Evening journal., 1892-09-06

the margin of the water and play with
the shells and tangled seaweed, until
she should have talked awhile with yon-
der gatherer Of herbs. So the child flew
away like bird, and making bare her
small white feet went FACTORING along
the moist margin Of the sen.
Here and there she came to q full
stop, and peeped curiously into a pool
left by the retiring tide as "a mirror for
Pearl TO see her face in. Forth peeped
at her out of the pool, with dark, glisten-
ing curls around her head, and an elf
smile in her eyes, the image Of a little
maid whom Pearl having no other play
mate. invited to take her hand and run
a race with her But the visionary lit
tie maid, on her part, beckoned likewise,
as il to say; "This is better placel |
Come thou into the pool" And Pearl, /
stepping in midleg deep beheld her own /
white feet at the bottom, while out of a |
still lower depth came the CLEAN of a /
kind of fragmentary smile, floating TO /
and fro in the agitated water.
Meanwhile her mother had accosted |
the physician.
81 would speak word with you
said she; "a word that concerns us
much.
aha! and is it Mistress Hester that
has a word for old Roger Chilling
worth:' answered he, raising himself
from his STOPPING posture with all
my heartl Why, mistress, hear good
tidings of You on all handsl No longer
ago than yester eve a magistrate, wise
and cody man, was discoursing Of your
affairs, Mistress Hester, and whispered
me that there had been question con-
corning you in the council. II was de-
bated whether or no, with safety to the
common veal, yonder scarlet letter
might be taken off your bosom. On my
life, Hester, made my entreaty to the
worshipful magistrate that it might be
done forthwith
1T lies not in the pleasure Of the
magistrates to take off this badge"
calmly replied Hester "Were / worthy
to be quit of it, it would fall away Of its
own nature. or be transformed into
something that should speak a different
purport."
May, then, wear it if it suit you bet
ter" reioined he. "a woman must
needs follow her own fancy touching
the adornment Of her person. The let
ter is gayly embroidered and shows
right brayely on your bosomp
All this while Hester had been look
ing steadily at the old man, and was
shocked as well as wonder smitten to
: discern what a change had been wrought
e upon him within the last seven years.
It was not so much that he had grown
! older, for though the traces Of advancing
, life were visible he bore his age well
! and seemed to retain wiry yigor and
alertness. But the former aspect of an
a intellectual and studious man, calm and
\ quiet which was what she best remem-
4 bered in him, had altogether vanished
a and been succeeded by an eager, search
n ing, almost fierce, yet carefully guarded
look. 1t seemed to be his wish and pur-
n pose to mask this expression with q
d smile, but the latter played him false
p and iickered over his visage so deri.
z sively that the spectator could see his
blackness all the better for it. Ever
n and anon, too, there came "A glare Of RED
d light out Of his eyes, as if the old man'
Ie soul were on fire and kept on smolder
II ing duskily within his breast, until, b.
" some casual puff Of passion, it was blown
q. into a momentary flame. This he re
- pressed as speedily as possible and strov'
~ to look as if nothing Of the kind haC
sp happened.
4. In a word, old Roger Chillingwortl
,r was a striking evidence Of mans faculty
i of transforming himself into devil if hl
y. will only for a reasonable space Of TIM
10 undertake q DEVILS Office. This unhappy
IA person had effected such transforma
ton by devoting himself for seven year
a.. to the constant analysis of a heart full
: Of torture and deriving his enjoymen
q thence, and adding fuel to those fer.
/ fortunes which he analysed and gloate'
m over
The scarlet letter burned on Heste
N Prynne's bosom. Here was anothe
he ruin, the responsibility Of which cam
~, partly home TO her.
,n What see you in my face" asked tn
~ physician, 'that you look at it 50 eai
II nestlyf"
Nv Something that would make me wee
i if there were any tears bitter enough fo
III it," answered she. But let il passl
on is Of yonder miserable man that woul
M speak"
NJ "And what of him." cried Roger Chi
m lingworth eagerly, as if he loved tn
~ topic and were glad Of an opportunit
al to discuss it with the only person {
NJ, whom he could make a conhdant. "NC
al to hide the truth, Mistress Hester, m
be thoughts happen just now TO be bus
nd with the gentleman. So speak freel,
lac and win make answer"
be when we last spake together" sal
"a Hester, snow seven years ago, it W.
your pleasure to extort a promise
,lf secrecy as touching the former relatio
a betwixt yourself and me. As the i'll
ON and good fame Of yonder man were
,or your hands. there seemed no choice
60 me save to be silent in accordance vii
nj your behest. Yet it was not withol
lar heavy misgivings that thus bound m
he self, for, having cast off all duty towal
If other human beings, there remained
.n duty toward him, and something viii
~. "a