CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Hester and Pearl

So Roger Chillingworth—an old misshapen man, with a face that frightened men's memories—left Hester Prynne, and went looking for herbs again. Hester watched him for a short time, looking at his eager curiosity as he searched. She wondered what sort of herbs they were, which the old man was so careful to gather. Would the earth grow herbs faster for an evil purpose with the insistence of the old man? Or might the growth of natural herbs be harmed by the touch of his evil hand?

"Whether this is a sin or not," said Hester Prynne, bitterly, as she watched the old man, "I hate the man!"

She scolded herself for the feeling, but could not change her opinion of him.

"Yes, I hate him!" repeated Hester, more bitterly than before. "He cheated me!" she said to herself, thinking of the days during their marriage. She had not been in love with him, and told him so, but he insisted that he would be an excellent husband to the young girl. Although, now she realized that he had taken her only chance to find love and happiness in a husband. She had worn the scarlet letter for seven long years, but never felt regret in the passionate love she discovered in the young minister.

After he was gone, she called her child back to her.

"Pearl! Little Pearl! Where are you?"

Pearl, who always had a great imagination, had been amusing herself near the sea. She had been gathering seaweed to make fanciful pretend clothing for herself. At last, she took the weeds, and made a letter "A," which was green, instead of scarlet!

"I wonder if Mother will ask me what it means," thought Pearl.

Just then, she heard her mother's voice, and she went to Hester Prynne, dancing, laughing, and pointing to the decoration on her chest.

"My little Pearl!" said Hester, after a moment's silence, "the green letter on a child's chest has no reason. But, do you know, my child, what this letter means that your mother is forced to wear?"

"Yes, Mother," said the child. "It is the great letter 'A.' You have taught me the letters of the alphabet."

Hester stared at her child for a moment before speaking. "Do you know, child, why your mother wears this letter?"

"Yes, I do!" answered Pearl, looking brightly into her mother's face. "It is for the same reason that the minister keeps his hand over his heart!"

"And what reason is that?" asked Hester.

"No, Mother, I have told you all I know," said Pearl, more seriously than usual. "Ask that old man you had been talking with! Perhaps he can tell you. But, please, Mother, what does this scarlet letter mean? And why do you wear it on your chest? And, why does the minister keep his hand over his heart?"

Pearl had always shown a great interest in the scarlet letter, always on her mother's chest. Hester had believed that this child's curiosity was another punishment for her terrible crime.

As the two walked home together, Pearl continued asking her mother of the mysterious letter, always on her chest.

"What does the letter mean, Mother? And why do you wear it? And why does the minister keep his hand over his heart?"

"What shall I say?" thought Hester to herself. "No! I must not tell her the terrible secret of her parents."

"Silly Pearl," said the mother, "There are many things in this world that a child must not ask about. What do I know of the minister's heart? And, I wear the scarlet letter because I love the gold thread."

In all the seven years since her child's birth, Hester Prynne had never lied about the scarlet letter on her chest. Two or three more times during their walk home, the child again asked her mother about the scarlet letter.

"Mother," said she, "what does the scarlet letter mean?"

And the next morning, the first question the little girl asked was again about the discussion from the day before.

"Mother! Mother! Why does the minister keep his hand over his heart?"

"Do not speak about that, naughty child!" answered her mother bitterly.

(end of section)