CHAPTER EIGHT

The Strange Child and the Minister

Governor Bellingham, an older gentleman, walked ahead of the rest, and was showing his grand home to the visitors. Near him, was John Wilson, the oldest minister in the town, who had come to the town from England many years ago. The old minister, who had lived for many years as highly respected in the English Church, and had lived quite a comfortable, rich life. Although he looked to be quite strict and serious as he spoke on Sundays to the townspeople or in his disapproval of Hester Prynne's crime, he was, indeed, a gentle, loving man.

Behind the Governor and Mr Wilson came two other guests; one, the Minister Arthur Dimmesdale, who had spoken during Hester's public punishment so many years ago when her child was a small baby. Standing next to him was his dear friend, old Roger Chillingworth, a doctor of great skill, who, for two or three years, had lived in the town. He had become a good friend and doctor to the young minister, whose health had suffered greatly in the past few years, because he worked constantly in his profession.

The Governor walked into the hall first, and was surprised to see little Pearl standing nearby.

"And who is this young child in such fanciful clothing? Are you a Christian child, or are you one of those naughty children we left in England?"

"I am Mother's child," answered the little scarlet letter, "and my name is Pearl!"

"Pearl? You should rather be named Red Rose, with your rosy cheeks!" responded old Mr Wilson. "Where is your mother, little Pearl?" he asked as he looked around the room. "Oh, this is the child's mother, who we had spoken of earlier. Here is the unhappy woman, Hester Prynne, her mother!"

"Hester Prynne," the governor said as he walked into the room. "We have been speaking of you lately. We are quite concerned about the future of your child. We are worried that you, who has committed a terrible crime, are perhaps not able to care for your child as a good Christian would. Speak now, the child's own mother! Do you agree that the child would be better cared with another family, taught about the rules of heaven and earth? What can you do for the child?"

"I can teach my little Pearl what I have learned from this!" answered Hester Prynne, touching the scarlet letter.

"Woman, it is your mark of shame!" replied the governor angrily. "It is because of that terrible letter that we would move the child to another family's care."

"This mark of shame has taught me—it teaches me daily—lessons that my child will learn from, although I cannot benefit from it."

"We will judge carefully," said Bellingham, "Good Mister Wilson, I advise you to examine this Pearl to discover if she has been raised like a good, honest Christian child."

The old minister, Mr Wilson, then sat down in a nearby chair, and began speaking to the young child, "Pearl, do you know who made you?"

Now, Pearl knew quite well who made her, as Hester was the daughter of good Christian parents, and she had spoken with her child many times about her father, God in Heaven, who had created her. The three-year-old refused to speak, however, and instead climbed out the window to watch the birds flying around her. After a short time, Pearl announced that she had not been made, but her mother had picked her off a rosebush outside the prison door. As she said this, she was looking at the nearby rosebush, and perhaps remembering the beautiful rosebush outside the prison door she saw as she had walked to the governor's home that day.

Old Roger Chillingworth, with a smile on his face, whispered something in young Mr Dimmesdale's ear. Hester Prynne looked at the doctor, and was astonished to see how much older he looked than when he was her husband. His face now looked old and ugly. They looked into each other's eyes for a moment, then she quickly looked away.

"This is awful!" cried the governor, shocked at Pearl's response. "Here is a child of three years old, and she cannot tell me who made her! I think, gentlemen, we should take her from her mother immediately, so she will be taught about Christianity and our God, who made her."

Hester picked Pearl up, and held her close to her chest, looking angrily at the governor.

"God gave me the child!" cried she. "He gave her to me because I have nothing else! Pearl is my happiness and she is also my pain! She is the scarlet letter! You will not take her! I will die first!"

"My poor woman," said the old minister gently, "the child shall be well cared for, much better than you can do!"

"God gave her to me," repeated Hester Prynne, almost screaming now. "I will not give her up!" she exclaimed before quickly turning to young Mr Dimmesdale. "Speak for me!" cried she. "You were my minister and know me better than these men. I will not lose the child! Speak for me! You know how strong a mother's love is, and how much stronger is that love when she has only her child and her scarlet letter! I will not lose the child!"

The young minister, looking pale, and holding his hand over his heart, immediately began to speak.

"She does speak the truth. God gave her the child, and she knows the child better than anyone else. And, there is a great attachment between this mother and this child. This mother has told us honestly that this child reminds her daily of her terrible crime, which she shows in the child's clothes, looking so similar to her own scarlet letter that burns her chest. It is good for this poor, criminal woman to care for her child, to continually remind her of her terrible sin, and to teach her that if she teaches her child to be a good, honest Christian, then the child will bring her mother to Heaven when she dies. Here, the criminal mother is happier than the sinful father, who will not see them in Heaven. We must allow God to decide Hester's punishment."

"You speak, my friend, with strange honesty," said old Roger Chillingworth, smiling at him.

"Indeed," answered the governor, "and you have persuaded me to agree with you."

After the young minister had finished his speech, he walked to the window, hiding his face. Pearl soon walked quietly towards him, took his hand, and put it gently on her cheek. Her mother, who was looking at them, asked herself, "Is this my Pearl?" She had never seen such a gentle show of love from her child, yet she knew Pearl had love in her heart. The minister then put his hand on her head, stopped for a moment, then kissed her forehead sweetly. Little Pearl then laughed and ran down the hall.

"A strange child!" said old Roger Chillingworth. "It is easy to see her mother's part in her. Shall we guess the child's father?"

"No, that would be sinful," said Mr Wilson. "God knows who the sinning father is."

Hester Prynne then left with Pearl. As they were leaving, they saw Mistress Hibbins, Governor Bellingham's bitter sister, who would be killed for being a witch a few years later.

"Will you go with us tonight to the dark forest to meet with the devil?" she asked.

"No, I will not be going with you. I must stay at home to watch over my little Pearl. If they had taken my little Pearl from me today, then I would have gone to meet you tonight," Hester answered.

Here, we see that the young minister's argument that the child would save her mother from going to hell was true.

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