Saddleback’s Illustrated Classics™

W )t ểkaríet T L tttu
NATHANIEL HAVVTHORNE

Pearl Governor Bcllmgham

 T h e Scarlet L e tte r 7

Oỉìf> quiet, rainy day í iìĩdde B discovery n smat/ package wrappBỜ

in uỉcỉ paper. The ohịect that most Cũught m y attenĩion was a bit
o f ftnè rẽd clo th deóorated ivith goid. I ( w aĩ the Capital letter A- l
happened to ptace iĩ on m y chest- t feh bi/rnìng héat-BS if ìt vverử
nảr red rìùtiì. bu Ị red hũt ìrun. ì trembled and ÌẼt iĩ fafi to í he
íỉoor. I exam ined the papers (0 íĩriiì the storỵ that ỉay behintí this
strange íeỉter.
8

On a summer morning in 1642, most o f the peop/e o f the town o f

Boston, Massachusetts, ỵỵere gathered before the jail. It was an
angry Puritan crowd. Their eyes were glued to the strong, oaken
prison door. _____________

The Lvom en secm eú to ta k e a speciaỉ interest.

I think, iadies, it vuould be
better íor evÊryborìy if we
womẼn took ca re of such
sinners 3S ĩhis Hesier Pryn ne1
 T h e S carlet L e tte r 9

At least, they should

have marked her
íorehead with a hot iron!

She has brought Be quiet, women!

Why do we talk of shame upon us all The door is opening!
and ought to die!
marks? y jầ
10

The door was flung open. Like a He led a young vưoman tovvard
black shadovv, the town crier the d o o r . __________________
appeared.

Th e hu ssy! She We should strip her

her skill wíth the gown off her
needle to laưgh in shouldíỉrs.
our íaces!

tlannel to make a more

tig le tte r. S h e vvears thp
scarlet lettEr of a sínner as
ií it were an honor ínstead
o ỉ a curse.
 T h e S c a rle t L e tte r 11

CoỊttB aiontj, Mistress

Open a passage, and
Hester, and show
Mistress Prynne shall
yoũr scarlet letter
be set vvhere man,
ín the marketplacai
vvoman, and child
may have a sight of
her mark of sin!

A lane was opened through the

crovvd, and Hester Prynrĩe
walked tovvards the place set
for her
12

Schoolboys ran in front, Shameiess

staring up in to her face. w om anl

Though every step was torture, she Knovving what to do, she
passed through this part o f her cỉim bẹơ 3 fiight o ỉ WQQổen
punishment with outward calm, and
reached the marketplace.
 T h e Scarlet L e tte r 13

There she stood for everyone to see. She felt at times, as i f she must
crỵ out, and throw hersélí from the scaffold, or eíse go mad.

Yet therẼ WBte tÌnỉẸĩ whfỉ!ĩ the whũitì

SC SI Hi
seẽmẽd to disãppear: She saw,
ĩnsteaờ the paĩh aÌQng ivhìch she had
beBn vvaiking $ince shẽ VVĨÌS u ìittie girí.
14

In her mind she saw again the village in which she was bom in Old
England, and her hom e: an old, poor house o f gray stone, now
talling apart.

She saw her father's Her mother's too, She saw her own face
face. . . . with its look o f in the m irror in which
lo ve. . . . she had so often looked.
 T h e Scarlet L e tte r 15

There was another face in her m em ory—thin and intelligent. He was

an older man with his le ft shoulder higher than his right—a new !ife

Now she stood here. Could To heip her forget, she looked over
it be true? She held the chi/d the crowd. On Its outer edge, two
untỉl it cried. She looked men caught her eye: an Indian, and
down at the scarlet letter beside him a white man dressed in a
and touched it. Yes! The strange m ixture o f civiHzed and
baby and the shame were savage clothes.
reaí. AU e/se had disappeared.
16

A t the sight o f the white man,

Hestẽr drew back. Her eyes met Sĩr, who IS Thís vvoman?
his across the crovvd. He raised Why,; Is she sẹi up lo
his ĩinger and put it to his lỉps. ^ubllc ahùme?

Prỉeod, you must be a stranger,

not to háve heard c í Místress
prynne. She has raised a great
scánổíỉi in Master Dìm m ẽsđale '5
church-

I am a stranger. I have met with sad

adventures by sea and land, and have
been held captive by the Indians.
Will you tell me of this woman's
crimes?

T ru ly , I w ill, triend. And

you must be glad to find
yourselt here, where sin
is searched out and
punished!
 T h e S c a rle t L e tte r 17

. . . . I n the two
T h is woman was the years she has been
w ife of an intelIigent here, no word has
Englishman, who was come of her
to come ovér and join husband! And the
us in Massachusetts. young w ife, being
left alone. . . .

He sent his wife

him, staying himselt
to lóok áfter some
business. But sir,
vvould you believe
it. . . .

Ahal I see. So wise a

husband sỉioutd liave
learned this tao ìn hís The husbandshould
books! And vyho ìs the come him selĩ to
babe's father? soi ve the mystery.

likely he is 31 the ỌQtlom

the sea, That 15 w hy ũur yood
ịưđges, instead of askípg for her
T h a t is a ríddlet deáth, hav® only asked tliat she
Mỉstress Ptynne stand here for three h o u rỉ—atiđ
rẹíuses to name we<ir the scarteí letter for Ihe
hirn, rest of her !rfe
Hester was avvakened It was the voice o f John VVilson, the
from her thoughts by oldest dergyman o f Boston.
a voice.
\ ha ve asked m y young ữienci your
[lastor. the gọiạidty Mr, DimmésdalE, to
Listen, Hester deại wiih you here befor? all The
Prynne! people- tó yet you lo tsll the nsme ol
the man 'uvh0 led ytou in LO Ihis sin. He
ÍỄbgaìnst iL. but I asked him bnce agaínL

This appeal drew Hoster Prynne, if you feel it to be for your

all eyès to the soul s peace, 1 tharge you to speak- out the
Reverend Mr. namẽ of yõur fellow -sỉnner and fạ|Ịow
Dimmesdale. suííereri Be not silent from any mistaken
Though very intel- ỉìty for him ; for belìeve me.
ligent and a fine
speaker, he was
nervous and shy
and liked to avoid
attention. He now
Stepped forward.
 T h e Scarlet L e tte r 19

. . „ .better he $tefj Everyone liked the young pastor's

đOYvn from a high sweet, rich voice. Even the baby felt
place to stand besjdB its intluence, and held up its /ittle arms
you, than TO hide tovvard him.
a guilty heart through
I i fe 1

Even the babe agrees with the Th e wonderful vvomanl She

advíce you have heard. Woman, wỉll noL speak. She is so
speak out The nanne! strong.

A nd so, her secret stiỉl her own,

Hester Prynne was led back to
prison.
20

Returned to prison, Hester was in a State The baby shared her

o f nervous excitem ent that could not be trouble.
ca/med.

Theịailer, aừaidshe mightharm herself

or the baby, brought in Dr.
ChiHingvvorth. Leave me alone
w ith my patient,
good jailer.
 T h e S c a rle t L e tte r 21

Here, woman! No! Would you take

My studies and rny stav Give the babe revenge on án
vvĩth Lhe índỉáns—they this medicine. innocent baby?
knaw about herbs and
su ch - ha ve made me a r
bettẽr rloctor thári most.

Foolish woman! The medicine

w ill help the baby. I'II give Soon, its pain gone, the baby
it myseit. sank into a healthy sleep.

And nũw, someihỉng ío r you-

a <eci|je an Indian taught me.
|t w ill calm you!
22

I have thought of death N o -t h e reason for your

. . .wished for it! Is it crime is my own
in this cup? íoolishness! I, a scholar.
alreadv old, crippled from
birth—vvhat had I to do
with youth and heauty
like yours! ỉ

Do you know me so
Httle? Even if I plan
revenge, what better I was honest. I never
revenge than to let pretencied to ỉove you
you live!

We have wronged
True. But I was Who is he. You shall
each other. We are
lonely It seemed Hester? never know!
even. But the man
not so vvild a
dream, to marry lives who hasvvronged
and create us both!
warmth and
love!
 Th e S c a rle t Le tte r 23

Perhaps I don't
I mean him no harm. Let him wish to be knovvn
live! Let him hide himself! But I as the h ii5t)and of
w ill find him out. Meanvvhile, as a $inful vvoman. For
you keep his secret, keep mine. uvhátevèr reason.
Tell no one I am your husband.

Why do you
ask it?

And now I leave y o u -a lo n e with your Not your soul, Hester.

inlant. and the scarlet lữtttrr - tind Ịjtìrh3p 5 No, not yours!
your nightmaresì

Why do YC1LFsmile so
Have yoú led me into
a proríii&e thai wiíl
provs the min 0Í niy
Sữul?
24

Hester's term in ịail came to an end. To her sick heart, it seemed as

i f the outside sunshine was meant onlỵ to show the scarlet letter.

With the permission o f the ịudges, she moved in to a lone/ỵ cottage

on the edoe o f tovưn.
 Th e S carlet Le tte r 25

In this litt/e lonesome house she moved in with her child, little Pearl.

A t the art o f needlework,

Hester was an expert. This
skil/ íilled a need in the
village b y vưhich she could
provide an income for herselt
and Pearl.

One day as Hester bent over the candle, PearƯs

eỵes vvére caught b y the gold on the letter A .
Putting up her little hand, she grabbed it,
laughingị

Thus the first obịect

Pearl seemed to
notice in her life was
the scarlet letter.
26

A s she grew, Peari had no

frienờ$ amortg the tìttìe
PŨrĩtans. She never trieci to
spEờk to the other chitơren.

!f they gathered arouncl her, as She w ould Chase them and th ro w

they som etim es did. . . . stones at them.
 T h e Scarlet Le tte r 27

But at home, she had many games The ugliest vveeds o f the garden
and playmates. were their chiIdren whom she
struck down.

Um
The black íìnd soternn pine ỉrees
Ibecame olríer Pu rhm s \Ạrhom she
laugherí tí í.

Hester and Pear/ went one day, to Governor Be/lingham's mansion.

Come, chiid. Let us del ivar

to the Governor tliese
decorateđ gloves he
ordered.

But Hester hadanother reason. She hac!

heard that there were plans to take
Pearì away from her, to give her vviser
and bettér care.
28

PearI was dressed in a red velvet dress decorated with gold thread. A s
they came into town, they passed a group o f Puritan chiIdren.

Look, there is the woman of

the scarlet letter and the
likeness of the scarlet letter
running by her side! Let’s throw
mud at them!

But Pearl, after stamping her foot and shaking her fist, made a rush
at her enemies, and they ran away.
 T h e S c a rle t L e tte r 29

V e$r b u i he has
ìs the Govem or visìtors. Y o u may
hom e? not see him now

On the wall o f the great hall hung a row o f pictures. Standing on the
floor was a suit o f armor, highly polished.

Mother. I see you

here. Lo o k! Lo o k!
30
 T h e S carlet Le tte r 31

Intiíítíd, what
liu le bìrtl of But vvhere is your
scarlet is this? I am roother'5 mother? A h , I see!
A re yo u a ch ild , and m y
Ghrĩstían ch ild ? Ĩ5 Peart.

The Governor and his guests

entered the haỉl.
T h is IS the child We might have
about whom we guesséd thát her
spoke. . .and her mother must be
unhappy mother, a scar|et vvoman! Heíitei Prynn e. thtrt! has been
Hester Prynne. yựe w j|| iqq Ị,, jnto mLich talk aboui the chìkí.
W ouifl il 110 1 be foi iier yood |1
~y~ this matter. she were laken from you,
dressííd pm perly, and laughí
manners and thê trutbs of
heavtìn antl earth?
32

What can I can teach her

you do what I have
for the learned from Woni3n, it is your
child? this badge! It badge of shame!
daily teaches me It is because of
lessóns from thai lÉỉiter that we
vvhich my child vuotild fiu : the
may be the vviser ch ỉld ỉnto Oĩher
and better hands!

My poor
vvórnan, she I w ill not give
wi 11 be well her up! I wi11
cared for. . . die first!
God gave me the child, in place of
all the other things I have lost!
She is both m y punishment and
my revvard. YÓÚ shall not take
her!
 T h e Scarlet L e tte r 33

B y a sudden impulse, Hester He stepped forward, pale and

túrned to the young dergyman, holding his hand over his heart
Mr. Dimmesdále. as was his habit when disturbed.

Speak for mel You were ítiy

pastor and know me better T h e re is ư u th in yỵhat she says,
than these men can, I w ỉll not and in her feeling. W ìth the ch íìd ,
lose the child! Help me' God gave her 3 blessing and ạíso
d tprture, 5 he has ẹỵpresssd this
ín the dress of the põor child
reminding us of what ihe red
letter stands for.

0 . not so! She knows thétt Ihe

WeH said I I íeaređ she had child was meant hy God to
na bener thought than to keep tlie mother s soui aliviỉ.
mẻ kè a clown of the chìld. For her sakẹ, no lesí than fũr
the cliilcTs. lẻt us leave them
as G o d has placeđ them .
34

Y ou speak with a
strange interest.

So w ell, indeed, that

we w ill ỉeave the matter
as it now stands; so
long as there is no
turĩher scandal.

Hist! Wi 11 vou go vvith

In those days us to n ig iìt? T h e re vtiil
everyone be 3 rrierry coínpanv
beliéved in ìn the íorêst, and I
witches and prorrũsed the D e v i'
wizards, and a that Hester Prynne
de vi/ who was vvould be there!
everyvvhere.
Mistress Hibbins,
the Governor's
bad-tempered
sister, was called
a w itch; and it ' Mo. ị must stay s \ home
is said that she and care for my little
leaned ừom an Pearl. Had theý taken
upper window her fro m me, 1 wt>uld
as Hester Ie ft glacílv have gone vvith
the house. y o u -a n d sigriEd m y
na me in the btack
bookL too.
Pearl had saved her mother from the deviTs trap,
proving what the young minister said was true.
 T h e S carlet L e tte r 35

Young A rthur Dimmesdale was loved and

admired b y his church members. A bout this
time, his health had begun to fail. Each Sunday
he was paler and thinner, his voice vveaker.

The people looked on Roger Chillingworth as a miracle meant to

save their beloved pastor since he had great knovvledge in medicine.
The church elclers arranged for Chillingworth to care for
Dimmesda/e.

How can you say His health IS getting vvorse

so? Do you vvish . . .but w ith your care, I
know he will be healed.

you It is God’s will that you should

care for him.
36

/t vvas arranged for them to have a room in the same house, so that the
doctor might keep a constant eye on his patient.

Mr. Dimmesdaíe had a front apartment. On the other si de o f the house,

Cfvlỉingworth arranged his study
and laboratorỵ .

But as the years passed, Dimmesdale became more troubled, rnore ///.
He often had visions and nightmares durino the nioht.

N o w it vvas a h e a r d o f d e v iiis h N o w a g r o u p o f s h i n in g

s h a p e s th a t g r in n e d a n d a n g e ls , w h o u n h a p p ily f l e w
h a u n t e d h im ... u p w a r d ...
 T h e S c a rle t L e tte r 37

On one such
night, dark B u í Ihe to w n ís asleep— no
and cỉoudy, \ù ' Oru3 can see rne— it rneans
in ear/ỵ May, n o th in g ,
Dimmesdaíe
quietlỵ dressed \
him sélf and
left the house.
A s i f in a
dream, he made
his way to that
same scaffold
where Hester
Prynne had I w>

iMMl
stóod seven
years ago.
4
3 i A
% I'
£. i
Sudden/ỵ he shouted He covered his face
. . .a cry that went The whole town wi11 and vvaited for
ringing through rush out and find me discovery.
the night. here!
38

But it was not so. The town did n ot awake. He opened his eyes and
looked around. In Governor Bellingham's house, the governor stood
at one window looking out. A t another window, Mistress Hibbins
stuck out her head.
 T h e S c a rle t Le tte r 39

Then he saw a little, flickering light, Corning up the Street. It was

so m eo ne carrying a /an tem.

It t h r e w a lig h t o n a . . . .a n d th e n a p u m p ....a n d th e n , C o rn in g
w in d o w p a n e . . . . w ith its v v a te rta n k . . . . c/o se r, a d o o r o f oak.

It was the Reverend WHson But he passed b y and away down

returning from some errand—and the Street with never a loók
now he would sure/y look up and upvvard! Dimmesdale laughed in
see Dimmesdale! relief. . .and a light, childish laugh
ansvvered him!

Pearlf L iltle
Pearll Hester?
Are you there?

ỉ ^
111 -
40

Yes, it is Hester I have been vvatching

P r y n n e -I and at Governor W inthrop's
m ý littie Pearl. deathbed, and have
measured him for a
X shroud.

Come up, Hester

and Pearl. You
have been here
beíore, but I was
not with you.

Hester held Pearl b y one hand. The

Come up again, and we w ill minister took the other hand, and
all three stand together! felt a rush o f life pouring through
his veins, as i f the three o f them
íorm ed an electric Chain.
 T h e S c a rle t Le tte r 41

Pearl laughed and tried to pull

Will you stand here awaỵ her hand but he held it tight.
with mother and
me, tomorrovv at
noón?

No, my child.
Somecíay,
indeed, but not
tomorrovv!

A t the great
judgment day, we
And what must stand
other time? together betore
God. But not in
the daylight of
the wórld!
42

But betore he had tinishedspeaking, a light filled the sky, lighting the
scene with the dearness o f midday—as i f it were the daỵlỉght that
wou/d unite a/l who belong together. A n d the meteor —i f i t were
that—shone through the c/ouds in the shape o fa great letter A !

A i t h e t ì me he sa w t h e m ĩ r Ẹ C u t o u s
ietter, Dinimesríale W3X anvare
ỉhũĩ Pfíar! W3S poĩnting her fingê!
oỉd Roger Chiỉlỉngvvorth
vstãnờìng near.
 T h e S c a rle t L e tte r 43

So real was his

impression that,
in the deep Who is that man, Hester?
darkness after Do you know him? I have
the meteor had a nameless horror of
vanished, the man!
Chillingvưorth 's
face sti/l seemed
painted on the
b/ackness.

IBut Hester
remembered her
promise and was
silent.

Good Master Dimmesdale,

can this be you! You dream
w hile avvake and walk in
your sleep! Come, my triend,
let me tai<e you home.

A.
How did you
know I was
here?
So Dimmesdale ga ve in to the
doctor and 1A/as lecỉ away.
44

Yet the next day, he gave a talk

vvhich was held to be the richest Did you hear of the sign that was
and m ost pow erful he had ever seen last night? A great red letter
preached. Afterw ard as he came
dovvn the pulpit steps, the church
watchman mét him.__________

Y o u r glove, sir. It was found

this m orning on the sca tío ld ,
where evil doers are set up. N o
d o ub t the devil dropped it
there as a bad ịo k e !

t
' Thank you, my
friend. Y es, it
seems to bé m y
glove!

T h e letter A , vvhich we think

stands for A ng el. A s our good
G overnor W in throp was m ade
an anqel last night, it was íittin g
that tnere should be som e no tice!
 T h e Scarlet L e tte r 45

None was rnore ready to give to the poor.

During the past
seven years, Thankyou,
Hester's place in mỵ child!
the community
had changed. By
doing her work
well, she earned a
living for herselí
and Pearl. She
never complained
when treated
badly.

When there was il/ness or

trouble, she brought he/p
and com fort.

On the night o f
their strange
meeíing, she was
shocked at Mr.
Dimmesdale's
condition. Ma de
strong by her own
years o f trouble, she
felt better able to
deal with Roger
Chiílingworth than
on thài time long
ago in the prison
room. She promised
herselt to ta/k to
her tormer husband.
46

One aíternoon vvalking with Pear/,

she saw the old doctor looking for Run and play on
roots and herbs. the beach vvhile
I talk w ith the
doctor.

Once again, Hester was shocked

A h lls it Mistress to see the change that had taken
Hester that has place in a man in the past seven
I vvould speak a a vvord for old years.
word w ith you. Roger Chilling-
vvorth?
 T h e S c a rle t L e tte r 47

When we last spoke together,

seven years ago, I promised to 11 YVOLtlti h a v t h«ei> itíítLpr ttial
keep sécret that you had been Ke d ied at o n cc than ID ha Vé
my husband. liisvvorst enem y, Iinknoivn
his Sicle*

What choice had you? My

finger pointed at the minister
would have throvvn him into
prison—perhaps even had him Yes, you are rightl Never has
hanged! 8 mãn sLtffered mo re!

Hester, if you had

|\Jow, I must tell hỉm, no met me earlier w ith a
instter vvhat y o u do! T h is better love than mine, And I you, for the
vvay the re ỉs no good for this evil vvould not hatred that has
h in í- n o good ío r me, no have happened! I tũrned a good man
gooci for you! pitỵ ỵou for the good to an evil man.
that has been vvasted -Y
48

So one day She ca/led, quietly at first and then louder.

soon after,
Hester set Arthur Dírnmesdalel
out to meet AíThin Om irnusdaliíl
Dimmesdale,
who vvould
be returning
through the
forest from a
visit to his
Indian con-
verts ■ When
she heard
him Corning,
she sent Peár/
to p/aỵ a/ong
the brook. '

Together they moved back into the

Hesterl Hesrer shadovv o f the woods and sat on a
P r v n n e H s i t Ha ve vou bank o f moss.
vou? found
peace,
A n h u r? None' Nothm g but pflfn J ĩiẽ peùỊiie
' i honor m e lisien ÍQ m v vvords buf
l em a T\jlnẹd s a iill 1 ^ lould hả^é
gwen being ù trmnsmr Happv
 T h e S carlet Le tte r 49

An enemy? T h e d o c t o r -R o g e r
l í I had one f r ie n d -o r What do ýou C h illin g w o rth —he was
even an en em y —to mean? m y husbandl
vvhom I co u ld dai ly
contess m y sins.

! to
to d o ? It
is vvorse than death!

Y o u m ust go aw ay! In EuroỊỉe yo u

w ould be b eyo nd his povver. Begin
again! Change th is false life for a
true one. P reachl W rite! Be a scholar
am ong the w isest and m ost ía m o u s.

Both understood.
50

Once they made Early on the morning o f Election Day, Hester and
the decision to Pearl came into the markẼtnìac.p.._________________
/eave, they began
to make plans. It is the day when a
Hester knew the new Governor begins
captain o f a ship What is it, Mother? his rule. There vvill
that was to sail Why have all the people be a parade, with
for Bristol, dressed up and left music and sold
Engíand, in three their w ork?
days. Hester
wóuld get tickets
for Dimmesdale,
Pearỉ, and herself
vvithout telling
anyone in the
town. They vvouid
sail the day after
Eỉection Day
which was a great
holidaỵ.

A partỵ o f Indians and a group o f sailors

W ili the m in ìster be added color to the Puritan crowd. Pear/
there? Anct w ill he danced about like a b utterĩiv. amonQ them.
hold OU1 his h 3nds
to m e?
ì

He w ĩll there" liu t

he w ill n o t yreet v o u
npr m usí you qreéỉ
h im [
 T h e S c a rle t Le tte r 51

A s a/ways, people stepped back from Hester Why you must know!
Prynne, leaving a sort o f magic circ/e around T h is doctor here—
her. So she was a/one when the ship's captain Chillingvvorth—tells
came up to her. me he is one of your
group.
So, misừe.ss, ] hear
I mưst geĩ réady OHG W l! 3 t do ynu rnean?
m orecabí!! than you Have you anothtr
seid! passenger?

A t that mo men t she saw

ChiHingvvorth across the Betore she could think o f what to
marketplace smiling at her— do, she heard the sound o f music.
a smile o f secret and fearful The parade was beginning!
meaning.
52

A fte r the music and the so/diers came the ịudges. Then came the
ỵoung minister, looking tal/ and stronger than any had seen him
before—and at the same time spiritual, withdrawn.

The parade and m ost o f the crow d entered the meetingplace. The
minister began his sermon. Hester stood statue-like, at the foo t o f
the scaffold, near enouqh to hear his voice.

The hoỉy m inister in the church—

the vvoman o f the scarlet letter
in the marketplace! Who could
ha ve imagined that the same sin
was on them both!
 T h e S c a rle t Le tte r 53

The sermon ended. The people were overcome with its greatness. The
parade began to march back to the town ha//. But the shouts o f the
crow d died to murmurs as they saw the minister again. How feeble
and pale he looked!

The Reverend ÌNHson offered his But the m inister vvaved them
arm. Governor Bellingham hurried away. He had stopped beside
to help. Hester and /ittle Pearl.
54

He turned tovvards the scaffold The child flew to him and vvrapped
and stretched out his arms. her arms about his knees. Hester
drew slow/ỵ near.
Hester, come hcrẹl
CoTTitt, my little Pearl!

Suddenly ChiHingvvorth
pushed through the Devil, you are too Conte. Hester) Heip
crow d and vvhispered late. I w ill get avvay m e reách rhE
him. ____________ from you now. scaffũld.
, w a it 1 Keep
that vvom sn aw ay,
ÚI be ruineđ.
 T h e S c a rle t L e tte r 55

The crowd
wạs shocked.
Those near
the minister
were so
surprised
that they did
nothing. They
saw the
minister,
helped by
Hester, climb
the scáffold
steps.

Thtere ìg no plạce in the vvũrld

yuu co u id hóve escaped me, lsn'ĩ Ihitì a bettei escape than we
excepT on this vEíry sca tío ld ' p lanned? Hester, I am a d y in g
m an. LéL m e h u try to ta ke m y
shame UDon me!
 People of New England—you But one who lived with you wore
who have loved me and the scarlet letter hidden. Hester's
thought me ho ly—look on a is just a shadow of his ow n—God's
sinner! Look at the letter hidden iudgment on a sinner.
Hester vvears—you have I nnlc I
shaken at it!

7'hen, down he sank upon the

With a shaking motion, he to re scaffóld!
awaỵ the ừ o n t o f his shirt. The
Y o u ha ve escaped m e!
V o u híỉve escaped m e!
 T h e S carlet L e tte r 57

Pearl kissed him and her tears fel/

Pearl, w ill you upon her father's cheek.
kiss me novv?

Hester,
farew ell! Won't meet God alone knows; and he
again? Won't we is m erciíul! His w ill be
be togtíther in done! Farewell!
heaven?

The fir>al word came forth with

his dying breath. The crovvdbroke
out in a strange, deep sound o f
vvonder.
58

A fte r severa/ days had passed, people tried to Marked himselt with
arrange their thoughts. There were three ideas a secret letter A!
as to what had been seen on the scaffo!d.
11 sôems lik o ly - h e
íiid it htinsel( vvhen

WOre

No, no! I say old Reverend Wilsor) had a kinder exp/anation.

Roger Chillingvvorth
caused it to appear,
w ith his magic and Fu r all his sins, he wgs a
his drugs! good man! It was
beiieve—esting from h
heart oulvvarđí

Nothing was
stranger than
the change in We have htỉre Ruger
ChiHingvvorth, Chillingw orth's lăst wil
who seemed to and tEstarnent.
dry up. He died
within the ỵear,
leaving Governor
Bellingham and
the Reverend
w
He has lett his m oney,
VVilson in charge both here and in
o f his will. Enylanrí, to Little
P eãrl . daughter of
Hestér Prỹnrte 1
 Th e S c a rle t L e tte r 59

So /itt/e Pearl became the richest F o r many years, few reports came
heiress o fh e r day in New England. from across the sea. The Story o f
/f she stayed there, she might the scarlet íetter became a legend.
later ha vé wed the son o f the In all those years no One went into
ho/iest Puritan among them! But Hester's home. Then One after
soon after the d o c to rs death, noort, children p/aỵing nearby saw
Hester and Pear/ sailed away. a tall woman in a gray robe come
up to the cottage doór.

She turned for a moment — 1 a scar/et

íetter on her breast!
Hester Prynne had
co me back to Hve in
New England. But
where was litt/e
Pearl who must
now be a woman.
No one learned for
su re. But for the
rest o f her life
Hester received
letters and other
signs o f ỉove ừom
someone in
another /and.
60

Letters came with the names o f rich peopỉe on them. In the cottage
were things o f com íort which only vvealth could have brought, and
ỉove have thought of. Once, Hester was seen decorating a baby dress
o f rich cloth.

Everyone be/ieved that Pearl was

married, and happy; she would
have liked to ha ve her mother live
with her. Bu t there was a more real
life for Hester Prynne in New
England.

People told her their

sorrovvs and worries, and
asked her advice—womenr
especỉally.
 T h e S c a rle t L e tte r 61

But w hy? Why must

w om en be SO únhappy,
so punished, so unfree?
Hester helped them as best
she cou/c/.

In heaven's own ti me, a new

truth w ill be seen, T h e
relation betWBan man and
uvoman w ill be based un a
surer gragnri, of happiness
fõr Uothl

A fte r many more years, a new grave was dug in the burial-ground, near
an old and sun ken one. One tòmbstone served for both.
The only mark
on the tomb-
stone was a
large red letter
A " o n a black
background.