The Revelation of the Scarlet Letter

           Theeloquentvoice,onwhichthesoulsofthelisteningaudiencehadbeenbornealoftasontheswellingwavesofthesea,atlengthcametoapause.Therewasamomentarysilence,profoundaswhatshouldfollowtheutteranceoforacles.Thenensuedamurmurandhalf-hushedtumult,asiftheauditors,releasedfromthehighspellthathadtransportedthemintotheregionofanother’smind,werereturningintothemselves,withalltheiraweandwonderstillheavyonthem.Inamomentmorethecrowdbegantogushforthfromthedoorsofthechurch.Nowthattherewasanend,theyneededmorebreath,morefittosupportthegrossandearthlylifeintowhichtheyrelapsed,thanthatatmospherewhichthepreacherhadconvertedintowordsofflame,andhadburdenedwiththerichfragranceofhisthought.

           Intheopenairtheirrapturebrokeintospeech.Thestreetandthemarket-placeabsolutelybabbled,fromsidetoside,withapplausesoftheminister.Hishearerscouldnotrestuntiltheyhadtoldoneanotherofwhateachknewbetterthanhecouldtellorhear.

           Accordingtotheirunitedtestimony,neverhadmanspokeninsowise,sohigh,andsoholyaspirit,ashethatspakethisday;norhadinspirationeverbreathedthroughmortallipsmoreevidentlythanitdidthroughhis.Itsinfluencecouldbeseen,asitwere,descendinguponhim,andpossessinghim,andcontinuallyliftinghimoutofthewrittendiscoursethatlaybeforehim,andfillinghimwithideasthatmusthavebeenasmarvelloustohimselfastohisaudience.