Алая буква
The Market–Place
ThispersonageprefiguredandrepresentedinhisaspectthewholedismalseverityofthePuritaniccodeoflaw,whichitwashisbusinesstoadministerinitsfinalandclosestapplicationtotheoffender.Stretchingforththeofficialstaffinhislefthand,helaidhisrightupontheshoulderofayoungwoman,whomhethusdrewforward,until,onthethresholdoftheprison-door,sherepelledhim,byanactionmarkedwithnaturaldignityandforceofcharacter,andsteppedintotheopenairasifbyherownfreewill.Sheboreinherarmsachild,ababyofsomethreemonthsold,whowinkedandturnedasideitslittlefacefromthetoovividlightofday;becauseitsexistence,heretofore,hadbroughtitacquaintanceonlywiththegreytwilightofadungeon,orotherdarksomeapartmentoftheprison.
Whentheyoungwoman—themotherofthischild—stoodfullyrevealedbeforethecrowd,itseemedtobeherfirstimpulsetoclasptheinfantcloselytoherbosom;notsomuchbyanimpulseofmotherlyaffection,asthatshemighttherebyconcealacertaintoken,whichwaswroughtorfastenedintoherdress.Inamoment,however,wiselyjudgingthatonetokenofhershamewouldbutpoorlyservetohideanother,shetookthebabyonherarm,andwithaburningblush,andyetahaughtysmile,andaglancethatwouldnotbeabashed,lookedaroundathertownspeopleandneighbours.Onthebreastofhergown,infineredcloth,surroundedwithanelaborateembroideryandfantasticflourishesofgoldthread,appearedtheletterA.
