Evening journal., 1892-09-08
CHAPTER XII.
A FLoop oF srNsHINE.

CHAPTER XII.
FLOOD or SUNSHINE.
Arthur Dimmesdale gazed into Hes
tor's face with look in which hope and
Joy shone out indeed, but with fear be-
twixt them, and kind Of horror at her
holiness, who had spoken what he
vaguely limited at, but dared not speak.
But Hester Prynne, with a mind of
native courage and activity, and for so
long period not merely estranged, bat
outlawed, from society, had habituated
herself to such latitude of speculation as
was altogether foreign TO the clergy
man. She had wandered, without rule
or guidance, in a moral wilderness; as
vast, as intricate and shadowy as the
untamed forest, amid the gloom Of
which they were now holding a collOquy
that was TO decide their fate. Her intel
lect and heart had their home, as it
were, in desert places, where she
roamed as freely as the wild Indian in
his woods
For years past she had looked from
this estranged point Of view at human
institutions, and whatever priests OF
legislators had established; criticising
all with hardly more reverence than the
Indian would feel for the clerical band,
the judicial robe, the pillory, the gal
lows, tho freside OF the church. The
I tendency Of her fate and fortunes Ind
been to set her free. The scarlet letter
was her passport into regions where
other women dared not tread. Shame,
despair, solitudel These had been her
teachers-stern and wild ones-and they
had made her strong, but taught her
/ much amiss.
The minister, on the other hand, had
never gone through an experience calcu-
| lated to lead him beyond the scope Of
generally received laws; although, in a
single instance, he had so fearfully trans
/ crossed one of the most sacred Of them.
!
Thus we seem TO see that, as regarded
! Hester Prynne, tho whole seven years OF
outlaw and ignominy had been littlo
other than preparation for this very
hour. But Arthur Dimmesdale! Were
such o man onco more to fall, what plea
could be urged in exclamation of his
crime? None; unless it avail him some
what, that no was broken down by long
| and exquisite suffering; that his mind
was darkened and confused by the very
| remorse which narrowed it; that, be-
tween fleeing as an avowed criminal
and remaining as a hypocrite, conscience
might find it hard to strike the balance;
that it was human to avoid the peril ol
death and infamy and the inscrutable
Vaccinations of an enemy; that, finally,
to this poor pilgrim, on his dreary and
desert path, faint, sick, miserable, there
appeared a glimpse of human affection
and sympathy, a new life and a true one
in exchange FOR the heavy doom which
he was now expiating. And be the stern
and sad truth spoken, that tho breach
which guilt has once mado into the hu
man soul is never in this mortal state re
paired. 1t may be watched and guarded
so that tlre enemy shall not force bis
way again into the citadel, and might
even in his subsequent assaults selec
some other avenue in preference to thai
where he had formerly succeeded. But
there is still tho ruined wall, and near j
the stenlthy tread Of the foe that woulC
win over again his unforgotten triumph
The struggle, if there were one, nee,
not DO described Let it suffice that tb
clergyman resolved TO flee and no
alone.
"If, in all these past seven years,
Thought he, Il could recall one instan
Of peace or hope, l would yet endure
for the sake of that earnest of heaven
mercy. But now, since ! am irreyocabl.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS should l not snatcl
the solace allowed TO tho c0ndemne
culprit before his execution? Or, if thi
be the path to q better life, as Hesic
would persuade INC, / surely give up Ii
faircr prospect by pursuing il! Ncithe
can L any longer live without her CON
panionship; so powerful is she to sul
tain-so tender to soothe. o thou
! whom / dare not lift mine eyes, vii
, thou yet pardon mey
Thou wilt gom said Hester calmly
as he met her glance.
. The decision once made, glow G
/ strange enjoyment threw it's iiiclerin
brightness over the trouble of his brcas
It was the cxhilara.ing eGect-up0n
: | prisoner just escaped from the dungoo
of his own heart-of breathing the vii,
free atmosphere of an unredeemed, "
christainized. lawless region. His spir
I rose, as it wore, with a bound, and a
? tained a nearer prospect OF the sky tina
: throughout an the misery which ha
! kept him groveling on the earth. of
!. deeply religious temperament, there w
/. inevitably a tinge Of the devotional
Z his mood.