Алая буква
Hester at Her Needle
Whetherfromcommiserationforawomanofsomiserableadestiny;orfromthemorbidcuriositythatgivesafictitiousvalueeventocommonorworthlessthings;orbywhateverotherintangiblecircumstancewasthen,asnow,sufficienttobestow,onsomepersons,whatothersmightseekinvain;orbecauseHesterreallyfilledagapwhichmustotherwisehaveremainedvacant;itiscertainthatshehadreadyandfairlyequitedemploymentforasmanyhoursasshesawfittooccupywithherneedle.Vanity,itmaybe,chosetomortifyitself,byputtingon,forceremonialsofpompandstate,thegarmentsthathadbeenwroughtbyhersinfulhands.Herneedle-workwasseenontheruffoftheGovernor;militarymenworeitontheirscarfs,andtheministeronhisband;itdeckedthebaby’slittlecap;itwasshutup,tobemildewedandmoulderaway,inthecoffinsofthedead.Butitisnotrecordedthat,inasingleinstance,herskillwascalledintoembroiderthewhiteveilwhichwastocoverthepureblushesofabride.Theexceptionindicatedtheeverrelentlessvigourwithwhichsocietyfrowneduponhersin.
Hestersoughtnottoacquireanythingbeyondasubsistence,oftheplainestandmostasceticdescription,forherself,andasimpleabundanceforherchild.Herowndresswasofthecoarsestmaterialsandthemostsombrehue,withonlythatoneornament—thescarletletter—whichitwasherdoomtowear.
