CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Conclusion

After many days, many stories about the event on the platform were told.

Most of the townspeople promised that they saw a true scarlet letter, just as the one Hester Prynne wore, on the minister's flesh. Some decided that after Hester had suffered so greatly on the platform alone, he began harming himself as his own punishment. Others believed that old Roger Chillingworth's evil medicines had produced the mysterious letter on the minister's chest. Others, again, insisted that the letter had come from deep within his body, after feeling a great deal of guilt and pain, and that God had placed the letter on his flesh to burn him with pain to remember his terrible crime.

Others, however, who declared that they had watched the minister Mr Dimmesdale the entire time he displayed himself on the platform, swore that there was no mark of a scarlet letter on the minister's chest. Neither, they said, had the dying man admitted to being the mysterious father of Hester Prynne's young child. These observers claimed that Mr Dimmesdale called the mother and child onto the platform with him to express that we are all sinners, the criminal woman and the respected ministers of the community. This story, however, was told mainly by the young minister's supporters, particularly by the other honorable ministers of the town.

After Mr Dimmesdale's death, no one changed more in appearance than the old man known as Roger Chillingworth. All his strength and energy had been used to harm his patient. Soon enough, the man disappeared from the town, and was never heard from again. This unhappy man had made his aim in life to add to the suffering of the young minister. When the evil old man no longer had such a purpose, the devil took him back to hell. It is a curious subject of observation, however, whether hatred and love are not of the same place. Each takes a great deal of emotion from a person. The two feelings seem basically the same, except that one is smiled upon by God, while the other is worshipped by the devil.

When the old man, Roger Chillingworth died, which took place within the year, he left all his property and fortune to little Pearl, the daughter of Hester Prynne.

So Pearl, the strange little child, became the richest young lady in America. After that time, the town came to greatly respect the mysterious little girl and her mother. Perhaps if little Pearl would have remained in New England, she would have married a son of a great Puritan family, but her mother took her back to England, and the townspeople no longer saw the bright scarlet letter and the strange little child always nearby. For many years, the story of the scarlet letter was told to the young children of the town, and the story became famous. One afternoon, many years later, some children were playing near the old cottage where Hester and her little Pearl lived long before. The children saw that a woman in an old gray dress was coming to the cottage. Near the doorway to the cottage, she turned around to see the children, and for one moment, the children saw the bright red and gold of the scarlet letter on her chest.

And Hester Prynne had returned to her shame! But where was little Pearl? If still alive, she must now be a beautiful young woman. Through the remainder of Hester's life, she would often receive small packages or would be seen doing fanciful needlework for a small child. Many had heard that Pearl was alive and happily married.

But there was a more real life for Hester Prynne here in New England than in that unknown place where Pearl had found a home. Here had been her sin; here, her sadness; and here was yet her punishment. She had returned, therefore, and continued her life of shame, although no town ruler would have forced the holy woman to continue with her public punishment. Never afterwards did that scarlet letter leave her chest. The townspeople no longer viewed the letter as a punishment, however, but rather as representing Hester's great strength and bravery. Women would often go to her for help in questions of love and passion. The women respected her to advise them, as they understood that she, too, had had such passionate feelings before. Hester comforted and advised them, as best she could. She assured them, too, that one day, they would find happiness with one man, as she had.

And, after many, many years, a new tomb was set right next to her minister's. On the tombstone for the two eternal lovers, was written:

"On a field, a deep-colored letter A shines brightly."

(end of section)