohasnotthoughtandphilosophisedinvain,Iseeknovengeance,plotnoevilagainstthee.Betweentheeandme,thescalehangsfairlybalanced.But,Hester,themanliveswhohaswrongedusboth!Whoishe?"
"Askmenot?"repliedHesterPrynne,lookingfirmlyintohisface."Thatthoushaltneverknow!"
"Never,sayestthou?"rejoinedhe,withasmileofdarkandself-relyingintelligence."Neverknowhim!Believeme,Hester,therearefewthingswhetherintheoutwardworld,or,toacertaindepth,intheinvisiblesphereofthought—fewthingshiddenfromthemanwhodevoteshimselfearnestlyandunreservedlytothesolutionofamystery.Thoumayestcoverupthysecretfromthepryingmultitude.Thoumayestconcealit,too,fromtheministersandmagistrates,evenasthoudidstthisday,whentheysoughttowrenchthenameoutofthyheart,andgivetheeapartneronthypedestal.But,asforme,Icometotheinquestwithothersensesthantheypossess.Ishallseekthisman,asIhavesoughttruthinbooks:asIhavesoughtgoldinalchemy.Thereisasympathythatwillmakemeconsciousofhim.Ishallseehimtremble.Ishallfeelmyselfshudder,suddenlyandunawares.
