Another View of Hester

           InherlatesingularinterviewwithMr.Dimmesdale,HesterPrynnewasshockedattheconditiontowhichshefoundtheclergymanreduced.Hisnerveseemedabsolutelydestroyed.Hismoralforcewasabasedintomorethanchildishweakness.Itgrovelledhelplessontheground,evenwhilehisintellectualfacultiesretainedtheirpristinestrength,orhadperhapsacquiredamorbidenergy,whichdiseaseonlycouldhavegiventhem.Withherknowledgeofatrainofcircumstanceshiddenfromallothers,shecouldreadilyinferthat,besidesthelegitimateactionofhisownconscience,aterriblemachineryhadbeenbroughttobear,andwasstilloperating,onMr.Dimmesdale’swell-beingandrepose.Knowingwhatthispoorfallenmanhadoncebeen,herwholesoulwasmovedbytheshudderingterrorwithwhichhehadappealedtoher—theoutcastwoman—forsupportagainsthisinstinctivelydiscoveredenemy.Shedecided,moreover,thathehadarighttoherutmostaid.Littleaccustomed,inherlongseclusionfromsociety,tomeasureherideasofrightandwrongbyanystandardexternaltoherself,Hestersaw—orseemedtosee—thattherelayaresponsibilityuponherinreferencetotheclergyman,whichsheownedtonoother,nortothewholeworldbesides.Thelinksthatunitedhertotherestofhumankind—linksofflowers,orsilk,orgold,orwhateverthematerial—hadallbeenbroken.Herewastheironlinkofmutualcrime,whichneitherhenorshecouldbreak.Likeallotherties,itbroughtalongwithititsobligations.