Алая буква
Hester at Her Needle
Thechild’sattire,ontheotherhand,wasdistinguishedbyafanciful,or,wemayrathersay,afantasticingenuity,whichserved,indeed,toheightentheairycharmthatearlybegantodevelopitselfinthelittlegirl,butwhichappearedtohavealsoadeepermeaning.Wemayspeakfurtherofithereafter.Exceptforthatsmallexpenditureinthedecorationofherinfant,Hesterbestowedallhersuperfluousmeansincharity,onwretcheslessmiserablethanherself,andwhonotunfrequentlyinsultedthehandthatfedthem.Muchofthetime,whichshemightreadilyhaveappliedtothebettereffortsofherart,sheemployedinmakingcoarsegarmentsforthepoor.Itisprobablethattherewasanideaofpenanceinthismodeofoccupation,andthatsheoffereduparealsacrificeofenjoymentindevotingsomanyhourstosuchrudehandiwork.Shehadinhernaturearich,voluptuous,Orientalcharacteristic—atasteforthegorgeouslybeautiful,which,saveintheexquisiteproductionsofherneedle,foundnothingelse,inallthepossibilitiesofherlife,toexerciseitselfupon.Womenderiveapleasure,incomprehensibletotheothersex,fromthedelicatetoiloftheneedle.ToHesterPrynneitmighthavebeenamodeofexpressing,andthereforesoothing,thepassionofherlife.Likeallotherjoys,sherejecteditassin.Thismorbidmeddlingofconsciencewithanimmaterialmatterbetokened,itistobefeared,nogenuineandsteadfastpenitence,butsomethingdoubtful,somethingthatmightbedeeplywrongbeneath.
