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           Butthiscouldneverbe.Pearlwasabornoutcastoftheinfantileworld.Animpofevil,emblemandproductofsin,shehadnorightamongchristenedinfants.Nothingwasmoreremarkablethantheinstinct,asitseemed,withwhichthechildcomprehendedherloneliness:thedestinythathaddrawnaninviolablecircleroundabouther:thewholepeculiarity,inshort,ofherpositioninrespecttootherchildren.NeversinceherreleasefromprisonhadHestermetthepublicgazewithouther.Inallherwalksaboutthetown,Pearl,too,wasthere:firstasthebabeinarms,andafterwardsasthelittlegirl,smallcompanionofhermother,holdingaforefingerwithherwholegrasp,andtrippingalongattherateofthreeorfourfootstepstooneofHester’s.Shesawthechildrenofthesettlementonthegrassymarginofthestreet,oratthedomesticthresholds,disportingthemselvesinsuchgrimfashionsasthePuritanicnurturewouldpermit!playingatgoingtochurch,perchance,oratscourgingQuakers,ortakingscalpsinashamfightwiththeIndians,orscaringoneanotherwithfreaksofimitativewitchcraft.Pearlsaw,andgazedintently,butneversoughttomakeacquaintance.Ifspokento,shewouldnotspeakagain.Ifthechildrengatheredabouther,astheysometimesdid,Pearlwouldgrowpositivelyterribleinherpunywrath,snatchingupstonestoflingatthem,withshrill,incoherentexclamations,thatmadehermothertremble,becausetheyhadsomuchthesoundofawitch’sanathemasinsomeunknowntongue.