Evening journal., 1892-08-30

OF hester Ptynne fastened on his ON
and saw that she appeared to recogni:
him. he slowly and calmly raised his fl
ger. made gesture with it in the al
and laid it on his lips.
Then, touching the shoulder Of
townsman who stood next to him.
addressed him in "a formal and courteoi
manner.
ii pray you. good sir" said he. NV.
10 this woman-and wherefore is 81
here set up TO public shameY"
"You must needs be a stranger in th
region, friend" answered the town
man. looking curiously at the question
and his savage companion. 'else ),
would surely have heard Of Mistr,
Hester Prynne and her evil doings. 81
hath raised great scandal, promi
you, in godly Master Dimmesdale
church"
You say truly, replied the other.
am n stranger and have been wandere
sorely against my will have met wit
grievous mishaps by sea and land, an
have been long held in bonds among III
heather folk TO the southwark. and al
now brought hither by this Indian to
redeemed out Of my captivity. viii
please you, therefore, to tell me of He
ter Prynne's--have her name rightly
of this woman's offenses and what ha
brought her to yonder scaifoldy
Truly. friend. and methinks IL mui
gladden. your heart. after your troubl,
and sojourn in the wilderness. said th
townsman, 10 find yourself at lengi
in land where iniquity is searched OF
and punished in the sight of rulers an
people, as here in our godly New En-
land. Yonder woman, sir, you mu
know. was the wife of a certain learnt
man. English by birth. but who ha
long dwelt in Amsterdam. whenc,
some good time agone, he was minde
TO cross over and cast In his lot with I
of the Massachusetts. To this purpo,
he sent his wife before him. remainiu
himself to look after some necessary
fairs. Marry, good sir. in some ~
years OF less. that the woman has be-,
a dweller here in Boston. no tidin.
have come of this learned gentleman
Master Prynne, and his young VIII
look you, being left to her own mi
| guidancen--
"Ahl-ahai-l conceive you, said IN
stranger. with bitter smile. 80 learne
man as you speak of should ha,
learned this. too. in his books. Al
who. 10y your favor. sir, may be the f.
Their of yonder babe-it is some three q
four months old. should judge-whic
Mistress Prynne is holding in her arms
"Of truth, friend. that matter r
maineth a riddle. and the Daniel wi
shall expound il is yet a-wanting."
swered the townsman. Madam Hest
absolutely refuseth to speak, and q
magistrates have laid their heads L
gether in vain. Peradyenture, 81
guilty one stands looking on at this -
spectacle. unknown of man. and forge
ting that God sees him"
THE learned man. observed a
stranger. with another smile, "shoul
come himself to look into the mystery
at behooves him we'll. If he be sti
IN life" responded the townsma
Now, good sir, our Massachuset
magistracy bethinking themselves tn
this woman is youthful and fair, al
doubtless was strongly tempted to b.
fall. and that. moreover as is mo
likely. her husband may be at the bo
tom Of the sea. they have not been bo
to put in force the extremity of O,
righteous law against her The penal'
thereof is death. But in their gre
mercy and tenderness Of heart they ha'
doomed Mistress Prynne to stand only
space Of three hours ON the platform
the pillory and then and thereafter, T,
the remainder Of her natural life.
wear a mark Of shame upon her bosom
"A wise sentence remarked u
stranger, gravely bowling his hea
Thus she will be a living serm,
against sin until the ignominious lett
be engraved upon her tombstone.
inks me, nevertheless. that the partn
of her iniquity should not, at least, stat
on the scaffold by her side. But he WI
be known-he will be known-he w
be known
He bowed courteously TO the COZ
municative townsman and. whisperii
a few words to his Indian attendai
they both made their way through Il
crowd.
While this passed, Hester Prynne h,
been standing on her pedestal still wi
a fixed gaze toward the stranger;
fixed gaze that at moments Of inten
absorption all other objects in the vi.
BILE world seemed tovanish, leaving on
him and her. Such an interview p,
haps would have been more terrible tn,
even to meet him rs she now did, wi
the hot, midday sun burning down up,
her face and lighting up its sham
with the scarlet token Of infamy on b
breast; with the sin born infant in h
arms; with a whole people, drawn for
IS to a festival. staring at the featur
hat should have been seen only in q
luiet CLEAN Of the fireside. in the hap
hadow Of home or beneath a matru
IS veil at church. Dreadful as it wa
she was conscious of a shelter in q
presence of these thousand witnease
It was better TO stand thus. with
many betwixt him and her. than 70 gre
him face to face. they two alone. 81
lied for refuge. as il were. to the publ
exposure. and dreaded the moment whit
It's protection should be withdrawn fro
her involved in these thoughts. 81
] Q. 1. u - a L.